Calidad del agua y variables ambientales en hábitats para anfibios amenazados en la zona urbana de Cuenca

Abstract

Aiming to monitor water quality and Environmental variables of ten (10) artificial habitats for amphibious populations rescue in Cuenca city, physicochemical variables (pH, conductivity, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, nitrites, nitrates, and lead), along with an air quality analysis based on suspended particles determination and meteorological variables (air temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, and rainfall). The results show certain water quality deterioration signs for some habitats, noticing, however that any sampling spot presented lead concentrations as a heavy metal. Meteorological variables contribute with a habitats’ global vision which allows to relate rainfall events with certain physicochemical attributes along with suspended particles measurements. Even if this research outlines a sampling and analysis protocol of abiotic variables for the habitats, a contemporaneous biological monitoring is urgent to evaluate the functionality of the habitats as conservation sites for urban threatened amphibious.