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==Historic Eruptions==
Teide is currently dormant, having last erupted in [[1909]] from the subsidiary vent of Chinyero, on the western slope. Significant eruptions occurred in 1704, 1705 and 1706, which destroyed the town and principle port of Garachico, plus several smaller villages. Another notable eruption occurred in [[1798]].
About 150,000 years ago, a much larger explosive eruption occurred, probably of [[Volcanic Explosivity Index]] 7.This eruption created '''Las Cañadas''', a large [[caldera]], at just over 2,000 m altitude. The caldera is 15 km across east-west and 10 km north-south. At '''Guajara''', on the south side of the structure, the internal walls rise as almost sheer cliffs from 2,100 m to 2,715 m. The 3,718 m summit of Teide itself, and its sister stratovolcano, '''Pico Viejo''' (3,134 m), are both situated in the northern half of the caldera, and derive from eruptions subsequent to this prehistoric explosion.▼
[[Image:Teide Tenerife3.jpg|thumb|220px|left|<small>Pico de Teide from Cañada de los Guancheros at 2050 m at the northeast edge of the caldera. The yellowish foreground is [[pumice]] gravel, with ''Retama del Teide'' shrubs. Cloud blowing in on the northeast [[wind|trade wind]] is normal between about 1,000–2,000 m altitude; here, the very top of the cloud evaporates rapidly as it enters the warm, dry, sun-heated caldera. Note also the thawing winter snow cover on the upper slopes. Photo early April.</small>]]
▲About 150,000 years ago, a much larger explosive eruption occurred, probably of [[Volcanic Explosivity Index]] 7.This eruption created '''Las Cañadas''', a large [[caldera]], at just over 2,000 m altitude. The caldera is 15 km across east-west and 10 km north-south. At '''Guajara''', on the south side of the structure, the internal walls rise as almost sheer cliffs from 2,100 m to 2,715 m. The 3,718 m summit of Teide itself, and its sister stratovolcano, '''Pico Viejo''' (3,134 m), are both situated in the northern half of the caldera, and derive from eruptions subsequent to this prehistoric explosion.
Further eruptions are considered likely in the future, including a risk of highly dangerous [[pyroclastic flow]]s similar to those on [[Mount Pelée]] and [[Mount Vesuvius]]{{Fact|date=August 2007}}. From 2003, there has been an increase in seismic activity at the volcano, which may be indicative of magma rising into the edifice{{Fact|date=August 2007}}.
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Teide is unstable{{Fact|date=August 2007}} with a distinctive bulge on its northern flank. The bulge is believed to be constructed over the headwall scarp of the infilled Icod Valle, a massive landslide valley formed by edifice failure in a similar manner to that of the Guimar and Orotava Valle's. The summit of the volcano has a number of small active [[fumarole]]s emitting hot [[sulfur dioxide]] and other gases{{Fact|date=August 2007}}.
==Flora and Fauna==
The [[lava flows]] on the flanks of Teide weather to a very thin, but nutrient and mineral rich [[soil]] that supports a diverse amount of [[Flora|plant species]]. [[Vascular plant|Vascular]] flora consists of 168 plant species, 33 of which are [[Endemism|endemic]] to Tenerife.<ref name="Dupont 2003">Dupont, Yoko L., Dennis M., Olesen, Jens M., Structure of a plant-flower-visitor network in the high altitude sub-alpine desert of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Ecography. 26(3), 2003, pp. 301–310.</ref>
Forests of [[Canary Island Pine]] (''[[Pinus canariensis]]'') occur from 1000-2100 m, covering the middle slopes of the volcano, and having an [[alpine climate|alpine]] [[tree line|timberline]] 1000 m lower than that of continental mountains of similar [[latitude]].<ref>Gieger, Thomas and Leuschner, Christoph, Altitudinal change in needle water relations of Pinus canariensis and possible evidence of a drought-induced alpine timberline on Mt. Teide, Tenerife, Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 199(2), 2004, Pages 100-109y</ref> At higher [[altitudes]], the Las Canadas caldera provides sufficient shelter for more fragile species such as the Canary Island [[cedar]] (''[[Juniperus cedrus]]''), and the Canary Island [[pine]] (''[[Pinus canariensis]]'') to grow.<ref name="Palacios 1992">J.M. Fernandez-Palacios, Climatic response of plant species on Tenerife, the Canary islands, J. Veg. Sci. 3, 1992, pp. 595–602</ref>
