Impacts of droughts on water transport dynamics and livelihoods of riverine communities in the Amazon: a basin-wide exposure assessment
2022-2025, funded by Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR), Catalunya Government
"Beatriu de Pinós" Postdoctoral Fellowship. Project developed at ICTA, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalunya.
"Beatriu de Pinós" Postdoctoral Fellowship. Project developed at ICTA, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Catalunya.
Context
Droughts change river conditions, directly affecting the most important means of transportation for riverine communities: transportation via small and mid-size boats. Riverine communities depend on river transportation to access urban centers, health care facilities, and schools. Food and fuel supply also depend entirely on riverine transportation in many remote parts of the Amazon where roads are scarce and aerial transportation is only available for health emergencies. Therefore, droughts can severely affect the livelihoods of riverine communities. Extended and intense dry periods can induce the total isolation of entire communities for several months, food and medicine supply shortages, and reduce the access to health services and education facilities.
Research Questions
1. How have drought-induced hydrological changes affected transportation dynamics of riverine communities over the last 20 years in the Amazon?
2. What were the most important drought-induced impacts in the past 20 years and how have these been distributed across riverine communities?
3. How will drought-related transportation barriers and impacts distribute throughout the basin under different climate and land use change scenarios?
2. What were the most important drought-induced impacts in the past 20 years and how have these been distributed across riverine communities?
3. How will drought-related transportation barriers and impacts distribute throughout the basin under different climate and land use change scenarios?
Potential collaborations
I am looking for potential collaborations with researchers from the Amazon region, from all amazonian countries, that might be interested in characterizing inland water transport and adaptation strategies from local communities. I would like to map out different social groups that are either: water transport users, riverine community members and association representatives, water transport service providers, and representatives from governmental bodies such as civil defense, navy authorities, etc. Please, reach me out if you want to collaborate and we can talk about possibilities. :)
Work Outputs
Scientific Communication
Santos de Lima et al. (2023) Extreme drought is again isolating people in Amazonia. Correspondence. Nature. 24 October 2023.
Science-Policy Communication
Santos de Lima et al. (2023) Letter signed by 70 Brazilian scholars alerting about the impacts of the extreme drought in the Amazon. Sent to the Commission of the Amazon and Originary and Traditional Peoples of the Chamber of the Deputees, Brazilian Congress. 20 September 2023.
Conference Proceedings
Santos de Lima et al. (2023) Drought effects on inland water transport and impacts on local communities of the Amazon Basin. European Geoscience Union General Assembly (EGU23), 23-28 April 2023, Vienna, Austria. Oral Presentation. Abstract n. EGU23-17566, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-17566.
Webinar Presentations
27 March 2023. HydroTalks #6: Desafios e oportunidades de pesquisa na Amazônia. Guest speakers: Ayann Fleischmann e Letícia Santos de Lima. Moderator: Jullian Sone. Organization: Comitê Técnico Jovem, ABRHidro, Brasil.
Santos de Lima et al. (2023) Extreme drought is again isolating people in Amazonia. Correspondence. Nature. 24 October 2023.
Science-Policy Communication
Santos de Lima et al. (2023) Letter signed by 70 Brazilian scholars alerting about the impacts of the extreme drought in the Amazon. Sent to the Commission of the Amazon and Originary and Traditional Peoples of the Chamber of the Deputees, Brazilian Congress. 20 September 2023.
Conference Proceedings
Santos de Lima et al. (2023) Drought effects on inland water transport and impacts on local communities of the Amazon Basin. European Geoscience Union General Assembly (EGU23), 23-28 April 2023, Vienna, Austria. Oral Presentation. Abstract n. EGU23-17566, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-17566.
Webinar Presentations
27 March 2023. HydroTalks #6: Desafios e oportunidades de pesquisa na Amazônia. Guest speakers: Ayann Fleischmann e Letícia Santos de Lima. Moderator: Jullian Sone. Organization: Comitê Técnico Jovem, ABRHidro, Brasil.