Articles | Volume 19, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4201-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-4201-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Oct 2015
Research article |
| 20 Oct 2015
Multidecadal change in streamflow associated with anthropogenic disturbances in the tropical Andes
A. Molina
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Programa para el Manejo del Agua y del Suelo (PROMAS), Universidad de Cuenca, Av. 12 de abril s/n, Cuenca, Ecuador
Department of Geology, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Ladrón de Guevara, 11-253, Quito, Ecuador
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
V. Vanacker
Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaitre Centre for Earth and Climate Research, University of Louvain, Place Louis Pasteur 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Secretaria de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Whymper E7-37 y Alpallana, Quito, Ecuador
E. Brisson
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
D. Mora
Programa para el Manejo del Agua y del Suelo (PROMAS), Universidad de Cuenca, Av. 12 de abril s/n, Cuenca, Ecuador
V. Balthazar
Earth and Life Institute, Georges Lemaitre Centre for Earth and Climate Research, University of Louvain, Place Louis Pasteur 3, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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Cited
27 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Challenges for research on global change in mainland Ecuador V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2018.1491706
- Repercusiones de las condiciones ambientales altitudinales en la variabilidad de la disponibilidad hídrica en la cuenca del río Ródano en escenarios de cambio climático P. Pérez-Cutillas et al. https://doi.org/10.5209/aguc.69337
- Assessing the effectiveness of Sustainable Land Management for large-scale climate change adaptation J. Eekhout & J. de Vente https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.350
- Impacts of land use on the hydrological response of tropical Andean catchments B. Ochoa‐Tocachi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10980
- Regionalization of land‐use impacts on streamflow using a network of paired catchments B. Ochoa‐Tocachi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR018596
- Tropical Pacific sea surface temperature influence on seasonal streamflow variability in Ecuador C. Quishpe‐Vásquez et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.6047
- Investigating the geomorphic characteristics of an Amazonian headwater stream draining a páramo ecosystem C. Ely & D. Martin https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.2018.1513289
- A concerted research effort to advance the hydrological understanding of tropical páramos A. Correa et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13904
- The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-133-2022
- Oscillations and trends of river discharge in the southern Central Andes and linkages with climate variability F. Castino et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.10.001
- Land use impacts on soil erosion and rejuvenation in Southern Brazil V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2019.03.024
- Variability of Water Balance under Climate Change Scenarios. Implications for Sustainability in the Rhône River Basin P. Pérez-Cutillas et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166402
- Desafíos para la investigación sobre el cambio climático en Ecuador L. Cadilhac et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2017.1328247
- Quantifying the effects of urbanization on floods in a changing environment to promote water security — A case study of two adjacent basins in Texas M. Shao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125154
- The potential impact of climate variability on siltation of Andean reservoirs M. Rosas et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124396
- Hydrological impacts of dam regulation for hydropower production: The case of Lake Sibinacocha, Southern Peru C. Bello et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101319
- Patterns in Soil Chemical Weathering Related to Topographic Gradients and Vegetation Structure in a High Andean Tropical Ecosystem A. Molina et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JF004856
- Impacts of forests and forestation on hydrological services in the Andes: A systematic review V. Bonnesoeur et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.11.033
- Soil–vegetation–water interactions controlling solute flow and chemical weathering in volcanic ash soils of the high Andes S. Páez-Bimos et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1507-2023
- Transdisciplinary catchment management in the developing tropics: bridging scientific enquiry with societal needs R. Sidle et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2647891
- The Role of Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) in Urban Water Balances and Streamflow Regimes: A Hydrograph Analysis Along the Sewershed‐Watershed Continuum K. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032529
- Spatial variation in specific sediment yield along the Peruvian western Andes M. Rosas et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106699
- Streamflow Generation across the Diverse Tropics: Heterogeneity, Evidence Gaps, and Hydrological Implications A. Ziegler et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.5c01087
- Detection and attribution of climate change impacts in coupled natural-human systems in the Andes A. Ochoa-Sánchez et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02092-9
- Drivers, Impacts and Mitigation of Increased Sedimentation in the Hydropower Reservoirs of East Africa A. Amasi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10060638
