Modelo de restauración ecológica, con enfoque de forestería análoga, a partir de un ecosistema de referencia para la recuperación de áreas verdes alteradas en las áreas urbanas y periurbanas de Cuenca

Abstract

This study analyzes de impact in the vegetal communities within the city of Cuenca, its urban zone and its surroundings, under the following hypothesis: the wild residuary areas within the distal zones of the urban nucleus have higher ecological equilibrium than the zones that have been intervened by humans in the city. The study area was divided in four quadrants, and in each one of this, three places were chosen according to an impairment gradient, giving a total of twelve localities for sampling the condition of the vegetation in both urban and rural localities, and subsequently making a similitude analysis related to the disturb intensity caused by human activities. Botanical inventories were made in the localities within a standardized area of 1000 square meters, from which are based the results of the vegetal community structure and the physiognomic characterization used in Analog Forestry, which states the formulation of management areas that keep the wild forest areas characteristics. From analyzing the results four groups were determined according the conservation state of its vegetal cover. This groups show the impairment intensity caused by human activities. After making a comparison between the wild and managed areas, differences between habitats or existing gaps were determined, and also the transformation that this areas in recovery have to develop to cover them. Additionally the species with higher ecological weight in each field were determined to recommend its use in ecosystem restoration projects in the city.

Concludes the importance on the regulation of green or natural areas management activities in the city aiming to raise the ecosystem functionality by increasing the number of vegetal species and therefore physiognomic groups in the process.