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Chile, the Land of Mountains. Perhaps that is one of the phrases
that best describes the country. And with good reason. There is
practically no place in Chile from where you cannot see a mountain
and hardly a Chilean child’s drawing that doesn’t feature the Andes
as part of the scenery.
Close to 80% of Chilean territory is made up of mountainous areas,
an impressive figure, considering that only 20% of the earth’s surface
is mountains. But it is understandable when you think that, as well
as transverse mountain chains and smaller mountain systems there
are two large ranges that run the length of the country from north
to south. The Cordillera de la Costa (Coastal Range) is the oldest
range and is over 3,000 km long. Today it is a succession of small
hills rounded by erosion over time, punctuated every now and then
by larger mountains that can reach over 3,000 m. The other range,
the Andes is a mythical symbol of Latin America. It is a majestic
presence that runs the impressive distance of 10,000 km, from the
Caribbean Sea until Cape Horn. Of those, approximately 4,200 km
are in Chile. The Chilean Andes show diverse shapes, ages, climates
and eco-systems along their length, including altitudes over 6,000
m and more than 2,000 volcanoes, of which nearly 60 are still active
today.
But, what is the magic that these mountains hold? Is it just the
challenge of the high summits which attract and charm so many?
For many this could be true. But for many others the answer is a
resounding no, as they know the pleasure of climbing the mountains
multiplies when you know them more deeply.
Much more than massifs of rock, ice and earth, mountains are
sources of life. This is why the United Nations General Assembly
declared 2002 the International Year of Mountains, recognising
them as “fragile eco-systems, important worldwide as sources of
fresh water, areas of biological diversity and recreation, and as centres
of integrity and cultural diversity”.
But, beyond being vital to the survival of at least half of the population
of the Earth, mountains also hold a deep fascination. Looking carefully
at their lines, colours, rock formations and fossilised secrets is the
beginning of an imaginary trip to witness how their history began
millions of years ago. A history, in the case of the Andes, began
under the sea. What today is a great mountain range was once an
enormous depression at the bottom of the sea. Various processes
led to the bottom of the sea being raised higher than the level of
the water. These processes included the slipping of the Nazca plate
under the South American plate, tectonic movements that caused
the folding of the earth’s crust and concentrated periods of strong
orogenic processes that cause the formation of mountains. The
biggest period of uplifting occurred about 20 million years ago,
especially in the north of Chile. Since then, earthquakes, volcanism,
wind, water and thermal oscillation have continued to sculpt these
massifs. Other natural phenomena have also contributed enormously
to the shape of the mountains today, such as the glacial periods
which undermined areas, re-structured the landscape and displaced
flora and fauna. There was also a great sequence of volcanic eruptions
that occurred 12,000 years ago. These eruptions threw up enormous
quantities of ash, covering the Andes from its base upwards.
It is therefore difficult not to be amazed when in the middle of the
Andes we find remains of what used to be rich marine life millions
of years ago. Or when we imagine the processes of folding when
looking at the lines and shapes in the rock walls.
And there are yet more wonders that the mountains hold. Every
mountain is an intricate mosaic of climates, habitat, perfect adaptations
and fights for survival. Practically no square metre in a mountain is
exactly the same as another due to the variation in slope, orientation,
relief, radiation, atmospheric pressure and temperature. The fall in
temperature that a climber experiences every 100 metres (0.5º C on
average) is the equivalent to approaching 150 km in a straight line
towards the nearest pole.
Added to these factors is the constant exposure of the mountains
to erosion. With these facts, we realize that those who manage to
make the mountains their home are true survivors. The species that
inhabit mountain systems generally show a high level of adaptation
exclusive to their environment; managing to survive against all
expectations and generating eco-systems of a unique richness.
Even though species cannot survive at over 6,000 m, the types of
life that can be found along the length of the 38 highest Andean
mountains which this book describes are covered by two of the ecoregions
described by Quintanilla (bio-geographic units that have
certain climatic and biological characteristics). The Andean Alti-Planic
eco-region is one of these.
