Bio-hydrological study of an Andean wet moor ecosystem

The Andean high ecosystems have a leading role to sustain the way of life of thousands of people by providing essential environmental services. The most important of these services is the regulation of flows and the production of water of excellent quality. However, despite its importance, hydrology and their relationship with the aquatic ecosystems of the Andes basins are known poorly, so the sustainable management of their water resources is difficult, in view of the fact that there is no adequate diagnosis of the health of ecosystems (including the degree of anthropogenic condition) and the level of integration of these ecosystems and hydrology. So this program aims to increase knowledge about the relationship between hydrology and aquatic diversity. The current proposal of a research program focuses on studying (i) the contribution of the different landscape water sources and their role in runoff generation, for which it is proposed to use environmental isotopes as trace elements; (Ii) the origins of water derived from a numerical perspective, analyzing the shape of the total hydrograms; (Iii) What is the influence of the hydrological connectivity of the ecosystems that forms the landscape on the structure of the community and diversity of aquatic macro-invertebrates, such as bioindicators, on a scale of the hydrographic basin, using field information collected in the medium term (Mid-term (Iv) quantify through the use of hydrometeorological data and hydrological models the influence of the landscape components on the hydrology of the hydrographic basin; And (v) estimate the uncertainty associated with the hydrological modeling of the study basin in order to define hydrological prediction intervals, useful when making decisions. The program has as its long -term goal the sustainable development of water resources and the conservation of the high Andean basins. In view of the importance of this personal objective, at the moment they are being developed at the University of Cuenca important research, carried out by the Research Group in Earth and the Environment (GCTA), such as the Senacyt PC-08-460 project. INTEGRAL¿ FINANCED BY HIDROPATE. This program completes the research activities that interest GCTA and that are of local and regional interest. Therefore, its sustainability is guaranteed since it strengthens the GCTA research lines since they are in full tune with the local and regional interests that seek the integrated management of the natural resources of the region and a preparation for the effects of global change (which includes climate change)

IX RESEARCH PROJECT COMPETITION, IV RESEARCH PROGRAM COMPETITION AND IV POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECT COMPETITION