Determinación del ruido y partículas contaminantes en el aire ambiente generados por los vehículos en la vía Cuenca-Molleturo y su efecto en la riqueza y abundancia de aves en el parque Nacional Cajas

Abstract

The Cuenca-Molleturo highway is one of the main communication routes between the provinces of Azuay and Guayas. It is a great importance natural reserve, basically due to the biodiversity that it shelters. The present investigation determines the noise and particulate pollutants in the ambient air generated by the vehicles and their effect on the richness and abundance of the birds in Cajas National Park. The measurements were executed perpendicular to the pathway, at 7 points of selection in the function of an altitudinal gradient within a section between the Quinoas Control and Huagrahuma Control. The methodologies to be used for sedimentary material and noise were based on the Reform “Acuerdo 097” pertaining to the Unified Text of Secondary Environmental Legislation of the Environment Ministry, in relation to the census of birds, counting points and transects of 250 meters were performed, and the Shannon index is applied for the measurement of biodiversity. Pearson´s correlation was related to biological variables (birds) with physical variables (height, sedimentary material, noise), where direct and inverse relationships were obtained between them however, the majority of results did not show significant relationships between the variables analyzed.