Excessive Water Use Research Articles

Identifying the key attributes of fresh water crisis in Dhaka city: A structural equation modeling approach

Abstract This paper aims to analyze how user behavior and climate change influence the freshwater demand in metropolitan areas. In total, 406 observations were obtained from different respondents in Dhaka city via an online survey. Our research demonstrates that the data are reliable and acceptable for factor analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is adopted to show the relationships between the parameters. The model fit parameters (CFI, NFI, TLI, RMSEA, and so on) are used to choose the best structural equation (SE) model. Additionally, responses are analyzed by the relative importance index (RII) method and compared with the SEM results. This study shows that personal water waste and natural crises substantially impact the freshwater crisis. Excessive use of water during showering, washing clothing and dishes, washing vegetables, and pool refilling are the most common ways to wastewater. Furthermore, the ground layer in Dhaka city is gradually reducing due to the natural crisis, but the WASA pump's capacity is insufficient to pump up this water. This research aids policymakers in identifying the key attributes that are contributing to the urban freshwater crisis.

Genetic Divergence Analysis in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Germplasms under Sodic Soil

Background: Salt affected areas have increased day by day because of excessive use of irrigation water with improper drainage coupled with the poor quality of irrigation water. The assessment of genetic divergence existing in the germplasm collections is very important for success of hybridization programme leading to development of high yielding varieties. Methods: The experiment on 113 genotypes (aromatic and non-aromatic rice) including three checks viz., Sarjoo 52, FL 478 and CSR 10 (salt tolerant ) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was conducted to work out the genetic divergence. Result: The 113 genotypes were grouped in to eleven different non-overlapping clusters. Cluster II, having 20 genotypes, emerged with highest number of entries. The highest intra-cluster distance was found for cluster X. The maximum inter-cluster distance was recorded between cluster VII and XI. The highest cluster mean for grain yield per plant was observed in cluster III. Presence of substantial genetic diversity among the germplasm lines screened in the present study indicating that this material may serve as good source for selecting the diverse parents for further hybridization program aimed at isolating desirable segregants for grain yield and other important characters.

Factors Influencing Water Saving Measures and Water-Use Efficiency of Wheat Growers in Sindh, Pakistan

As the food supplies will have to be increased according to the growing population, water demand will be on the rise in the future. Therefore, improved water consumption patterns must be followed to match future food demands. The paper analyzes the farmer’s adoption of improved irrigation technology to avoid excessive irrigation water use in cultivating crops. In addition, this paper also investigated the factors influencing the water-use efficiency of the farmers. A total of 390 farmers who grew wheat crops were selected from the Naushahro Feroz and Benazirabad districts of Sindh, Pakistan. Socio-economic variables and efficiency scores of the respondents were taken as variables, and both binomial logistic and Tobit regression models were applied. Results indicated that household head’s experience and formal education have a positive and significant impact on their decision to adopt improved irrigation and their efficiency scores. The elasticities reveal that a 1 % increase in experience of farming possesses the probability of lining the water courses by 23%. Whereas, with the change of 1% in the formal education of respondents, the tendency to laser land leveling changed by 0.1%. In comparison, the distance of the farm from the canal and the area of the farm bears a negative impact on water conserving measures opted by them and their water-use efficiency scores. It was found that proper lining of the water courses, usage of drought tolerant varieties of crops, irrigation technology adoption, and laser land leveling were the measures taken to avoid the excessive use of irrigation water. These measures were found to significantly impact the water-use efficiency scores of sampled farmers. These findings might be helpful for researchers and policymakers to realize such factors influencing the adoption of farmers and their farm efficiency.

SEKTÖRLER ARASI SU REKABETİ VE HARRAN OVASI TARIM İŞLETMELERİNİN SULAMA ALGISI ÜZERİNE BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Son yüzyılda dünya nüfusu yaklaşık 4,4 kat artarken, su tüketimi ise yaklaşık 7,3 kat artmıştır. Tarım sektörü, dünyadaki su kaynaklarının yaklaşık %70’ini tüketmektedir. Sanayi, enerji ve belediye hizmetleri gibi sektörlerin de su talebi artmaktadır. Ortaya çıkan rekabet, diğer sektörlerin, tarım sektörünün kullandığı sudan pay talep etmeleri anlamına gelmektedir. Tarım sektörünün, yeni riskler barındıran bu gelişmelerden olumsuz yönde etkileneceği öngörülmektedir. Tarım, aşırı su kullanımı, su kıtlığı ve çevre kirliliği gibi negatif dışsallıklardan da sorumlu tutulmaktadır. Tarımda suyun aşırı ve verimsiz kullanılmasını etkileyen başlıca faktörler, üreticilerin suyun gerçek maliyetini ödememesi ve sulama konusundaki yanlış algılardır. Bu bağlamda, Harran Ovasındaki tarım işletmelerinin sulama algıları araştırılmıştır. Yüz yüze anket yoluyla elde edilen verilere tek yönlü varyans analizi uygulanmıştır. Araştırmadan çıkan en çarpıcı sonuç; üreticilerin %31,1’inin fazla su kullanmanın verimi arttıracağı algısı taşımalarıdır. Eğitim ve gelir bağımsız değişkenleri, “fazla su kullanımı verimi arttırır” bağımlı değişkeni açısından istatistiki olarak anlamlıdır (p

Raman spectroscopy for nutritional stress detection in plant vascular tissue

Next-generation agriculture must address its high energy-intensive resource utilization footprint such as excessive use of fertilizer and water. Plants are also sources of natural polymers (cellulose, lignin, and pectin) that have important implications in sustainable materials design. Hence healthy plant growth with optimum utilization and production is essential for future growth, which demands new technologies and sensors for on-field precision agriculture. Here we used Raman spectroscopy (RS) to non-invasively monitor soybean development, a plant of immense economic importance for fuel, feed, and food. We focus on its compositional changes at multiple time points as it transitions from the vegetative (or rapid growth) to the reproductive (or flowering) stage subjected to nitrogen and nutrient stress to identify several indicators of health. The longitudinal growth was severely limited under total nutritional stress. Simultaneously, the cell wall showed early lignification to control growth and allow for efficient transport of limited resources. Healthier plants showed activation of early defense mechanisms via tetraterpenes, greater protein production capacity via glutamic acid, and late lignification by week 12. Nitrogen stressed plants also showed stunted growth though they showed a similar defense mechanism and later lignification as the healthy condition. These differences in the concentrations of structural polymers, stress signaling molecules, and structural growth inhibitors at different time points and variable stress demonstrated the suitability of Raman spectroscopy for precision plant health monitoring. Development such as the current study is a step towards creating tools, devices, and computational models for next-generation farming.

“Inter Basin Water Transfer (IBWT)”-A Case Study on Krishna – Bhima Stabilization

Abstract: The interlinking of rivers involving inter basin water transfer has canals, tunnels or water lifts, for water to flow from one river basin to another and making use of excess water. In India rainfall independent on the south-west and north-east monsoons or on the shallow cyclonic depressions and disturbances and on violent local storms which form regions where cool humid winds of the sea meet the dry winds from the land and occasionally reach cyclonic dimension. Hence some areas are affected by the droughts while other areas are affected by seasonal floods. There is a general perception that with growing human population and rising standards of living, the available supplies of fresh water on the planet are becoming insufficient to meet demand. It will be scarce, expensive to develop and maintain and valuable in use.

MICROGREENS AS A FUNCTIONAL COMPONENT OF THE HUMAN DIET: A REVIEW

The alarming growth of chronic diseases is a major problem in Europe, and current data suggest an even greater burden in the future. Although genetic predispositions remain important determinants in the development of certain disorders, the appropriate diet can considerably minimize the risk of many diseases. Many plant species do, in fact, have health-promoting properties due to their high levels of physiologically active chemicals. Glucosinolates, vitamins, tocopherols, saponins, tannins, and other polyphenols have been shown to have beneficial impacts on human health, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, kidney, and Alzheimer's disease prevention. A new plant category known as microgreens has evolved as a rich source of vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and physiologically active chemicals against these backdrops. Microgreens could have 10 to 100 times more effective phytochemical concentrations than adult equivalents. Furthermore, they are environmentally cultured in regulated environments with no dirt, harmful residues, or excessive water use. However, existing limitations include uncertain methods of action, varying bioaccessibility, and a paucity of published clinical research. Indeed, microgreens could be a viable new food source for people who are interested in consuming healthy diets.

