Mountain protected areas in the tropical Andes experience localized yet severe soil erosion that threatens erosion-regulating services and downstream water–energy security. We mapped soil loss at 30 m using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and quantified the erosion-control service in El Cajas National Park, Ecuador (28,544 ha) using an NDVI-based index. Replacing categorical land cover C factors with a continuous NDVI surface increased the park-wide soil loss estimate by ∼58%, yielding an area-weighted mean of 5.3 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and local maxima of 120 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ on steep and sparsely vegetated escarpments. Relative to a bare soil scenario, existing páramo grasslands, shrub mosaics, and scattered Polylepis woodlots avert 95% of potential erosion, quantifying the service supplied by vegetation. Between 2023 and 2024, a ∼60% rise in mean NDVI more than doubled the area delivering moderate-to-high erosion control. A hot-spot analysis further identified ∼30 km² (≈5% of the park) where high modeled soil loss coincides with low protection; these clusters generate ∼80% of predicted sediment and constitute priority targets for restoration or visitor use regulation. The integrated RUSLE–NDVI–EC approach provides a concise and transferable screening tool for aligning conservation investments with Ecuador’s restoration pledges and for safeguarding critical hydrological services in Andean protected areas.

This study assessed, in two coastal locations of Ecuador (Cerecita, Guayas; Bajada de Chanduy, Santa Elena), cadmium (Cd) occurrence in cacao cultivated soils, its transfer to plant tissues (leaves and cotyledon/beans), and its implications for producers’ economic sustainability. Twelve cacao-producing sites in Cerecita and eleven in Bajada de Chanduy were georeferenced, and thematic GIS maps were generated to identify potential Cd hotspots. Sampling comprised topsoil (0–10 cm), leaves (fourth fully expanded leaf), and dried/fermented beans, followed by laboratory Cd quantification. In addition, producer surveys were conducted to characterize productive and economic structure, the economic sustainability index (IK) was calculated using Sarandón’s methodology, and interviews with collectors and agri-export companies were performed. Soil Cd levels were comparable between locations (0.24–1.55 mg kg⁻¹), whereas higher concentrations were detected in cotyledons/beans (0.53–5.01 mg kg⁻¹) and leaves (1.13–11.07 mg kg⁻¹), following the pattern leaves > cotyledon > soil. From an economic perspective, all farms exhibited IK < 2, with a marked territorial gap (≈1.6 in Cerecita vs. ≈0.5 in Chanduy). Cadmium in cocoa beans poses a long-term risk to marketing; in addition, total cadmium in the soil did not consistently predict cadmium in the cotyledons, and adverse impacts are amplified in territories with limited economic capacity to respond.

The lack of knowledge regarding the water footprint (WF) of bananas in the Guayas province of Ecuador, assessed in local terms, creates an information gap concerning the consumptive and sustainable use of water. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the WF of the cultivation and packaging process of this fruit. The Hoekstra methodology was followed, using the evaporation pan procedure for crop evapotranspiration based on a 43-year historical record (1980–2023) and the USDA method for effective precipitation, selecting nine banana farms within the zone. The grey WF was assessed following two approaches: a simple procedure assuming a 10% leaching rate of agrochemicals was followed during the rainy season, and water losses through percolation were accounted for during the dry season. Nitrogen was considered as the pollutant element, while for the grey WF assessment in packaging, active chlorine in wastewater was measured. The WF was determined to be 351.4 m³ t⁻¹, distributed as 45.0% green WF, 49.0% blue WF, and 6.0% grey WF. The grey WF is distributed as 74.7% in the field and 25.3% in the packaging process. Consequently, a moderate impact on groundwater and surface water resources is inferred; however, the irrigation management applied in the zone contributes to reduced contamination of these sources.

The static and dynamic levels, as well as the quality of groundwater sources used for agricultural production, represent an important factor in understanding the characteristics of the use of wells for this activity and the influence on the decline in static levels during the dry season. The objective of this research was to determine the behavior of the hydrodynamic and hydrochemical levels of groundwater used in plantain, banana, and cocoa production to improve water resource utilization in the Clariza parish of the Vinces canton, Ecuador. Data were collected from 10 production units in the area. For the dynamic levels, a constant-rate pumping test was performed. For water quality characteristics, in-situ tests for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids (TDS) were performed, and no values were recorded that would restrict their use for agricultural activities. The declines in dynamic levels were constant and progressive during the dry season due to the irrational use of water through pumping systems. Dynamic levels measured using the pumping test determined maximum drawdowns between 6 and 8 m in depth; however, well recovery showed constant rising levels, indicating aquifer recharge.

Cadmium (Cd) is absorbed by plants and bioaccumulated in their tissues, and its ingestion may cause adverse effects on human health. However, information on the relationship between soil moisture and Cd bioaccumulation in cocoa-growing soils remains limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation volumes (50, 75, 100, and 125%) on Cd bioaccumulation and biomass production in two cocoa genotypes (EET-103 and CCN-51), as well as on soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC), in two soils from El Oro and Guayas, Ecuador. A split-plot design was used with three factors: A (soils), B (genotypes), and C (irrigation). The variables evaluated included plant height, stem diameter, shoot and root dry biomass, Cd absorption, translocation, and bioaccumulation, as well as soil pH and EC. The highest dry matter production and Cd bioaccumulation were observed in genotype EET-103 grown in El Oro soil and in genotype CCN-51 grown in Guayas soil. A higher irrigation volume (125%) increased the pH of El Oro soil and reduced Cd bioaccumulation by 38.48%, whereas pH decreased in Guayas soil under the same irrigation condition. In El Oro soil, pH and EC showed an inversely proportional relationship. These results suggest that irrigation management and the selection of cocoa genotypes with lower affinity for Cd may be useful strategies to reduce Cd bioaccumulation in cocoa plants.