Changes In Water Use Research Articles

Exposure to global change pressures and potential impacts on ecosystem services of mountain lakes in the European Alps.

Mountain lakes are increasingly affected by global change pressures. While there is growing evidence of impacts on ecosystem functioning, few studies considered changes in ecosystem services (ES). This study aimed (1) to examine the exposure of small and natural mountain lakes in the European Alps to global change pressures and (2) to estimate potential impacts on six relevant ES considering future climate projections and potential changes in water use. For 2455 lakes, we mapped the level of exposure to global change pressures, including climate change, atmospheric nutrient deposition, and anthropogenic activities (e.g., water use). Our results indicate that more than half of the Alpine mountain lakes feature a considerable level of exposure to global change. Hotspot analysis revealed spatial clusters of lakes with above-average exposure (23.7% of all lakes), mostly located in the central part of the Alps, while lakes with below-average exposure level prevailed in the south-western (19.3%) and eastern parts (10.6%). For 15 case study lakes, we quantified potential impacts on six key ES. The results revealed, in particular, potential negative effects on maintaining habitat and populations as well as aesthetic value, but contrastingly, also some positive effects for outdoor recreation, research and education. Our findings suggest the need for a comprehensive integration of mountain lakes into current management and policy frameworks to ensure the ecological integrity and ES provision of mountain lakes. Interdisciplinary mountain lake research will be important to overcome uncertainties related to the coupling of limnological parameters and ES indicators.

Managing Agricultural Water Use in a Changing Climate in China

The United Nations predicts that over 40 % of the world's population (3.9 billion) would suffer from severe water deficiency by 2050, indicating that global water disequilibrium and deficiency will intensify, creating challenges for national and regional water supplies. With per capita water resources at a quarter of the world average level, China is one of the most water-scarce countries. Employing a single stage Stochastic Frontier Analysis, this paper studies the impact of climate change induced fluctuation in temperature and precipitation on agricultural water (AW) use efficiency in China and addresses its volatility and regional disparity over time and across region. We utilize fine-scale meteorological factors including temperature, precipitation, crop growing degree days and crop harmful degree days to proxy the changing climate condition. Our results reveal temperature-related climate change factors such as average annual temperature, crop growing degree days and crop harmful degree days demonstrate the negative impacts on AW use efficiency, and the decline in precipitation due to climate change lowers AW use efficiency. More importantly, we find that when the information on climate damage is provided to farmers, the negative effect of climate change on AW use efficiency can be alleviated. Furthermore, we conclude that the North China Plain, Southwest and Northeast regions with shortages of water endowment have the best AW use efficiency, followed by the Yangtze River Basin and the Northwest region. The South Coast region with ample water sources has the poorest performance. We therefore conclude that AW use efficiency in China is affected by climate change, with heterogeneous impacts across regions. Policy implications on risk management are drawn to enable better adaptation to climate change in agricultural water use.

The impact of COVID-19 on urban water use: a review

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impact on water utilities, which had to continue providing clean water under safe-distancing measures. Water use patterns were affected, shifting peak demand and changing volumes, though changes varied from place to place. This study analyses the effects of the safe-distancing measures on water use patterns in different countries and cities with the aim of drawing general conclusions on causes and impacts of changes in water use patterns, as well as providing some insights on the impacts on finances of utilities and potential long-term implications. The analysis is based on information collected by the members of the IWA Specialist Group on Statistics and Economics for Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Portugal, Romania, the Netherlands and Singapore. Temporal, spatial/sectoral and volume changes can be distinguished. The main temporal change in domestic water use was a delay in the morning peak, while commercial water use patterns changed significantly. In general, the volume of domestic water use increased between about 3% and 8%, while non-domestic water use decreased between about 2% and 11% over 2020. Indirect evidence suggests shifts have taken place between sectors and spatially. The impact on finances of utilities has likely been only short-term.

Leakage control of urban water supply network and mathematical analysis and location of leakage points based on machine learning

Abstract In order to solve the common problems of high leakage rate of urban water supply network and controlling water supply enterprises, a multi index system of leakage evaluation is proposed. The first step in leakage assessment is to recommend non profitable water volume, rather than just based on the percentage of leakage rate (the calculation mode of percentage is easily disturbed by the change of water volume); Advanced indicators also need to consider factors such as pipe network conditions, pressure and the number of user connections; If possible, it is recommended to calculate the leakage index (ILI) of water supply network in line with international standards, and through this index, determine the leakage classification of water supply system according to the target matrix provided by the world bank, so as to formulate corresponding leakage control countermeasures, and finally form a set of leakage performance evaluation system of urban water supply system combined with the actual situation of our country. Experiments have proved that among users with large caliber and large water volume, the promotion of electromagnetic remote transmission water meter should be strengthened to improve the metering capacity of water meter. Since 2014, non household meters above Dn40 in the company's new household installation project have adopted electromagnetic remote transmission water meters. At the same time, strengthen the remote monitoring and management of large-diameter water meters. Through remote transmission, we can grasp the changes of users' water use in real time, and realize the three-level early warning of sudden change of water volume through the mining of remote transmission data.

Genotypic differences in plant growth responses and ion accumulations to salt stress conditions of sweet gourd (Cucurbita moschata)

The sweet gourd (Cucurbita moschata Duch ex Poir) is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially high carotenoids. Due to climate change and intensive water use, soil salinization is increasing day by day. Salt stress decreases the growth and quality of many crops. Thus, the objective of the present study was to monitor the growth and ion accumulation of fourteen sweet gourd inbred. The study was conducted in 2018 with 14 sweet gourd inbreds (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9, P10, P11, P12, P13 and P14) and to identify superior genotypes. Electrical conductivity (EC) based salt was applied at 4, 8, 12 and 16 dS/m NaCl salinity levels for all inbred. Tap water was used as a control. Treatments were imposed at the four to five-leaf stage. Salt stress resulted in significantly decreased growth and essential ion in sweet gourd inbred. Vine length (P11=164.9 to149.5cm, control to 16 dS/m), the number of leaves (P11=31 to 24.33, control to 16 dS/m), internode length (P12=9.67 to 9.83cm, control to 16 dS/m), stem girth (16.38 to 15.87mm, control to 16 dS/m) and K+ ion accumulations were decreased (P6=2.09 to 1.44, control to 16 dS/m) compared to the control. But Na+ ion was increased (P13=0.17 to 1.25, control to 16 dS/m) in all inbred under salt conditions. Sweet gourd inbred showed wide variation in their response to salt tolerance. However, six sweet gourd inbred (P6, P8, P9, P11, P12 and P14) were found as promising as salt-tolerant in respect of growth and ion accumulation. These selected promising salt-tolerant sweet gourd genotypes will be used for breeding programmes to develop high yielding varieties for better production in the near future in saline areas of Bangladesh.

How do anthropogenic pressures affect the provision of ecosystem services of small mountain lakes?

Although anthropogenic activities affect the ecological conditions of mountain lakes worldwide, the impacts on human wellbeing, in terms of ecosystem services provided by lake ecosystems, remain unclear. This study identified potential impacts of anthropogenic pressures on seven key ecosystem services of small mountain lakes. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework enabled conceptualization of hypothetical impacts of multiple indicators used to quantify ecosystem services. Results indicate that increasing temperatures influence almost all ecosystem service indicators, impacting negatively water availability in particular, but also exerting positive effects on recreation. Changes in water use have mostly negative impacts, specifically on indicators related to habitat and aesthetics. For indicators such as trophic state, water clarity, water availability, riparian vegetation complexity, and nitrate content, up to six pressures may interact. Overall, the greatest impacts can be expected on the ecosystem services habitat, water, aesthetic and existence. To support targeted management strategies, two contrasting groups of mountain lakes were distinguished, accounting for socio-ecological differences related to recreational and agricultural use. Lakes of low suitability for human use (i.e., high and/or remote) are mostly affected by large-scale drivers such as climate change, whereas lakes of high suitability for human use (i.e., low and/or easily accessible) are more often affected by pressures exerted by changes in local water use. These findings suggest that future research should emphasize interdisciplinary assessments in bridging limnological parameters to ecosystem service indicators, to better connect the pressures of global change to human benefits derived from mountain lakes. This information is useful for mitigating or adapting to the impacts of change.

Improving the spatiotemporal resolution of remotely sensed ET information for water management through Landsat, Sentinel-2, ECOSTRESS and VIIRS data fusion

Robust information on consumptive water use (evapotranspiration, ET) derived from remote sensing can significantly benefit water decision-making in agriculture, informing irrigation schedules and water management plans over extended regions. To be of optimal utility for operational usage, these remote sensing ET data should be generated at the sub-field spatial resolution and daily-to-weekly timesteps commensurate with the scales of water management activities. However, current methods for field-scale ET retrieval based on thermal infrared (TIR) imaging, a valuable diagnostic of canopy stress and surface moisture status, are limited by the temporal revisit of available medium-resolution (100 m or finer) thermal satellite sensors. This study investigates the efficacy of a data fusion method for combining information from multiple medium-resolution sensors toward generating high spatiotemporal resolution ET products for water management. TIR data from Landsat and ECOSTRESS (both at ~ 100-m native resolution), and VIIRS (375-m native) are sharpened to a common 30-m grid using surface reflectance data from the Harmonized Landsat-Sentinel dataset. Periodic 30-m ET retrievals from these combined thermal data sources are fused with daily retrievals from unsharpened VIIRS to generate daily, 30-m ET image timeseries. The accuracy of this mapping method is tested over several irrigated cropping systems in the Central Valley of California in comparison with flux tower observations, including measurements over irrigated vineyards collected in the GRAPEX campaign. Results demonstrate the operational value added by the augmented TIR sensor suite compared to Landsat alone, in terms of capturing daily ET variability and reduced latency for real-time applications. The method also provides means for incorporating new sources of imaging from future planned thermal missions, further improving our ability to map rapid changes in crop water use at field scales.

Assessing hydrological sensitivity of grassland basins in the Canadian Prairies to climate using a basin classification-based virtual modelling approach

Abstract. Significant challenges from changes in climate and land use face sustainable water use in the Canadian Prairies ecozone. The region has experienced significant warming since the mid-20th century, and continued warming of an additional 2 ∘C by 2050 is expected. This paper aims to enhance understanding of climate controls on Prairie basin hydrology through numerical model experiments. It approaches this by developing a basin-classification-based virtual modelling framework for a portion of the Prairie region and applying the modelling framework to investigate the hydrological sensitivity of one Prairie basin class (High Elevation Grasslands) to changes in climate. High Elevation Grasslands dominate much of central and southern Alberta and parts of south-western Saskatchewan, with outliers in eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba. The experiments revealed that High Elevation Grassland snowpacks are highly sensitive to changes in climate but that this varies geographically. Spring maximum snow water equivalent in grasslands decreases 8 % ∘C−1 of warming. Climate scenario simulations indicated that a 2 ∘C increase in temperature requires at least an increase of 20 % in mean annual precipitation for there to be enough additional snowfall to compensate for enhanced melt losses. The sensitivity in runoff is less linear and varies substantially across the study domain: simulations using 6 ∘C of warming, and a 30 % increase in mean annual precipitation yields simulated decreases in annual runoff of 40 % in climates of the western Prairie but 55 % increases in climates of eastern portions. These results can be used to identify those areas of the region that are most sensitive to climate change and highlight focus areas for monitoring and adaptation. The results also demonstrate how a basin classification-based virtual modelling framework can be applied to evaluate regional-scale impacts of climate change with relatively high spatial resolution in a robust, effective and efficient manner.

