Deforestation and benthic indicators: how much vegetation cover is needed to sustain healthy Andean streams?

ABSTRACT: Deforestation in the tropical Andes is affecting ecological conditions of streams, and determination of how much forest should be retained is a pressing task for conservation, restoration and management strategies. We calculated and analyzed eight benthic metrics (structural, compositional and water quality indices) and a physical-chemical composite index with gradients of vegetation cover to assess the effects of deforestation on macroinvertebrate communities and water quality of 23 streams in southern Ecuadorian Andes. Using a geographical information system (GIS), we quantified vegetation cover at three spatial scales: the entire catchment, the riparian buffer of 30 m width extending the entire stream length, and the local scale defined for a stream reach of 100 m in length and similar

SUBMITTER: Iniguez-Armijos C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4141824 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature