Ecohydrological modelling in the Central Andes

The central Tropical Andes, located in South America, follow the Andean mountain range from Colombia to the southern border of Bolivia. These alpine regions represent critical ecosystems and serve as important "water towers" for local water supply. However, these essential water sources face increasing environmental risks, including unusual warming, changing precipitation patterns and seasonality, agricultural expansion, deforestation, and the growing demand for hydropower. Despite their importance, these changes have rarely been thoroughly investigated, and there is limited understanding of how water budget components are quantified and shifting, particularly due to poor data availability under climate change.
This research aims to understand the partitioning of water budget components in the central Andes and to investigate the fate of blue, green, and white water fluxes under climate change. We employ the fully distributed, physics-based T&C model-an ecohydrological model designed to simulate key components of the hydrological and carbon cycles, including energy, water, and CO2 exchanges at the land surface. To optimise computational efficiency, accelerate model setup, and facilitate regional studies across the broader Andes, we have developed an automated algorithm that integrates observed data, machine learning, and remote sensing products. This algorithm streamlines input data preparation and model parameterisation, requiring only a catchment shapefile and the desired resolution.
The model's performance and feasibility of the algorithm will be validated against PLUMBER sites and CARAVAN catchments at both grid-point and spatial scales. Subsequently, the model will be applied to various Andean catchments classified based on their geographical and topographical characteristics. The results will be analysed to assess the spatiotemporal variability of different water fluxes, providing critical insights for local water security and management.