Altiplano (Central Andes)

Location of the Altiplano on the American continent.

The city of El Alto in Bolivia, with approximately 922.598 inhabitants, is the largest city in the Andean Altiplano. At the bottom of the Huayna Potosí neva.

Puno (Peru), one of the cities of the Altiplano.

The Andean Altiplano, South American Altiplano, Collao Plateau or Titicaca Plateau, is an extensive plain high or plateau of South America located at an average altitude of 3800 m s. no. m. that includes part of the northwest of Argentina, the center-west and south-west of Bolivia, part of the north of Chile and part of the south of Peru. It has historical importance for having been the place where various civilizations arose, such as the Tiahuanaco culture, and the domestication of plants such as the potato and animals such as the llama and the alpaca. Due to its environmental and ecological characteristics, it is a unique natural region on the continent and due to its altitude it belongs to the so-called Puna region.

The Andes mountain range forms an imposing massif that rises next to the intermediate depression, in the form of a large inclined plane, reaching heights of over 6000 m s. no. m. of tectonic and volcanic origin. The materials eroded from these mountain ranges and those expelled by the volcanoes filled the central depression, forming plains that gave these sectors the name of high plateau.

The highlands receive tropical rainfall and snow during the southern summer, between January and February; This climatic phenomenon is called «Bolivian winter». Both aridity and altitude limit and determine life: strong and specialized flora and fauna survive extreme conditions above 3,600 m. There is a great biological diversity whose most representative samples are protected in national parks and monuments. Thus, vast and colorful, dotted with lakes, swamps ("bofedales"), salt pans and geysers; crowned by volcanoes over 6000 m s. no. m.

Toponymy

The term collao derives from the ancient aimara qullaw,^{[citation required]} formed by the morphemes qulla and -wi, that is, 'place of the collas'. This name is recorded in the oldest chronicles of the conquest in reference to the region southeast of Cuzco where various Aymara kingdoms lived at the same time as the Incas, including the Collas.

The term 'Altiplano' or 'Puna' It is generally accompanied by a demonym of the country or region in question: the Argentine highlands, the Bolivian highlands, the Chilean highlands and the Peruvian highlands. This system covers four countries: part of northern Argentina, western Bolivia, where its greatest extension is located; part of northern Chile and part of southern Peru.

Geology

The Altiplano is an intramontaneous sedimentary basin whose sediments have been mostly deposited under endorheic conditions and uplifted by the same tectonic movements that have given rise to the Andean mountain range some 15-25 million years ago. The tectonic mechanisms responsible for these movements are still poorly understood, and there are a variety of models that attempt to relate oceanic subduction under the Andes to the history of sediment uplift in the Altiplano.

Morphology

It is defined as a high plateau, that is, an area of low relief located at high altitude. It is a series of flat basins enclosed by high ridges, located at more than 3600 m s. no. m.

Starting from Lake Titicaca, the Andes range progressively widens to the south, leaving a very extensive plateau between the highest mountain ranges, which is called the Altiplano or Puna. This second name also designates the mountains located in the Andes at a certain height and, therefore, with certain environmental conditions.

Hydrology

The Collao plateau is a set of endorheic basins, among which two stand out:

• The endorreic system Titicaca-Desaguadero-Poopó-Salar de Coipasa and
• The Uyuni salt basin.

Towards the south of the Collao plateau, several endorheic basins of lagoons or minor salt flats born from springs stand out. Both basins would have separated 10,000 years ago, during the last glacial period,

From north to south, a gradual process of desertification can be seen on the Collao plateau, largely due to the progressive decrease in rainfall, from north to south, which concomitantly produces an increase in salinity and mineralization of the basins. The area of the Uyuni salt flat and the Coipasa salt flat receive brackish water from their tributaries (the Grande de Lípez and Pucamayu rivers, towards the Uyuni, and the Lauca and Lacajahuira rivers towards the Coipasa salt flat). Likewise, Lake Poopó and Lake Uru Uru have highly mineralized waters that accelerate the process of becoming salt flats.

In the same way, the Desaguadero river receives the contribution of mineralized waters from the Maure river, so that the contribution of Lake Titicaca towards the south of the basin becomes essential for the subsistence of agriculture in the southern region of the plateau.

Juliaca is the second largest city in the Altiplano with more than 300 000 inhabitants.

In general, the rivers of the Collao plateau stand out for being meandering in their middle and lower basins, due to the lack of slope and the continuous dragging of sedimentation. This sedimentation was the cause in 1962 that the Desaguadero River overflowed its flow, flooding a pampa that would later become Lake Uru Uru.

