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This paper analyzes the methods used by the Princeton University Chapter of Engineers Without Borders to ensure the sustainability of a gravity-fed potable water system in rural northwestern Peru. While similar small scale development projects consider sustainability in their design process, some do not recognize the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability. This team, however, is inherently interdisciplinary in nature due to its unique subteam structure, which subsequently affects its approach to sustainability. By examining the technical, social, and financial considerations of the project conducted by the Princeton University Chapter of Engineers Without Borders, this paper argues for a three-pronged approach to sustainability. As can be seen through thoughtful design parameters, strong local partnerships, and strategic financial mechanisms, the project displays promise of future success with regards to sustainability. The main objective of the Princeton Chapter of Engineers Without Borders in this partnership is to ensure that the community has the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to maintain the water system in a self-sufficient manner at the completion of the chapter's involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Confluenze. Rivista di Studi Iberoamericani is the property of Universita di Bologna, Dipartimento di Lingue, Letterature e Culture Moderne and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis provides a powerful means of investigating human migration, social organization, and a plethora of other crucial questions about humanity's past. Recently, specialists have suggested that the ideal research design involving aDNA would include multiple independent lines of evidence. In this paper, we adopt a transdisciplinary approach integrating aDNA with archaeological, biogeochemical, and historical data to investigate six individuals found in two cemeteries that date to the Late Horizon (1400 to 1532 CE) and Colonial (1532 to 1825 CE) periods in the Chincha Valley of southern Peru. Genomic analyses indicate that these individuals are genetically most similar to ancient and present-day populations from the north Peruvian coast located several hundred kilometers away. These genomic data are consistent with 16th century written records as well as ceramic, textile, and isotopic data. These results provide some of the strongest evidence yet of state-sponsored resettlement in the pre-Colonial Andes. This study highlights the power of transdisciplinary research designs when using aDNA data and sets a methodological standard for investigating ancient mobility in complex societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Nazca‐South American subduction zone, the subducted slab is flattened beneath northern Andes, called the Peruvian flat slab. The 2019 Mw 8.0 northern Peru intermediate‐depth normal‐faulting earthquake occurred at the leading edge of the Peruvian flat slab, where the slab rebends and sinks into greater depths. Here we investigate this earthquake by back projection analysis and finite fault inversion using seismic waveforms at teleseismic distances. The rupture process indicates that this earthquake ruptured mainly along strike (353°) ~150 km north‐northwestward within ~55 s (average rupture velocity ~2.7 km/s), resulting in two major slip areas with three high slip rate areas, which are consistent with three high‐frequency energy radiation subevents. Our study suggests that such a heterogeneous rupture may be caused by slab bending forces and dehydration embrittlement associated with morphology of the slab. Plain Language Summary: In the subduction zone, the oceanic plate and the continental plate converge, and then the oceanic plate subducts beneath the continental plate and sinks into great depths. In South America, the subducted oceanic plate is flattened beneath northern Peru instead of steeply sinking, called the Peruvian flat slab. After flattened, the oceanic plate starts to sink again. In the region where the oceanic plate starts to sink again, an earthquake with magnitude of 8.0 occurred at a depth of ~120 km on 26 May 2019. How and why this earthquake occurred at such a depth? Does the occurrence of this earthquake is related to the subducted oceanic plate? We try to answer these questions in this paper. By using two techniques, we obtained a scenario about this earthquake: In the region where the oceanic plate starts to sink again, the water in the oceanic plate releases, along with the effect of sinking to cause this earthquake. After this earthquake initiated, it ruptured mainly unilaterally north‐northwestward ~150 km with a speed of ~2.7 km/s, resulting in two large slip areas with three high slip rate areas. Such an uneven rupture may be produced by the heterogeneous structure of the slab. Key Points: Rupture process of the 26 May 2019 northern Peru earthquake is obtained from back projection analysis and finite fault inversionThe effects of slab bending forces and dehydration embrittlement together may cause this earthquake at an intermediate depthThis intermediate‐depth earthquake is probably associated with morphology of the Peruvian flat slab [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine the economic and technical feasibility of developing a thermally enhanced digester in the Andean area using solar collectors. Communities in the rural area of the Andes lack access to electricity and other basic services which impact negatively on their everyday life and exposes them to harmful and inefficient fuels. Several experiences with anaerobic digestion prove that this technology could be applied in the Andean area, although its performance is limited due to low temperatures. To overcome this constraint, an enhanced digester was modelled and simulated using TRNSYS Software. The system consisted of two solar collectors, a storage tank and a digester with a wrapped-around heat exchanger. The average digester temperature in the simulation was 30.7 °C. The enhanced temperature was used in a model to calculate the daily biogas production. The Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return were calculated and confirm the economic viability of the project. The biogas production fully covers the requirements of the system for household cooking and lighting, making a significant social impact. This simulation indicates that it is technically possible to develop an enhanced digester in the Andean area that is economically viable as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) transfer in three dairy farming areas in the Mantaro river headwaters in the central Peruvian Andes and at varying distances from the mining complex at La Oroya. At each of these sites, the transfer of trace metals from the soil to raw milk was estimated, and a hazard assessment for lead and cadmium was carried out in scenarios of minimum, average, and maximum milk consumption in a Peruvian population aged 2–85. Pb and Cd were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Significantly, the concentrations of lead and cadmium were found to exceed the maximum limits recommended by the World Health Organization, with a positive geospatial trend correlated with the distance from mining activity. Both Pb and Cd were found to be transferred through the soil–pasture–milk pathway, with the primary source of Cd being phosphate-based fertilizers used in pasture improvement. Pb was found to be the most significant contributor to the Hazard Index (HI) with those under 19 years of age and over 60 recording an HI of >1, with infants being the most vulnerable group due to their greater milk consumption in relation to their body weight. A marginal increase in contamination was observed in the dry season, indicating the need for studies to be expanded over several annual cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a comprehensive characterization of various hydrothermal systems in Southern Peru ranging from the faulted Precordillera's steep topography up to the volcanic High Cordillera (>4,000 m asl). The objective is to investigate thermal anomalies that may potentially serve as new geothermal resources. Our integrated approach combines: (a) geochemistry from 14 hot springs sampled throughout the Tacna region, and (b) 3D numerical modeling of coupled groundwater and heat transfer considering topography and faults embedded in homogeneous permeability. Water and gas analysis indicates that the springs located near volcanoes