I. Course Description:
- From the tropical forest to the glacial landscapes of the south, this course provides a general view of the unique ecology, biogeography and bio-history of Latin America.
- Thematic units are divided into the different main ecosystems, although special attention is devoted to tropical ecosystems.
- As part of the ecology, fauna and flora of Latin America, the course also includes the human component, contrasting both the millenary human co-existence with nature and the modern society impact on the environment.
II. Course Objectives:
After successfully completing the course, you will be able to:
- Have a direct experience and achieve a foundation on the mayor Latin American ecosystems and how they work.
- Achieve a better understanding and experience the millenary relationship between traditional communities and their environment.
- Identify the major geographic characteristics of Latin America and its surrounding oceans.
- Describe the diversity and the distribution of life in the Latin America ecosystems.
- Be acquainted with the main current socio-ecological problems of Latin America and some of its solutions.
- Be able to think critically and with a broad interdisciplinary perspective on the socio-ecological problems of Latin America.
- Achieve an interdisciplinary view of the mayor ecological issues of Latin American that allows you to relate them to its bio-history, sociology and politics.
III. Course Outline:
1. The Bio-history of Latin America.
2. Geography:
- The geography of Latin America in maps./ Natural geographic regions./ Political regions./ Population density./ Hydrographic basins and rivers./ Mountains./ Climate: Isoterms, Rainfall, El niño./ Biogeographic regions of the world and the position of Latin America./ The Natural regions of Latin America./ Geologic and Biogeografic history./ Major ecosystems and geographic regions.
3. Basic concepts in Ecology and Latin America Natural regions:
- World Biomes./ Latin America Biomes./ Ecological levels./ Relationships./ Ecosystems./ Niche./ Species and taxa./ Wildlife: key and flag species./ Succession./ Diversity and biodiversity./ Debate: Humans as part of nature.
4. Socio-Ecology:
- Practical cases will be experienced and discussed.
5. People in nature:
- Case study of a traditional society (Ex: Huaorani, Aymara, Terena). Latin America ethnic groups: an overview./ The relation with natives in Latin America./ Relations with nature./ The natural use of plants./ The Kayapó Indians soil improvement techniques./ The Shaman knowledge./ Debate: ¿Contact or non-contact policy?
6. The ecology of the rainforest:
- World rainforest./ The Amazon./ The Atlantic rainforest./ The Chocó./ Biohistory of the Amazonia./ River types and dynamics./ Types of rainforest./ Climate./ Forest structure./ Nutrients./ Disturbance, gaps and succession./ Dangers in the rainforest./ Fauna./ Flora./ Conservation.
7. Savanna, shrublands and grasslands:
- Introduction to the Neotropical Savannas./ Los Llanos./ El Cerrado./ The Pantanal./ El Chaco./ Pampa./ Historical occupation and uses./ People and land use in the Pantanal./ Pantanal as a dynamic system./ People and land use in the Cerrado./ The Chaco Ayoreos.
8. Neotropical Mountains.
- The Andes: Paramo, Puna, Coordillera./ Southern Andean Steppes./ Tepuis of the Guianas./ Conservation issues./Sajama-Lauca NP./The Kallawaya and the relation of Andean people with nature.
9. Patagonia and Tierra de Fuego:
- Biohistory of Patagonia and Tierra de Fuego./ Valdivian rainforests./ The Mapuche life with nature./ Exploitation of fax paper from Chile./ Southern mountains and the Subantartic./ Península Valdes: sea elephants and penguins./ The Patagonic Giant myth/ The Yámana People of Tierra de Fuego./ Patagonic estepes and sheep farms./ The southern glaciers.
10. Deserts and Xeric shrublands:
- Atacama natural history./ Water and crops in the driest desert of the world./ Caatinga and Brejos./ Monte./ Espinal./ Baja California./ Origins, ecology and main PNS´s.
