The potential contribution of geomorphology to tropical mountain development: The case of the MANRECUR project

A comprehensive interdisciplinary study of a small Andean watershed in Ecuador [Poats, J.V., 2002. El Angel River Watershed Carchi, Ecuador. Disk 9 of 9. In: Himalayan Andean Collaborative Watershed Project, International Development Resource Centre, Ottawa] has produced practical recommendations for its sustainable management, with emphasis on new governance mechanisms. Comparatively little is said about questions of watershed stability in geomorphic terms, though water supply, sources and sinks are identified as crucially important. In this paper, three alternative frameworks, those of montology, less favoured area investment and panarchy, are examined. It is concluded that each of these frameworks, by insisting on a balance between socio-economic and biophysical analysis, does offer scope for the incorporation of geomorphic concepts though none of them demand explicit geomorphic content. The framework, which seems most flexible, is the panarchy metaphor [Holling, C.S., 2001. Understanding the complexity of economic, ecological and social systems. Ecosystems 4: 390–405.]. Not only does this framework insist on asking questions about the socio-economic and biophysical organisation of the watershed system, but it also leads to some arresting conclusions about the probable imminent collapse of watersheds under increasing population and land-use pressure. The panarchy metaphor identifies collapse and reorganisation as a common characteristic of socio-economic and biophysical systems. If this metaphor is even close to being accurate, the first issue in sustainable management of this small Andean watershed is how to ensure a “creative” collapse leading to a more sustainable system. A significant geomorphic contribution in this context would seem to include the identification of functioning hydro-geomorphic response units, connectivities and spatial-scale effects leading to more nuanced application of management strategies.