H- Habitat Destruction:
Habitat destruction is one of the greatest threats to the tropical andes. It includes actions as mining, logging, and construction.
Mining: Mining, especially that of gold, have taken large tolls on places as the Vicabamba- Amboro corridor habitat. As most mining projects are small and informal, it is very difficult to control them. Mining in the region between Manu National Park and the Bahuaja- Sonene National Park has produced massive local damage. These activities eliminate vegetation and fill rivers with sediments and pollutants.
Logging: Many large timber companies have been granted large concessions that threaten local vegetation as well as the local nut zones in Brazil. These concessions have very little oversight, which is what causes their destruction. Timber extractions in Madidi Park have fallen since the 1990's, though this is mainly due to the exhaustion of the Mahogany stock. In 1999, Conservation International bought a large 45,000 hectare concession from the firm FATIMA, and have successfully converted it into a strictly protected national park.
Construction: Road construction, both legal and illegal, in places such as the Vilacabamba- Amboro Corridor, cause things as erosion, and native species tend to be killed by loggers for meat, which deplete local wildlife populations. With road building comes with the threat of colonization, which causes the same affects as road building, only in a larger scale, as they are caused by more people for longer amounts of time.
The forest habitats of the Tropical Andes are modified and destroyed 30% faster than that of lower forest habitats.
I- Invasive Species
Invasive species have a large impact on native species, reducing the space and food of native species. Two examples of invasive species in the Tropical Andes include the American Bullfrog, and certain grazing grasses.
P- Pollution
Pollution in the Tropical Andes consists of sediment, nutrients, metals, and sediments in the bodies of water. Said things can cloud the water, making it hard for organisms to receive sunlight, and can diminish the amount of oxygen recieved. The large amount of warming in the high elevations of the Tropical Andes has also had a toll on the environment, diminishing the oxygen in the water, and hurting species on the surface. Mercury poisoning due to the large amount of mining also poses a threat, contaminating the food chain.
P- Population
As the population of, not only animals, but of people as well, increases, so the amount of area and food decreases. The overpopulation of people in the Tropical Andes has caused the degradation of land due to the lack of education in the areas agriculture community. Once agriculture in one area is no longer possible, farmers relocate, causing further degradation. Hydroelectric dams also prove a problem, as they negatively pressure cloud forests.
C- Climate Change
Global warming due to pollution in the higher elevations not only has an effect on the fish of the area, but also affects amphibians. Global warming causes disease in amphibians, and diversity can suffer because of this, as most amphibians are restricted to only one area. A fungus, batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, has also been known to grow because of the increase of temperature. This fungus grows on the skin of the amphibians and hinders their ability to absorb.
O- Overexploitation
In Nuqui (Choco), Colombia, the overexploitation of things as fish, shrimp, mollusks, and mangroves has caused the deterioration of water quality, as well as fish populations. Locals however, have yet to see this correlation, and, therefore, cannot control it.
