Evaluación del nivel de erosión potencial en las microcuencas altoandinas del rio Atillo, Ozogoche y Yasepan en la zona sur oriental de la provincia de Chimborazo para el uso y aprovechamiento sustentable del recurso suelo

Abstract

Water erosion of micro-watersheds at Atillo in Ecuador’s highlands, Ozogoche and Yasepan, represents a fundamental concern in the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial resources. The objective of this research was the modeling of potential erosion from 2002 to 2021 through the morphological and climatological characterization of three micro-watersheds of the highlands. The methodology implemented included the correction and debugging of the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), the analysis of the hydrographic network, the estimation of geomorphological and hydromorphological parameters and their bioclimatic behavior. For the quantification of water erosion, the factors of the USLE Model were calculated considering the determination of the factors: erosivity (E) and erodibility (K.L.S.C) which includes the factors of soil structure and taxonomy (K), length and degree of slope (L.S), and presence of vegetation (C). The accumulated soil loss in twenty years, established as potential erosion, for Atillo was 962, t x ha-1 x year-1; Ozogoche 756.95 t x ha-1 x year-1; and 938.88 t x ha-1 x year-1 for Yasepan. The comparative analysis of potential erosion and water erosion corresponding to the period 2016 -2021 shows an average reduction of 95% for the three micro-watersheds under the incidence of factor (C). Concluding that the quantified and qualified hydrological dynamics, through morphological, climatological parameters and the estimation of potential erosion; determine greater susceptibility to erosive processes at Atillo > Yasepan > Ozogoche micro-watersheds respectively. It is important the integration of adaptation and mitigation measures such as the implementation of runoff terraces, sustainable agricultural practices and responsible livestock, which guarantees the conservation of the endemic vegetation of each ecosystem.