1/1/2020 Today Jess, Lauren, and I arrived at the hotel in NY together. We were there early and since the rest of the group wouldn’t be there until 6, we checked in and waited for them. When they got to the hotel, we had pizza and began the presentations for the night. First up was Greg with a presentation about seismic activity. He discussed some background geology and basic information about earthquakes and seismic waves before discussing the topic in relation to Ecuador. We learned about Bowen’s Reaction Series and how different temperatures affect the composition of different minerals. Next, we talked about tectonic plates, with an emphasis on the Nazca and South American plates that influences Ecuador most prominently and is responsible for its seismic activity. Plate boundaries differ in how they relate to one another and different faults are found along plates. Earthquakes are caused when 2 masses of rock try to move past each other at faults. Elastic energy that builds up as strain increases releases seismic waves. The focus of an earthquake is where the seismic waves originate whereas the epicenter is the point on the surface directly above the focus. Seismic waves are broken up into surface waves, which occur on the surface of the earth, and body waves, which occur underground and are divided into p and s waves. P waves arrive first, can travel through solids and liquids, and are caused by sudden compression of the ground. S waves only travel through solids and are caused by the shearing/sliding motion at the site. All of these waves are measured using seismometers to determine their source. The Moment Magnitude Scale is currently used to determine the energy of the earthquakes and thus their potential damage. However, earthquakes along with volcanoes cannot be accurately predicted. Ecuador sees high seismic activity due to its location at plate boundaries. The Nazca plate subducts under the South American plate causing larger earthquakes and tsunamis. Additionally, a lot of volcanoes are found in Ecuador due to its location. These volcanoes can cause "ground movement, ash fallout and other hazards for the country's population, production, and infrastructure" (Albornoz & Anda, 2014). Lauren and Maddi followed up with their presentation on Biodiversity in the Galapagos and Amazon. The Galapagos has very high endemism and 5 habitat zones including the marine zone, shore zone, arid zone, transition zone, and humid zones. Isabela is the largest island with the richest wildlife, while Fernandina is the youngest island with the most volcanic activity. Santa Cruz is the second largest island and main tourist spot. There are a diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles, and plants on the islands including finches, cormorants, iguanas, cacti, and seals. The Galapagos faces threats including climate change, eutrophication, deforestation, pollution, overfishing, and invasive species. The Amazon holds 10% of the world's diversity and covers a good portion of South America. High biodiversity includes a variety of flora and fauna including predators such as spectacled bears and jaguars, birds, reptiles, and insects such as scorpions and tarantulas. Major threats to the Amazon include oil extraction, mining and logging, and ranching and agriculture.
Reference: Albornoz, V., & Anda, D. (2014). Social and Economic Consequences of the 1987 Earthquakes in Ecuador. Iberoamericana (2001-),14(55), 135-146.