Changes in water use and wastewater generation influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of China

This paper examines and projects the water use and wastewater generation during and after the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in China, and discussed the water use/wastewater generation pattern changes among different sectors. Existing studies on the impact of pandemic spread-prevention measures on water consumption and wastewater treatment during the pandemic are reviewed. The water use and wastewater discharge in China through the COVID-19 period are then projected and analyzed using Multivariate Linear Regression. The projection is carried out for years 2019–2023 and covers an (estimated) full process of pre-pandemic, pandemic outbreak, and recovery phase and provides essential information for determining the complete phase impact of the COVID-19. Two scenarios, i.e. the recovery scenario and the business as usual scenario, are set to investigate the water use and wastewater generation characteristics after the pandemic. The results imply that in both scenarios, the water use in China shows a V-shaped trend from 2019 to 2023 and reached a low point in 2020 of 5,813✕108 m3. The wastewater discharge shows an increasing trend throughout the COVID period in both scenarios. The results are also compared with the water consumption and wastewater generation during the SARS-CoV-1 period. The implication for policymakers is the possible increase of water use and wastewater discharge in the post COVID period and the necessity to ensure the water supply and control of water pollution and wastewater discharge.

Local and non-local drivers of consumption-based water use in China during 2007–2015: Perspective of metacoupling

Increasingly growing consumption-based water use (WU) combined with climate change have exacerbated water stress globally and regionally, yet little is known about how the WU change is affected by metacoupled processes which involve human-nature interactions across space; within and across adjacent and distant places. This study aims to unveil the spatio-temporal pattern of China's WUs during 2007–2015 and its underlying local and non-local drivers. Results show that China's total WU exhibited an upward trend from 386.7 billion m³; in 2007 to 431.2 billion m³ in 2012 but dropped to 412.6 billion m³ by 2015. Widespread and continuous water use efficiency improvement contributed most to offsetting the increase in WU driven by the rising affluence and growing population in the context of rapid urbanization and industrialization. Economic structure drove a relatively large WU reduction (responsible for −23.7% of the WU change during 2007–2015), in line with China's ongoing transform from a capital investment-driven economy to a consumption-driven one and decoupling economic growth from environmental pressure. The population share representing the non-local factor of migration effect was large enough to be seen clearly in the changing WUs across China: the WUs of coastal areas ascended while inland areas descended, which was in accordance with migration patterns. Our findings could make a valuable contribution to decision-making in identifying hotspot areas, charting systematic courses for sustainable water use, and combining demand-oriented and supply-oriented measures.

Changes in Consumer Behavior in Water Use Resulting in an Increase in Monthly Water Account Arrears Since the Covid-19 Pandemic (Case Study of PDAM Tirtanadi Cemara Branch, North Sumatra Province)

Changes in Consumer Behavior in Water Use Result in an Increase in Monthly Water Account Arrears Since the Covid-19 Pandemic, at PDAM Tirtanadi, Cemara Branch, North Sumatera Province. This research is a quantitative descriptive that aims to determine the level of service in the company's management of customers in paying for clean water use, and aims to see the causes and obstacles that occur to the increase in arrears in water accounts which have increased due to changes in water use since the covid-19 pandemic. The unit of observation in this study is the report on water account arrears for the months November 2020 – November 2022. The types of data used in this study are primary data and secondary data. The method of analysis in this study is from supporting document sources, and uses descriptive statistics on the report of the arrears balance, providing an overview or description by displaying a diagram of the monthly increase in water account arrears since the covid-19 pandemic. The results of this study indicate that the service and management of the company are good and well maintained, but there has been a change in consumer behavior in usage since the covid-19 pandemic which has increased which has resulted in an increase in monthly water payment account arrears.

