Examinando por Autor "Metadjer Senesi, Pamela Ana Claudine"
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- ÍtemRestringidoEvaluation of land use effects on water quality in the San Francisco river basin, Guatemala.(Universidad EARTH, 2019-12) Metadjer Senesi, Pamela Ana Claudine; Gilman, Alex; Soto, CarlomagnoLake Atitlán, the largest lake in Central America, has experienced a series of algal blooms in the past decades, due to sediment overloads that have affected water quality, caused by unsustainable land management. The objective of this study was to evaluate historic land use change using Landsat satellite imagery, and its effect on river water quality in the San Francisco River basin, a major Lake Atitlán tributary. Change in forest cover, cultivated lands, and bare soil were evaluated over the periods 1986-2001 and 2001-2019. Current land use was compared to current Total Suspended Solids (TSS) loading in the river as a means to evaluate spatial and temporal effects on river water quality. Finally, a case study was completed in two townships using surveys and semi-structured interviews to understand the social context behind these observed land use patterns. Results show a net 8.41 % decrease in agricultural lands, possibly related to a combination of land abandonment, water scarcity, and shifts from traditional intensive forms of agriculture in the upper basin. Forest cover increased by 12 % since 2001, with a net increase of 2 % since 1986, showing the success of reforestation policies and incentives, while non-vegetated lands showed a 3.32 % increase since 1986 probably caused by urban sprawl. Land use effects on river water quality showed significance (T test: P value = 0.000624) in the rainy season, and lower water quality was found in the lower basin, possibly due to a reduction in riparian buffer and forest cover. The case study showed that ownership concentrated in small plots of land (>1 ha), and that there is recognition of environmental degradation in the region. Management strategies that involve all actors and multidisciplinary collaborations can prevent further degradation of the region and help strive for successful long-term ecological restoration.