Comparison of spatial interpolation methods for annual and seasonal rainfall in two hotspots of biodiversity in South America

The Colombian Biogeographic Choco (CBC) and the La Plata Basin (LPB) are regions with high biodiversity. However, these areas characterized by scarce climatological information, complex orography, rain-gauge network unevenly distributed. Interpolated data from ground station might overcome aspects. For this reason, is necessary to identify best technique for spatial interpolation of rainfall. Hence, techniques were applied annual seasonal rainfall in CBC LPB. Geostatistical results deterministic approaches compared cross-validation. Cokriging spherical (gaussian) model interpolator (LPB), as indicated lowest root mean square error (RMSE) a standardized RMSE close one. shows three cores: northern, 9,000 mm/year; central-southern, 10,000 southern, 7,000 mm/year. LPB west-east gradient, minimum west (450 mm/year) maximum mid-west (2,000 mm/year). To north LPB, reaches 1,500 mm/year, while south it only 900 our study may be useful scientists decision-makers use environmental hydrological models