The need for a hydromorphological approach to Chilean river management La necesidad de un enfoque hidromorfológico para la gestión de los ríos chilenos
subject: Chile, Geomorfologia Fluvial, Gestión, ecologia fluvial, fluvial ecology, fluvial geomorphology, management, rios, rivers
description: The manuscript reflects the opinion of the authors about the need for a hydromorphological approach for the management of Chilean rivers. A brief state-of-the-art of the recent scientific advances on hydromorphological approach to river management is presented, as well as a general overview of the conditions of Chilean rivers and the mayor disturbances they suffer. Moreover, the need to take into account both direct and indirect services provided by rivers in the decision making process on river management is underlined. Hydromorphology is claimed to be a main element to be considered while assessing the ecological state of rivers. Understanding how the hydrological and morphological variables interact dynamically is indeed key to assess the presence or absence of dynamic equilibrium, a condition that, in turn, promotes both habitat diversity and self-sustainable aquatic and riparian ecosystems. The authors also emphasized the need for a change of paradigm in current Chilean rivers management practices, by developing a unified framework to assess hydromorphological and ecological river conditions. In addition, the implementation of specific legislation aimed at promoting ecological and geomorphological standards in river management practice, and the strengthening and widening of the academic teaching of fluvial ecology and geomorphology is suggested.El manuscrito refleja la opinión de los autores acerca de la necesidad de aplicar un enfoque hidromorfológico para la gestión de los ríos chilenos. Se presenta una breve reseña de los últimos avances científicos sobre el enfoque hidromorfológico en la gestión de ríos, así como una visión general de las condiciones de los ríos chilenos y sus mayores perturbaciones. Por otra parte, se hace énfasis en la necesidad de incluir en la toma de decisiones los servicios directos como los indirectos proporcionados por los ríos. Se afirma que la hidromorfología es un elemento fundamental a considerar al determinar el estado ecológic…
creator: ANDREA ANDREOLI, LUCA MAO, ANDRÉS IROUMÉ, JOSE L. ARUMÍ, ANDREA NARDINI, ROBERTO PIZARRO, DIEGO CAAMAÑO, CLAUDIO MEIER, OSCAR LINK
source: Revista Chilena de Historia Natural
publisher: BMC
date: 2012
relation: http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0716-078X2012000300008
coverage: Botany, Zoology