Reservas de carbono en sistemas ribereños de amortiguación en el sistema fluvial de la microcuenca del río Cebadas

Abstract

The aim of this work was to determine the percentages of organic carbon, the C/N ratio and the main physicochemical parameters of the soil in the different riparian buffer systems of Cebadas river micro basin. By means of cluster sampling as well as geological and topographical soil criteria, 16 study areas located in the different communities of Atillo, Cebadas, Ozogoche and Yasepán were delimited. In each area, a 4x4 grid was implemented to obtain samples from 16 points with a distance of 20 meters from one point to the other, at a depth of 30 cm from the vegetation cover. A total of 368 samples were studied, 256 taken in the field and 112 in the laboratory. Organic carbon and matter were quantified using the LOI calcination method, the C/N ratio was evaluated using DUMAS analyzer, and the physicochemical parameters of the soil were determined with the use of GIDAC group guides. The highest percentage of carbon (9.52%) was reflected in high areas of paramo in Ozogoche since this soil is young and weakly developed, mainly due to favorable climatic factors for the concentration and fixation of carbon and nitrogen. In the remaining areas the percentage of carbon tends to decrease due to the type of soil, watercourses, altitude, relief, climate and anthropogenic activities. For future research, it is necessary to study the soil during drought periods in order to compare the variability of carbon and adopt alternative measures for the conservation of Andean paramos.