scholarly journals Engineering Resilience to Water Stress in the Late Prehispanic North-Central Andean Highlands (~600–1200 BP)

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 3544
Author(s):  
Kevin Lane
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Political Ecology ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Middle Horizon ◽  
North Central ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Complex Solutions ◽  
Infrastructure Rehabilitation

The Andes are defined by human struggles to provide for, and control, water. Nowhere is this challenge more apparent than in the unglaciated western mountain range Cordillera Negra of the Andes where rain runoff provides the only natural source of water for herding and farming economies. Based on over 20 years of systematic field surveys and taking a political ecology and resilience theory focus, this article evaluates how the Prehispanic North-Central highlands Huaylas ethnic group transformed the landscape of the Andes through the largescale construction of complex hydraulic engineering works in the Cordillera Negra of the Ancash Province, North-Central Peru. It is likely that construction of these engineered landscapes commenced during the Middle Horizon (AD 600–1000), reaching their apogee under the Late Intermediate Period (Huaylas group, AD 1000–1450) and Inca (AD 1450–1532) period, before falling into disuse during the early Spanish colony (AD 1532–1615) through a combination of disease, depopulation, and disruption. Persistent water stress in the western Pacific-facing Andean cordillera was ameliorated through the construction of interlinked dams and reservoirs controlling the water, soil, and wetlands. The modern study of these systems provides useful case-studies for infrastructure rehabilitation potentially providing low-cost, though technologically complex, solutions to modern water security.

scholarly journals The political ecology of late South American pastoralism: an Andean perspective A.D. 1,000-1,615

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Grant ◽  
Kevin Lane
Keyword(s):  
Political Ecology ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Structuration Theory ◽  
Similar Process ◽  
South American ◽  
North Central ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Settlement Location ◽  
Animal Use ◽  
Agency And Structure

Prehispanic South American pastoralism has a long and rich, though often understudied, trajectory. In this paper, we analyze the transition from a generalized to a specialized pastoralism at two geographical locations in the Andes: Antofagasta de la Sierra, Southern Argentina Puna, and the Ancash Highlands, Peruvian North-central Puna. Although at opposite ends of the Andes this herding specialization commences during the same moment in time, A.D. 600-1,000, suggesting that a similar process was at work in both areas. Moreover, this was a process that was irrevocably tied to the coeval development of specialized highland agriculture. From a perspective of political ecology and structuration theory we emphasis the time-depth and importance that Andean pastoralism had in shaping highland landscapes. Taking into consideration risk-management theory, ecology and environment as crucial factors in the development of a specialized pastoralism we nevertheless emphasis the importance of the underlying human decisions that drove this process. Based broadly within the field of political ecology we therefore emphasize how human agency and structure impacted on these landscapes, society and animal husbandry. Our article covers such aspects as the human and animal use of resource areas, settlement location, herding patterns, selective breeding, and human-induced alterations to pasturage.Keywords: Andes, pastoralism, political ecology, Southern Andes, Central Andes

Low-cost Smart Camera System for Water Stress Detection in Crops

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Ramos-Giraldo ◽  
S. Chris Reberg-Horton ◽  
Steven Mirsky ◽  
Edgar Lobaton ◽  
Anna M. Locke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Smart Camera ◽  
Stress Detection ◽  
Camera System

scholarly journals Quaternary Glaciations in the Andes of North-Central Chile

1975 ◽  
Vol 14 (70) ◽  
pp. 155-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesar N. Caviedes ◽  
Roland Paskoff
Keyword(s):  
Polar Front ◽  
Southern Andes ◽  
North Central ◽  
Central Chile ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Quaternary Glaciations ◽  
Chilean Andes

The extension of the Quaternary glaciations has been studied in the semi-arid Andes of north-central Chile, where the glacial modelling is striking. In the Elqui valley (lat. 30°S.), two glacial advances were identified reaching down to 3 100 m (Laguna glaciation) and 2 500 m (Tapado glaciation). In the Aconcagua valley (lat. 33°S.), moraines from three major glacial advances were found, at 2 800 m (Portillo glaciation), 1 600 m (Guardia Vieja glaciation) and 1 300 m (Salto del Soldado glaciation).The Quaternary glaciations were linked with a decrease of temperature, but more significantly with a marked increase of precipitation probably related to an equatorward shift of 5–6 degrees of the austral polar front. The results obtained in the semi-arid Chilean Andes are correlated with those recently reported from other sectors of the southern Andes.

