Integrative Ecology of the Central Andes

The central segment of western South America comprises Peru and the north of Chile and Bolivia. The region is home to dramatic altitudinal and climatic transitions which contribute to its unique biology, high biodiversity and the high degree of endemism among the species present.

The course will provide the basic concepts behind ecological theory and then proceed to review current research topics on ecosystem function, biodiversity and the human dimension in the region covering the transition from the Pacific Ocean over the Andes and into the Amazon rainforest.

A special emphasis will be placed on species interactions and their role in ecosystem services, the current and past anthropogenic influence on these ecosystems and potential biological effects of the human-mediated breakdown in the geographical barrier between east and west in central South America.