Regional vegetation changes in the tropical Andes expressed as arboreal pollen (AP%), standardised ordination scores (DCA z-scores), and aquatic vegetation ratios (D/SS); files used for plots

We compare eight pollen records reflecting climatic and environmental change from the tropical Andes. Our analysis focuses on the last 50 ka, with particular emphasis on the Pleistocene to Holocene transition. We explore ecological grouping and downcore ordination results as two approaches for extracting environmental variability from pollen records. We also use the records of aquatic and shoreline vegetation as markers for lake level fluctuations, and precipitation change. Our analysis focuses on the signature of millennial-scale variability in the tropical Andes, in particular, Heinrich stadials and Greenland interstadials. We identify rapid responses of the tropical vegetation to this climate variability, and relate differences between sites to moisture sources and site sensitivity.

Die Gletscher der bolivianischen Anden, Verbreitung von Gletschern und neuzeitlichen Moränen in der Cordillera Apolobamba Cololo Region (Ostkordillere)

The uniform triangulation of the whole glacierized area of the Eastern Cordillera of Bolivia provided the first comparable geometrie basis for an accurate photogrammetric height evaluation of glaciers in the mountain range from the far south up to the Peruvian border. A total of 1775 glaciers, larger than 0.1 ha, were recorded in 16 mountain ranges ofthe East- ern Cordillera. Snow lines in the outer tropics can now be analysed with an accuracy of European standards. In spite of the widemeshed network of meteorological stations this allows a more pre- eise climatic differentiation to be made, particularly at high altitude sites. The methods and results of the analysis are described. Because of these results it becomes necessary to revise and refine previous concepts of the spatial distribution of climatic phenomena. Characteristics of glaciers in the Bolivian Cordillera obviously depend on the NE to SW decline in precipitation. The snow lines which are found at an altitude of 4500 m on the north- eastern slope directed towards the Yungas climb up to 5200 m on the lee slope towards the Alti- plano. The N to S increase in snowline elevation is not as significant as expected. With some res- ervation a 100 m fall in the snowline elevation in the Bolivian Cordillera can be explained by an increase in precipitation of about 50 mm.

Permafrost Favorability Index Map (PFI) for the Chilean Semi-Arid Andes

The Permafrost Favorability Index (PFI) map for the Chilean Semi-Arid Andes (29°S-32°S) indicates where permafrost is likely to occur (resolution 30 m x 30 m). The predicted favorability of permafrost occurrence ranges between 0 and 1, where high PFI values indicate most favorable environmental conditions for permafrost existence and low values indicates that permafrost will be present in exceptional circumstances with favorable local conditions. Conditions highly favorable to permafrost presence (PFI > 0.75) are predicted for 1051 km² of mountain terrain, or 2.7 % of the total area of the watersheds studied. Favorable conditions are expected to occur in 2636 km², or 6.8% of the area. Especially the Elqui and Huasco watersheds in the northern half of the study area where a substantial surface portion (11.8 % each) was considered to be favorable for permafrost presence, while predicted favorable areas in the southern Limarí and Choapa watersheds are mostly limited to specific sub-watersheds.

Reproductive state of hunted female mammals during 2000-2015 in Nueva Esperanza, Peruvian Andes

The annual birthrate of female offspring and the intrinsic rate of natural increase (rmax) of populations are key reproductive parameters in models for assessing hunting sustainability or population viability of species. We calculated wild birthrate (pregnancy rate) for ten mammal species, using 180 months (from 2000 to 2015) of reproductive data from 950 hunted female animals collected with the participation of local hunters in the Peruvian Amazon. The methodology assured that no animals were killed outside the hunter's normal activities. The data included shows the reproductive state (pregnant or non-pregnant) of all collected individuals (n=1090), related to the date of collection. Hunters registered required data from genital organs from 950 (87.2%) hunted females, and 140 (12.8%) collected tracts lacked the collection date due to lost or non-legible individual sample codification.

Sedimentology and mineralogy of surface sediments from the Chilean continental margin

The regional patterns of texture and composition of modern continental slope and pelagic sediments off Chile between 25°S and 43°S reflect the latitudinal segmentation of geological, morphological, and climatic features of the continental hinterland. Grain-size characteristics are controlled by the grain-size of source rocks, the weathering regime, and mode of sediment input (eolian off northern Chile vs fluvial further south). Bulk-mineral assemblages reveal a low grade of maturity. Regional variations are governed by the source-rock composition of the different geological terranes and the relative source-rock contribution of the Coastal Range and Andes, as controlled by the continental hydrology. The relative abundance of clay minerals is also predominantly influenced by the source-rock composition and partly by continental smectite neoformation. Latitudinal variations of illite crystallinities along the Chilean continental slope (and west of the Peru-Chile trench) clearly reflect modifications of the weathering regime which correspond to the strong climatic zonation of Chile.