Lina Gabriela Terrazas Villarroel

PhD Overview

My research topic is focused on the influence of hydrological variability in the ecological integrity in a large river system. Studying ecohydrological relationships helps identify critical flow regimes and evaluate the environmental impact of flow alterations. The Beni River, a free-flowing Andean-Amazon tributary, supports high biodiversity and indigenous communities. However, planned hydropower dams will cause river fragmentation, disrupting flow regimes and migration routes, making this research urgent and necessary. This study evaluates ecohydrological relationships to sustain fisheries and assess future hydropower impacts, integrating local knowledge, remote sensing, and hydrologic simulations to guide sustainable ecological and management planning.