The effects of declining soil moisture levels on suitable maize cultivation areas in Northeast China

Soil moisture (SM) is the most direct and important source of crop water requirement. The change in SM levels and the maize water requirement (MWR) will, under the influence of climate change, lead to changes in the areas that are suitable for maize cultivation in Northeast China (NEC). To quantitatively investigate these changes, the study analyzed the spatiotemporal changes in the SM and MWR in NEC from 1961 to 2010 using Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) SM products, meteorological data and land use data. The following conclusions were reached: 1) In the past 50 years, there has been an obvious trend of soil drying in NEC, and the equivalent water thickness at the depth of 0–200 cm has decreased by 71.06 mm (12.78%), which is more serious in agricultural areas (77.09 mm, 13.86%). 2) From 1961 to 2010, the air temperature in NEC increased by about 1.8 °C in 50 years.. 3) The shortage in maize water calculated by SM and MWR showed that areas unsuitable for maize cultivation increased by approximately 66,250 km2, an area close to one-third of the dry farmland area in NEC; and 4) the slightly decreased precipitation and increased air temperature were the major driving factors for the decrease in the suitable maize cultivation area. If the maize was planted in unsuitable areas for a long time, it may lead to excessive use of groundwater and surface water. Therefore, these results provide a base for decision-making regarding adjustments to the cultivation structure in NEC.

Short daily ultraviolet exposure enhances intrinsic water-use efficiency and delays senescence in Micro-Tom tomato plants.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, unless present at high doses, is recognised as a regulator of plant growth and some specific processes. The present study investigated the influence of short daily UV irradiation (15min/day, 11days) on leaf gas exchange and some biochemical and molecular markers of leaf senescence (such as stomata movements, chlorophyll breakdown, anthocyanin production, senescence-associated genes) in Micro-Tom tomato plants. The UV-induced reduction of g s (stomatal conductance) during the treatment was associated with the modified expression of some genes involved in the control of stomatal movements. We hypothesise a two-step regulation of stomatal closure involving salicylic and abscisic acid hormones. The temporal changes of g s and A net (net photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate) along with the pigment behaviour, suggest a possible delay of leaf senescence in treated plants, confirmed by the expression levels of genes related to senescence such as SAG113 and DFR . The UV potential to induce a persistent partial inhibition of g s without severely affecting A net led to an increased iWUE (intrinsic water-use efficiency) during the 11-day treatment, suggesting a priming effect of short daily UV radiation towards drought conditions potentially useful in reducing the excess water use in agriculture.

Nondestructive Quantitative Analysis of Water Potential of Tomato Leaves Using Online Hyperspectral Imaging System

HighlightsWe developed an online measurement system for water potential of tomato plants using hyperspectral imaging.We used Linear Discriminant Analysis to automatically and quickly extract the leaf images.We used SNV scattering correction to remove the spectral variations caused by collecting the defocused leaf images.We developed a prediction model of leaf water potential based on spectral image information.Abstract. Tomatoes have different water requirements in each growing period. Excessive water use or insufficient water supply will affect the growth and yield of tomato plants. Therefore, precise irrigation control is necessary during cultivation to increase crop productivity. Traditionally, the soil moisture content or leaf water potential has been used as an indicator of plant water status. These methods, however, have limited accuracy and are time-consuming, making it difficult to be put into practice in tomato production. This study developed an online hyperspectral imaging system to measure the leaf water potential of tomato nondestructively. Linear Discriminant Analysis was utilized to automatically and quickly extract the leaf images, with the recognition accuracy of 94.68% was achieved. The mathematical processing of Standard Normal Variate scattering correction was used to remove the spectral variations caused by the defocused leave images. The developed leaf water potential prediction model based on the spectral image information attained using the developed system achieved the standard error of calibration of 0.201, coefficient of determination in calibration set of 0.814 and standard error of cross-validation of 0.230, and one minus the variance ratio of 0.755. The obtained performance indicated the feasibility of applying the developed online hyperspectral imaging system as a real-time non-destructive measurement technique for the leaf water potential of tomato plants. Keywords: Hyperspectral imaging system, Machine learning, Tomato, Water potential.

