Chirripó Hydrological Research Site: advancing stable isotope hydrology in the Central American Páramo

Abstract

1. IntroductionTropical mountainous ecosystems are recognized as providers of valuable ecological and hydrological services (Viviroli et al, 2007). In Central America, the Paramo, a high‐elevation tropical grassland ecosystem, extends over ~ 200 km2 in Costa Rica and Panama, with ~50% of this area located within the Chirripo National Park between 3,100 and 3,820 m asl (-83.49°, 9.46°). Vegetation mostly consists of 0.5 to 2.5 m tall bamboo dominated (Chusquea subtessellata ) grasslands, covering up to 60% of the total Paramo area in Costa Rica (Fig.1a). The climate is controlled by the northeast trade winds, the latitudinal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), cold continental outbreaks (i.e., northerly winds), and the seasonal influence of Caribbean cyclones. These circulation patterns produce two rainfall maxima on the Pacific slope, one in June and one in September, which are interrupted by a relative minimum between July-August, known as the Mid-Summer Drought, due to intensification of trade winds over the Caribbean Sea (Magana et al., 1999; Waylen, 1996). The wettest season extends from May to November (contributing up to 89% of the annual precipitation), whereas the driest season is from December to April (Fig. 2a; Esquivel-Hernandez et al., 2018). The surface water system of Chirripo is characterized by a lake district which comprises approximately 30 lakes of glacial origin and streams flowing down the Caribbean and Pacific slopes (Fig 1b). Lake catchments are characterized by steep slopes that promote rapid hydrological responses such as fast water‐level changes. Input of water to these glacial lakes is mostly controlled by the seasonal inputs of rainfall, which mix up with stream and subsurface waters. In April 2015, the Chirripo Hydrological Research Site (CHRS) was installed with the goal of advancing the understanding of the hydrological functioning in the Central American Paramo using environmental tracers (i.e., water stable isotopes) in combination with hydrometric data. A detailed map of CHRS is available in Esquivel-Hernandez et al. (2019).