A pesar de la importancia de los bosques de Polylepis para la biodiversidad y la provisión de servicios ecosistémicos en el Altiplano del extremo sur del Perú (departamento de Tacna), se cuenta con muy poca información científica actualizada que sustente acciones efectivas de conservación. Mediante técnicas de sensoramiento remoto se ha delimitado la superficie de los bosques de Polylepis tarapacana en la cuenca Maure (Altiplano del departamento de Tacna) y evaluado los principales factores ambientales que afectan su desarrollo. Se comparó la superficie obtenida con factores ambientales influyentes para su desarrollo como la altitud, el clima y una serie de índices morfométricos como la orientación y la protección topográfica. A diferencia de otros bosques de Polylepis, la orientación dominante de estos parches de Polylepis tarapacana es N-NE-E, expuesto a insolación durante las horas previas al mediodía, además se desarrolla en sectores de baja protección del relieve y poca probabilidad de intercepción con acuíferos cercanos (valores negativos para el índice de humedad). El 56,66% del área identificada intercepta al polígono de Polylepis del Mapa Nacional de Ecosistemas del Perú del año 2018, el 30,12% se encuentra bajo una modalidad de conservación y el 74,49% se encuentra dentro de terrenos de seis comunidades campesinas. Esta investigación genera un polígono de bosque más preciso que los disponibles en la actualidad, y permite evaluar las alternativas para su protección. La ampliación del Área de Conservación Regional Vilacota - Maure emerge como la mejor opción para asegurar la preservación de este bosque, puesto que asegura la protección de la casi totalidad del área identificada.

Natural aquifers used for human consumption are among the most important resources in the world. The Locumba basin faces significant challenges due to its limited water availability for the local population. In this way, the search for possible aquifer recharge zones is crucial work for urban development in areas that have water scarcity. To evaluate this problem, this research proposes the use of the hybrid Fuzzy AHP methodology in conjunction with the TOPSIS algorithm to obtain a potential aquifer recharge map. Ten factors that influence productivity and capacity in an aquifer were implemented, which were subjected to Fuzzy AHP to obtain their weighting. Using the TOPSIS algorithm, the delineation of the most favorable areas with high recharge potential was established. The result shows that the most influential factors for recharge are precipitation, permeability, and slopes, which obtained the highest weights of 0.22, 0.19, and 0.17, respectively. In parallel, the TOPSIS result highlights the potential recharge zones distributed in the Locumba basin, which were classified into five categories: very high (13%), high (28%), moderate (15%), low (28%), and very low (16%). The adapted methodology in this research seeks to be the first step toward effective water resource management in the study area.

Droughts have always been one of the most dangerous hazards for civilizations, especially when they impact the headwaters of a watershed, as their effects can spread downstream. In this context, observed droughts (1981–2015) and projected droughts (2016–2100) were assessed in Candarave, the headwaters of the Locumba basin. Regarding observed droughts, SPI-3 and SPEI-3 detected seven extreme droughts (1983, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2010, 2011, and 2012), with the most intense occurring in 1992 and 1998. SPI-6 and SPEI-6 identified the same extreme drought events, highlighting 1992 as the most intense. Additionally, it was concluded that the VCI also detected the droughts identified by the SPEI; however, a more detailed analysis of its use is necessary due to the limited availability of suitable satellite images in the area. On the other hand, a high-resolution dataset of climate models from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) under the SSP3-7.0 scenario was used to project future droughts. Of the models in that dataset, CanESM5, IPSL–CM6A–LR, and UKESM1–0–LL did not perform well in the study area. SPI and SPEI projected more than ten episodes of extreme drought, indicating that extreme droughts will become more frequent, severe, and intense in the last 30 years of this century.

The Tacna region, situated in southwestern Peru, is distinguished by its desert and Andean zones, resulting in significant climatic variability. However, changes in future precipitation and temperature patterns could significantly impact sectors such as agriculture, energy, and water resources. In this context, this research analyzes climate scenarios of precipitation, maximum temperature (Tmax), and minimum temperature (Tmin) in Tacna. For this purpose, Tacna was divided into four homogeneous regions (Coast, Low Highlands, High Andes, and Andean Plateau) to assess future changes using CMIP6 climate models for the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. A bias correction of these models was applied using the Quantile Delta Mapping method to improve accuracy. The validation results showed better performance for minimum temperature compared to maximum temperature and precipitation. Regarding the scenario results, by the end of the century, under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, Tmax could increase by up to +7 °C while Tmin could rise by up to +5 °C, particularly in the Andean Plateau. Precipitation is projected to decrease by up to 20% annually in higher elevations, albeit with considerable uncertainty; however, no significant changes are expected in seasonal patterns. This study underscores the importance of robust climate projections in formulating adaptation strategies for water resource management and infrastructure planning. The findings provide essential insights for decision-makers to address the challenges posed by climate change in vulnerable regions of southern Peru.

The conservation and monitoring of land cover represent crucial elements for sustainable regional development, especially in fragile high Andean ecosystems. This study evaluates the spatiotemporal changes in land use and land cover (LULC) in the Locumba basin over the period of 1984–2023. A hybrid modeling approach combining artificial neural networks (ANN) and cellular automata (CA) was employed to project future changes for 2033, 2043, and 2053. The results reveal a significant reduction in glaciers and lagoons throughout the Locumba basin, with notable declines from 1984 to 2023, while vegetated areas, particularly grasslands and wetlands, experienced substantial expansion. Specifically, grasslands increased by 273.7% relative to their initial coverage, growing from 57.87 km² in 1984 to over 220.31 km² in 2023, with projections indicating continued growth to over 331.62 km² by 2053. This multitemporal analysis provides crucial information for anticipating future land dynamics and underscores the urgent need for strategic conservation planning to mitigate the continued loss of strategic ecosystems in the high Andean region of Tacna.