GCSE GEOGRAPHY - topic 4: sustaining ecosystems

Yachana Eco-Lodge, Ecuador The eco-lodge is a small environmentally friendly guest house where a small number of eco-tourists can stay. It is next to the Napo River - a tributary of the Amazon - close to the village of Mondaña. It is set in its own, protected, 1200-hectare section of rainforest. Most of the employees are local people. Teaches skills to these people. Employs local guides to show guests the forest environment and its creatures, how local people live, and how they use the plants for medicines. Offers a range of ecotourism activities. They involve visiting the natural environment in small groups and causing as little harm as possible to the area and to the local people. Activities include: rainforest hiking, birdwatching, swimming in the Napo River, canoeing, photography, visiting the local village, learning to make traditional 'mokaua' pottery.

Cold dry climates have allowed both flora and fauna to adapt. If temperatures increase(an impact of global warming) this means that there is more melting of sea ice which threatens animals such as polar bears who rely on the sea ice for breeding and hunting. Strong winds strip moisture from plants so Arctic plants tend to dwarf, clinging to the ground. The extra depth of snow provides cover for small animals such as lemmings. These are hunted by Arctic Fox which roam over the tundra. Caribou deer (aka reindeer) are also found in the region. Many indigenous people in the region depend on their herd of caribou for their living, including the Nenets from Siberia who live a sustainable ‘hunter gatherer’ lifestyle. Their homes (Chums) are made from reindeer skins and help to sustain their nomadic (travelling) lifestyle.