Efectos de las plantaciones de pino (pinus patula) en las propiedades hidrofísicas de los horizontes ándicos de los suelos de páramo en dos zonas de la cuenca alta del Río Paute

Abstract

The paramo is a high Andean ecosystem vital for water services that specifically provides the Andean population. However, these ecosystems are very fragile to changes in land use that are caused by human intervention. One is the implementation of forest plantations with exotic species such as pine (Pinus patula). The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of pine on hydrophysical properties of andic horizons of soils paramo. The research was conducted in high areas of the Paute river, at altitudes of 3500 and 3700 m s.n.m. For characterization pine plantations and grassland sites were selected not intervened. The soil profile was characterized in 20 test pits. Physical properties were analyzed as: saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), bulk density and moisture content of 6 points pF which were characterized by field data and making disturbed samples and unchanged. To determine the contribution of pine litterfall was collected of 30 sites was heavy in fresh and dry. By the application of parametric and non-parametric was compared analysis compares pine and grassland sites no intervened the litterfall in the two study areas. The results demonstrated that Ksat and bulk density showed alterations in soils under pine coverage. The moisture contents indicate differences in the volumetric water content existing trend of higher values in undisturbed soils under grassland coverage. The different altitude locations of the areas shown to be influential in the hydrophysical properties. The different altitude locations of the areas shown to be influential in the hydrophysical properties. Finally, the pine litterfall was different in the two study areas being mostly in Tutupali Alto where this contribution was recorded