Research by Courtney Randazzo and Megan Mach

Global Location Mastatal

Rancho Mastatal Location of the Quebrada Chires and our Home Rancho Mastatal promotes organic gardening and farming the study of medicinal herbs and homeopathy natural and vernacular building techniques alternative energy systems and other educational activities to help facilitate a more sustainable global community in the rainforest

The Question Effects of Deforestation on hillside pastureLa Cangreja National Park – Primary Rainforest Does water run through a deforested system such as pasture faster then a forested area? What are signs that the deforested land is having nutrients leached out? Is there any effect on humans other then a loss of rainforest biodiversity?

Methods River Depth and Width Measuring Depths along a 12 meter stretch in the Quebrada Chiras River Flow Using a ping-pong ball the river velocity was tested 5 replicates at each site Site 2 - Deforested pasture land Ping Pong

Sites Two sites were chosen 1.Below 3 deforested agriculture sites 2.Below secondary and primary rainforest The two sites were used to compare the river velocity and were tested in three conditions Rain within 24hours During rain No rain within 24hours

Results – Forest Site Depth of river in each rain condition Width of river in each rain condition During the periods of heavy rainfall, the forest site data indicates a more substantial variation.

Results – Pasture Site Depth of river in each rain condition Width of river in each rain condition The agricultural site, however, actually experienced a greater rate of change when considered over the longer period of time.

What does this mean? Not enough researchers to gather information simultaneously makes the forest site appear to have a higher volume of water. The sites, 1km away from each other, could not be measured close enough in time to see which site gained speed first. Rates of change for the depth. The forest site experienced an increase in depth at a rate of 7.3 cm per hour. The agricultural site experienced an increase in depth at a rate of 19.8 cm per hour.

Runoff Pasture Exposed soil is particularly vulnerable to leaching of mineral nutrients and to erosion Forest With living roots, such as secondary and primary rainforest, much of the water is absorbed into the plant tissue and thus, does not simply wash through the soil Thirty minutes of rainfall in paradise

How is the runoff different? The runoff varies in both temperature and color. Pasture runoff is 1-2 degrees warmer than the forested site and the river (75 o F) Pasture runoff is a muddy red brown from the sediment it carries with it Runoff from a forest site River carrying red sediment meets

What does this impact? The sedimentation can radically change the physical environment of species restricted to particular conditions of depth, light penetration and velocity The bared soil is now losing nutrients it once held; as well as any herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers The runoff interferes with respiration in fish and other gill-breathing organisms further downstream

Effects on Humans Road washouts Erosion of farmland Watershed

Acknowledgment And that’s all the Sheewa