| _version_ | 1867169091978002432 |
|---|---|
| author | Iñiguez Armijos, Carlos Alberto Leiva, Adrian Frede, Hans-Georg Hampel, Henrietta Breuer, Lutz |
| author_facet | Iñiguez Armijos, Carlos Alberto Leiva, Adrian Frede, Hans-Georg Hampel, Henrietta Breuer, Lutz |
| collection | Datos científicos de ciencias marinas y ambientales |
| contents | Deforestation in the tropical Andes is affecting ecological conditions of streams, and determination of how much forest should be retained is a pressing task for conservation, restoration and management strategies. We calculated and analyzed eight benthic metrics (structural, compositional and water quality indices) and a physical-chemical composite index with gradients of vegetation cover to assess the effects of deforestation on macroinvertebrate communities and water quality of 23 streams in southern Ecuadorian Andes. Using a geographical information system (GIS), we quantified vegetation cover at three spatial scales: the entire catchment, the riparian buffer of 30 m width extending the entire stream length, and the local scale defined for a stream reach of 100 m in length and similar buffer width. Macroinvertebrate and water quality metrics had the strongest relationships with vegetation cover at catchment and riparian scales, while vegetation cover did not show any association with the macroinvertebrate metrics at local scale. At catchment scale, the water quality metrics indicate that ecological condition of Andean streams is good when vegetation cover is over 70%. Further, macroinvertebrate community assemblages were more diverse and related in catchments largely covered by native vegetation (>70%). Overall, our results suggest that retaining an important quantity of native vegetation cover within the catchments and a linkage between headwater and riparian forests help to maintain and improve stream biodiversity and water quality in Andean streams affected by deforestation. Also, this research proposes that a strong regulation focused to the management of riparian buffers can be successful when decision making is addressed to conservation/restoration of Andean catchments. |
| format | Dataset Open Access |
| id | pangaea_https___doi_org_10_1594_PANGAEA_831687 |
| institution | PANGAEA |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | PANGAEA |
| record_format | pangaea |
| spellingShingle | Macroinvertebrate abundance in tropical Andean streams, Ecuador Iñiguez Armijos, Carlos Alberto Leiva, Adrian Frede, Hans-Georg Hampel, Henrietta Breuer, Lutz Ablabesmyia spp.; Americabaetis spp.; Anacroneuria spp.; Anchytarsus spp.; Andesiops spp.; Aphrosytus spp.; Argia spp.; Atanatolica spp.; Atopsyche spp.; Baetodes spp.; Biological oxygen demand; Cernotina spp.; Chimarra spp.; Coliforms, in colony forming units; Conductivity; Corydalus spp.; Dineutus spp.; Dugesia spp.; Ecuador; ELEVATION; Elodes spp.; Empididae; Event label; Farrodes spp.; Grumichella spp.; Haplohyphes spp.; Helicopsyche spp.; Hetaerina spp.; Heterelmis spp.; Hexatoma spp.; Leptohyphes spp.; Leptonema spp.; Limnophora spp.; Macrelmis spp.; Macrostemum spp.; Marilia spp.; Maruina spp.; Molophilus spp.; Moribaetis spp.; Mortoniella spp.; Nectopsyche spp.; Nitrate; Noelmis spp.; Orthocladius spp.; Oxygen; Paltostoma spp.; pH; Phanacerus spp.; Phosphate; Phylloicus spp.; Physa spp.; Polycentropus spp.; Probezzia spp.; Psephenops spp.; Pyralidae; Rio_SanFrancisco; Rio_Zamora; River; RIVER; Sample code/label; Sampling river; Scirtes spp.; Simulium spp.; Smicridea spp.; Temperature, water; Thraulodes spp.; Tipula spp.; Tricorythodes spp.; Triplectes spp.; Tubifex spp.; Vegetation, cover; Zelusia spp. Deforestation in the tropical Andes is affecting ecological conditions of streams, and determination of how much forest should be retained is a pressing task for conservation, restoration and management strategies. We calculated and analyzed eight benthic metrics (structural, compositional and water quality indices) and a physical-chemical composite index with gradients of vegetation cover to assess the effects of deforestation on macroinvertebrate communities and water quality of 23 streams in southern Ecuadorian Andes. Using a geographical information system (GIS), we quantified vegetation cover at three spatial scales: the entire catchment, the riparian buffer of 30 m width extending the entire stream length, and the local scale defined for a stream reach of 100 m in length and similar buffer width. Macroinvertebrate and water quality metrics had the strongest relationships with vegetation cover at catchment and riparian scales, while vegetation cover did not show any association with the macroinvertebrate metrics at local scale. At catchment scale, the water quality metrics indicate that ecological condition of Andean streams is good when vegetation cover is over 70%. Further, macroinvertebrate community assemblages were more diverse and related in catchments largely covered by native vegetation (>70%). Overall, our results suggest that retaining an important quantity of native vegetation cover within the catchments and a linkage between headwater and riparian forests help to maintain and improve stream biodiversity and water quality in Andean streams affected by deforestation. Also, this research proposes that a strong regulation focused to the management of riparian buffers can be successful when decision making is addressed to conservation/restoration of Andean catchments. |
| title | Macroinvertebrate abundance in tropical Andean streams, Ecuador |
| topic | Ablabesmyia spp.; Americabaetis spp.; Anacroneuria spp.; Anchytarsus spp.; Andesiops spp.; Aphrosytus spp.; Argia spp.; Atanatolica spp.; Atopsyche spp.; Baetodes spp.; Biological oxygen demand; Cernotina spp.; Chimarra spp.; Coliforms, in colony forming units; Conductivity; Corydalus spp.; Dineutus spp.; Dugesia spp.; Ecuador; ELEVATION; Elodes spp.; Empididae; Event label; Farrodes spp.; Grumichella spp.; Haplohyphes spp.; Helicopsyche spp.; Hetaerina spp.; Heterelmis spp.; Hexatoma spp.; Leptohyphes spp.; Leptonema spp.; Limnophora spp.; Macrelmis spp.; Macrostemum spp.; Marilia spp.; Maruina spp.; Molophilus spp.; Moribaetis spp.; Mortoniella spp.; Nectopsyche spp.; Nitrate; Noelmis spp.; Orthocladius spp.; Oxygen; Paltostoma spp.; pH; Phanacerus spp.; Phosphate; Phylloicus spp.; Physa spp.; Polycentropus spp.; Probezzia spp.; Psephenops spp.; Pyralidae; Rio_SanFrancisco; Rio_Zamora; River; RIVER; Sample code/label; Sampling river; Scirtes spp.; Simulium spp.; Smicridea spp.; Temperature, water; Thraulodes spp.; Tipula spp.; Tricorythodes spp.; Triplectes spp.; Tubifex spp.; Vegetation, cover; Zelusia spp. |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.831687 |