Distribución y biomasa de la totora (<i>Shoenoplectus californicus</i> ssp.) en el Sitio Ramsar Uru Uru y Poopó, Bolivia

The totora (Schoenoplectus californicus spp. totora) offers multiple functions and ecosystem services. In the Ramsar Site - Uru Uru and Poopó, totora reed beds are the predominant vegetation, and their annual biomass, which is scarcely utilized, generates two problems: part of it is burned, contributing to air pollution, and another part accumulates on the lake beds, increasing sedimentation. Despite its ecological importance and utilization potential, studies on the totora in this Ramsar Site are limited and outdated. This study analyzed its distribution, extent and biomass to promote its management and use. Landsat 3, 5, 7, 8 OLI satellite images were used to calculate the totora reed coverage with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) between 1979 and 2020, and biomass yield was evaluated at 50 sampling points using the cutting frame method. The results of the multi-temporal analysis indicate fluctuations in the distribution and extent of the totora reed beds in three areas according to the Ramsar Site: Uru Uru Lake, northern Poopó Lake, and the interconnection zone between the two. In 2020, totora reed beds were concentrated in the interconnection zone and Uru Uru Lake, with minimal presence in Poopó Lake. Although the biomass yield per hectare is lower than other Andean wetlands, its total biomass holds significant potential for multiple uses, the most relevant being its use as livestock forage, as it could help mitigate the forage shortage in the region.