Estimating the snow-rain transition zone in a semi-arid Andean catchment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Schauwecker ◽  
Gabriel Palma ◽  
Shelley MacDonell ◽  
Katerina Goubanova
Keyword(s):  
Transition Zone ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Arid Environments ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Snow Line ◽  
Snow Cover Extent ◽  
Semi Arid ◽  
Precipitation Events

<p>The height of the snow-rain transition during infrequent but high impact precipitation events, closely related to the 0⁰C-isotherm, is a crucial variable for snow cover extent, high discharge flows and flash floods in semi-arid northern Chile. Estimations of the snow-rain transition zone and its past and future changes are therefore fundamental for adaptation strategies and might eventually serve to develop early warning systems in this region. However, there are important challenges that hinder the assessment of the snow-rain transition zone in semi-arid environments and little is known about past and future changes under different global warming scenarios. For example, there are few radiosonde observations along the Andes and most weather stations are located in valley bottoms, influenced by local conditions and the assumption of free-air temperature lapse rates contributes to the uncertainty. We combine different data sets to estimate the past snow-rain transition zone of our study site, the semi-arid Elqui river catchment. Pictures of the snow line after precipitation events - available from social networks - are used to visually estimate the snow line elevation. These values are in high agreement with vertically extrapolated temperature from meteorological stations. Furthermore, we identified considerable biases between the extrapolated 0⁰C-isotherm from meteorological stations and ERA5 reanalysis data. These large biases are probably due to the lowering of the freezing level over complex terrain and need further analysis. Our results contribute to an improved understanding of the snow-rain transition in this region, but also serve to derive a climatology of this key variable along the Andes mountain range, needed for future projections.</p>

The Political Ecology of the Decentralized Water Management in Zimbabwe

2022 ◽  
pp. 225-238
Author(s):  
Winmore Kusena
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Political Ecology ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
The Political ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Water Protection ◽  
The Commons

The chapter assesses the notion of local scale and decentralization that emanates from the IWRM principles. Evaluation of the benefits of decentralization was done through the political ecology lens that critically examines fairness and power struggles across spaces. Sanyati catchment was used to draw empirical evidence in light of the theoretical expectations of decentralization towards catchment water security. Qualitative approach was used to collect data. Interviews were the main sources of data collection. The findings showed that decentralization has failed to produce the desired results compared to what is assumed in the dominant narrative that highly esteems the decentralization management approach. The chapter showed that what brings results are not local scales and suggests that probably fair and transparent resource distribution and allocation at any scale may bring about water protection that does not trigger the tragedy of the commons.

Water Security and Armed Conflict

2020 ◽  
pp. 125-144
Author(s):  
Rhett B. Larson
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
International Law ◽  
River Water ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
History Of ◽  
Ancient Civilizations ◽  
Human Conflict

Water has not just been the locus of human cooperation, as seen in our early ancient civilizations arising along the banks of desert rivers. It has also been the geography of our conflicts. Indeed, the role of water in human conflict can be seen even in our languages. For example, the word “rival” comes from the Latin word rivalis, meaning those who share a river. Water has been a strategic target and even a weapon in war. In very rare instances, disputes over water have escalated into violence. Water stress results in instability, rising food prices, and desperation, which are often dry kindling for radicalization. This chapter discusses the history of water and violence, why water is more often a source of cooperation than conflict, and the role international law has, and may, play in continuing the pattern of water as a catalyst for peace.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic Impacts of LCD-Treated Drinking Water Distribution in an Urban Community of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1323
Author(s):  
Shrestha ◽  
Kamei ◽  
Shrestha ◽  
Aihara ◽  
Bhattarai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Control Site ◽  
Socioeconomic Impact ◽  
Kathmandu Valley ◽  
Socioeconomic Impacts ◽  
Treated Water ◽  
Treated Drinking Water

Groundwater available in the Kathmandu Valley is not suitable for drinking due to chemical and microbial contamination. We installed a treatment system, which was made with locally available materials and was low-cost, and supplied drinking water to the intervention site where groundwater contains high amounts of ammonia, iron, and turbidity. This research aims to evaluate the socioeconomic impact of treated water distribution. One hundred households were randomly selected and asked to use treated water for drinking, and another 100 households in the nearby community were taken randomly as a control. We conducted questionnaire surveys with the enrolled households before and five months after starting water distribution to assess the water use patterns and quality perceptions. The socioeconomic impact of the intervention was evaluated by a prepost comparison and by the difference-in-difference method. The intervention significantly enhanced most of the parameters of water quality perception, reduced the in-house water treatment, and improved the perceived water stress and quality of life. For the control site, these parameters generally became worse in the post-survey, which suggests that the survey might have affected people’s mindset regarding water security. The system is an option for sustainable management of drinking water in the water-scarce, hard-hit areas in the developing countries.

