Suchergebnisse

The purpose of this study is to identify forest ecosystems that provide hydrological ecosystem services (HES) relevant for the adaptive capacity to climate change in the hydropower sector of Costa Rica. We assessed a methodological framework that considers spatial linkages between land use, capacity of the ecosystem to produce environmental services, and the utility that hydropower plants derive from those HES in a context of vulnerability to climatic events. Hydropower plants receive HES from 24% of the national territory, where forest cover represents 52% of land use. The watersheds of Rio Reventazón, Grande de Tárcoles and Grande de Terraba are the more important in terms of area providing HES. Approximately 70% of forest ecosystems identified during the course of this study providing HES to the hydropower sector are currently outside the national protected areas system. The results of this study are relevant for the implementation of adaptive management plans in forest ecosystems providing HES, and thus, improve the resilience to climate change in the hydropower sector.

The objective of this work was to identify forests that provide ES for the hydroelectric sector in Nicaragua, where the implementation of hydropower plants is getting stronger. The methodological framework considers vulnerability criteria at the watershed level, location and future power potential (MW) of hydroelectric plants, as well as land uses and their capacity to produce ES. The areas located in the upper watersheds of relevant hydroelectric projects are very sensible to climatic events; that gives evidence of the need to reduce hydropower sector's vulnerability, for example, through a better watershed and forest ecosystems management. Approximately 8,300 km2 of forest ecosystems and 1,425 km2 of perennial crops located in upper watersheds are considered of high and very high importance for hydroelectric power projects or plants. Additionally, less than 10% of forest ecosystems providing ES for hydroelectricity are within protected areas. The results confirm the need for ES users to get involved in forest management to improve the adaptive capacity in important areas to guarantee the ES flow in the future.