The most dominant plant species in the Teide National Park are the Teide white [[Broom (shrub)|broom]] (''Spartocytisus supranubius''), which has a white and pink flower; the Canary Island [[wallflower]] (''Erysimun scoparium''), which has white and violet flowers; and the Teide [[bugloss]] (''[[Echium wildpretii]]''), whose red flowers form a pyramid up to 3m in height.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.webtenerife.com/PortalTenerife/Home/Disfruta+sin+perderte+nada/Mas+sobre+Tenerife/Naturaleza/Espacios+naturales/Parque+Nacional+de+El+Teide/Flora+del+Teide.htm?Lang=en |title=Tenerife National Park - Flora|accessdate=2007-12-12}}</ref> The Teide [[Argyranthemum|Daisy]] (''Argyranthemum teneriffae'') can be found at altitudes close to 3,600m above sea level. The Teide [[Viola|Violet]] (''Viola cheiranthifolia'') can be found right up to the summit of the volcano, making it the highest flowering plant in Spain.<ref>J.M. Fernandez-Palacios and J.P de Nicolas, Altitudinal pattern of vegetation variation on Tenerife, J. Veg. Sci. 6, 1995, pp. 183–190</ref>
These plants are adapted to the tough environmental conditions on the volcano such as high altitude, intense sunlight, extreme temperature variations, and lack of moisture. [[Adaptation]]s include acquiring semi-spherical forms, acquiring a downy or waxy cover, reducing the exposed [[leaf]] area, and having a high [[flower]] production. <ref name="Palacios 1992" /> <ref> C. Leuschner, Timberline and alpine vegetation on the tropical and warm-temperate oceanic islands of the world: elevation, structure and floristics, Vegetatio 123, 1996, pp. 193–206.</ref> Flowering takes place in the late spring or early summer, in the months of May and June.<ref name="Dupont 2003" />
The Teide National Park contains a huge range of [[invertebrate]] [[Fauna]], over 40% of which are endemic species, with 70 species only being found in the National Park. The invertebrate fauna include [[spiders]], [[beetles]], [[Diptera|dipterans]], [[Hemiptera|hemipternas]], and [[Hymenoptera|hymenopterae]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webtenerife.com/PortalTenerife/Home/Disfruta+sin+perderte+nada/Mas+sobre+Tenerife/Naturaleza/Espacios+naturales/Parque+Nacional+de+El+Teide/Fauna+del+Teide.htm?Lang=en |title=Tenerife National Park - Fauna|accessdate=2007-12-12}}</ref>
In contrast, Teide national park has only a limited variety of [[vertebrate]] fauna.<ref>Thorpe, R.S., McGregor, D.P., Cumming, A.M., and Jordan, W.C., DNA evolution and colonisation sequence of island lizards in relation to geological history: MTDNA RFLP, cytochrome B, cytochrome oxidase, 123 RRNA sequence, and nuclear RAPD analysis, evolution, 48(2), 1994, pp. 230-240</ref> Ten species of bird nest in the park. These include the blue [[chaffinch]] (''[[Fringilla teydea]] teydea''); [[Berthelot's Pipit|Berthelot’s pipit]] (''[[Anthus berthelotii]] berthelotii''); the [[canary|wild canary]] (''[[Serinus canaria]]''); and a species of [[kestrel]] (''[[Falco tinnunculus]] canariensis''). <ref>Lack, D., and H.N. Southern. 1949. Birds of Tenerife. Ibis, 91:607-626</ref> <ref>P.R. Grant, Ecological compatibility of bird species on islands, Amer. Nat., 100(914) , 1966, pp. 451–462.</ref>
Three endemic [[reptile]] species are also found in the park – the Canary Island [[Lizard]] (''[[Gallotia galloti]] galloti''), the Canary Island wall [[gecko]] (''[[Tarentola delalandii]]''), and the Canary Island [[skink]] (''[[Chalcides viridanus]] viridanus'').<ref>Naturalized Reptiles and Amphibians of the World. Christopher Lever. p 90 (344) ISBN-13: 978-0-19-850771-0 Publication date: 24 July 2003</ref> <ref>Thorpe, R.S., McGregor, D.P., Cumming, A.M., and Jordan, W.C., DNA evolution and colonisation sequence of island lizards in relation to geological history: MTDNA RFLP, cytochrome B, cytochrome oxidase, 123 RRNA sequence, and nuclear RAPD analysis, evolution, 48(2), 1994, pp. 230-240</ref>
The only mammals native to the Park are [[bats]], the most common species of which is Leisler’s bat (''Nycatalus leisleri''). Other mammals such as the [[mouflon]], the [[rabbit]], the [[house mouse]], the [[black rat]], the [[feral cat]], and the [[Algerian Hedgehog]] have all been introduced to the park. <ref>Nogales, M., Rodríguez-Luengo, J.L. & Marrero, P. (2006) Ecological effects and distribution of invasive non-native mammals on the Canary Islands. Mammal Review, 36, 49–65</ref>
==Access==
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