scholarly journals Cordylancistrus nephelion (Siluriformes, Loricariidae), a new and endangered species of suckermouth armored catfish from the Tuy River, north-central Venezuela

Zootaxa ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 1116 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCISCO PROVENZANO ◽  
NADIA MILANI
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Color Pattern ◽  
The Other ◽  
Lake Basin ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
North Central ◽  
Unique Color ◽  
White Spots ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
A New Species

A new species of suckermouth armored catfish, Cordylancistrus nephelion, is described from seven specimens collected in tributaries of the Tuy River in the Caribbean Sea basin of north-central Venezuela. Cordylancistrus nephelion can be distinguished from the other species assigned to its genus by its unique color pattern, the head and body being marked with irregular white spots. Cordylancistrus nephelion is the third species of the genus described from Venezuela: Cordylancistrus torbesensis (Schultz 1944) from the Mérida mountain range (Cordillera de Mérida), Orinoco River basin; C. perijae Pérez and Provenzano 1996 from Perijá mountain range (Sierra de Perijá), Maracaibo Lake basin; and now C. nephelion from the La Costa mountain range (Cordillera de La Costa). These three species inhabit isolated foothill rivers and have very restricted geographic distributions. The extreme alteration of the Tuy River basin by humans may threaten Cordylancistrus nephelion and the other fish species endemic to the basin with extinction. An artificial key for the species assigned to the genus Cordylancistrus is presented.

scholarly journals Nanofiltration for Arsenic Removal: Challenges, Recent Developments, and Perspectives

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1323 ◽  
Author(s):  
TA Siddique ◽  
Naba K. Dutta ◽  
Namita Roy Choudhury
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Arsenic Removal ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Inorganic Arsenic ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Polymer Nanocomposite ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Current Status ◽  
The Status

Arsenic (As) removal is of major significance because inorganic arsenic is highly toxic to all life forms, is a confirmed carcinogen, and is of significant environmental concern. As contamination in drinking water alone threatens more than 150 million people all over the world. Therefore, several conventional methods such as oxidation, coagulation, adsorption, etc., have been implemented for As removal, but due to their cost-maintenance limitations; there is a drive for advanced, low cost nanofiltration membrane-based technology. Thus, in order to address the increasing demand of fresh and drinking water, this review focuses on advanced nanofiltration (NF) strategy for As removal to safeguard water security. The review concentrates on different types of NF membranes, membrane fabrication processes, and their mechanism and efficiency of performance for removing As from contaminated water. The article provides an overview of the current status of polymer-, polymer composite-, and polymer nanocomposite-based NF membranes, to assess the status of nanomaterial-facilitated NF membranes and to incite progress in this area. Finally, future perspectives and future trends are highlighted.

Calls distinguish species of Antbirds (Aves: Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) in the genus Pyriglena

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4291 (2) ◽  
pp. 275 ◽  
Author(s):  
MORTON L. ISLER ◽  
MARCOS MALDONADO-COELHO
Keyword(s):  
Distinct Species ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
The Andes ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Major River ◽  
Pacific Slope ◽  
Pyriglena Leucoptera ◽  
Taxonomic Studies ◽  
Central South

Populations in the genus Pyriglena Cabanis, 1847, commonly known as fire-eyes, are patchily distributed in central South America from the Pacific slope of the Andes to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Pyriglena populations are currently placed into 12 taxa, only five of which are not isolated from their neighbors by distance, a high mountain range, or a major river. In the Thamnophilidae, taxonomic decisions regarding such allopatric populations have primarily rested on differences in vocalizations, thought not to be learned and to play a key role in the speciation process. When we examined Pyriglena vocalizations in this context, the outcomes revealed substantial diversity in their calls, rather than their songs. They commonly delivered four different types of calls, unusual although not unprecedented in thamnophilids. Diversity in calls rather than songs underscores the need to consider all vocalizations in taxonomic studies. The outcomes support the continued recognition of the White-shouldered Fire-eye Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot) and Fringe-backed Fire-eye Pyriglena atra (Swainson) as distinct species, and indicate that, in addition, the currently constituted Pyriglena leuconota should be considered three species: the Western Fire-eye Pyriglena maura (Ménétries); the Tapajos Fire-eye Pyriglena similis Zimmer; and the East Amazonian Fire-eye Pyriglena leuconota (von Spix). We also identify taxonomic uncertainties regarding subspecies that require acquisition of additional data and further analysis. 

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document