Communities in DSpace
Select a community to browse its collections.
Recent Submissions
Anthropogenic geomorphology of Costa Rica
(2024-10-04) Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Quesada Román, Adolfo
Anthropogenic geomorphology examines the impact of human activities on the physical landscape. This chapter focuses on the ways in which different human actions have shaped the terrain in the country, creating landforms and modifying the pace of external geodynamic process since Pre-Columbian time (≥ 4.5 ka ago). Developing countries, including Costa Rica, face the challenge of balancing economic growth and sustainable development while addressing the impacts of
anthropogenic geomorphology. Human activities such as urbanization, deforestation, and resource extraction, road building, and large-scale agriculture and tourism can cause alterations to the natural landscape and lead to soil erosion, changes in hydrologic regimes, and loss of biodiversity. Costa Rica has implemented policies to protect its natural resources and promote sustainable development, such as reforestation and low-impact tourism activities. The principal landscapes generated by anthropogenic geomorphology in Costa Rica could be classified in three classes determined by their geomorphic expression in (i) excavated, (ii) leveled, and (iii) artificial landforms. Thus, anthropogenic geomorphology is a critical issue for developing countries like Costa Rica, and effective management strategies are necessary to balance economic growth and environmental protection.
Agricultural landscapes of Costa Rica
(2024-10-04) Camacho Umaña, Manuel Ernesto; Quesada Román, Adolfo; Villatoro Sánchez, Mario A.; Alemán Montes, Bryan; Mata Chinchilla, Rafael; Henríquez Henríquez, Carlos Roberto; Céspedes Rivera, Emmanuel Jesús; Céspedes Rivera, Manuel; Alvarado, Alfredo
Agricultural activities and introduction of new crops result in significant changes in society, culture, and most evident in short-term, the transformation of landscapes. For instance, the introduction of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in Costa Rica and its further extension into the Central Valley during the 1800s led to substantial changes in socio-economic, geophysical, and infrastructural aspects of Costa Rican society. More recently, banana (Musa spp.), pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations were established in specific regions of Costa Rica, where geomorphic features and agroecological conditions are considered suitable for their extensive production and economic revenue, affecting the evolution of demography and landscapes. The chapter summarizes essential information about landforms, soils, and climatic conditions in areas that have extensive agriculture as their main economic activity. This study highlights the regions and soils dedicated to cash crops and agricultural activities of Costa Rica. For instance, coffee, pineapple, and sugarcane production develop within
highly weathered soils (Ultisols and Oxisols). Banana and oil palm production are mainly located in the coastal plains, where soil genesis is mostly associated with alluvial processes (Entisols and Inceptisols). Finally, horticultural crops like potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) and onions (Allium cepa L.) were mainly identified within the volcanic piedmonts, where volcanic ash soils (Andisols) are dominant.
Integrated care in Latin America
(2025-04-03) Ehrenberg, Nieves; Artaza, Osvaldo; Gómez Duarte, Ingrid; Leyns, Christine; Perman, Gastón; Sáenz Madrigal, María del Rocío; Pérez Hernández, Galileo; Sancho Rojas, Wilmer
This chapter argues that striving for universal health coverage alone is insufficient in inequitable societies.
Integrated care models that take into account social determinants are necessary. It discusses the Pan American Health Organization proposal of Integrated Health Services Networks (IHSNs) as a response to fragmented health systems in the Americas, advocating for community-centered primary care services integrated with specialized care. The importance of citizen empowerment and state accountability in securing the right to health is emphasized. Different approaches to integrated care are presented as case studies from Latin America, including Chile’s pilot program for universalizing primary care, Bolivia’s community-oriented health initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, Costa Rica’s culturally sensitive maternity care models, and Buenos Aires’ social dialogue initiative for community-based mental health.
Highly weathered soil landscapes of Costa Rica
(2024-10-04) Camacho Umaña, Manuel Ernesto; Quesada Román, Adolfo; Villatoro Sánchez, Mario A.; Alemán Montes, Bryan; Mata, Rafael; Henríquez Henríquez, Carlos; Céspedes Rivera, Emmanuel Jesús; Alvarado, Alfredo
Highly weathered soils, formerly known as lateritic soils, are currently classified according to the Soil Taxonomy as Oxisols and Ultisols. These soils have been identified in various landscapes of Costa Rica, developing under contrasting climatic conditions indicated by annual precipitation values between 1749 and 5778 mm. The chapter provides a concise description of five specific landscapes of Costa Rica, where Oxisols have been identified as dominant. The parent materials were grouped within four general categories: (1) Basaltic rocks from Jurassic-Miocene Oceanic Complexes, (2) Igneous materials of Paleocene-Pliocene ages, (3) Sedimentary materials from the Pliocene–Pleistocene ages, and (4) Volcanic materials from the Pleistocene. Despite this diversity in parent materials and climatic conditions, the stability of the geomorphic units is the common factor that allowed for the development of Oxisols and some great groups of Ultisols, corroborating the fundamental role of geomorphology
Fluvial landscapes of Costa Rica: an overview of dynamic rivers
(2024-10-04) Granados Bolaños, Sebastián; Surian, Nicola; Birkel, Christian; Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Quesada Román, Adolfo; Galve Arnedo, Jorge Pedro; Bonilla Mata, Armando
Costa Rica, a small tropical country with an area of 51,179 km2, has an extensive network of diverse streams controlled by varied environmental and geological conditions. Rugged terrain, active volcanism, and tectonic activity, along with intense precipitation, result in a dynamic drainage system characterized by a wide array of erosive and depositional fluvial landforms. In this chapter, a generalized characterization of Costa Rica's riverscapes is provided, with a focus on channel morphologies and fluvial dynamics within selected reaches across the country. Using a range of remote sensing techniques, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), hydraulic modeling, and detailed field observations, representative river sections situated within distinct geological contexts are described. The findings illustrate how rivers flow in confined steep volcanic-mountain settings, on alluvial fans, within low-gradient unconfined dynamic reaches, and in urban environments. Moreover, we discuss the intrinsic connection between channel morphology, surface processes, and associated hazards, as most of the disasters occurring in Costa Rica are tied to fluvial environments.