Hydrology of high-Andean bofedales wetlands

Abstract:

Bofedales is a regionally-used term to refer to peatlands and wet meadows ecosystems developed in the Puna biome in the Andes. These ecosystems are characterised by the presence of hydrophilic vegetation in a seasonal or perennially saturated soil. Like other types of wetlands, the bofedales provide various ecosystem services, including water-related services such as hydrological regulation. In the context of climate change and a potential increase in water scarcity, the creation of artificial bofedales is gaining interest as a potential nature-based solution. However, integrating this solution to improve local water security requires quantitative hydrological understanding, yet very few research results on the hydrology of bofedales have been published and data required to build hydrological models are scarce. Here we present an overview of the current state of scientific understanding about hydrological processes in bofedales. We then identify key processes that might be overlooked by widely-used hydrological models and introduce a roadmap to incorporate them. Lastly, we elaborate on the type of measurements that are needed to increase insights about hydrological regulation of bofedales. These are necessary steps to scale future research into practical knowledge to assess bofedales as a natural infrastructure for water security.