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Environmental Issues of Latin America The Neotropics

Environmental Issues of Latin America The Neotropics. Struggle Between Economy And Environment. Latin America has the benefit of seeing other regions mistakes and trying to avoid them Economic Pressures make that a difficult task. Mexico’s Central Plateau. Very attractive for settlement:

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Environmental Issues of Latin America The Neotropics

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  1. Environmental Issues of Latin AmericaThe Neotropics

  2. Struggle Between Economy And Environment • Latin America has the benefit of seeing other regions mistakes and trying to avoid them • Economic Pressures make that a difficult task

  3. Mexico’s Central Plateau • Very attractive for settlement: • Year round mild temps • Rich, volcanic soil • Ample water supply

  4. Mexico’s Central Plateau • Ironic that the topography that grants all that good creates a lot of bad

  5. Mexico City Smog

  6. Mexico City Smog

  7. Water Problems • Scarcity • Many of the large lakes were filled or drained for farm land • Pollution • Unlined canals leaking into aquifers

  8. Water Problems • Subsidence • Pumping out the aquifer creates instability of the soil • 30 feet in the 20th century • Some places as much as 20 inches in a year • 40,000 water line ruptures a year

  9. Water Problems

  10. Deforestation • Different than deforestation in other parts of the world: • Clearing for agricultural land • Expansion of cities • Creation of grazing lands (grassification)

  11. Degradation of Farmland • Soil Erosion • Loss of soil fertility • Large farming corporations force the little guy onto unstable hillsides etc. • Poor use of pesticides • Health problems • Water contamination

  12. Urban Problems • Squatter settlements in danger from industrial waste • 1984 fire in Cubatao Brazil • 1985 Ammonia leak

  13. Urban Problems

  14. Urban Solutions • Cities like Curitaba “the Green City” • Planning for drainage • Clean public transportation • Public education on environmental issues • Recycling programs

  15. Urban Solutions

  16. Urban Solutions

  17. Altitudinal Zonation • The relationship between elevation, different temps, and different vegetation • Environmental Lapse Rate • 3.5 degrees / 1000 ft of elevation

  18. Altitudinal Zonation • 4 levels • Tierra Caliente < 3000 ft • 3000< Tierra Templada<6000 • 6000<Tierra Fria<12,000 • 12,000< Tierra Helada

  19. Altitudinal Zonation

  20. El Nino • Warm Current that brings increased rains to Ecuador and peru every year and big time every ten years • Brings floods and ruins crops • Can cause drought in the periphery

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