Caribbean: Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba

Map:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Parque+Nacional+Alejandro+de+Humboldt/@20.1123275,-77.4580836,8z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x8ecbe27db734482d:0x6f62fbbdf07fc646!8m2!3d20.465294!4d-74.84977

*on this page, most weather information is based on data from the nearby city of Guantanamo

Introduction:

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (AHNP) part of a large site called Cuchillas del Toa Biosphere Reserve. AHNP is valuable for its impressive biodiversity, which is made is possible due to a large variety of geology and topography, which helps to sustain many different species. Unfortunately, it is widely known that the park is rich in useful minerals that many would like to extract(3). The park and its resources are under protection, but there is a looming concern that people might try to exploit the profitable environment. The Cuban government still owns the park as of right now, and named it a member of Cuba's National Protected Areas System in 2001 (3).

The temperature is usually consistent, remaining around mid 70s to high 80s. The warmest time is usually between May and September, with average temperatures around 78ºF (4). Although the weather is primarily hot, nighttime temperatures are sometimes cool. Snow is an extremely rare occurrence at AHNP, so there is little data about it. Almost all precipitation in Cuba comes in the form of rain, and the rainiest months are during Cuba's summer, around May to October. October has the highest average precipitation and January has the lowest average precipitation. October actually has an average of 7 inches of precipitation, which is almost twice as much as in the previous month and about 3-4 times more than what falls in other months. The average annual precipitation is 29.1 inches. (1) As illustrated on the graph below, humidity usually hovers between 65%-80%. The months of highest humidity, May to October, correspond with the rainy season. October has the highest average humidity and April has the lowest.

Graph created by Tom Schoger with data retrieved from https://www.windfinder.com

https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Humidity-perc,Havana,Cuba

Wind & Air:

The wind direction in Alejandro de Humboldt National Park is east for 10 months of the year, but in March and October it makes and abrupt change so the direction is west. See the chart below for details:

Cuba is categorized in the low-latitude climates, in the region of the maritime tropical (mT) with warm, humid, and moist air (10). This region is related to the two subtropical high-pressure belts and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Important weather systems in this area are tropical cyclones and easterly waves. Cuba's climate types are monsoon and trade-wind coastal and dry tropical climates; moderated by trade winds (10). Climate characteristics include plenty of sun, heat, and humidity. The dry season is around November to April and the rainy season is around May to October. Winds are usually light typically staying around 17 miles per hour and occasionally reaching higher than 25 miles per hour (4).

https://www.windfinder.com/forecasts/?utm_source=www.windfinder.com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect#9/39.5062/-84.7458

When it comes to global winds, Cuba is affected by the northeasterly trade winds and the southeasterly trade winds. The winds shift with the seasons, so the time of year determines which wind is hitting Cuba. During the northern summer, from June to September, Cuba is mostly affected by the southeast trade winds. During the northern winter, from December to March, Cuba is strongly affected by the northeast trade winds. The location over which an air mass forms determines the characteristics of that air mass (2), and Cuba is part of the source region for the maritime tropical air mass. As a tropical source, it is characterized by high heat and high humidity (10). Air masses join the normal flow of global wind patterns, so the maritime tropical mass will shift northward and affect the southeastern United States as well (5). When two air masses meet, we call it a front (2). The wind patterns that affect us on Earth’s surface are affected by the jet streams, which are strong and narrow bands of wind in the upper atmosphere. The strength of jet streams is determined by hot and cold boundaries, so they are more prevalent in the winter season. This is true for the northern and southern winter alike (6).

https://ecworlddynamics.wikispaces.com/Global+Wind+Patterns

Severe Weather:

Cuba has had plenty of hurricanes in the past. Hurricane season lasts from July to November. In the past Cuba has been hit by several Category 4 and Category 5 hurricanes, the highest ratings on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Hurricane season is more prominent in the months of August and September (7). The most recent hurricane is Hurricane Matthew, which hit on Wednesday November 30, 2016. The storm hurtled through Eastern Cuba, and the region hit the hardest was Eastern Guantanamo (Category 4). 90% of the houses in the area were destroyed or not livable anymore (9). Cuba also experiences waterspouts, or tornadoes which move over water (8). Climate change will bring heat waves and periods of extreme heavy rain or extreme drought in Cuba. The heat waves will allow disease to spread more rapidly. The changes from global warming will also cause an increase in the number of tropical cyclones near Cuba. The rising ocean water levels will erode the beaches, and as Cuba's perimeter is worn away it will be even more vulnerable to the tropical storms. A weak La Niña is predicted this year, so Cuba should not have unusually harsh weather (4).