INNOVATIVE PRINCIPLES OF FRESHWATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

About two-thirds of the world’s population may experience water shortages within several decades. Yet, in many countries, there is still a tendency to solve water scarcity problems by increasing water supply, increasing the storage and distribution of surface and groundwater through the creation of new infrastructure, desalination of saline or brackish water, reuse of wastewater, or recharge of aquifers. This trend should prevail over the focus on reducing water demand, for example, by stopping losses in transport and distribution systems, implementing adequate tariff systems aimed at reducing the level of water demand, changing water use technologies, and, in general, increasing the efficiency of water use in household, industrial trial and irrigation systems; in other words, seeking to improve overall water productivity. However, it is possible to overcome the water shortage through efficient and rational use while using innovative solutions that will significantly modernize the water resources infrastructure. Therefore, using creative principles of freshwater resource management in the context of sustainable development should become a perspective for the next ten years. The article aims to research the current state, regional features, and prospects for developing the innovative potential of freshwater resources in Ukraine. It has been proven that in Ukraine, the share of state budget expenditures for environmental protection of total spending ranges from 0.57 to 1.11%. It was determined that the largest share of state budget expenditures on environmental protection in total spending was observed in 2011 – 1.11%, and the smallest in 2020 was 0.57%. It is noted that in 2020, the volume of expenses for environmental protection was significantly reduced compared to the previous year by UAH 675 million. The analysis showed that during the research period, the largest share of expenses was allocated to preventing and eliminating environmental pollution. Therefore, it was determined that the item of budget expenditures for the prevention and elimination of environmental pollution for 2010-2020 increased from UAH 2,255 million to UAH 6,507 million. However, the structure of total expenses decreased slightly from 78.52% to 71.85%, respectively. Accordingly, in the form of costs, the reduction occurred in the following items of budget expenses: preservation of the nature reserve fund from 7.64% in 2010 to 6.78% in 2020, fundamental and applied research and development in the field of environmental protection from 2.06 % to 1.85%, respectively.

Linkages between land-use change and groundwater management foster long-term resilience of water supply in California

Study RegionWe created a 270-m coupled model of land-use and groundwater conditions, LUCAS-W[ater], for California’s Central Coast. This groundwater-dependent region is undergoing a dramatic reorganization of groundwater management under California’s 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Study FocusUnderstanding land-use and land-cover change supports long-term sustainable water management. Anthropogenic water demand has depleted groundwater aquifers worldwide, while future water shortages will likely affect land-use change, creating system feedbacks. Our novel participatory approach fused changes in land-use and associated water use from county-scale data to local water agencies’ estimates of total sustainable supply, scaling up local hydro-geologic knowledge from heterogeneous aquifers and diverse management approaches to a regional level. We assessed five stakeholder-driven scenarios with the same historic rates of urban and agricultural land-use change, but different water and land-use management, analyzing how management strategies altered both the spatial pattern of development and subsequent water sustainability from 2001 to 2061. New Hydrological Insights for the RegionTransformative strategies using demand-side interventions that coupled water availability to land-use more effectively achieved long-term sustainability than adaptive strategies using supply-side interventions to increase water supplies. Limiting water withdrawals within SGMA regulated basins resulted in leakage of development into unregulated basins, increasing groundwater pumping there. Protecting ecosystems, farmlands, and recharge areas from development reduced leakage into undeveloped basins without negatively affecting water sustainability.

Land Use Change to Reduce Freshwater Nitrogen and Phosphorus will Be Effective Even with Projected Climate Change

