El estudio se llevó a cabo en el Área de Protección Hídrica Quinllunga, ubicada en la provincia de Bolívar, en los Andes ecuatorianos. Su objetivo fue evaluar, la calidad del agua del río Diablo Sacha, para esto, se ubicaron diez estaciones de monitoreo a lo largo del cauce. Se realizaron tres campañas de muestreo, donde se recolectaron macroinvertebrados y se registraron los parámetros fisicoquímicos clave. Posteriormente, se empelaron los índices: Monitoreo Biológico adaptado a Colombia (BMWP/Col), Biótico Andino (ABI), y finalmente, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera y Trichoptera (EPT) para evaluar la calidad del agua, y complementariamente, se calculó el índice de Simpson (D) y el índice de Shannon (H') para analizar la abundancia y diversidad de los macroinvertebrados. Adicionalmente, se realizó una correlación Spearman entre D y H’ en función de los parámetros fisicoquímicos, para determinar como la calidad ambiental afecta a la biodiversidad. Finalmente, por medio de un análisis de componentes principales (ACP) se identificó como los factores ambientales, en cada una de las estaciones, tienen mayor influencia en la composición y distribución de las comunidades biológicas. En general, la calidad del agua en los 10 puntos de muestreo varió, entre buena y aceptable, según los índices BMWP y ABI, consistentes entre sí. El índice ETP presentó discrepancias al clasificar la calidad entre mala y regular. Por otro lado, la correlación de Spearman y el ACP evidenció las diferencias de sensibilidad de macroinvertebrados en dependencia de las condiciones del hábitat.

High-Andean páramo ecosystems regulate streamflow and water quality through water storage, subsurface flow, and natural hydrogeochemical buffering. However, increasing land-use pressures may generate early water-quality signals that are difficult to distinguish from natural geogenic variability in protected headwater catchments. This study evaluated the spatiotemporal variability of water quality in the Diablo Sacha River, located within the Quinllunga Water Protection Area, Ecuador. Water samples were collected at ten monitoring stations during six bimonthly campaigns from March 2024 to January 2025, generating 60 spatiotemporal observations per parameter. An integrated hydrogeochemical and multivariate framework was applied, combining Piper diagrams, Spearman correlation analysis, independent principal component analyses for hydrogeochemical and anthropogenic variables, and two-way PERMANOVA. Results showed a predominant Ca–Mg–HCO₃ hydrochemical facies, indicating that water chemistry is mainly controlled by natural mineral weathering, water–rock interaction, and longitudinal solute accumulation. The hydrogeochemical PCA explained 52.75% of the variance and identified a mineralization gradient associated with EC, HCO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and hydrological dilution. The anthropogenic PCA explained 61.77% of the variance and revealed secondary signals related to nutrients, organic matter, suspended solids, oils and grease, and microbiological indicators. PERMANOVA confirmed significant spatiotemporal structuring for hydrogeochemical variables and seasonal modulation for anthropogenic indicators. Overall, the Diablo Sacha River functions as a hydrogeochemically buffered high-Andean headwater system, where natural páramo processes maintain water-quality stability, while emerging anthropogenic signals act as early-warning indicators of ecosystem pressure.

High Andean ecosystems face increasing pressures that threaten the sustainability of rural livelihoods, prompting communities to demand culturally appropriate governance responses. This study examines the structure of environmental concern in two rural communities, Riobamba and Guaranda, in the central Ecuadorian Andes. Applying a tripartite model of egocentric, altruistic, and biocentric concern, we assess its validity through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and evaluate the influence of age, gender, ethnicity, and economic activity using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results reveal distinct patterns: biocentric concern predominates in the more urbanized Riobamba, while Guaranda shows a stronger egocentric orientation, accompanied by moderate altruistic concern. Agricultural activity and residence in less urbanized environments are associated with lower levels of environmental concern, whereas age, gender, and ethnicity show no significant effects. The results suggest that although there are differences in the forms of environmental concern, these dimensions are not isolated. Instead, they are part of the same hierarchical phenomenon. This analysis supports the idea of a general concept of a relationship with nature. These findings underscore the importance of implementing environmental policies that respect the holistic worldview of Andean communities. They also highlight the need to develop culturally sensitive measurement tools to avoid potential biases and ensure alignment with local realities.

High Andean ecosystems face increasing pressures that threaten the sustainability of rural livelihoods, prompting communities to demand culturally appropriate governance responses. This study examines the structure of environmental concern in two rural communities, Riobamba and Guaranda, in the central Ecuadorian Andes. Applying a tripartite model of egocentric, altruistic, and biocentric concern, we assess its validity through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and evaluate the influence of age, gender, ethnicity, and economic activity using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results reveal distinct patterns: biocentric concern predominates in the more urbanized Riobamba, while Guaranda shows a stronger egocentric orientation, accompanied by moderate altruistic concern. Agricultural activity and residence in less urbanized environments are associated with lower levels of environmental concern, whereas age, gender, and ethnicity show no significant effects. Strong intercorrelations among concern types suggest a culturally embedded environmental worldview, consistent with Andean relational ontologies. These findings question the epistemological adequacy of Western frameworks for interpreting environmental concern and underscore the need for systemic, intercultural approaches to environmental policy. Through the integration of quantitative modeling and rural worldviews, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of sustainability in mountain socioecological systems and offers critical insights for rethinking environmental governance in Latin America.

El presente estudio evaluó la contaminación por Arsénico (As), Mercurio (Hg), Cadmio (Cd) y Plomo (Pb) en sedimentos mediante el cálculo del Factor de Enriquecimiento (FE), el Índice de Geoacumulación (Igeo) y el Índice de Potencial de Riesgo Ecológico (IPRE), así como el Riesgo Sanitario Ambiental (RSA) en sedimentos y bivalvos. El área de estudio es el estuario La Puntilla, ubicado en la provincia El Oro, Ecuador, donde se definieron tres zonas y se tomaron 66 muestras de sedimentos en 27 puntos de muestreo. Se capturaron 65 ejemplares de Anadara grandis entre 20 y 60 cm de profundidad en zonas aledañas al río Chaguana para el análisis de Hg. Los resultados mostraron que la correlación entre los parámetros físico-químicos del sedimento y los metales pesados es mayoritariamente baja, evidenciando un origen antrópico de la contaminación. Respecto al FE, Igeo, IPRE y RSA en sedimentos, la Zona 2 resultó ser la más impactada, directamente influenciada por actividades locales. En cuanto a Anadara grandis, no se detectó riesgo tóxico por la ingesta del bivalvo.