Vida de Ecosistemas Terrestres

FICT and CIPAT shared the findings of the AMAZONAS Project to strengthen inter-institutional cooperation and promote sustainable land-use management strategies that contribute to environmental conservation and the development of communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

The project “Multicriteria Spatial Analysis for Zoning Illegal Mining Pressure and Forest Degradation in the Southern Ecuadorian Amazon,” led by researchers from FICT–ESPOL, was selected to receive funding from the Amazonía+ Program. The initiative will promote the development of geospatial tools to support Amazon conservation and strengthen applied research on illegal mining and forest degradation.

FICT hosted the first biannual meeting of the project “Assessment of the Volcanic Risk Index in Ecuador,” where ESPOL-TECH and the National Secretariat for Risk Management presented the methodological and technical progress of the research. The initiative strengthens cooperation between academia and the public sector to develop geospatial tools that support volcanic risk management and land-use planning.

An international study analyzed the presence of emerging contaminants in water bodies in Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Chile, identifying medications and other everyday compounds as the most common. The study highlights the need to strengthen monitoring, expand research, and develop strategies to protect the region’s water resources and aquatic ecosystems.

An international study involving ESPOL assessed the environmental condition of the soil at the Petaquilla mine in Panama more than a decade after its closure. The study identified areas contaminated with heavy metals and hydrocarbons, determined priority areas for restoration, and analyzed the risks to human health, providing key information for the sustainable recovery of areas affected by mining activity.

ESPOL's FICT participated in a study published in a Q1 journal that uses InSAR technology and Sentinel-1 data to analyze the deformation of volcanoes in northern Ecuador. The results demonstrate the potential of these techniques to strengthen volcanic monitoring and risk management through non-invasive tools.

“Chongón-Colonche Mágico” is an interdisciplinary publishing initiative that brings together science, culture, and the local landscape through narrative and audiovisual content, promoting science communication and the preservation of geocultural heritage.

The Faculty of Geosciences Engineering (FICT) at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral hosted a training session on the 5th Call for Entries for the Ecuador Habitat 2026 Award, organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation, aimed at strengthening the development of sustainable and resilient urban projects.

ESPOL participated in a study published in Sustainability that proposes a sustainable waste management model for the community of Sahuangal. The research outlines a technically and economically viable composting and recycling system aimed at reducing the environmental impact in rural areas.

ESPOL is conducting a research project on the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary in the La Prosperina Protected Forest, focusing on its geopatrimonial assessment and the development of strategies for geotourism, geoconservation, and geoeducation. The initiative aims to strengthen scientific knowledge and promote awareness of geological heritage.