Recent studies have demonstrated that projected climate change will likely enhance nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loss from farms and farmland, with the potential to worsen freshwater eutrophication. Here, we investigate the relative importance of the climate and land use drivers of nutrient loss in nine study catchments in Europe and a neighboring country (Turkey), ranging in area from 50 to 12,000 km2. The aim was to quantify whether planned large-scale, land use change aimed at N and P loss reduction would be effective given projected climate change. To this end, catchment-scale biophysical models were applied within a common framework to quantify the integrated effects of projected changes in climate, land use (including wastewater inputs), N deposition, and water use on river and lake water quantity and quality for the mid-21st century. The proposed land use changes were derived from catchment stakeholder workshops, and the assessment quantified changes in mean annual N and P concentrations and loads. At most of the sites, the projected effects of climate change alone on nutrient concentrations and loads were small, whilst land use changes had a larger effect and were of sufficient magnitude that, overall, a move to more environmentally focused farming achieved a reduction in N and P concentrations and loads despite projected climate change. However, at Beyşehir lake in Turkey, increased temperatures and lower precipitation reduced water flows considerably, making climate change, rather than more intensive nutrient usage, the greatest threat to the freshwater ecosystem. Individual site responses did however vary and were dependent on the balance of diffuse and point source inputs. Simulated lake chlorophyll-a changes were not generally proportional to changes in nutrient loading. Further work is required to accurately simulate the flow and water quality extremes and determine how reductions in freshwater N and P translate into an aquatic ecosystem response.

Prediction of Water Consumption in 31 Provinces of China Based on FGM(1,1) Model

AbstractHuman production activities and social development cannot be separated from the indispensable water resources. In recent years, with the increasing speed of China's economic development, the consumption of water resources has gradually become the focus of attention of the Chinese government and the public. Based on the original data of water use of 31 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) in China from 2014 to 2018, a fractional order accumulative gray prediction model (FGM(1,1)) is established to predict the water use of 31 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) in China in the short term, and the applicability of the model is verified by the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) value. According to the MAPE value, the data obtained by the FGM(1,1) model is relatively accurate. The prediction results show that in case of little change in total water consumption, agricultural water and industrial water use show a downward trend, while domestic water use shows an upward trend. The government's water management policy for urban residents needs to be adjusted, and the publicity work to improve the water‐saving awareness of urban residents needs to be improved.

Interannual variability of water productivity on the Eastern Snake Plain in Idaho, United States

Water productivity of crops must be increased to meet global demand for farm products while conserving limited water resources. Throughout the western United States, highly productive agricultural regions face more frequent and severe droughts and must allocate limited water resources among competing uses. Irrigated agriculture accounts for the majority of consumptive water use and has a proportionately important role in managing water shortage. Water productivity accounting helps inform objective decision making regarding these allocations at the regional, local, and farm scales. Publicly available data from several government agencies were re-analyzed and combined to quantify interannual changes in consumptive water use. Water productivity was determined using county-level crop survey data, satellite-based maps of evapotranspiration, and weather records for 21 counties located in the Eastern Snake Plain in the US state of Idaho for nine years during the period 2009–2019. Changes in water productivity over this period suggest trends that correspond to crop-specific irrigation practices, interannual variability in water supply, and regional attempts to curtail water consumption and improve water use efficiency. Results indicate that, at regional scales, water productivity for alfalfa can increase despite or as a result of water limited conditions, increasing from 0.5 to 1.75 kg ha-1 m-3 in some individual counties over the 10 year period, which may indicate increasingly efficient water use. Water productivity of barley and wheat crops also varied year to year, but did not demonstrate clear independence from total water consumption. Instead, irrigated areas and crops with adequate water supply follow a general trend of increased yield with increased water consumption, and the resulting water productivity approximately follows a linear function of actual evapotranspiration.

Technological change in water use: A mean-field game approach to optimal investment timing

The need for clean water is expected to substantially increase while further reductions of water availability in sufficient quantity and quality are projected owing to climate change and anthropogenic activities. Accordingly, the debate on water security has recently intensified and reached the intergovernmental arena. Industry is, in particular, one of the largest (non-consumptive) water users, accountable for massive toxic wastewater discharges and facing stringent and costly environmental oversight. However, the management of reservoirs is intricate and operational research must be further expanded to design tools that enhance water security while improving operators’ profitability.We therefore consider a game-theoretic framework to study the strategies adopted by a large group of similar producers sharing a water reservoir for their manufacturing activities. Each operator faces random demand for its outputs and chooses the optimal time to invest in a technology that ends its reliance on the reservoir. This technology introduces cost saving opportunities for the operator and benefits for the environment. Each producer therefore solves a so-called optimal stopping problem, and all problems are coupled through the reservoir level. We formulate the problem of finding a Nash equilibrium as a mean-field game (MFG) of optimal stopping. We then apply the model to the paper milling industry, an extensive water user facing a tightening of environmental regulations. This paper provides fresh insights into how to rethink the problem of technological change and water management, by offering an innovative application of operational research that builds on recent mathematical developments made in MFG theory.