- Distribución espacio-temporal de los deslizamientos y erosión hídrica en una cuenca Andina tropical V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.3989/pirineos.2020.175001
- Characterization and Hydrological Analysis of the Guarumales Deep-Seated Landslide in the Tropical Ecuadorian Andes A. Urgilez Vinueza et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10070267
27 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Challenges for research on global change in mainland Ecuador V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2018.1491706
- Repercusiones de las condiciones ambientales altitudinales en la variabilidad de la disponibilidad hídrica en la cuenca del río Ródano en escenarios de cambio climático P. Pérez-Cutillas et al. https://doi.org/10.5209/aguc.69337
- Assessing the effectiveness of Sustainable Land Management for large-scale climate change adaptation J. Eekhout & J. de Vente https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.350
- Impacts of land use on the hydrological response of tropical Andean catchments B. Ochoa‐Tocachi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10980
- Regionalization of land‐use impacts on streamflow using a network of paired catchments B. Ochoa‐Tocachi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016WR018596
- Tropical Pacific sea surface temperature influence on seasonal streamflow variability in Ecuador C. Quishpe‐Vásquez et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.6047
- Investigating the geomorphic characteristics of an Amazonian headwater stream draining a páramo ecosystem C. Ely & D. Martin https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.2018.1513289
- A concerted research effort to advance the hydrological understanding of tropical páramos A. Correa et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13904
- The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-133-2022
- Oscillations and trends of river discharge in the southern Central Andes and linkages with climate variability F. Castino et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.10.001
- Land use impacts on soil erosion and rejuvenation in Southern Brazil V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2019.03.024
- Variability of Water Balance under Climate Change Scenarios. Implications for Sustainability in the Rhône River Basin P. Pérez-Cutillas et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166402
- Desafíos para la investigación sobre el cambio climático en Ecuador L. Cadilhac et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2017.1328247
- Quantifying the effects of urbanization on floods in a changing environment to promote water security — A case study of two adjacent basins in Texas M. Shao et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125154
- The potential impact of climate variability on siltation of Andean reservoirs M. Rosas et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.124396
- Hydrological impacts of dam regulation for hydropower production: The case of Lake Sibinacocha, Southern Peru C. Bello et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101319
- Patterns in Soil Chemical Weathering Related to Topographic Gradients and Vegetation Structure in a High Andean Tropical Ecosystem A. Molina et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JF004856
- Impacts of forests and forestation on hydrological services in the Andes: A systematic review V. Bonnesoeur et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.11.033
- Soil–vegetation–water interactions controlling solute flow and chemical weathering in volcanic ash soils of the high Andes S. Páez-Bimos et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1507-2023
- Transdisciplinary catchment management in the developing tropics: bridging scientific enquiry with societal needs R. Sidle et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2647891
- The Role of Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) in Urban Water Balances and Streamflow Regimes: A Hydrograph Analysis Along the Sewershed‐Watershed Continuum K. Zhang et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032529
- Spatial variation in specific sediment yield along the Peruvian western Andes M. Rosas et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2022.106699
- Streamflow Generation across the Diverse Tropics: Heterogeneity, Evidence Gaps, and Hydrological Implications A. Ziegler et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.5c01087
- Detection and attribution of climate change impacts in coupled natural-human systems in the Andes A. Ochoa-Sánchez et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02092-9
- Drivers, Impacts and Mitigation of Increased Sedimentation in the Hydropower Reservoirs of East Africa A. Amasi et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10060638
- Distribución espacio-temporal de los deslizamientos y erosión hídrica en una cuenca Andina tropical V. Vanacker et al. https://doi.org/10.3989/pirineos.2020.175001
- Characterization and Hydrological Analysis of the Guarumales Deep-Seated Landslide in the Tropical Ecuadorian Andes A. Urgilez Vinueza et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10070267
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 12 Nov 2026
Short summary
Andean catchments play a key role in the provision of freshwater resources. The development of megacities in the inter-Andean valleys raises severe concerns about growing water scarcity. This study is one of the first long-term (1970s-now) analyses of the role of land cover and climate change on provision and regulation of streamflow in the tropical Andes. Forest conversion had the largest impact on streamflow, leading to a 10 % net decrease in streamflow over the last 40 years.
Andean catchments play a key role in the provision of freshwater resources. The development of...
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