discharge Na‐K‐Cl waters with high temperatures (>87°C), high Total Dissolved Solid concentrations (TDS >3,452 mg/L), and free gases dominated by CO2 (>90 vol%). Springs located along the regional faults in the Precordillera discharge Ca‐SO4 and Na‐K‐Cl waters with moderate temperatures (27–53°C), intermediate TDS concentrations (464–2,458 mg/L), radiocarbon ages between 1.4 and 7.9 kyr, and free gases dominated by N2 (>95 vol%). The Aruma springs, which are located at the transition between the High and the Precordillera, display intermediate characteristics. Numerical models accurately replicate the locations and temperatures of the fault‐related springs only for permeable faults (>10−14 m2), revealing the creation of 100‐km long thermal plumes along faults, locally rising up the 150°C‐isotherm to about ∼1,000 m below the surface. This approach clearly distinguishes the spring origins, which are volcanic in High Cordillera and tectonic in Precordillera. Moreover, we highlight that steep topographic gradient and permeable reverse faults in the Andean forearc may generate considerable thermal anomalies, opening perspectives for the geothermal exploration. Plain Language Summary: Geothermal energy is an essential part of the transition to green energies. It consists of using the Earth' natural heat to generate electricity or provide direct heating. In the Peruvian Andes there is significant geothermal potential near volcanoes that constitute an efficient heat source. However, these are distant from many of the population hubs, mostly located along the Pacific Coast. In the Tacna region, Southern Peru, we observe hot springs aligned along faults near the city. We hypothesize that these faults act as pipes for the hot fluids making them suitable for geothermal energy extraction. The geochemical compositions of various hot springs in the region are compared with 3D numerical models simulating hydrothermal flows. We found that springs along volcanoes and those along faults have different geochemical signatures, evidencing different subsurface pathways. Numerical models accurately replicate the positions and temperatures of the observed and sampled hot springs and reveal significant thermal anomalies around compressional faults. Our findings open up promising perspectives for the geothermal exploration in the Andean forearc. Key Points: The geochemical properties of Southern Peru's hot springs are influenced by their spatial correlation with volcanic or tectonic featuresBy combining permeable faults and topography, 3D hydrothermal modeling replicates the temperatures and locations of observed springsDetection of regional topography‐driven thermal plumes along faults in the Andean forearc opens perspectives for geothermal exploration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many efforts are made to promote soil conservation in developing countries. This paper compares the effect of two programs promoting soil conservation in Peru on the adoption decision of households. One program applies a top-down approach with soil conservation as its core activity. The other program applies a participatory approach, offering a portfolio of activities in order to improve rural livelihoods. The decisions on participation and adoption are estimated with a trivariate probit model. The results show that each program attracts different types of households and achieves different outcomes in terms of soil conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land-use practices have been a central element of human adaptation to Holocene climate change. Many practices that result in the short-term stabilization of socio-natural systems, however, have longer-term, unanticipated consequences that present cascading challenges for human subsistence strategies and opportunities for subsequent adaptations. Investigating complex sequences of interaction between climate change and human land-use in the past—rather than short-term causes and effects—is therefore essential for understanding processes of adaptation and change, but this approach has been stymied by a lack of suitably-scaled paleoecological data. Through a high-resolution paleoecological analysis, we provide a 7000-year history of changing climate and land management around Lake Acopia in the Andes of southern Peru. We identify evidence of the onset of pastoralism, maize cultivation, and possibly cultivation of quinoa and potatoes to form a complex agrarian landscape by c. 4300 years ago. Cumulative interactive climate-cultivation effects resulting in erosion ended abruptly c. 2300 years ago. After this time, reduced sedimentation rates are attributed to the construction and use of agricultural terraces within the catchment of the lake. These results provide new insights into the role of humans in the manufacture of Andean landscapes and the incremental, adaptive processes through which land-use practices take shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative isotopic paleoaltimetry has been applied in regions where Rayleigh distillation controls isotopic lapse rates. Air mass mixing and moisture recycling are viewed as complicating factors. We show here that, because of such effects, a cross‐Andean transect of meteoric water δD values precisely marks the geographic position of the Western Cordillera crest. This modern water signal is also recorded in Pliocene‐Pleistocene hydrated volcanic glass δD values. δD values between the Pacific coast and Western Cordillera exhibit no trend up to 2.5 km elevation and 100 km inboard, consistent with an arid climate in which Amazonian moisture is topographically blocked and Pacific moisture is efficiently recycled. The result is a large δD lapse rate (−98‰/km) and an abrupt horizontal δD shift (2‰/km) at the Western Cordillera crest. Therefore, we conclude that cross‐orogen δD transects could locate the ancient Western Cordillera crest. Plain Language Summary: Mountains have an outsized control on climate. Moist air masses rise and cool to cross high elevations, resulting in enhanced precipitation on the windward side and dry conditions downwind These processes influence the isotopic compositions of rainfall and of materials preserved in the geologic record that form from the interaction of rain with near‐surface materials. Here we report data from transects across the Peruvian Central Andes and show that the isotopic compositions shift abruptly at the position of highest topography (the crest of the Western Cordillera). This suggest that isotopic compositions of materials preserved in the geologic record might help establish the geographic position of the crests of mountain belts in the past. Key Points: There is a substantial shift in the hydrogen isotope ratios of meteoric water at the Andean Western Cordillera crestVolcanic glass younger than 5 million years old shows similar ratio distributions to modern soil and precipitation water valuesVolcanic arc migration over time can be identified with meteoric water stable isotope records [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-Andean grasslands of Peru provide a wide range of goods and services, not only locally, but also regionally and globally. However, land-use change and global warming are threatening these ecosystems, of which soil organic carbon (SOC) is a key element affecting their sustainability. In this study, we have analyzed the variation of SOC stocks to a depth of 20 cm in 16 paired cropland and grassland sites located in the Sullccapallcca stream micro-watershed (elevation > 3600 m.a.s.l., Ayacucho, Peru). We have also analyzed the environmental controls on the SOC stocks and their variation with land-use change. We found that the studied high-Andean grasslands store high SOC contents (247 Tn SOC ha−1), whose spatial variability was partially explained by the slope of the terrain (r2 = 0.26, p < 0.05). Despite the higher NDVI, the conversion of these grasslands into croplands decreased the SOC stock by 39 Tn SOC ha−1 on average, a decrease that was more pronounced when the initial SOC content of the grassland was higher (r2 = 0.60, p < 0.05). This study provides the first evidence of the effects of land-use change on the SOC in the region, although the mechanisms involved still need to be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpine grassland vegetation supports globally important biodiversity and ecosystems that are increasingly threatened by climate warming and other environmental changes. Trait-based approaches can support understanding of vegetation responses to global