To the south of the Salar de Uyuni there are a series of lagoons, the main ones are:

Climate

The presence of Lake Titicaca and the Amazon basin determine a variation in humidity and temperature in the area, being wetter in the north and west than in the south and east.

The altiplano is as said, a plain over 3600 m high, there is low atmospheric pressure and, therefore, less oxygen concentration. Its climate is puna, very cold, dry and has large daily temperature ranges. This means that most nights (even in summer) can be freezing and at noon it can be hot. The temperature variation can be 30 °C on the same day, -5 °C at night and 25 °C at noon.

The soil not being homogeneous is another factor of great importance. It has many "naked" areas, but despite the critical conditions, frost, drought, height, plants grow in this area and there are places with plenty of vegetation. As in any ecosystem, there is therefore an important relationship between vegetation, climate and soil, since vegetation protects the soil from erosion. It is there where the vicuñas are found.

Relief

The central Andes region has high mountain ranges devoid of vegetation. In this region the mountainous relief is impressive. In it are some of the highest elevations in America. The mountains, almost without vegetation, have permanent snow on their summits. There are high-altitude steps that allow transit to Chile. Wide valleys separate the cords of the Andes from the foothills. It is there where the population is located. [relief]

Population and history

Templete semi-subterranean and at the bottom of the Temple of Kalasasaya, in the archaeological complex of Tiahuanaco.

The altiplano has been populated since ancient times. The vestiges of culture, such as ceramics or stonework, date from around 5000 BC. Weapons are disappearing in the Andes, since they already have the ability to domesticate useful animals for their survival. The man of the Altiplano settles around the lakes and achieves agricultural, lithic, metallurgical and livestock development; Likewise, and despite being a difficult area for agriculture, he domesticates wild plants, such as potatoes, and improves them for human consumption.

This cultural development led to the flourishing of the Tiahuanaco civilization from 1500 BC, the main exponent of the culture of the Altiplano. During the Inca Empire it had 800,000 inhabitants in Collasuyo.

The Altiplano is unevenly inhabited. The largest demographic areas are found in the circumlacustrine zone to the north. The largest city, El Alto (Bolivia) with 1,180,000 inhabitants, stands near the ancient city of Tiahuanaco. In Peru, Juliaca and Puno stand out.

Ecology

The flora of this region is steppe and is characterized by plants with leaves with reduced surface area, avoiding excessive water loss. In some species, the leaves have turned into spines, have a thick cuticle, and their yellowish color gives them the appearance of dry plants. Protected from the wind and the cold by tufts of grass, some flowering plants grow. There are also dwarf deep-rooted shrubs.

In the altiplano there are many plant species, but there are some that arouse greater interest in the local inhabitants, since they are used as fuel or are part of their daily diet. Among them we have the tola, the yareta, the ichu.

Each one of them is important for the Peruvian Andean man, however, the ichu is important because it acts as a soil protector, to prevent the advance of the gullies caused by rain and wind, and protects smaller pastures. In agriculture it is used to store potatoes, to make tunta and chuño. In livestock, it is used as food for camelids. In the home, it is useful for tying the roof trusses of houses. In handicrafts, it is applied in the elaboration of ropes, carpets for the floor, for the mattress of the bed, for making hats and brooms. In addition to the above, we find: quinoa roy and charqui.

Flora

Pajonal.

Quinua.

1. Añawaya

• Scientific name: Adesmia spinosissima Meyen ex Vogel family Fabaceae
• Dimensions: height 3 dm, diameter 5 dm
• Follage: 5 dm long
• Environment: dry highland. Rocky soil, dry, stony. Separated one metre approximately

2. Trigo Grano

• Scientific name: Triticum aestivum L. family Poaceae
• Dimensions: height 5 dm, diameter 3 c

Environment: highlands. Previously fertilized dry soil. Separation of cultivation of plots

3. Paja brava

• Scientific name: Jarava ichu Ruiz & Pav. family: Poaceae
• Dimensions: height 5 dm, diameter 4 dm
• Environment: highland, arid soil, stony, sandy

4. Quinua

• Scientific name: Chenopodium quinoa Willd. family: chenopodiaceae
• Dimensions: height 5 dm, diameter 2 dm
• Environment: highland

Wildlife

Andean flamenco.

Condor flying over the Colca Canyon (Peru).

Vicuña in northern Chile.

