Vulnerable Waters : Watershed human pressures on water quality and freshwater ecosystem services in the central Andes of Bolivia
Prado Velasco, Pablo Edmundo LU
(2026)
- Abstract
- High-altitude lakes and headwater streams of the Andes provide essential benefits to society, yet they remain among the least studied and most vulnerable freshwater ecosystems. These systems supply drinking water, support agriculture and grazing, regulate floods, store carbon, and hold deep cultural and spiritual value for local communities. However, climate change, land use change, water extraction, and limited wastewater treatment are rapidly altering these environments, particularly in the Central Andes of Bolivia, where steep terrain and fragile ecosystems intensify human and environmental pressures.
This thesis develops an interdisciplinary framework to assess how environmental change and land use / land cover affect water quality... (More) - High-altitude lakes and headwater streams of the Andes provide essential benefits to society, yet they remain among the least studied and most vulnerable freshwater ecosystems. These systems supply drinking water, support agriculture and grazing, regulate floods, store carbon, and hold deep cultural and spiritual value for local communities. However, climate change, land use change, water extraction, and limited wastewater treatment are rapidly altering these environments, particularly in the Central Andes of Bolivia, where steep terrain and fragile ecosystems intensify human and environmental pressures.
This thesis develops an interdisciplinary framework to assess how environmental change and land use / land cover affect water quality and related freshwater ecosystem services across spatial scales. The study integrates satellite remote sensing, field measurements, global environmental databases, hydrological and machine-learning models, and surveys of local perceptions. At the regional scale, the research contributes to the characterisation and classification of Andean lakes, identifying distinct “lake districts” and highlighting significant gaps in monitoring across the continent. At the watershed scale, analyses show that anthropogenic land use / land cover and rainfall explain more than 60% of variability in stream water quality, while water diversions and irrigation can obscure natural processes such as dilution and nutrient retention. At the lake scale, satellite data combined with field observations provide indicators of trophic state and carbon dynamics, helping detect ecological change in small high-altitude lakes.
The research also examines how local communities perceive freshwater ecosystem services. Survey results indicate that water provisioning, climate regulation, and cultural values are considered the most important benefits, with perceptions strongly influenced by proximity to freshwater ecosystems, environmental conditions, and socioeconomic factors.
By integrating ecological processes with social values in a spatial framework, this thesis demonstrates the potential of combining Earth observation, modelling, and local knowledge to support evidence-based decision-making. The proposed approach contributes to improved conservation prioritisation, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable water governance in mountain regions, while supporting progress toward international sustainability agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals related to water, climate, and ecosystems (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/0a057163-ddf5-4932-bdb7-a91a15248325
- author
- Prado Velasco, Pablo Edmundo
LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Prof. Nyberg, Lars, Karlstad University, Sweden.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-04-30
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Freshwater ecosystem services, water quality, Central Andes, headwater streams, remote sensing, governance of aquatic resources
- pages
- 143 pages
- publisher
- Department of Building and Environmental Technology, Lund University
- defense location
- Lecture Hall V:C, building V, Klas Anshelms väg 14, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund.
- defense date
- 2026-04-29 14:00:00
- ISSN
- 1101-9824
- ISBN
- 978-91-8104-965-7
- 978-91-8104-966-4
- project
- Ecosystem services related to high-altitude streams and lakes in Central Andes of Bolivia
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0a057163-ddf5-4932-bdb7-a91a15248325
- date added to LUP
- 2026-03-31 02:49:30
- date last changed
- 2026-04-08 03:29:07
@phdthesis{0a057163-ddf5-4932-bdb7-a91a15248325,
abstract = {{High-altitude lakes and headwater streams of the Andes provide essential benefits to society, yet they remain among the least studied and most vulnerable freshwater ecosystems. These systems supply drinking water, support agriculture and grazing, regulate floods, store carbon, and hold deep cultural and spiritual value for local communities. However, climate change, land use change, water extraction, and limited wastewater treatment are rapidly altering these environments, particularly in the Central Andes of Bolivia, where steep terrain and fragile ecosystems intensify human and environmental pressures.<br/>This thesis develops an interdisciplinary framework to assess how environmental change and land use / land cover affect water quality and related freshwater ecosystem services across spatial scales. The study integrates satellite remote sensing, field measurements, global environmental databases, hydrological and machine-learning models, and surveys of local perceptions. At the regional scale, the research contributes to the characterisation and classification of Andean lakes, identifying distinct “lake districts” and highlighting significant gaps in monitoring across the continent. At the watershed scale, analyses show that anthropogenic land use / land cover and rainfall explain more than 60% of variability in stream water quality, while water diversions and irrigation can obscure natural processes such as dilution and nutrient retention. At the lake scale, satellite data combined with field observations provide indicators of trophic state and carbon dynamics, helping detect ecological change in small high-altitude lakes.<br/>The research also examines how local communities perceive freshwater ecosystem services. Survey results indicate that water provisioning, climate regulation, and cultural values are considered the most important benefits, with perceptions strongly influenced by proximity to freshwater ecosystems, environmental conditions, and socioeconomic factors.<br/>By integrating ecological processes with social values in a spatial framework, this thesis demonstrates the potential of combining Earth observation, modelling, and local knowledge to support evidence-based decision-making. The proposed approach contributes to improved conservation prioritisation, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable water governance in mountain regions, while supporting progress toward international sustainability agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals related to water, climate, and ecosystems}},
author = {{Prado Velasco, Pablo Edmundo}},
isbn = {{978-91-8104-965-7}},
issn = {{1101-9824}},
keywords = {{Freshwater ecosystem services; water quality; Central Andes; headwater streams; remote sensing; governance of aquatic resources}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{04}},
publisher = {{Department of Building and Environmental Technology, Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Vulnerable Waters : Watershed human pressures on water quality and freshwater ecosystem services in the central Andes of Bolivia}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/246271688/Avh._Prado_LUCRIS.pdf}},
year = {{2026}},
}