http://www.cubahurricanes.org

Climate Types:

https://sites.google.com/a/miamioh.edu/geo121s17/home/alejandro-de-humboldt-np-cuba-06/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-07%20at%208.12.20%20PM.png

Topography:

Cuba has several different types of soil at different elevations that influence the distribution of plants. Certain types of soil that contain sand can not hold water as well and are less fertile. Other types of soil in certain parts of Cuba are very fertile and have many more plants and crops. A lot of the plants and vegetation in Cuba were introduced by humans; sugar canes and rice fields have been put in to increase revenue. Animals such as turtles, frogs, and reptiles inhabit Cuba and live by bodies of water which is largely influenced by the topography. Other animals live near where the plants grow, thus tending to stay away from the more infertile soil (19). In 2015, World Bank reported that Cuba had a population density of 107 people per square kilometer. There is not a huge need to develop the land because the people there already have plenty of space. There is less expansion into the rich ecosystems than you might expect. This is great for Cuba’s natural environment, as much of it is conserved (21).

http://en-ca.topographic-map.com/places/Cuba-945553/

Biomes and Ecoregions:

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park has great variety in its ecoregions. Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest, deserts and xeric shrublands, and finally tropical and subtropical coniferous forests all reside within the park (17)- an impressive number for such a relatively small area. The moist broadleaf forest surrounds the dry broadleaf forest, which is the area the most central in the park and away from the coast. Interestingly, the desert and xeric shrubland resides on the southern coastline, not exactly where one would expect desert area. Dry areas can be prone to forest fires, so it is imperative that at least a portion of the forest is always maintained and healthy in order to preserve the entire forest (16). The coniferous forest is placed in an almost random fashion in patches among the moist broadleaf forest. The coniferous parts of the forest have moderate temperature variation and are typically associated with lower levels of precipitation. You might see diverse species of conifers, but they all have needles that can adapt to the climate's changing conditions (20).

Influencing Factors on Vegetation and Wildlife:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/amarguy/6983354306

Environmental Threats:

Invasive Species: The Cuban Tree Frog is native to Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands. It is invasive in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Bonaire, and U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Its targeting preys include: insects, spiders, other invertebrates, insect larvae, small lizards ,and other frogs. This animal poses a threat to the population of native amphibian species. The adults prey on smaller native frogs and compete with them for breeding sites and tadpoles prey on the eggs and tadpoles of other amphibians. The Cuban Tree Frog may be considered to be a potential vector of disease-- its skin secretes an irritant that affects humans. Attempts to prevent further colonization include screening cisterns and water sources, regulating water distribution, and monitoring imports into areas where the Cuban tree frog is absent (11).

Deforestation: The government sponsored a reforestation program. The role of this is to replace forests that had gradually decreased to a total of 17% of the land by the mid-1990s (13).

Pollution: An estimation of 430 million cubic meters of water were contaminated from agricultural, industrial and urban waste. More than 3,270 million cubic meters were found in their rivers. During the past decade, they have dumped untreated industrial liquid waste into rivers, aquifers, or the ocean (12).

http://www.asiafarming.com/sugarcane-cultivation/

Adaptations:

Alejandro de Humboldt can receive a lot of rain, but at other times it experiences drought conditions (16). The deciduous trees adapt to the dry conditions by shedding their leaves in order to conserve water. As the leaves fall and the spaces between the trees become wider, more sunlight is able to reach the forest floor. As a result, shrubs can grow there. When the leaves of the trees return and block the sunlight, the shrubs are smothered. Because of the competition in an area with so much biodiversity, some mammals and amphibians have evolved to produce toxic saliva or chemical defenses (16). Cuba usually remains hot all year, so the animals develop behavior patterns to avoid the heat. They may be completely nocturnal, or just do most of their hunting after dusk. Some smaller animals, especially reptiles, burrow in sand to cool down. Some create burrows in the mud, which is also cooler than the ground's surface. In the hot climate, birds can be seen flying with their mouths open. It might look like they are hunting, but they sometimes do this to let the saliva evaporate from their tongues, which cools them down slightly (17).

