Análisis comparativo de la biodiversidad de los bofedales de la Reserva de Producción de Fauna Chimborazo en función a la altitud y el nivel de intervención antrópica

Abstract

The present investigation proposes to carry out a comparative analysis of the biodiversity of the bofedales of the Chimborazo Fauna Production Reserve of according to the height and the level of anthropic intervention; through the application of methods and techniques of bibliographic research, field trips, at the exploratory, descriptive, analytical and prospective level for the gathering of information. Three stages were developed to reach the objective: the first one corresponds to the situational diagnosis of the six bofedales of the Chimborazo fauna production reserve where the study areas are defined and characterized, the biotic features of these, determining the biodiversity indexes alpha (α) and beta (β) of mammals, birds, amphibians, macro-invertebrates and the dominance of plants in the vegetation cover, later the anthropic threats of the bofedales were evaluated, which allowed to identify the main pressures that are damaging the high-Andean wetlands product of anthropogenic activities. In the second part, an analysis and comparison of biodiversity in terms of altitude and level of anthropic intervention was developed by applying the chi square nonparametric hypothesis test: the number of species was analyzed and a critical value was determined; this indicates that there is not enough evidence to conclude that biodiversity depends on the altitude and the level of intervention in the bofedales of the Chimborazo Fauna Production Reserve. The third part constitutes a strategic framework, establishing four conservation programs for biodiversity and bofedales, directed to the population and educational institutions and the CHFPR.

Key words: High-Andean wetlands - conservation of biodiversity - bofedales biodiversity