Water security and watershed management assessed through the modelling of hydrology and ecological integrity: A study in the Galicia-Costa (NW Spain)

Water management is a crucial tool for addressing the increasing uncertainties caused by climate change, biodiversity loss and conditions of socioeconomic limits. The multiple factors affecting water resources need to be successfully managed achieve optimal governance thus move towards security. This study seeks obtain holistic vision various threats that affect ecological integrity basins form hydrological district Galicia-Costa, through method partial least squares path modelling (PLS-PM). data analysed overall years from 2009 2015. independent latent variables are “Anthropogenic” (comprising percentage bodies with edges alongside artificial surfaces, connected land use patches, edge density surfaces population density) “Nature” (edge forestry uses, length forested areas occupied largest patch forest). dependent “SWP”, which represents surface parameters (biological oxygen demand, chlorides, conductivity dissolved iron) “Ecological Integrity” (METI Bioindicator). connections between uantified coefficients (?). From an perspective, PLS-PM results reveal 69.0% “SWP” predicted (R2 = 0.690), contributes SWP (? 0.471), while decreases concentration ?0.523), indicates polluting in water. ?0.351) ?0.265) lower quality Integrity”. variable must soil conservation measures benefit has been able identify quantify increase contaminant decrease integrity, providing promising methodology facilitates protection correction guarantee safety.