Climate Change and Biodiversity in the Tropical Andes Author(s): Andreas Haller Source: Mountain Research and Development, 32(2):258-259. 2012. Published By: International Mountain Society DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1659/mrd.mm097 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1659/mrd.mm097

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cultural ecosystem services are dis- Geographies’’ aims at facilitating the Climate Change and tinguished, and their strong relation- assessment of the impacts of global Biodiversity in the Tropical ship to human societies is underlined. change on plants, animals, and Andes Chapter 2 analyzes the direct and ecosystems. The authors cover aspects indirect impacts of climate change on of geomorphology, atmospheric Edited by Sebastian K. Herzog, the biodiversity of the tropical Andes peculiarities, soil conditions, and Rodney Martinez, Peter M. and offers a synthesis on conservation Andean hydrogeography. However, Jørgensen, and Holm Tiessen. Sa˜o management tools and methods. With the human dimension of ‘‘Andean Jose´ dos Campos, Brazil and Paris, respect to possible obstacles that face Geographies’’ is reduced to the France: Inter-American Institute of biodiversity conservation, the authors doubtlessly important impacts of rural Global Change Research (IAI) and mention a lack of institutional capac- land use on biodiversity; the manifold Scientific Committee on Problems of ities, for example, that the Comunidad effects of Andean urbanization on the Environment (SCOPE), 2011. Andina de Naciones should play a local or regional climatic conditions, xii + 348 pp. Electronic copy only; free decisive role in promoting practices as well as on biodiversity, are simply download from http://www.iai.int. of climate change adaptation. The ignored. Chapter 9 gives an interesting ISBN 978-85-99875-05-6. authors of chapter 3 draw on the overview of Andean land use, which previous discussions, turning their ranges from pre-Columbian to attention to the effects of range shifts present times but, again, is confined to that may increase the risk of extinc- rural activities. After an interesting ‘‘La variedad de climas y la asombrosa tion to species. In addition, the contribution on plant geography and diversidad de sus plantas y producciones, en authors request the—probably mean- floristic regions of the northern and los reinos animal, vegetal y mineral, ingful—adaptation of existing man- central Andes, a well-structured over- presenta una fuente de abundancia donde agement tools to the geographic view on the vulnerability and resil- pueden hallarse, y se hallan preciosos, peculiarities of the tropical Andes, ience of Andean ecosystems is offered inestimables tesoros,’’ although without reasoning why. Part (for aquatic habitats, pa´ramo, humid I finishes with a contribution on the and dry puna as well as for cloud, as the Bohemo-Austrian geographer impacts of climate change on phe- seasonal, and dry Andean forest). and botanist Thadda¨ us Haenke wrote nology and interspecific interactions Finally, climatic stress is exemplified in 1810 (published posthumously in of Andean organisms, highlighting the by the Colombian Cordillera Central. Haenke 1901: IX), with reference to differentiation between proximate Chapters 13–20 address research on the tropical Andes. More than and ultimate causes, and underlining biodiversity. Articles on plant-diversity 200 years later, climate change is the importance of long-term moni- patterns are followed by others about affecting the ‘‘inestimable treasure’’ toring and predictive modeling. climate-change impacts on fungi and of biodiversity, as the title of this Chapters 5–7 have a clear focus on mosses,insects,birds,andsmallmam- book suggests. The book is published the climate of the Andes; after some mals, and on the biodiversity of aquatic under the Creative Commons Public introductory notes on paleo-climate systems (lakes, rivers, and wetlands). License and includes 4 chapters on by Holm Tiessen, an overview of the Most of these contributions emphasize cross-cutting topics and 19 that pro- current understanding of tropical the existing elevation gradients and vide background information. At Andean climatology is given through patterns; identify knowledge gaps; and, first glance, this free publication an analysis of decadal, interannual, against the background of climate stands out due to its online-only and seasonal variability, followed by change, propose future directions of characteristic; a printed version in some explanations on the diurnal biodiversity research. English is not available. In the intro- cycle. The authors distinguish between The final chapters, 21–23, concen- duction, the editors state that the aim the very moist climate of the northern trate on adaptation and mitigation is to provide a synthesis of the part (Colombia, Ecuador) and the strategies that relate to changes in tropical Andes’ biodiversity patterns tropical Andes’ drier south (Peru and climate and biodiversity. First, the and highlight their importance for Bolivia). Subsequently, insights on limits and opportunities of species dis- humans by linking them to ecosystem climate-change evidence and future tribution modeling for biodiversity services. scenarios are offered. The contribu- management are examined. Second, Chapter 1 introduces the topic of tion also includes several useful the role of protected areas as a tool for climate change patterns in the tropi- summary tables, which enable a com- addressing global change is under- cal Andes by linking it with observed parative view on climatic tendencies, lined, with an emphasis on these and hypothesized effects on different glacier retreat, and change projections. protected areas’ suitability as moni- ecosystems: from cloud forests to dry Chapters 8–12 treat topics that toring sites. The last chapter identifies and humid puna grasslands. Provi- relate to land use and ecosystem 5 priorities for sustainable flow man- sioning, regulating, supporting, and services. The ‘‘Introduction to Andean agement of Andean rivers, a need that

Mountain Research and Development Vol 32 No 2 May 2012: 258–259258 http://dx.doi.org/10.1659/mrd.mm097 ß 2012 by the authors MountainMedia

involves both mountain societies and view, more attention to the impact of REFERENCE their environment. biodiversity change on the Andean Haenke T. 1901. Descripcio´n del Peru´. Lima, Peru: In sum, a reader interested in bio- people would have been interesting. El Lucero. openlibrary.org/books/OL6919353M/ diversity and climate change will find a Nevertheless, the 360 pages (or indi- Descripcio%CC%81n_del_Peru%CC%81. very comprehensive and informative vidual chapters) of the digital book, publication that regionally focuses on although they have a certain degree of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. information redundancy, are worth Part II, in particular, has a clear struc- downloading free of charge from the AUTHOR Andreas Haller ture and a useful sequence. Several case Internet. Although a print-on-demand [email protected] studies exemplify the treated topics and version would be a plus, it is good news Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, make the reader think about the impor- that a free hard-copy Spanish transla- 6020 Innsbruck, Austria tance of the environment’s ‘‘inestimable tion will be published, and distributed treasures’’ (Haenke 1901) for mountain upon request by the Universidad de los Open access article: please credit the authors and societies. From a geographer’s point of Andes (Venezuela). the full source.

Mountain Research and Development 259 http://dx.doi.org/10.1659/mrd.mm097