change drivers and consequences for ecosystem functioning. In six sites along a 1314 m elevational gradient in Puna grasslands in the Peruvian Andes, we collected datasets on vascular plant composition, plant functional traits, biomass, ecosystem fluxes, and climate data over three years. The data were collected in the wet and dry season and from plots with different fire histories. We selected traits associated with plant resource use, growth, and life history strategies (leaf area, leaf dry/wet mass, leaf thickness, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf C, N, P content, C and N isotopes). The trait dataset contains 3,665 plant records from 145 taxa, 54,036 trait measurements (increasing the trait data coverage of the regional flora by 420%) covering 14 traits and 121 plant taxa (ca. 40% of which have no previous publicly available trait data) across 33 families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Cinchona L. has important medicinal, cultural, and economic value and is the emblematic tree of Peru. The genus is mainly found in the cloud forests of the Andes. However, the expansion of agriculture and livestock farming in the department of Amazonas is degrading these ecosystems and has reduced the size of the genus's populations. In this work, we model the potential distribution under current conditions of three Cinchona species (C. capuli L. Anderson, C. macrocalyx Pav. Ex DC., and C. pubescens Vahl.) to identify areas with a high likelihood of species presence and their key conservation and reforestation zones. We fitted a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model using nineteen bioclimatic variables, three topographic variables, nine edaphic variables, and solar radiation. Under current conditions, the potential distribution of C. capuli covers 17.22% (7243.98 km2); C. macrocalyx, 29.11% (12,238.91 km2); and C. pubescens, 22.94% (9647.63 km2) of the study area, which was mostly located in central and southern Amazonas. Only 24.29% (25.51% of C. capuli, 21.02% of C. macrocalyx, and 26.35% of C. pubescens) of the potential distributions are within protected areas, while 10,987.22 km2 of the surface area of the department of Amazonas is degraded, of which 29.80% covers the area of probable occurrence of C. capuli, 38.72% of C. macrocalyx, and 34.82% of C. pubescens. Consequently, it is necessary to promote additional conservation strategies for Cinchona, including the establishment of new protected areas and the recovery of degraded habitats, in order to protect this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aseismic Nazca Ridge produces localized flat-slab subduction beneath the South American margin at latitudes 10° to 15° S. The geological evolution and the spatio-temporal pattern of deformation of the upper plate have been strongly influenced by the presence of the flat slab. In this study, we investigated the lithospheric thermal structure of this region by elaborating a 2D geothermal model along a section across the top of the Nazca Ridge, the Peru–Chile trench, the Andean Cordillera, and the Amazonian Basin, for a total length of 1000 km. For the sake of modelling, the crust of the overriding plate was subdivided into two parts, i.e., a sedimentary cover (including the entire lithostratigraphic sequence) and a crystalline basement. Applying an analytical methodology, we calculated geotherms and isotherms by setting (i) thickness, (ii) density, (iii) heat production, and (iv) thermal conductivity for each geological unit and considering (v) heat flux at the Moho, (vi) frictional heating produced by faults, and (vii) plate convergence rate. The resulting model could make a significant advance in our understanding of how flat slab geometry associated with the Nazca Ridge subduction affects the thermal structure and hence the tectonic evolution of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the sources of water provisioning streams, soils, and vegetation can provide important insights into the water that sustains critical ecosystem functions now and how those functions may be expected to respond given projected changes in the global hydrologic cycle. We developed multi-year time series of water isotope ratios (δ18 O and δ2 H) based on twice-monthly collections of precipitation, lysimeter, and tree branch xylem waters from a seasonally dry tropical montane cloud forest in the southeastern Andes mountains of Peru. We then used this information to determine indices of the seasonal origins, the young water fractions (Fyw), and the new water fractions (Fnew) of soil, stream, and tree water. There was no evidence for intra-annual variation in the seasonal origins of stream water and lysimeter water from 1 m depth, both of which were predominantly comprised of wet-season precipitation even during the dry seasons. However, branch xylem waters demonstrated an intra-annual shift in seasonal origin: xylem waters were comprised of wet-season precipitation during the wet season and dry-season precipitation during the dry season. The young water fractions of lysimeter (< 15 %) and stream (5 %) waters were lower than the young water fraction (37 %) in branch xylem waters. The new water fraction (an indicator of water ≤ 2 weeks old in this study) was estimated to be 12 % for branch xylem waters, while there was no significant evidence for new water in stream or lysimeter waters from 1 m depth. Our results indicate that the source of water for trees in this system varied seasonally, such that recent precipitation may be more immediately taken up by shallow tree roots. In comparison, the source of water for soils and streams did not vary seasonally, such that precipitation may mix and reside in soils and take longer to transit into the stream. Our insights into the seasonal origins and ages of water in soils, streams, and vegetation in this humid tropical montane cloud forest add to understanding of the mechanisms that govern the partitioning of water moving through different ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the material, discursive, and biophysical dimensions of fuelscapes, or energy landscapes. Ethnographic and ecological fieldwork was conducted in the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, Peru. Andean land use studies have focused on agricultural patterns such as vertical production zones. Fuelscapes are an important, energy-based means of producing and representing landscape. They show how uncultivated lands fit into livelihood strategies and reflect historic sedimentation of landscape. Fuelscapes are shaped by ecological characteristics, historic settlement patterns and property rights, gendered and intergenerational divisions in household labor, and state conservation policies. Conservation policies delimit fuelscapes to privilege live trees, but the resultant denudation of dead wood may carry implications for ecosystem health. This study elucidates how official policies intersect with household and communal resource use strategies to produce Andean fuelscapes. It provides insight into how uncultivated ecosystems fit into land use politics, practices, and representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Andes as mountain regions worldwide, provide fundamental resources, not only for the local population. Due to the topographic characteristics, the potential for natural hazards is higher than elsewhere. In these areas, assessments of climate change impacts and the development of adequate adaptation strategies therefore become particular important. The data basis, however, is often scarce. Moreover, perceptions of changes and needs are often divergent between national and local levels, which make the implementation of adaptation measures a challenge. Taking the Peruvian Andes as an example, this paper aims at initiating a discussion about scientific baseline and integrative concepts needed to deal with the adverse effects of climate change in mountain regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study in assessment of erosion hotspots in an Andean watershed. To do this, we made use of an interface called Geospatial Modelling of Soil Erosion (GEMSE): a tool that integrates Geographical Information Systems (GIS) with the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model. Its advantages are: (i) it is independent of any special GIS software used to create maps and to visualize the results; (ii) the results can be used to produce response surfaces relating outputs (e.g. soil loss, runoff) with simple inputs (e.g. climate, soils, topography); (iii) the