PROPOSAL FOR AN INDEX OF ECOHYDROLOGICAL THREATS FOR THE HYDROGRAPHIC UNITS OF PERU, APPLIED TO THE PISCO RIVER BASIN

Garcia Gonzales E.; Málaga J.T. · Ecologia Aplicada (2023) · DOI: 10.21704/rea.v22i2.2085

Resumen

In this research, an "Ecohydrological Threat Index-IAEH" is proposed, which consists of the integration of nine indicators, grouped into two themes: hydrological and biotic, selected considering two criteria: i) the relevance of the negative impacts that they can generate in the aquatic ecosystems of the basin and ii) the availability of free data that exists for its implementation at the national level. The calculation of the nine aforementioned indicators was carried out within a Geographic Information System (GIS) and they are statistically standardized in order to obtain a relative value of the index for each sub-basin analyzed. The IAEH was applied in the Pisco River basin, Peru, and it was determined that from the nine sub-basins evaluated, one sub-basin is classified in the range of moderate threat, three sub-basins in low to moderate threat and five sub-basins in low threat. The information generated is extremely important, since it allows to rank the level of relative threats to the aquatic ecosystems of each sub-basin (rivers, lakes and wetlands) to be ranked in a hierarchy, and in this sense, it is an alternative to carry out a rapid and low-level evaluation. demand for resources, which can be applied in other basins of the country, particularly in basins where the aforementioned information is limited, offering a tool for the prioritization of policies related to the conservation and protection of water resources and aquatic ecosystems, in aspects such as the determination of ecological flows, marginal strips, water resources protection zones and headwaters basins. © Departamento Académico de Biología, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima – Perú.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina