Abstract

Much is discussed about the climatic changes associated with regional or global atmospheric phenomena. Empiric evidence, however, only sometimes supports such claims even though it is necessary to visualize the strength of their effects and their relevance for the management and conservation agendas of those biosystems supporting the modern lifestyle. This work conducted a time series analysis with monthly precipitation data from the Monte Alto Protected Zone in Hojancha, Costa Rica, between May 2013 and November 2022. A disruption in the temporal pattern was detected in the rainy season of 2017, and it took about two years to return to the state observed back in 2013. Such disruption was linked to a cold period of the ENSO phenomenon, colloquially known as “La Niña”, and followed by a second disruption with an effect lasting until this moment. The data presented herein suggests that ENSO directly affects the precipitation pattern in the Monte Alto Reserve, whose original conservation purpose was to provide drinking water to local populations. The oscillations in the hydrological cycle, apparently more frequent in the last years based on the local context of this analysis, influence the quality of life of the affected populations and deserve monitoring for proper documentation and quantification intended to increase human resilience by means of adaptation.

Keywords Adaptation; climate change; extreme events; Guanacaste; Hojancha; resilience