The importance of high Andean native ecosystems for the water supply to a downstream region in Carchi, Ecuador, and the consequences of their replacement by agricultural fields

Features of the climate and soils of the high Andean ecosystems are unique and determine the hydrological functioning of the watersheds. This paper assesses the importance of a high elevation natural ecosystem for water supply to lower elevation, drier areas. The area studied is the El Angel watershed in the northern Andes of Ecuador. This paper was presented during the II Conferencia Electrónica sobre Usos Sostenibles y Conservación del Ecosistema Páramo en los Andes: "Los Páramos como Fuente de Agua: Mitos, Realidades, Retos y Acciones".