Cobertura vegetal en la recarga de acuíferos: una revisión sistemática
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16111184Palabras clave:
cobertura vegetal, microcuencas altoandinas, recarga de acuíferosResumen
La presente investigación analiza el impacto de la cobertura vegetal sobre la recarga de acuíferos en regiones altoandinas, donde los cambios en el uso del suelo y la disminución de la vegetación han modificado los procesos hidrológicos, afectando negativamente la capacidad de infiltración y la sostenibilidad hídrica. El objetivo principal es evaluar cómo la cobertura vegetal incide en los procesos de recarga subterránea, a través de una revisión documental sistemática basada en el enfoque cualitativo y la metodología PRISMA. Para ello, se seleccionaron 27 estudios relevantes de la base de datos Scopus, priorizando criterios de pertinencia, actualidad y rigor científico. Los resultados evidencian que una cobertura vegetal densa, en especial con especies nativas, promueve la infiltración del agua, disminuye la escorrentía y favorece la recarga de los acuíferos. Por el contrario, las zonas degradadas o deforestadas experimentan menor capacidad de retención hídrica y mayores pérdidas de agua superficial. En consecuencia, se concluye que la restauración de la cobertura vegetal, mediante estrategias de manejo ecológico, resulta fundamental para mejorar la recarga de acuíferos y garantizar la sostenibilidad del recurso hídrico en las microcuencas altoandinas. Así, la conservación y recuperación de la vegetación no solo contribuye a la resiliencia de los sistemas hídricos, sino que también representa una estrategia clave para enfrentar los desafíos derivados del cambio de uso del suelo en estos frágiles ecosistemas.
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