Abstract

CORTEZ, Adriana et al. Analysis of precipitation aggressiveness and concentration in Venezuela: II. The Northwestern Region. Bioagro [online]. 2011, vol.23, n.1, pp.13-18. ISSN 1316-3361.

In order to assess the aggressiveness and concentration of precipitation in the Northwestern Region of Venezuela, the monthly precipitation data from 69 meteorological stations of Zulia, Falcón, Lara and Yaracuy States were analyzed. The modified Fournier index (IFM) was calculated to estimate the rain aggressiveness, and the precipitation concentration index (ICP) that estimates the rainfall distribution. The values were analyzed using univariated and geostatistical analysis. For mapping climate variables a kriging interpolation method was performed, and the resulting file was edited with ArcView. The results allowed the analysis of the variability of IFM and ICP, finding that in the north (the Guajira and the North and Northwest coast of Falcon State) the rainfall is moderately seasonal to seasonal, while at the South of the studied area, where precipitation values range from 1240 to 2260 mm per year, the ICP has moderately seasonal values, but with very high aggressiveness. A high proportion of precipitation has high to very high IFM values, where the soils of the Western region are greatly vulnerable to degradation by the effect of rainfall erosivity.

Keywords : Geostatistics; modified Fournier Index; precipitation concentration index; sustainable land management.