scale, resolution and area covered by the different layers can be different among them, which facilitates the use of different sources of information. The objective of this paper is to show GEMSE''s performance in a specific case study of soil erosion in La Encañada watershed (Peru) where the hillslope version of WEPP has been previously validated. Resulting runoff and soil loss maps show the spatial distribution of these processes. Though these maps do not give the total runoff and soil loss at the watershed level, they can be used to identify hotspots that will aid decision makers to make recommendations and plan actions for soil and water conservation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Archaeological research in the Andes has emphasized agriculture to the detriment of all other modes of production. A marked bias towards research on the coast, where crop farming predominates, and prejudices arising from the prevailing agro-centric perspective has given rise to a wealth of information concerning agricultural adaptations to this vertical environment. This paper seeks to redress the balance by investigating the precocious nature of agro-pastoralist traditions in the north-central highlands of Peru (ad 1000–1570). I challenge current ideas concerning the mainstay of subsistence in the Prehispanic high Andes that essentially emphasize farming to the detriment of other modes of production. Rather, I argue for a rich tableau of closely articulated groups of agro-pastoral and mixed farming communities ensconced in the kichwa , suni and puna areas of the cordillera. In these mixed communities the archaeological evidence suggests that it is the camelid herders who controlled and exercised power over the mixed farming communities with a concomitant specialization and intensification of the pastoralist economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern rivers of Peru originate in the Andes Mountains and flow in a southwestern direction to the Pacific Ocean through one of the most hyper-arid regions of the world. During each sub-equatorial summer from December to February, rains and snow melt in the Andes increase the streamflow in these rivers, even as they pass through the 100 km arid zone to the ocean. This study quantified seasonal dynamics of 34 trace metal elements (TM) and other constituent concentrations in four southern river basins of Peru (Chili-Quilca, Tambo, Camana-Majes-Colca, and Ocoña) during 2019–2020. Consistent with previous studies, we observed that: (1) the river water in the southern basins had relatively high concentrations of B, As, Fe, Al, Mn, P, Pb and Ni, with As the most ubiquitous toxic TM in all the basins, often detected at concentrations surpassing Peruvian and USEPA regulated concentrations; and (2) basins with the most to least toxic TM contamination were the Tambo > Chili-Quilca > Camana-Majes-Colca > Ocoña. Seasonal streamflow strongly influenced the concentrations of twenty TM, with 15 TM (Al, Au, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Gd, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, Ti, Yb and Zr) consistently higher in the wet season, and with As, B, Ge, Li, and Pd higher in the dry season. Our results improve the understanding of seasonal variability and vulnerability in western Andes superficial water sources, which are highly influenced by both local geogenic and anthropogenic conditions. A Spanish translation of this paper is available in the online Supplementary Material. [Display omitted] • Arsenic is the most ubiquitous contaminant in surface waters of Southern Peru. • Al, Fe, As, B, Mn, P, Pb, and Ni exceeded the Peruvian water quality regulation. • Out of 34 metals studied, 14 showed a strong seasonal behavior (e.g., As, Pb and B). • Total recoverable metals trended better rather than dissolved metal with season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk and its derivatives are basic foods in Peru, especially for children. The Junín region, in the central Andes, is one of the leading dairy basins. However, the safety of milk is affected by mining–metallurgical activities, wastewater dumping, organic residues, and inappropriate use of organophosphate fertilizers in agriculture whose contaminants reach the food chain, putting human health at risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bioaccumulation of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) in milk produced on a representative farm in central Peru, which uses phosphorous agrochemicals and is adjacent to a small mineral concentrator and a municipal solid waste dump, and to evaluate the potential risk for the Peruvian population of 2–85 years considering three levels of daily intake by age, which constitutes the innovative contribution of the study. These three elements were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry following standardized procedures. The mean contents of Pb (0.062 mg/kg), Cd (0.014 mg/kg), and As (0.030 mg/kg) in milk exceeded the maximum limits allowed by international standards. At all ages, the target quotient hazard followed a descending order of As > Pb > Cd, being > 1 in the case of As. The hazard index was >1 for children under 7, 9, and 11 years of age in the scenarios of low, medium, and high milk intake. The information is valid for formulating policies to prevent adverse health effects and develop standards and awareness programs, monitoring, and control of heavy metals in milk in Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Peruana de Biología is the property of Facultad de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

What is trust to a mining company? This article interrogates the effects of conceptualising trust as essential infrastructure for large-scale extractive operations. Although sentiments like trust are typically imagined to fall outside the firm's purview, mining companies actively blur distinctions between economic-material and social-emotional realms when they draw on intimate social forms like kin networks and communal authority to mould trust into an expendable factor of mineral production. But rather than transforming trust into a discrete, predictable input, firms have unexpectedly manufactured its opposite: desconfianza, or distrust. My study shows how residents affected by mining navigate this distrust by attempting to construct clear boundaries between themselves and the mine. In the process, they reveal the unruly sentiments underlying the operations of extractive capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this work, a new species of ptyctimous mite ("box mite")—Protophthiracarus afthonos—is described and illustrated. It is exceptional by its very rich body setation—bigger than in any other known member of the ptyctimous oribatids. The new species was found in a forest soil sample from the Andes in Peru. The discovery confirms the uniqueness of the montane arthropod fauna of South America. The biogeographic distribution of ptyctimous oribatids in Peru is summarized and supplied with a key to the species of Peruvian fauna. Protophthiracarus afthonos sp. nov. is described and illustrated using line drawings, transmitted light and SEM imaging. It is characterized by an extraordinary richness of notogastral setae (ca. 166 pairs) that has been previously unseen among phthiracaroid mites. The species originates from the material collected from the litter of primary forest in the Peruvian Andes. The genus Protophthiracarus is well represented in the Neotropical Region. Many species of ptyctimous mites have been found in Peru, representing both widespread and endemic biogeographic elements. Among a total of 37 species, 20 from Peru have been described for the first time. Currently, the ptyctimous fauna consists of 12 endemite, 11 neotropical, 4 semicosmopolitan and 9 pantropical biogeographic elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of topography in determining water transit times and pathways through catchments is unclear, especially in mountainous environments – yet these environments play central roles in global water, sediment, and biogeochemical fluxes. Since the vast majority of intensively monitored catchments are at northern latitudes, the interplay between water transit, topography, and other landscape and climatic characteristics is particularly underexplored in tropical environments. To address this gap, here we present the results of a multiyear hydrologic sampling campaign (twice-monthly and storm sampling) to quantify water transit in seven small catchments (<1.3 km 2 area) across the transition from the Andes mountains to the Amazon floodplain in southern Peru. We use the stable isotope composition of water (δ18 O) to calculate the fraction of streamflow comprised of recent precipitation ("young water fraction") for each of the seven small catchments. Flow-weighted young water fractions (Fyw) are 5 %–26 % in the high-elevation mountains, 22 %–52 % in the mid-elevation mountains, and 7 % in the foreland floodplain. Across these catchments, topography does not exert a clear control on water transit; instead, stream Fyw is apparently controlled by a combination of hydroclimate (precipitation regime) and bedrock permeability. Mid-elevation sites are posited to have the highest Fyw due to more frequent and intense rainfall; less permeable bedrock and poorly developed soils may also facilitate high Fyw at these sites. Lowland soils have low Fyw due to very low flow path gradients despite low permeability. The data presented here highlight the complexity of factors that determine water transit in tropical mountainous catchments, particularly highlighting the role of intense orographic precipitation at mountain fronts in driving rapid conveyance of water through catchments. These results have implications for the response of Earth's montane "water towers" to climate change and for water–rock reactions that control global biogeochemical cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff from glacierised Andean river basins is essential for sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people. By running a high-resolution climate model over the two most glacierised regions of Peru we unravel past climatic trends in precipitation and temperature. Future changes are determined from an ensemble of statistically downscaled global climate models. Projections under the high emissions scenario suggest substantial increases in temperature of 3.6 °C and 4.1 °C in the two regions, accompanied by a 12% precipitation increase by the late 21st century. Crucially, significant increases in precipitation extremes (around 75% for total precipitation on very wet days) occur together with an intensification of meteorological droughts caused by increased evapotranspiration. Despite higher precipitation, glacier mass losses are enhanced under both the highest emission and stabilization emission scenarios. Our modelling provides a new projection of combined and contrasting risks, in a region already experiencing rapid environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Documentation of plant taxa has long been subject to the temporal and spatial selectivity of professional research expeditions, especially in tropical regions. Therefore, rare and/or narrowly endemic species are sometimes known only from very few and very old herbarium specimens. However, these taxa are very important from a conservation perspective. The lack of observations of living plants and confirmation of the actual occurrence of taxa hinders the planning and implementation of effective conservation measures. Community science networks have recently made tremendous contributions to documenting biodiversity in many regions across the globe. The rediscovery of six species of Nasa (Loasaceae) from Peru and Ecuador primarily via the platform iNaturalist, is reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land cover in mountainous regions is shaped by a complex web of stressors arising from natural and anthropogenic processes. The co-design process implemented with regional stakeholders in this study highlighted persistent data gaps and the need for locally relevant (thematic, spatial, and temporal) data products, which global alternatives still fail to deliver. This study describes the development of a land cover database designed for the Junín National Reserve (JNR) in Peru as a precursor of a broader effort designed to serve Andean wetland ecosystems. The products were created using Random Forest models leveraging Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data and trained using a large database of in situ data enhanced by the use of high-resolution commercial imagery (Planet). The land cover basemap includes eight classes (two of vegetation) with an overall accuracy of 0.9 and Cohen's Kappa of 0.93. A second product further subdivided vegetation into locally meaningful vegetation classes, for a total of four types (overall accuracy of 0.85). Finally, a surface water product (snapshot and frequency) delivered a representation of the highly variable water extent around Lake Junín. It was the result of a model incorporating 150 Sentinel-1 images from 2016 to 2021 (an overall accuracy of 0.91). The products were successfully employed in identifying 133 ecosystem services provided by the different land cover classes existing in the JNR. The study highlights the value of participatory monitoring and open-data sharing for enhanced stewardship of social-ecological systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Thomasomys cinereus is the type species of Thomasomys, type genus of the sigmodontine tribe Thomasomyini. As currently recognized, Thomasomys includes 48 species, all of which are endemic to humid montane or premontane forests in the tropical Andes. Although it has been suggested that T. cinereus is a species complex, this hypothesis has yet to be critically evaluated. Herein we provide a revision of the species based on a qualitative assessment of external, craniodental, and soft morphological traits; morphometric analyses; a phylogenetic analysis based on cytochrome b gene sequences; species delimitation methods; and first-hand examination of type material. Our analyses of genetic data recovered four distinct clades within T. cinereus, one corresponding to T. cinereus sensu stricto (restricted to the montane forests delimited by the Río Marañón, Río Huancabamba, and Río Tablachaca in Cajamarca department, Peru) and three new species: Thomasomys lojapiuranus, sp. nov., from the montane forests of Piura department, Peru, and Loja province, Ecuador; T. shallqukucha, sp. nov., restricted to the Kañaris montane forests in the Peruvian department of Lambayeque; and T. pagaibambensis, sp. nov., restricted to the montane forests of Pagaibamba in Cajamarca department, Peru. These species can be distinguished by several discrete morphological traits of the skull, dentition, mandible, stomach, palatal rugae, and glans penis. Genetic distances among these taxa range from 5.06%–7.65% at the cytochrome b locus, and delimitation analyses based on cytochrome b sequence data support their recognition as distinct species. Our results suggest the existence of previously unsuspected dispersal barriers in the Andes of northern Peru, and they confirm that the Río Marañón is a formidable barrier that limits the distribution of species of Thomasomys as well as other sigmodontine rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although wetlands contain a disproportionately high amount of earth’s total soil carbon, many regions are still poorly mapped and with unquantified carbon stocks. The tropical Andes contain a high concentration of wetlands consisting mostly of wet meadows and peatlands, yet their total organic carbon stocks are poorly quantified, as well as the carbon fraction that wet meadows store compared to peatlands. Therefore, our goal was to quantify how soil carbon stocks vary between wet meadows and peatlands for a previously mapped Andean region, Huascará n National Park, Peru. Our secondary goal was to test a rapid peat sampling protocol to facilitate field sampling in remote areas. We sampled soil to calculate carbon stocks of four wetland types: cushion peat, graminoid peat, cushion wet meadow, and graminoid wet meadow. Soil sampling was conducted by using a stratified randomized sampling scheme. Wet meadows were sampled to the mineral boundary using a gouge auger, and we used a combination of full peat cores and a rapid peat sampling procedure to estimate peat carbon stocks. In the lab, soils were processed for bulk density and carbon content, and total carbon stock of each core was calculated. We sampled 63 wet meadows and 42 peatlands. On a per hectare basis, carbon stocks varied strongly between peatlands (avg. 1092 MgC ha-1) and wet meadows (avg. 30 MgC ha-1). Overall, wetlands in Huascará n National Park contain 24.4 Tg of carbon with peatlands storing 97% of the total wetland carbon and wet meadows accounting for 3% of the wetland carbon in the park. In addition, our results show that rapid peat sampling can be an