Cuba received oil and petrochemicals from Eastern Europe. When the Iron Curtain fell Cuba lost these ties and its supply of oil and related products. Without these items, Cuba could not protect its farmland from extreme weather events. The country transitioned to more sustainable farming methods, including using natural means of fertilizing crops and attracting insects to control pests (14). The European’s arrival in Hispaniola in 1492 caused significant environmental changes, after which significant forest clearing became common with the proliferation of sugar cane plantations. Human settlers also threatened the Caribbean’s natural biodiversity with the introduction of nonnative species. Many animals-- goats, donkeys, monkeys, cats, rats, tilapia and trout-- also threatened Cuba's biodiversity. These animals were brought as stowaways or domestic, threatening the island's susceptible ecosystem. They depleted some of the vegetation (15).

https://sites.google.com/a/miamioh.edu/geo121s17/home/alejandro-de-humboldt-np-cuba-06/cuban-treefrog-02.jpg

Tectonic Activity Implications- Geologic Structures and Rock Types:

During glacial periods, coastal limestone plains existed in Cuba, but between that time and present day they were flooded by the sea. Now, limestone is found in about 2/3 of Cuba. Nearly 100 million years ago, an arc of volcanoes collided with the Bahamas platform. This collision created metamorphic rocks, in addition to many metamorphic rocks that were already there (25). Part of Cuba’s geography is the Volcanic Arc Terrane, which is primarily made up of Cretaceous volcanics. It contains tholeiitic lavas and calc-alkaline pyroclastics and lavas, which have numerous sedimentary interbeds. The country’s Mesozoic rocks are the greatest resource for studying its geologic history (26). Previous studies identified six main lava types that are associated with Mesozoic igneous rocks: calc-alkaline lavas, rift basalts, backers basin lavas, oceanic tholeiites, boninites, and island arc tholeiites (IAT). Limited evidence shows that two parallel arcs existed in the western proto-Caribbean in the early Cretaceous era. This evidence indicated that there was a western arc located in the northeast-dipping subduction zone that was erupting IAT lavas. It also suggested that there were more eastern boninitic arcs in the southwest-dipping subduction zone. The arc did not last long and was soon eroded away, but the Cretaceous primitive arc, IAT, lasted as it moved into the gap between North and South America (22).

http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1026-87742014000300003

Before this occurrence, calc-alkaline lavas started to erupt. This evidence displayed that the change from IAT to calc-alkaline lavas was slow and gradual. This data provides the bulk of evidence about tectonic development in the northern part of the Caribbean plate. Most of the Mesozioc formations, although very useful, are poorly exposed and can therefore be challenging to study (22). Different types of Jurassic and Cretaceous igneous and sedimentary rocks are significant to Cuban geology. The Jurassic-Cretaceous period resulted in layers of conglomerates, sandstones, limestones, dolostones, and shales. Many of those sedimentary rocks, as well as plutonic and volcanic rocks, were produced during the Cretaceous time because of arc activity in Cuba (27).

http://elearning.stkc.go.th/lms/html/earth_science/locanada2/206/3_en.htm

http://all-geo.org/highlyallochthonous/2010/01/tectonics-of-the-haitian-earthquake/

Weathering and Erosion:

Cuba is located at the North Caribbean Transform Fault System. Cuba became a part of the North American plate during the Eocene. About 135 million years ago, the Cuban arc collided with Florida and the Bahamian platform. It was due to a series of collisions around this time that Cuba became part of the North American plate. During Cretaceous times, the Caribbean plate collided with the North American plate, and the Caribbean plate subducted. There is an abundance of sedimentary rocks on the oceanic lithosphere on the Caribbean plate, due to the aforementioned collisions. The plate collision brought an end to the arc magmatic activity that had been occurring for some time. The collision also created a foldbelt, which led to subsequent local uplift and subsidence. The records of these events are clearly evidenced in Cuban geography, and geologists have a strong understanding of the changes that occurred in following years (27).

https://urbanlifesigns.blogspot.com/2014/12/what-land-locked-countries-get-seaside.html

Water Impact:

