Glaciers of Ecuador: a review of current scientific knowledge

Scientific knowledge on Ecuadorian glaciers has advanced unevenly, leaving considerable gaps in the continuous monitoring and documentation of several glaciated volcanoes across the country. This review synthesizes the available literature on glaciers in Ecuador, examining their geographic distribution, historical evolution, retreat trends, and the methodological approaches used in their study, spanning field measurements, mass balance assessments, remote sensing techniques, and stratigraphic analyses. A glacial area loss of approximately 61% has been recorded since the mid-1970s, with retreat rates differing between the Western and Eastern Cordillera, reflecting the contrasting influence of oceanic and Amazonian climatic regimes. Antisana is the best-documented glacier in Ecuador and the only one with continuous long-term monitoring; glaciological research on Chimborazo and Cotopaxi is considerably more limited, and the remaining glaciated volcanoes are poorly represented in the scientific literature. These findings point to the need for updated glacier inventories, open-access data policies, broader international collaboration, and the integration of advanced remote sensing technologies to better characterize glacier dynamics and support climate adaptation planning in Ecuador.