effective method for sampling carbon stocks in peatlands. These data are important for countries developing land use and climate change policies as well as providing a rapid assessment method for wetland carbon stock monitoring programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of PhytoKeys is the property of Pensoft Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this paper is to create a glacial lake inventory for the Cordillera Huayhuash in Peru and to evaluate the susceptibility of lakes to the generation of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Using high-resolution satellite images, we undertook qualitative and quantitative analysis of lake type, characteristics and distribution, and placed our findings within the context of existing Peru-wide lake inventories. We also mapped and analyzed past GLOFs, revealing a total of 10 GLOFs and 4 ambiguous events, most of which have not been reported before. We found that past GLOFs usually occurred as a result of moraine dam breach during the proglacial stage of lake evolution. Further, we used our lake inventory to evaluate GLOF susceptibility of all lakes larger than 20,000 m2. Of 46 evaluated lakes, only two lakes (Lake Tsacra and Lake W014) are currently susceptible to generating a GLOF, which would most likely be through dam overtopping resulting from a flood originating in smaller lakes located upstream. The future perspectives of lake evolution and implications for GLOF hazard management are discussed in light of the post-Little Ice Age glacier ice loss as well as in the context of extensive related research undertaken in the nearby Cordillera Blanca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate patterns are natural processes that drive climate variability in the short, medium, and long term. Characterizing the patterns behind climate variability is essential to understand the functioning of the regional atmospheric system. Since investigations typically reveal only the link and extent of the influence of climate patterns in specific regions, the magnitude of that influence in meteorological records usually remains unclear. The central Peruvian Andes are affected by most of the common climate patterns of tropical areas, such as Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Sea Surface Temperature (SST), solar irradiance, Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). They are also affected by regional processes that are exclusive from South America, such as the South American Low-Level Jet (SALLJ), South American Monsoon System (SAMS), Bolivian High (BH), and Humboldt Current. The aim of this research is to study the climate variability of precipitation, maximum and minimum temperature records over Cordillera Blanca (Peru), and its relationship with the intensity and periodicity of the common climate patterns that affect this region. To achieve this aim, a spectral analysis based on Lomb's Periodogram was performed over meteorological records (1986–2019) and over different climate pattern indexes. Results show a coincidence in periodicity between MJO and SALLJ, with monthly cycles for precipitation and temperature (27-day, 56-day, and 90-day cycles). Moreover, the most intense periodicities, such as annual (365 days) and biannual (182 and 122 days) cycles in meteorological variables, possibly would be led by ITCZ and ENSO together, as well as a combination of the Humboldt Current and SALLJ. Additionally, interannual periodicities (3-year, 4.5-year, 5.6–7-year and 11-year cycles) would have coincidence with the ENSO–solar combination, while the longest cycles (16 years) could match PDO variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we analyze the impact of 18 socioeconomic factors at individual, family, and locality levels to understand their influence on medicinal plant knowledge (MPK) in four provinces and 12 localities of the northern Andes of Peru. We interviewed 50 participants per locality (totaling 600 people) from lowlands and highlands ecoregions. The participants were balanced in terms of generations and gender. We performed multivariate statistical analyses—generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordinations—that showed the influence of each socioeconomic variable on the medicinal plant knowledge of people in the different sites. At the individual level, we found that most participants with higher MPK were women, elders, people with lower levels of education and job qualifications, non-migrants, and participants who have lived for a long period in the same region. At the family level, we found that participants living in low economic conditions with few material goods, including their means of transport, tools possession, access to technology, farm size, number of farm animals, and house quality, had higher MPK. At the locality level, we found that people living in more isolated areas with scarce regional services, such as access to paved roads, hospitals, big markets, tourist development, and chlorination of drinking water, had higher MPK. In short, people with less access to modern services and with low economic resources are the main depositaries of MPK. Policy makers and decision makers should consider the significance of MPK in alleviating health problems and diseases in Andean regions, especially for people with rural livelihoods. This local botanical knowledge of medicinal plants should be preserved in the area as a great natural heritage for humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation estimate is important for earth science studies and applications, and it is one of the most difficult meteorological quantities to estimate accurately. For regions such as Peru, reliable gridded precipitation products are lacking due to complex terrains and large portions of remote lands that limit the accuracy of satellite precipitation estimation and in situ measurement density. This study evaluates and cross-examines two high-resolution satellite-based precipitation products, a global rain-gauge interpolated precipitation product, and a Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model that simulated precipitation for a ten-year period from 2010 to 2019 in the Peruvian Andes region across the Pacific coast, Andes, and in the Amazon. The precipitation estimates examined in this study are the Integrated Multi-SatellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG), Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP), Global Precipitation Climatology Center product (GPCC), and a 3 km grid spacing WRF-based regional climate model (RCM) simulation. The evaluation and cross-examination were performed at sub-daily (6 h), daily, and monthly time scales, and at various spatial resolutions. The results show that the WRF simulation performs as well as, if not better than, GPM IMERG in the low precipitation and dry regions but becomes inaccurate in wet regions. GPM IMERG is more suitable for higher precipitation and wet regions, and MSWEP shows a systematic overestimation over the study area. It is therefore important to choose the most suitable precipitation product based on research needs and climate condition of the study for the challenging Peruvian Andes region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butterflies associated with xerophytic environments of the Andes have been little studied, and they exhibit high levels of endemism. Herein Dione (Agraulis) dodona Lamas & Farfán, sp. nov. (Nymphalidae; Heliconiinae) is described, distributed on the western slopes of the Andes of Peru and northern Chile, between 800 and 3,000 m elevation. Adults of both sexes, and the immature stages, are described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopy. The immature stages are associated with Malesherbia tenuifolia D. Don (Passifloraceae) found in xeric environments, representing a new record of this genus as a host plant for the subfamily Heliconiinae. Conspicuous morphological differences are presented for all stages at the generic level. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of the COI barcode mitochondrial gene fragment, D. (A.) dodona Lamas & Farfán, sp. nov. is distinguished as an independent lineage within the Agraulis clade of Dione, with ca. 5% difference to congeneric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical ventilation systems require a device for measuring the air flow provided to a patient in order to monitor and ensure the correct quantity of air proportionated to the patient, this device is the air flow sensor. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, flow sensors were not available in Peru because of the international supply shortage. In this context, a novel air flow sensor based on an orifice plate and an intelligent transducer was developed to form an integrated device. The proposed design was focused on simple manufacturing requirements for mass production in a developing country. CAD and CAE techniques were used in the design stage, and a mathematical model of the device was proposed and calibrated experimentally for the measured data transduction. The device was tested in its real working conditions and was therefore implemented in a breathing circuit connected to a low-cost mechanical ventilation system. Results indicate that the designed air flow sensor/transducer is a low-cost complete medical device for mechanical ventilators that is able to provide all the ventilation parameters by an equivalent electrical signal to directly display the following factors: air flow, pressure and volume over time. The evaluation of the designed sensor transducer was performed according to sundry transducer parameters such as geometrical parameters, material parameters and adaptive coefficients in the main transduction algorithm; in effect, the variety of the described results were achieved by the faster response time and robustness proportionated by transducers of nanostructures based on Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO), which enhanced the designed sensor/transducer (ST) during operation in intricate geographic places, such as the Andes mountains of Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the neotropical genus Amboroppia (Oribatida, Oppiidae), A. andensis sp. nov. is described, based on adults collected from upper soil and leaf litter in primary mountain forest in the Andes, Central Peru. Additions to the generic diagnosis of Amboroppia are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new FAO Penman-Monteith reference evapotranspiration gridded dataset is introduced, called PISCOeo_pm. PISCOeo_pm has been developed for the 1981–2016 period at ~1 km (0.01°) spatial resolution for the entire continental Peruvian territory. The framework for the development of PISCOeo_pm is based on previously generated gridded data of meteorological subvariables such as air temperature (maximum and minimum), sunshine duration, dew point temperature, and wind speed. Different steps, i.e., (i) quality control, (ii) gap-filling, (iii) homogenization, and (iv) spatial interpolation, were applied to the subvariables. Based on the results of an independent validation, on average, PISCOeo_pm exhibits better precision than three existing gridded products (CRU_TS, TerraClimate, and ERA5-Land) because it presents a predictive capacity above the average observed using daily and monthly data and has a higher spatial resolution. Therefore, PISCOeo_pm is useful for better understanding the terrestrial water and energy balances in Peru as well as for its application in fields such as climatology, hydrology, and agronomy, among others. Measurement(s) reference evapotranspiration • air temperature • sunshine duration • dew point temperature • wind speed Technology Type(s) weather station Factor Type(s) reference evapotranspiration Sample Characteristic - Environment Climatology • Hydrology • Meteorology • Ecology • Earth Science Sample Characteristic - Location Peru • Andes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lambayeque Valley on the north coast of Peru offers a cautionary case study on the relation between climatic and cultural change. Three archaeological site complexes dating from late in the first millennium AD to the middle of the second millennium AD rose and were abandoned in sequence. Each abandonment was associated with a conflagration on the main pyramidal mound(s). In this region, El Niño is the most significant climatic disruption now and for millennia past. By tracking proxy records for El Niño intensity, we found that only the first episode of abandonment and burning was associated with a strong peak in El Niño intensity, while the final episode was the outcome of the Spanish Conquest of the Andes, a distinctly non-climatic driver. These records suggest that equifinality is operative and urge caution in over-interpreting climate as culture-changing catastrophe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dairy basin of the Mantaro River located in the centre of Peru faces serious anthropogenic disturbances as it receives emissions and discharges from the metallurgical mining activity located in the headwaters of the basin and milk contaminated with lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) endangers the environmental and human health, especially children. To measure the concentrations of Pb and Cd in milk and the dangers of their consumption in the Peruvian population, 40 milk samples were collected and quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean concentration of Pb in milk was 15 ± 2.6 µg/kg, which represented 75% of the Maximum Limit (ML), and that of Cd was 505 ± 123 µg/kg, which exceeded the ML by more than 194 times. The estimated weekly intake of Pb for people aged 2–85 years was below the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) references, determining risk coefficients (CRD) < 1. Weekly Cd intake was much higher than the PTWIs and CRDs were between 14 and 34, indicating that consumers would experience carcinogenic health effects, with children being at higher risk than adults, therefore, milk from the area is not safe for consumption. Cd would be transferred mainly through the soil (water)-grass-milk pathway, due to its presence in irrigation water and in fertilizers that contain Cd. The main pathway for Pb entry would be air-soil (water)-milk grass, from the fine particles emitted into the air by the mining-metallurgical activity, developed approximately 90 km from the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vertically pointing Ka-band radar (Metek MIRA-35C) installed at the Instituto Geof'ısico del Per'u, Atmospheric Microphysics and Radiation Laboratory (LAMAR) Huancayo Observatory, which is located at an elevation of 3.3 km MSL in the Andes Mountains of Peru, is used to investigate the effects of terrain on satellite-based precipitation measurement in the Andes. We compare the vertical structure of precipitation observed by theMIRA-35C with Ka-band radar measurements from the Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) on board the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission core satellite using an approach based on Taylor's hypothesis of frozen turbulence that attempts to reduce the impact of spatiotemporal offsets between these two radar measurements. From 3 April 2014 to 20 May 2018, the DPR measured precipitation near LAMAR during 15 of its 157 coincident overpasses. There were six simultaneous observations with MIRA-35C. We found that the average of the DPR's lowest clutter-free bin is 1.62 km AGL, but the presence of precipitation worsens the situation, causing a 0.4-km-deeper algorithm-detected blind zone for the DPR at the Huancayo Observatory. In the study area, the depth of the clutter layer observed with DPR often extends above the melting layer but can be highly variable, extending even as high as 5 km AGL. These results suggest that DPR estimates of stratiform precipitation over the AndesMountains are likely underestimated because of the terrain effects on the satellite measurements and problems in its blind zone detection algorithms, highlighting the difficulty in estimating precipitation in mountainous terrain from spaceborne radar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving our understanding of hydrogeological processes on the western flank of the central Andes is critical to communities living in this arid region. Groundwater emerging as springs at low elevations provides water for drinking, agriculture, and baseflow. However, the high-elevation sources of recharge and groundwater flow paths that convey groundwater to lower elevations where the springs emerge remain poorly quantified in the volcanic mountain terrain of southern Peru. In this study, we identified recharge zones and groundwater flow paths supporting springs east of the city of Arequipa and the potential for recharge within the high-elevation closed-basin Lagunas Salinas salar. We used general chemistry and isotopic tracers (δ 18O , δ 2H , and 3H) in springs, surface waters (rivers and the salar), and precipitation (rain and snow) sampled from March 2019 through