Day 12: We left our hotel early at 5 AM to be the first ones at Quilotoa, a dormant crater lake. In 1280 when the volcano last went off, it let off a power explosion that completely blew the top off that formed the crater that is visible to day. Since then, the crater has filled with water from the accumulation of precipitation. Although the beautiful lake is 3 km wide, little life is able to be supported due to the high sulfuric acid content. The hike down was difficult to maneuver as the path is warn and sandy. I myself, slipped and twisted my ankle several times. On the way up, I learned from my mistakes and took a mule back. After Quilota, we made our way to Cotopaxi. Cotopaxi is an active volcano that threatens several towns in the vicinity. When it erupted in April of 2015, thousands fled in fear from the intense earthquakes and ash flow. Once we got to the site, we walked around a nearby lake where our guide discussed the current issues the national park was now facing. The introduction of escaped horses and bulls to the park has degraded the quantity of vegetation and polluted the lake from their fecal matter. Since their introduction, the water has become highly eutrophic. However, the carrions of these animals after they die provide nutrients for endangered vultures in the area. Our short excursion of Cotopaxi brought us to the city of Quito, the capitol of Ecuador. Sources: http://www.volcanolive.com/quilotoa.html https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/03/living-in-fear-of-disaster-in-ecuador-cotopaxi/519684/
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ExperienceThrough Stockton University, I traveled to Ecuador where I studied Biodiversity, |