Abstract
Abstract. Agricultural use of wetlands is important for food security in various regions. However, land-use changes in wetland areas could alter the water cycle and the ecosystem. To conserve the water environments of wetlands, care is needed when introducing new cropping systems. This study is the first attempt to evaluate the water dynamics in the case of the introduction of rice-millet mixed-cropping systems to the Cuvelai system seasonal wetlands (CSSWs) in north-central Namibia. We first investigated seasonal changes in surface water coverage by using satellite remote sensing data. We also assessed the effect of the introduction of rice-millet mixed-cropping systems on evapotranspiration in the CSSWs region. For the former investigation, we used MODIS and AMSR-E satellite remote sensing data. These data showed that at the beginning of the wet season, surface water appears from the southern (lower) part and then expands to the northern (higher) part of the CSSWs. For the latter investigation, we used data obtained by the classical Bowen ratio-energy balance (BREB) method at an experimental field site established in September 2012 on the Ogongo campus, University of Namibia. This analysis showed the importance of water and vegetation conditions when introducing mixed-cropping to the region.
Highlights
Wetlands cover 6% of the Earth’s land surface and have great hydrological and ecological importance
To achieve research purpose (1), we used satellite remote sensing data of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). Using data from these two sensors, we investigated seasonal changes in surface water coverage over the Cuvelai system seasonal wetlands (CSSWs)
It should be noted that surface water appeared in the lower part of the CSSWs around early January and propagated to the upper part of the CSSWs toward the middle of March
Summary
Wetlands cover 6% of the Earth’s land surface and have great hydrological and ecological importance. Agricultural use of wetlands is important for food security in various regions. Land-use changes in wetland areas could alter evapotranspiration, a major component of the water balance, which could eventually affect the water cycle and ecosystems (Suzuki et al 2013). To conserve the water environments of wetlands, care is needed when introducing new cropping systems. From the socio-ecological point of view, harmonisation between development and environmental conservation is a universal issue in the 21st century. In semi-arid regions of Africa, where food scarcity is a serious problem, there is the risk of rapid and disorderly agricultural development without consideration of the environment. Semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa have been struck periodically by severe droughts as well as severe floods, which have caused food shortages in the region
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