Changes in dietary and water use habits after the Doce River contamination with mining tailings

The Fundão dam burst polluted watercourses with mining tailings and harmed cities bathed by Doce River, that might have changed eating habits. This study evaluated changes in dietary habits and water use in Araújos Island, Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, after contamination of the Doce River with mining tailings. Data were collected in residences through interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. Seventeen months after disaster, 73% of habitants changed water use habits, mainly for cooking (53%). Public supply water (PSW) was partially replaced for other sources, mainly mineral water. Additionally, 54% changed their dietary habits by reduction or interruption of the consumption of freshwater fish (50%), fruit (28%), vegetables (27%) and food made outside the home (40%). Most of them (96%) perceived an addition risk to food production after disaster. Financial (69%) and psychological (55%) damages as well as health risk (39%) were the negative effects most frequently mentioned. Only 13% positively evaluated the quality of PSW while 77% believe PWS may cause some type of damage in foods. Part (59%) did not believe in information regarding potability of PSW. These changes would be associated with healthier lifestyle habits, health risk perception about water quality and safety and lack of confidence about water potability.

Securing Biodiversity, Functional Integrity, and Ecosystem Services in Drying River Networks (DRYvER)

River networks are among Earth’s most threatened hot-spots of biodiversity and provide key ecosystem services (e.g., supply drinking water and food, climate regulation) essential to sustaining human well-being. Climate change and increased human water use are causing more rivers and streams to dry, with devastating impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Currently, more than a half of the global river networks consist of drying channels, and these are expanding dramatically. However, drying river networks (DRNs) have received little attention from scientists and policy makers, and the public is unaware of their importance. Consequently, there is no effective integrated biodiversity conservation or ecosystem management strategy of DRNs. A multidisciplinary team of 25 experts from 11 countries in Europe, South America, China and the USA will build on EU efforts to assess the cascading effects of climate change on biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ecosystem services of DRNs through changes in flow regimes and water use. DRYvER (DRYing riVER networks) will gather and upscale empirical and modelling data from nine focal DRNs (case studies) in Europe (EU) and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to develop a meta-system framework applicable to Europe and worldwide. It will also generate crucial knowledge-based strategies, tools and guidelines for economically-efficient adaptive management of DRNs. Working closely with stakeholders and end-users, DRYvER will co-develop strategies to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts in DRNs, integrating hydrological, ecological (including nature-based solutions), socio-economic and policy perspectives. The end results of DRYvER will contribute to reaching the objectives of the Paris Agreement and placing Europe at the forefront of research on climate change.

Potential impacts of future climate changes on agriculture

Climatic change impacts on agriculture, livestock and human health are being witnessed all around the world. The agricultural sector is a driving force in the gas emissions and land use effects thought to cause climate change. The agricultural food system is responsible for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Food availability is the most important issue that takes the priority places in the policies of all countries all over the world. The climatic change could affect agriculture in several ways; among these ways are productivity (in terms of quantity and quality of crops); agricultural practices (through changes of water use and agricultural inputs such as herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers). Moreover, climate change could affect food security, insects, plant diseases and weeds as global warming could lead to an increase in pest insect populations, harming yields of crops like wheat, soybeans, and corn. While warmer temperatures create longer growing seasons, and faster growth rates for plants, it also increases the metabolic rate and number of breeding cycles of insect populations.