Mapping Ecosystem Services in an Andean Water Supply Basin

Diana Marcela Ruíz Ordoñez (), Yineth Viviana Camacho De Angulo, Edgar Leonairo Pencué Fierro and Apolinar Figueroa Casas
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Diana Marcela Ruíz Ordoñez: Grupo de Estudios Ambientales (GEA), Environmental Sciencies, Department of Biology, University of Cauca, Calle 5 #4-70, Popayán 190003, Colombia
Yineth Viviana Camacho De Angulo: Grupo de Estudios Ambientales (GEA), Environmental Sciencies, Department of Biology, University of Cauca, Calle 5 #4-70, Popayán 190003, Colombia
Edgar Leonairo Pencué Fierro: Optics and Laser Group, Environmental Sciences, Department of Physics, University of Cauca, Calle 5 #4-70, Popayán 190003, Colombia
Apolinar Figueroa Casas: Grupo de Estudios Ambientales (GEA), Environmental Sciencies, Department of Biology, University of Cauca, Calle 5 #4-70, Popayán 190003, Colombia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: Socio-ecological dynamics affect the ecosystem services supply and are relevant to generate effective water management strategies; this condition is considered to evaluate under a holistic approach, the water ecosystem services (WES) in an Andean supply basin (ASB) in Colombia. This analysis focus on the connection of biophysical and sociocultural components for the multi-purpose use of water based on The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) modelling for Las Piedras River Basin (LPRB). The generated Hydrological Response Units (HRUs), allows to estimate the capacity of the basin for supplying water (quantity) in adequate conditions (quality) for local populations in rural and urban areas, as well as WES zoning. The model was calibrated and validated to generate a baseline scenario, which was complemented with social cartography and participative workshops. The results indicate a low concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus, boosted by specific agro-ecological strategies developed by local communities; however, there are health risks for populations downstream and those that are supplied with water directly from the source. Additionally, Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) affects water availability, which demands restoration and conservation strategies to maintain WES supply for socioeconomic and cultural purposes, since different views on the available WES converge in the basin.

Keywords: ecosystem services supply; planning tool; water pollution; water supply; socioecological conflicts (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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