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Abstract:
The retreat of glaciers due to climate change affects the water storage capacity of mountain basins, which has a negative impact on ecosystems and the livelihoods of the Andean population. In the inner tropics, glaciers have declined significantly since the late 1970s. However, little is known about the impact of glacial shrinkage on indigenous Ecuadorians and their beliefs. Our study focuses on the Kichwa-Otavalo indigenous group, located 6 km south of the summit of Cotacachi volcano. Historical aerial photographs showed the presence of glaciers that have almost completely disappeared by the end of the 20th century, meteorological records show a continuous increase in precipitation of 15 mm/decade since the 1965s, and folkloric information evidenced strong spiritual and economic links of indigenous communities with glaciers in the past.This study aims to understand the mechanisms that indigenous communities implemented to respond to glacier retreat in terms of water availability, crop production, and natural conservation.
