Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effects Of Land Cover Variability On Evapotranspiration In The Llanganuco Valley, Aimee Higgins

Undergraduate Review

A process-based understanding of the effect land cover has on evapotranspiration (ET) in alpine valleys is lacking. It is conventionally assumed that ET is a negligible part of the water cycle in the Peruvian Andes, a critical source of water for the local inhabitants, due to lack of precipitation during the 6-month dry season and high humidity during the 6-month wet season. However, recent research findings from an embedded sensor network indicate that ET is in fact an important part of the Andean water cycle in Peru. Water resources within Peru are affected by the glaciers within the Cordillera Blanca, …