Suri

1. Quirquincho

• Scientific name: Chaetophractus nationi Thomas, 1894
• Dimensions: length: 40 cm; tail 12 cm

Environments:

• Altiplanic and sandal areas
• Endemic species
• Del Altiplano Central de Bolivia
• Conservation status: EN PELIGRO.
• Distribution: in the peak region of Oruro, La Paz, Potosí, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán
• Threats: species very affected by the use of its shell for musical instruments and taxidermias. Found at the Oruro Zoo

2. Flamenco andino

• Scientific name: Phoenicoparrus andinus
• Dimensions: height ?, diameter ?
• Description:
• Habitat: high mountain lagoons in puna area
• Conservation Status: VULNERABLE
• Distribution: Departments of Oruro Potosí and Jujuy
• Threats: massive collection of eggs for food
• Hood hunting for the extraction of feathers and medicinal purposes. It is located in the zoo of Oruro

3. Condor

• Scientific name: Vultur gryphus
• Dimensions: height ?, diameter ?
• Description:
• Habitat: Andean and Eastern mountain range, in peaks and mountains
• Conservation Status: VULNERABLE
• Distribution: in La Paz, Oruro, Potosí Cochabamba, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán
• Threats: species affected by the destruction of their natural habitat and furtive hunting. It is located in the zoo of Oruro

4. Vicuña

• Scientific name: Vicugna vicugna
• Dimensions: height ?, diameter ?
• Description:
• Habitat: semi-arid pastures and plains at elevations from 3500 to 5750 m. n. m.
• Conservation Status: VULNERABLE
• Distribution: in La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán
• Threats: strongly affected by the furtive hunt for obtaining your skin and wool.

5. Zorro

• Scientific name: Pseudalopex gymnocercus
• Dimensions: height ?, diameter ?
• Description:
• Habitat: semi-arid pastures and plains at elevations from 3500 to 5750 m. n. m.
• Distribution: in La Paz, Oruro, Potosí, Cochabamba, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán. It is at the Oruro Zoo.

6. Suri

• Scientific name: Pterocnemia pennata
• Dimensions: height ?, diameter ?
• Description:
• Habitat: desert areas
• Conservation status: EN PELIGRO
• Distribution: in La Paz, Oruro Potosí, Jujuy Salta and Tucumán
• Threats: hunted species mainly for the use of their feathers and the collection of eggs for food purposes. It is located in the zoo of Oruro

7. Call

• Scientific name: Lama glama Linnaeus
• Dimensions: height 15 to 19 dm; weight 140 kg
• Description: The flame, is an animal subjected by the hand of the human, more than 4500 years ago that was domesticated. It is domesticable and used as a cargo animal and for meat. It is the least selective in its diet, pasting between brava straw meadows. It is at the Oruro Zoo.

8. Exotic species "burro"

• Scientific name: Equus asinus
• Dimensions: height 15 to 19 dm; weight 140 kg
• Description: They are usually smaller horses and with ears longer than the domestic horse. They are mammals and often use them for the load. Smart animal, cautious, friendly, playful and interested in learning

9. Lagartija

• Scientific name: Liolaemus molinai
• Dimensions: length ?, weight ?
• Description: Large, intricate and lacking dorsal scales. Very variable colouring, presenting the brown, grayish or olive dorso with dark, white or yellow cross-cut lines. Lower soft parts. Macho in jealousy presents on the sides verdant lines. It usually looks like plain areas, finding itself in open places with some bush. Grass with grassy grassy grasslands or rocky soils. Also present in arid areas. Reproduction biology is very little known, knowing only that the laying consists of 3 or 4 elongated eggs and is performed on May or June.

10. Polilla

• Scientific name: Tineola bisselliella
• Dimensions: length 8 mm, length 15 mm
• Description: In human dwellings, stables and warehouses. Rarely nests of birds. The larvae consume silk, wool, skins, leathers and cereals. Adults don't feed. Reproduction: laying 50 eggs. Incubation between 1 and 2 weeks according to temperature. Predated by birds, frogs and small mammals.

11. Field mouse

• Scientific name: Apodemus sylvaticus
• Dimensions: length 10 to 12 cm, tail 9 to 12 cm; weight 20 to 35 g
• Description: Small-size rodent, nightly habits, voluminous head, endowed with black, big and prominent eyes that stand out from the face. Well-developed sheep, with erect atrial pavilions, its tail is long and populated with short hair. Brown colour, with reddish tonalities, hence popularly known as a colored mouse, even though its coloration becomes clearer, almost white, in the chest area and lower part of the animal's belly.

Protected areas on the Collao plateau

In Bolivia

• Integrated natural management area Apolobamba
• Sajama National Park
• National Andean fauna reserve Eduardo Abaroa

In Chile

• National Monument Salar de Surire
• Lauca National Park
• Llullaillaco National Park
• National Park Volcano Isluga
• Las Vicuñas National Reserve
• National reserve Los Flamencos

In Peru

• Regional Conservation Areas Vilacota-Maure
• National Titicaca Reserve
• Cerro Khapia Landscape Reserve