The role of silvopastoral systems in the rehabilitation of Andean stream habitats

摘要

ThispaperbrieflydescribesthehistoryofcattleoccupationintheAndeanregionofColombia,explainstheenvironmentalimpactsofthisactivitywithparticularreferencetoaquaticenvironmentsandsuggestssomeremediationpracticesbasedonsilvopastoralsystems.TheAndeanregionofColombiaischaracterisedbyitsbiodiversityandthelargenumberoflotichabitats.Itconcentratesthemajorityoftheurbanandruralpopulationofthecountryandsupportsanimportantagriculturalactivity.Extensivepasturesoccupymostofthelandareaand,althoughstudiesoftheimpactofcattleonwaterenvironmentsarescarce,someresearchdonebyCIPAVhasdemonstratedthatcattlegrazingintheAndeanregionofColombianegativelyaffectswaterenvironments,mainlybyreducingthequalityofthephysicalhabitatinstreamsandbyincreasingorganicmatterandreducingoxygenconcentrationinthewater.However,therearealternativesforreducingdamagebycattlewhichincludetheprotectionofspringsandwatercourses,reductionoftheeffectofdiffusepollutionandthetransformationofhomogeneouspasturesintosilvopastoralsystems.Withthesepractices,cattlegrazingcancontributetoimprovewaterqualityandregulatethehydrologicalcycleatmicro-watershedlevelwithbenefitsfortheenvironmentandlocalpopulation.