Over 3,500 m high and extending from the Tarapacá region until
the Maricunga Salt Lake in the Atacama region, the Andean Alti-
Planic eco-region has vegetational formations that are composed of
several species. Among these are Tolar (shrublands), Pradera Andina
Perenne (dwarf bushes and scrubland) and Bofedal (green cushions
formed by dwarf plants in humid areas). These are plants that are
perfectly adapted to the climate of the Puna, which has a huge
range in temperature between day and night, very dry periods, and
strong rain and snow falls in the summer months during the socalled
Alti-Planic winter. These species also allow the existence of
animals, who are also highly adapted to these conditions.
The amphibians that live here either have resistant skin that stops
dehydration, or have become adapted to live under the water all
the time. The rare reptiles are found exclusively in the sunnier slopes,
which prevents them becoming drowsy and slow due to the cold.
For birds, perhaps the biggest problem is not the cold or the dryness
but the lack of appropriate places to nest. They resolve this by
adapting their nests to the ground and the rocks or by simply
migrating.
The mammals, meanwhile, overcome the cold with exquisitelyadapted
thermal fur. Amongst the fascinating animals that can be
observed in these places are the Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus
chilensis), the Short-Tailed Chinchilla (Abrocoma cinerea), the Puna
Mouse (Phyllotis arenarius), the Llama (Lama glama), the Alpaca
(Lama pacos), the Puma (Felis concolor) and the Andean Mountain
Cat (Felis jacobita).
The second eco-region, called Altoandina (the High Andes) groups
the types of vegetation and communities of species that live over
4,500 m. As the prevailing conditions offer great adversity, such as
temperatures averaging 0ºC, low oxygen levels, precipitation in the
form of snow or hail (which for the plants means a scarcity of water)
and high exposure to the wind, the species which live in these places
are truly admirable. The type of vegetation is largely scrub and in
some wet areas it is possible to see some bofedales.
Amongst all these species, there are two that stand out due to their
impressive adaptations: Llareta (Azorella compacta) and Queñoa
(Polylepis tarapacana). Llareta is a plant so compact that it resembles
a green rock. Its slow growth forms concave protuberances with
hard small resinous leaves, that impede the loss of water and permit
total adaptation to the dryness of the environment. Queñoa, on the
other hand, is a twisted tree that can reach up to 3 metres in height.
It is unmistakable due to its strong and tightly-spaced branches, its
resin-covered leaves and the waxy layer of dense, yellowy hairs on
the underside of the leaf. It is one of the trees that grows at the
highest altitudes in the world, being found in woods and gorges up
to 4,700 m. Queñoa is found principally in the Andes in the first
and second region, while Llareta is present up until the Central
Andes. Both have had conservation problems due to their popular
use as a source of fuel.
The High Andean fauna is less diverse than in the Andean Alti-Planic
region but it is equally rich in endemism. Of the mammals, the
Guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is one of the few that live at these altitudes,
along with the Andean Fox (Dusicyon culpaeus). Among the birds,
apart from the symbolic Condor (Vultur griphus), it is possible to see
the small Andean Goldfinch (Spinus atratus), the Juarjual Andean
Duck (Lophonetta specularioides) and the Andean Hawk (Buteo
poecilochrous).
If to all of this is added the fact that mountains are our sources and
reserves of fresh water, scenarios for processes that are vital to our
subsistence, agents of great influence over the climate and a source
of inspiration for cultures and peoples, it becomes easy to understand
why so many are fascinated and moved by them. We can see why
there was so many that worshipped them and why now there are
so many of us who fight for their protection, why there is so much
magic in exploring and climbing them and why so many of us
consider them to be exquisite and perfectly sculpted works of art.
Hopefully every day more of us will feel the same. |
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