赤道系列:奇特的安第斯山

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  • TheAndesareoneofthemostunusualplacesattheEquator.I… TheAndesareoneofthemostunusualplacesattheEquator.InEcuador,acountrywhoseSpanishnamemeans‘equator’,unexpectedplantsandanimalsmeetontheslopesofactivevolcanoes.Everyday,aconflictragesbetweentheheatoftheequatorialsunandcoldcreatedbytoweringmountains.Theweatherisalwaysunpredictableandchangeable,andtheinhabitantsoftheparamomustendurefourseasonsinaday,andsometimeseveninanhour. Vicunasarecamels,perfectlyadaptedtothecolddesertofthehighparamo.They’reprotectedfromcoldandintenselevelsofsolarradiationbywoolthatisamongthefinestandwarmestintheworld.At4300metresabovesealevelaircontainsonlyhalftheoxygenitdoesatsealevel,butvicunascanmaximizeeachbreathofthisthinair.Theirbloodcontainsredcellsthatquicklyabsorboxygen,anditsthinbloodiseasilypumpedarounditsbodybyabigheart. TheEcuadorianhillstar,theworld’shighestaltitudehummingbird,copeswithlowairdensitybyperchinginsteadofhoveringwhenitfeeds.Attheseason-lessEquator,foodisavailableyear-round,supportinganincrediblediversityofplantsandanimals.Onthelowerslopesofthevolcanoes,tinytropicalhummingbirdshaveasugar-fuelledlifestyle,feedingonbromeliadnectarinlush,wetlowparamoandcloudforest.SpectacledbearsareSouthAmerica’sonlyspeciesofbear.Theyclimbhighintothecanopyofthecloudforest,insearchofthesweetheartsofperchingbromeliads.Amalespectacledbear,weighinginatnearly180kilograms,isabletodestroythemassivefloweringspikeofapuya,agiantbromeliadthatlivesonthegroundandisarmedwithfiercespikes. TheraremountaintapiristhelargestanimalintheAndes,andthebulldozeroftheparamo.Likethebears,thetapirisaniceagerelic,withathickcoattokeepitwarmduringthelongequatorialnight.Whentemperaturessinktominussixatnight,theplantsoftheparamosurvivebysuper-coolingtheirsap.Inastreamthatflowsstronglyanddoesn’tfreeze,atinyferociouspredatorhuntsforinsectsandfish.Thenocturnalfishingmouseisastrongswimmeranddiver,andlikethehummingbirditishyper-activeandmusteatfrequentmeals,often.Withawingspanofmorethanthreemetres,thecondoristheworld’slargestlandbird.Theyglideeffortlesslyonintensethermals,createdbythepoweroftheequatorialsun. TheAndesofEcuadortrulyareaplaceofparadox,whereiceagesurvivorsfeedontropicalplants,andfacethedailychallengeoflivinginaworldofsunandicewhichcanbebothinhospitableandplentiful.

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