Abstract ID: 3.13650 | Accepted as Poster | Poster | TBA | TBA

Bofedales, high altitude Andean wetlands located above 3,000 m above sea level in the Peruvian Andes, are natural reservoirs that support biodiversity and provide water to downstream communities. Their temporal dynamics are key to understanding responses to climate variability and hydrological changes. This study analyses the relationship between monthly saturated areas and water table in the bofedales of the Alayripampa basin, southern Peru, 2020-2021. Using Google Earth Engine, a remote sensing methodology was applied to estimate saturated areas and correlated with water table data to verify the accuracy of the results. By classifying monthly mean Sentinel2 images using a decision tree algorithm and spectral indices, improved discrimination of saturated areas of wetlands was achieved. Significant seasonal variation of the bofedales was observed, with higher values during the wet season (September-February), when rainfall and groundwater recharge favoured their expansion. During the dry season (March-August), there was a gradual reduction in water availability, reflected in lower values of bofedales. However, with the onset of the wet season, the bofedales increased again. These findings demonstrate the influence of rainfall on the expansion and contraction of wetlands. Monthly bofedales saturated areas showed different correlations with the recorded water table levels. Through 2020, the correlation (R=-0.97) was highly significant (p-value<0.05), indicating that a larger saturated area is linked to greater water availability. During dry months, this distance increased considerably, indicating a lower presence of water that constrains the bofedales saturation. In contrast, during 2021, the correlation was lower(R = 0.37) and non-significant (p-value = 0.24); suggesting atypical behaviour in relation to the previous year possibly linked to unusual weather conditions or errors in the classification of satellite images due to snow in the basin which could interfere with the estimation of saturated areas. These results confirm that the wetlands in the basin are dynamic and sensitive to climatic variations. Temporal analysis at the monthly scale, both in remote sensing and in field water monitoring, provides key evidence of the relationship between the extent of the bofedales and water availability. This highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and future analysis of external factors influencing wetland behaviour.