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Design of a water quality quantification model for wetlands

Authors

  • Jorge Machuca Sepúlveda Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Chile
  • Matilde López Muñoz Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Chile
  • Miguel Castillo-Soto Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Chile
No. 55 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5370.2018.47749

Abstract

A quantification model is proposed to define the water quality in an aquatic ecosystem in the Mediterranean ecoregion of Chile. This allows the overlapping of both quantitative (physicochemical and biological parameters) and qualitative (land use). This will result in water quality indexes representing the elements that make up units of analysis in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment. The following variables were used: electrical conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids, water surface temperature, general diatomic biotic index and family biotic index for benthic macroinvertebrates. All these variables estructures sixs thematic map, while the land while the information on land uses serves to characterize the areas adjacent to the edge of the wetlands. The result is the cartographic visualization using geostatistical methods (interpolation by ordinary kriging and weighted inverse distance), of the combined wetdland water quality, according to the Chilean regulations observed for this purpose. The resulting map is defined by values and/or classes of water quality, which can be interpreted and flexible in terms of their cut-off or limit values. In general, this proposal provides a valuable visual tool that facilitates the understanding of wetland planning, the potential management of adjacent areas and a methodological procedure for water quality monitoring and assesments, which may be appliedcable to other wetlands.

Keywords:

ecotone, land uses, physicochemical and biological parameters, geo-interpolation

Author Biographies

Jorge Machuca Sepúlveda, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Chile

Ingeniero forestal, Laboratorio de Hidronomía. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y de la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Av. Santa Rosa 11315. Casilla 9206, Santiago, Chile. E-mail: jorgesma@ug.uchile.cl

Matilde López Muñoz, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Chile

Encargada de Laboratorio de Hidronomía, Universidad de Chile. Profesor asociado Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y de la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile. Profesora de Biología y Ciencias (Universidad de Chile, 1971), Máster of Sciences in Ecology (University of California Davis, 1977), Doctor en Procesos Sociales y Políticos de América Latina (Universidad de Arte y Ciencias Sociales, 2009).

Miguel Castillo-Soto, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Chile

Profesor asociado Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y de la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile. Ingeniero Forestal (Universidad de Chile, 1998), Diplomado en Cartografía Matemática, (Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, 2002), Magíster en Geografía (Universidad de Chile, 2006), Doctor en Recursos Naturales y Sostenibilidad (Universidad de Córdoba- España, 2013).

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How to Cite
Machuca Sepúlveda, J., López Muñoz, M., & Castillo-Soto, M. (2018). Design of a water quality quantification model for wetlands. Investigaciones Geográficas, (55), 23–44. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-5370.2018.47749
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Investigaciones Geográficas
Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo
Universidad de Chile
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