@misc{10481/105716,
year = {2025},
month = {7},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/105716},
abstract = {The Ichubamba Yasepan wetlands, in the Andean páramos of Ecuador, suffer heavy metal
contamination due to anthropogenic activities and volcanic ash from Sangay, impacting
biodiversity and ecosystem services. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the bioaccumulation and tolerance of metals in high Andean species through stratified random
sampling and linear transects in two altitudinal ranges. Concentrations of Cr, Pb, Hg,
As, and Fe in water and the tissues of eight dominant plant species were analyzed using
atomic absorption spectrophotometry, calculating bioaccumulation indices (BAIs) and
applying principal component analysis (PCA), clustering, and linear discriminant analysis
(LDA). Twenty-five species from 14 families were identified, predominantly Poaceae and
Cyperaceae, with Calamagrostis intermedia as the most relevant (IVI = 12.74). The water
exceeded regulatory limits for As, Cr, Fe, and Pb, indicating severe contamination. Carex
bonplandii showed a high BAI for Cr (47.8), Taraxacum officinale and Plantago australis for Pb,
and Lachemilla orbiculata for Hg, while Fe was widely accumulated. The LDA highlighted
differences based on As and Pb, suggesting physiological adaptations. Pollution threatens
biodiversity and human health, but C. bonplandii and L. orbiculata have phytoremediation potential.},
organization = {Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Accumulation of metals},
keywords = {Differential patterns},
keywords = {Bioaccumulation index},
title = {Bioaccumulation and Tolerance of Metals in Floristic Species of the High Andean Wetlands of the Ichubamba Yasepan Protected Area: Identification of Groups and Discriminant Markers},
doi = {10.3390/su17156805},
author = {Cushquicullma-Colcha, Diego Francisco and González-Cabrera, María Verónica and Tapia-Ramírez, Cristian Santiago and Brito-Mancero, Marcela Yolanda and Guilcapi-Pacheco, Edmundo Danilo and Ati-Cutiupala, Guicela Margoth and Vaca-Cárdenas, Pedro Vicente and Muñoz-Jácome, Eduardo Antonio and Vaca-Cárdenas, Maritza Lucía},
}