There are about 652 watersheds and over 100 aquifers in Cuba, and Alejandro de Humboldt falls primarily into the Sagua Watershed (29). Annual fresh water withdrawal is about 7.56 billion cubic meters; the country of Cuba ranks 56th for water withdrawal out of 176. Guantanamo has 313 million m3/year accessibility for surface water and 16 million m3/year for ground water. Rivers in the eastern and central south regions of Cuba have especially steep slopes. Approximately 85% of rivers in Cuba are less than 40km long, with a basin under 200km2. Throughout Cuba there are 240 reservoirs, 805 micro-dams, 6 large pumping stations, 2,416 aqueducts, and more 22,500 kilometers of pipelines. Due to drought and damage of pumps about 6% of Cubans have to get their water from cistern trucks (23). Because of pipe leaks about 45% of water is lost. Poorly built pipes are easily compromised, and it is necessary to add excessive chemicals to compensate for the other contaminants that can creep into the water supply. Cuba loses a lot of money during the water distribution process. Tourists contribute a lot to the consumption of water. Huge amounts of water are used in hotels and parks in high tourism areas. Because Cuba relies on tourism and agriculture for their economy they need a large quantity of water (34). Unfortunately, their water is low quality due to poor infrastructure. 96% of urban areas and 92% of rural areas have access to an improved water system, which is the second highest in the Caribbean and Latin America behind Uruguay (24).

Other Processes:

The beaches have been greatly affected by climate change. Aside from people destroying the beaches, the climate affects them too. The changing climate can allow the water levels of the beaches to dangerously rise. Lack of rain levels have caused drought which has lead to decreased forestation. Drought has also lead to a reported 388 forest fires in 2013 (32). From these droughts, trees and plants die, also, rivers become more shallow. Crops are destroyed as well. The crops bring in a boost to the Cuban economy; without this money the country in general is a less desirable looking place (33).

The beaches have been eroding largely due to unnatural reasons. The coastal lines have been receding by approximately 1 meter per year. People use this sand illegally for the building of houses or hotels and other facilities on natural dunes. Anchoring of boats damages the sand and people removing coral reefs damage the sand as well. This has made it very hard for people to enjoy Cuban beaches because there is hardly any space for people to lay on the beach without being extremely close to the water (30). This damage to sand has several other consequences to the beach aside from the way it looks. It can damage fish and their ecosystem by hurting their gills, sand particles can penetrate the eggs that are placed under the gravel, the damaged sand and beaches can retain toxic material that can be released into the water (31).

*This picture shows an effort to refill sand at the shore of an eroded beach in Cuba -->

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2016-11-02/new-sands-for-eroded-beaches

Glaciers:

While Cuba has not had any glaciers as is it so close to the equator, the melting of glaciers and sea ice could still have a huge impact on Cuba through sea level rise and coastal land loss. At current rates, Cuba could lose up to 2,700 square kilometers of land by 2050 due to sea level rise. This would include approximately 9000 homes, and would also completely wipe out coastal ecosystems (28). So even though Cuba does not see the effects of glaciers on the shape of the land, the impact of the water could be very large.

<-- potential effects of sea level rise in Cuba in the future

17. http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/wildfinder/

18. http://sciencing.com/animal-adaptations-hot-climates-8586200.html

19. https://www.britannica.com/place/Cuba/Soils

20. https://www.worldwildlife.org/biomes/tropical-and-suptropical-coniferous-forests

21. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/cuba/population-density-people-per-sq-km-wb-data.html

22. http://gsabulletin.gsapubs.org/content/111/11/1581

23. https://cri.fiu.edu/research/commissioned-reports/water-resources-in-cuba.pptx

24. http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=123830

25. http://www.footprinttravelguides.com/latin-america/cuba/about-cuba/land-and-environment/geology-and-landscape/

26. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00206810009465102

27. https://www.geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/26/10/pdf/i1052-5173-26-10-4.pdf

28. https://phys.org/news/2013-04-cuba-vast-losses-sea.html

29. http://www.riversnetwork.org/rbo/index.php/river-blogs/north-asia/item/2784-cuba-region-watersheds-map

30. http://english.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2009-08-27/cuban-beaches-affected-by-erosion-process/

31. http://www.cep.unep.org/publications-and-resources/marine-and-coastal-issues-links/sedimentation-and-erosion

32. https://www.uhasselt.be/images/internationaal/North-South/2017/1555-7960-medicc-17-02-0010.pdf

33. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cuba-drought_us_55dd3e28e4b08cd3359ddfef

34. http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=123830