February 2020 to investigate these processes. We obtained monthly samples from six springs, bimonthly samples from four rivers, and various samples from high-elevation springs during the dry season. The monthly isotopic composition of spring water was invariable seasonally in this study and compared to published values from a decade prior, suggesting that the source of recharge and groundwater flow paths that support spring flow is relatively stable with time. The chemistry of springs in the low-elevations and mid-elevations (2500 to 2900 m a.s.l.) point towards a mix of recharge from the salar basin (4300 m a.s.l.) and mountain-block recharge (MBR) in or above a queñuales forest ecosystem at ∼4000 m a.s.l. on the adjacent Pichu Pichu volcano. Springs that clustered along the Río Andamayo, including those at 2900 m a.s.l., had higher chloride concentrations, indicating higher proportions of interbasin groundwater flow from the salar basin likely facilitated by a high degree of faulting along the Río Andamayo valley compared to springs further away from that fault network. A separate groundwater flow path was identified by higher sulfate concentrations (and lower Cl-/SO4-2 ratios) within the Pichu Pichu volcanic mountain range separating the city from the salar. We conclude that the salar basin is not a hydrologic dead end. Instead, it is a local topographic low where surface runoff during the wet season, groundwater from springs, and subsurface groundwater flow paths from the surrounding mountains converge in the basin, and some mixture of this water supports groundwater flow out of the salar basin via interbasin groundwater flow. In this arid location, high-elevation forests and the closed-basin salar are important sources of recharge supporting low-elevation springs. These features should be carefully managed to prevent impacts on the down-valley water quality and quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adobe bricks, or mud bricks, are construction elements which have defined major architectural traditions in the Andes over thousands of years. From Moche pyramids and the ancient city of Chan Chan in pre-Hispanic times, to Spanish casonas of the colonial period and rural houses in contemporary South America, adobe has been a central component in Andean architecture. Discovery of the remains of an early monumental building constructed primarily of adobes at Los Morteros (lower Chao Valley, north coast of Peru) places the invention of adobe architecture before 5,100 calendar years B.P. The unique composition, internal structure, and chronology of the adobes from Los Morteros show the beginnings of this architectural technique, which is associated with El Ni~no rainfall and the construction of the earliest adobe monumental building in the Americas. We propose that adobe architecture became a major Andean tradition after a long period of technical evolution and experimentation with both shape and composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific coastal desert of Peru harbors a unique bat fauna, including narrowly endemic taxa adapted to arid environments. This region was also the setting where several pre-Incan civilizations flourished. The Moche culture (100–850 CE) was one of those, with a rich and diverse material culture that included strikingly realistic ceramic representations of the regional flora and fauna. In particular, one Mochica pottery vessel is in the form of a bat that, based on external characteristics (large pinnae and tragus, pinnae connected by high band of membrane across the forehead, and lack of noseleaf), clearly represents an individual of the vespertilionid genus Histiotus. The morphological characteristics observed in this vessel, in addition to the area of influence of the Moche culture, suggests that this vessel depicts a species previously unknown to science that we describe here as new on the basis of two specimens obtained in 2012 in the Peruvian department of Piura. Our new species, Histiotus mochica, can be distinguished from other congeners by having unicolored dorsal fur, medial lobes of pinnae greater than 9.5 mm wide, and a well-developed (>4.3 mm high) transverse band of skin connecting the pinnae. Cytochrome b sequence data indicate that the new species is sister to H. humboldti from the Andes of Colombia and northern Ecuador. The new species is a medium-sized Histiotus that clusters with H. laephotis, H. velatus, and with small specimens of H. montanus in our multivariate analyses. With the description of H. mochica, the diversity of the genus increases to 11 species. We provide a key based on external characters of all known species of Histiotus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Peruvian Andes are among the world's most important centers of origin for genetic diversity of crops and plants. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) was domesticated in the Bolivian and Peruvian Andean region around Lake Titicaca. In situ conservation systems for quinoa germplasm and its wild relatives can still be found in the traditional systems of Peruvian farming communities. Quinoa crop wild relatives (CWRs), like the majority of CWRs of other agricultural species, are being affected by the considerable changes in the natural landscapes of the Andes. This article analyzes the presence and distribution of seven quinoa CWRs at the agroecosystem level and considers the social and environmental Andean contexts in which they are found. A qualitative research method based on participatory mapping in six local communities of the Puno region in Peru was applied to establish the presence and distribution of the species. We present the results that were confirmed with local actors on participatory GIS maps. Based on our analyses, we conclude that conservation programs should consider both permanent native meadows and cultivated land with their fallow cycles and plot borders. The diversity of the presence of quinoa CWRs is one result of the coexistence of these two land uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis of human skeletal remains is an important method in archaeology to examine past human mobility and landscape use. 87Sr/86Sr signatures of a given location are largely determined by the underlying bedrock, and these geology specific isotope signatures are incorporated into skeletal tissue through food and water, often permitting the differentiation of local and non-local individuals in past human populations. This study presents the results of a systematic survey of modern flora and fauna (n = 100) from 14 locations to map the bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr signatures of the Conchucos region, an area where the extent of geologic variability was previously unknown. We illustrate the necessity to examine the variation in 87Sr/86Sr values of the different geological formations available to human land use to document the range of possible local 87Sr/86Sr values. Within the Conchucos region we found significant variation in environmental 87Sr/86Sr values (0.7078–0.7214). The resulting isoscape represents the largest regionally specific bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr map (3,840 km2) to date for the Andes, and will serve as a baseline for future archaeological studies of human mobility in this part of the Peruvian highlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most hydrological studies rely on a model calibrated using discharge alone. However, judging the model reliability based on such calibration is problematic, as it does not guarantee the correct representation of internal hydrological processes. This study aims (a) to develop a comprehensive multi-objective calibration framework using remote sensing vegetation data and hydrological signatures (flow duration curve – FDC, and baseflow index) in addition to discharge, and (b) to apply this framework for calibration of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in a typical Andean catchment. Overall, our calibration approach outperformed traditional discharge-based and FDC signature-based calibration strategies in terms of vegetation, streamflow, and flow partitioning simulation. New hydrological insights for the region are the following: baseflow is the main component of the streamflow sustaining the long dry-season flow, and pasture areas offer higher water yield and baseflow than other land-cover types. The proposed approach could be used in other data-scarce regions with complex topography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]