Network Of Regional Hubs Working On "Soil-Water-Plant Systems Under Global Change

Tropical Montane Ecosystems Play A Crucial Role In Providing Essential Ecosystem Services, Such As Carbon Sink And Storage And Water Regulation And Provision. Changes In Land Use And Land Cover Have Become A Major Force Behind Environmental Change. In The Tropical Andes, Most Of These Changes Occur At The Fringe Of Paramo Ecosystems, Where Remnants Of Native Andean Forests Can Be Found. Surprisingly, Little Is Known About The Eco- Hydrological Functioning Of Andean Forest Ecosystems In The Northern Andean Foothills. In Addition To Limited Taxonomic And Functional Biodiversity, There Is A Systematic Lack Of Observational Data On Fundamental Hydrometeorological And Soil-Water Processes. In This Proposal, We Will Leverage On The Knowledge And Expertise Gained From Previous Projects Funded By Ares And Vlir-Uos. This New Proposal Combines The Expertise In The Fields Of Forest Ecology, Soil Hydrology, Hydrometeorology And Soil Sciences. It Offers A Unique Opportunity To Bring Together The Expertise Of Different Research Groups In Ecuador, That Have Not Collaborated Before And Create A Regional Network Of Expertise. The Main Objective Of Proposal Is To Establish A Regional Network Of Scientists By Linking And Developing Local Expertise On Forest Ecology, Soil Hydrology, Hydrometeorology And Soil Sciences. This Network Will Work Together On Collaborative Research Projects That Focus On The Interface Of Soil-Water-Plant Interactions At The Landscape Scale.