Coupling physical and biological processes in páramos: interactions among land cover and nutrient dynamics
Monday, 6 June 2016: 12:00 PM
Diego A Riveros-Iregui, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States, Tim P Covino, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States and Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon, University of New Mexico Main Campus, Albuquerque, NM, United States
Abstract:
The Northern and Central Andes have experienced greater anthropogenic land use/land-cover (LULC) change than nearly any other high mountain system on Earth. In particular, páramo ecosystems (high elevation grasslands of the tropical Andes) of Colombia are undergoing rapid conversion to cropland and pasture. Páramos have strong hydrologic buffering capacity and have historically provided consistent freshwater flows to millions of people in downstream communities. While this region has some of the highest runoff ratios, precipitation, and largest river flows in the world, the hydrology of these systems and the influence that LULC change may have on water resources remains poorly understood. Here we seek to develop a deeper understanding of these relationships through quantitative analyses of LULC change and impacts on the quantity and quality of water exported from páramo landscapes of Colombia. Our results indicate the intensity and spatial distribution of LULC change, build upon past remote sensing studies of the region, and aid in prioritizing areas of concern for hydrologic research on the ground. This information provides an initial framework for characterizing the degree of modification and impact to water quantity/quality as well as the long-term sustainability of water resources in the region.
