Work

Soil Health and Water Quality Linkages in High-Andean Riparian Ecosystems

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study evaluated the influence of soil health in riparian and ecotone zones on water quality in four high-Andean rivers (Atillo, Ozogoche, Yasepan, and Cebadas) within the Cebadas River sub-basin, Ecuador. Soil and water samples were collected from 20 sites during three field campaigns (2022–2024). Soil properties included organic carbon concentration, soil organic carbon stock (SOC), bulk density, moisture, and potential microbial activity estimated through laboratory CO2–C efflux. Water quality parameters were integrated into the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI), and riparian condition was assessed using the QBR-And index. Multivariate statistical approaches, including Random Forest and Classification and Regression Trees (CART), were used to identify the most influential predictors of ecosystem quality. Results revealed marked spatial contrasts. Riparian SOC stocks ranged from 22.8 to 32.8 Mg C/ha in the more disturbed Cebadas and Yasepan rivers to 91.4–133.6 Mg C/ha in the better-conserved Atillo and Ozogoche systems. Sites with higher SOC and lower bulk density consistently exhibited better water quality, with NSF-WQI values classified as “good”, whereas more degraded sites showed lower riparian quality and “fair” water quality. Riparian forest quality was strongly correlated with water quality (r = 0.81). Random Forest models identified ammoniacal nitrogen, fecal coliforms, and altitude as the most influential predictors of riparian ecosystem condition. These findings demonstrate that soil health and riparian integrity are tightly linked to water quality patterns in high-Andean fluvial systems and support their integration into ecosystem-based watershed management.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su18041935

Authors: Andrés A. Beltrán-Dávalos, Cristian Salazar, Agustín Merino, Xosé Luis Otero, Magdy Echeverría, Anna I. Kurbatova

Institutions: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Chimborazo, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia

Language: English

Topic: Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics

Subfield: Environmental Chemistry

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896