Influence of vegetation on the hydrological functioning of tropical high mountain wetlands basins

Abstract

Valencia-Leguizamón, J., Tobón, C. 2017. Influence of vegetation on the hydrological functioning of tropical high mountain wetlands basins. Ecosistemas 26(2): 10-17. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.2017.26-2.02

High mountain wetlands in Colombia face large anthropogenic pressures which impact the soil and vegetation of the associated basins. Consequently, altering their functions of water supply and water regulation at different spatial scales. Accordingly, it is important to understand the effect of vegetation on the hydrological dynamics of these ecosystems. The capacity of rainfall interception by dominant vegetation was determined by induced precipitation experiments; Likewise, the evapotranspiration was calculated with the Penman-Monteith equation. The study was carried out in two wetlands of paramo ecosystems: Lagunas de Buitrago and Pantanos del Quindío (Colombia). The interception associated with low intensity rainfall events was higher than for high intensity events. The cover of frailejonales (FRJ) and chuscales (CHS) exhibited larger capacity of interception with respect to pajonales (PAJ). The net rainfall interception loss of the vegetation cover in the basin of Buitrago wetland was 181 mm out of 3930 mm of total rainfall; while in the basin of the wetland of Pantanos del Quindío this was 106 mm of 2400 mm. On the other hand, evapotranspiration at the first site was 354 mm, with maximum losses of 1.6 mm / day, while in the second it was 601 mm, with maximum losses of 3.4 mm / day. In both wetland basins the largest value of evapotranspiration occurred in the quarter December-January-February (DEF).