Instituto Geológico y Minero de España

Vulnerable microbial communities in Atacama-Altiplano wetlands: modern analogs of ancient ecosystems with implications for sustainability and conservation

Abstract The Altiplano-Puna plateau lies at ∼4,000 m above sea level in the volcanic Andes cordillera. Together with the adjacent Atacama Desert, it forms one of the most hyperarid regions on the planet. Wetlands are rare, influenced by hydrothermalism and, due to high evaporatio...

Assessment of vulnerability to groundwater contamination in the Santa Rosa River basin, Ecuador

Groundwater is a vital resource that supplies nearly half of the world’s population and sustains ecosystem integrity. In the Santa Rosa River basin (SW Ecuador), groundwater plays an essential role due to the variable quality of surface water resources. This study assessed ground...