Americas Cordillera Transect Newsflash

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News

Reanalysis ensembles improve predictors of daily air temperature on a glaciated mountain in Peru

The ability of five reanalysis methods, and different ensembles of these, were assessed for predicting daily air temperature at high-altitude glaciated sites in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru. Specific reanalyses showed higher skill than others for this site, especially during dry and intermediate seasons. The authors recommend using reanalysis ensembles, as they improve the performance of individual reanalyses..
More information...
Marlis Hofer - Marlis.Hofer@uibk.ac.at

See the publications section for the link to this paper and more recent publications relating to global change research in the region.

Is Global Warming Proceeding Faster at Higher Elevations?

A meeting to discuss this question, and the reasons that may explain was held during the American Geophysical Union’s 45th annual Fall Meeting in San Francisco, in December, with a view to advancing concerted efforts to answer the question from different mountain regions. 

See the events section below for more details on this event and others of interest in the region.

Changing Andean hinterlands: recent evidence from Huancayo, Peru

During the last decades, medium-sized Peruvian mountain cities and their hinterlands are undergoing major restructuring due to population growth and — especially since the introduction of more neoliberal policies in the early 1990s — globalized economic development. 
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See the projects section for more information on this project "Rapid Urban Growth in the Andes" and for others. 

New tool for global change research in Venezuela - Satellite Miranda

The first images have been received from Satellite Miranda, launched on 28 September 2012 in China. Amongst its aims, the satellite provides an opportunity to link different projects related to open access to satellite data and provide almost real time updates on land use and cover, with special focus on environmental management and productive systems, among others.
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Ozone hole reduces rainfall in Patagonia and affects tree growth in unprecedented levels over 600 years

The ozone hole has caused climate alterations, such as displacement of westerly winds to higher southern latitudes, leading to a reduction in precipitation in Patagonia and consequently reduced tree growth rates. The converse was seen in New Zealand and Australia. The intensity and duration of this phenomenon has no precedents in the last 600 years, according to a recent paper published in Nature Geoscience, led by Ricardo Villalba at the Instituto Argentino de Nivología, Glaciología y Ciencias Ambientales.
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International meeting demands solutions to the impacts of climate change on Andean glaciers

The “II International Meeting on Climate Change and Glacier Retreat”, held in the National Park of Sajama, Bolivia, produced a declaration requiring the authorities of Peru, Chile and Bolivia to take concrete actions with respect to climate change impacts in the region.
Full article...
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CDB COP 11- Towards implementation?

COP 11 has been widely reported as a transition conference, in working towards the implementation of the plans forged at Nagoya. Although mountains do not feature specifically in the COP 11 decisions, opportunities exist for mountain biodiversity to be included, for example, when countries review NBSAPs, and national indicators for Aichi Targets. Making sure that mountain biodiversity is fully recognised within the CBD mechanisms is a job for all of us. See the preliminary list of decision here...

High Mountains lacking an integral geographic approach - Conference presentation available

High mountains lack an integral, innovative and critical geographic approach that not only provides knowledge, but also creates awareness of their living landscapes, territories and populations. Download the entire talk given at the Geographic Society of Colombia by Joaquín Molano Barrero including reflections and challenges to defend and preserve the high equatorial mountains of Colombia.
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Andean Community countries to establish research network for glacier monitoring

Glaciologists met in Lima, Peru at a regional workshop to exchange information and analyse the possibility of working together to establish research networks on glacier monitoring as well as other opportunities for collaboration.
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Projects

Rapid Urban Growth in the Andes (2012-2015)

Vulnerability to Water Scarcity and Glacier Fed Water Availability, Peru

Research Network: Sustainability and resilience in coupled human and natural systems in relevant cases in South America

Publications

Books

Contesting Páramo: Critical Biogeography of the Northern Andean Highlands
Fausto Sarmiento, 2012. Kona Publishing and Media Group Sarmiento presents a new angle for understanding the northern Andean highlands—one that requires the inclusion of critical social theory on traditional biogeography and ecology for a deep -understanding of cultural landscapes in the Andes amidst the tropical farmscapes’ transformation of the present. 
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Adaptation strategy for effects of climate and global changes on communities in the river Sajhuaya basin.Agua Sustentable, IIAREN (Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Recursos Naturales), UMSA, IHH (Instituto de Hidráulica e Hidrología), UMSS. Bolivia. Results of the project on capacity strengthening and development of adaptation strategies in communities of the Cordillera Real of the Central Andes in Bolivia, implemented between 2009 and 2011, with the aim of providing tools and means of reducing communities’ vulnerability to climate change.

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Special issue of Plant Ecology and Diversity 2012 on "Mountain Biodiversity" 
This special issue offers a set of papers that were presented at the Second International Conference on Mountain Biodiversity. With this conference, GMBA celebrated its 10th anniversary, in the Alps in Chandolin, Switzerland in July 2010. The overarching theme was ‘Functional significance of mountain biodiversity’ 
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Buenas prácticas para la gestión de los páramos en Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú. CONDESAN, Lima, Peru. 
Compilation of 18 best practice examples from pilot sites of the Páramo Andino project. Concrete initiatives of ecosystem management, implemented by the local communities and supported by the project team from 2006 to 2012. 
Download the book here

Indicators to evaluate and monitor the state of biodiversity in the Tropical Andes in the context of climate change: methodological proposal for the Andean Community countries. Condesan, CAN, Lima, Peru. 
Six proposed indicators for the Andean region to evaluate and monitor state of conservation of biodiversity in the context of climate change. 
Download here


Biodiversity and Climate Change in the Tropical Andes: Establishment of a research network to monitor its impacts and establish actions.
CONDESAN. Lima, Perú. Summary of GLORIA sites in the Andes for monitoring high altitude vegetation, with preliminary results.
Download here

Events

Past Events

Is Climate Warming More Pronounced at High Elevations?
3 December 2012, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Organisers: The Mountain Research Initiative
Further information: Dr. Gregory B. Greenwood, green@giub.unibe.ch

Trace-element records of an Illimani ice-core in context with 2000 years of Bolivian history (Oeschger Centre Seminar Series)
28 September 2012
Dr. Gabriela Gramlich, Paul Scherrer Institute and Oeschger Centre
Bern, Suiza
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Curso Iberoamericano de Glaciares
12 - 16 November 2012
Santiago de Chile, Chile
Organiza: Programa De Formación Iberoamericano en Materia de Aguas
Mayor información...


V Reunión Nacional de Investigación Forestal: “Promoviendo el manejo de bosques naturales, plantaciones forestales y su conservación para mejorar la calidad de vida
14 - 16 November 2012
Cochabamba, Bolivia.
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Funding

Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) Science
Opportunity for projects supporting USAID objectives, partnering with NSF funded researchers.
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Programa de Becas para Jóvenes Investigadores (<30 años) Perú
Central themes: Estrategias de vida, cambios en la tenencia de la tierra y cambios demográficos en el mundo rural; Servicios ambientales y desarrollo rural sostenible; Políticas de inversión pública y su impacto sobre el desarrollo rural.
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National Research Councils - Open calls...

• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Chile
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Perú
• Venezuela