Evaluation of the use of prepaid water meter on some irrigation management performance indicators: A case study

Volume based pricing in irrigation is an important application method in solving excessive and illegal water use problems. It is essential to use a properly selected water meter to accurately measure the amount of water. In this study, the irrigation system performance of Kayack Water User Association (WUA) was comparatively analyzed for the years 2012 to 2017. The prepaid water meter has been used for water measurement in Kayacık irrigation scheme since 2015. While it could be irrigated on 11.754 ha in 2012, the irrigated area reached 19.528 ha in 2017. It was determined that there was a significant water saving and economic recovery after the installation of prepaid water meters in the irrigation scheme. The quantity of water, which was 7,414 m3ha-1 in 2012, decreased to 3,617 m3ha-1 in 2017. The cost recovery ratios were 76% and 107% in 2013 and 2017, respectively. Consequently, prepaid water meter usage provides so many advantages in service delivery, economics and productivity. In addition, the quantity of water discharged into the drainage canal has significantly decreased. It is recommended that prepaid water meter usage should be prevalence in irrigation operation.

Environmental degradation through mining for energy resources: The case of the shrinking Laguna Santa Rosa wetland in the Atacama Region of Chile

As the world strives to replace fossil fuels with clean energy – reflected by global surge in the number of electric vehicles – the environmental impact of mining all the lithium (Li) needed to enable such a transformation has become a problem in its own right. In South America, the biggest problem is the excessive use of water in Li extraction process in one of the driest areas in the world. Apart from causing severe friction over water rights between local communities and mining companies, it puts enormous pressure on the region's fragile and poorly understood wetland ecosystems. Wetlands are one of the most threatened ecosystems on the Earth, despite their great importance as habitats for a vast number of species and corresponding to one of the most productive environments. Present work is the outcome of an investigation on Laguna Santa Rosa's (LSR) vulnerability resulting from ongoing metal mining operations in its surroundings that require a large volume of water extracted from local aquifers, in addition to a high evaporation rate in the area. This groundwater-dependent wetland will soon be further vulnerable with the commencement of water-intensive Li mining at Salar de Maricunga, with the extraction project already having an environmental impact study approved. Sustainability of this wetland protected under the Ramsar Convention and home to numerous wildlife species habiting this highland sector of the Andean Cordillera is vital for the associated ecosystems. The variation in the water surface area of LSR has been deciphered through the application of a Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite image collection. This has been done both for the hydrological year 2016–2017 and 1993-2014 period. A decreasing trend in the water surface area of LSR, a hypersaline lake at the southern extreme of Salar de Maricunga, a salt flat in the Atacama Region of Chile, was observed through the study of satellite images between 1993 and 2014, showing shrinking of this wetland. However, this shrinking trend was punctuated by extreme rainfall and consequent flood with accumulated precipitation exceeding 40 mm in a single day and hourly mean rainfall rates higher than 10 mm/h recorded at several locations in the hyperarid Atacama Desert on March 25, 2015. This raised the lake's water level, and thus the areal extent of the lake water observed in the satellite images of the 2016–2017 hydrological year following the extreme weather events of 2015. The interplay of such extreme weather events and groundwater extraction for mining activities in the area complicates the assessment of the latter's effect on LSR, as the evaluation is constrained to the intervals between successive extreme weather events. In addition, the water level increases in summer because of the thawing of the snow. Close monitoring of the wetlands like LSR is essential to ensure their sustainability by considering both anthropic and climatic factors.

Impact of sewage water irrigation on agricultural soil

The rapidly increasing population growth and the steady increase in water requirements for agricultural and industrial development have placed severe stress on the water resources available and the long term use of sewage water for irrigation highly affects soil properties. In this study soil samples were collected from a cauliflower field prior and after sewage water irrigation, and the impact of sewage water irrigation on physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil was compared. For this, tested were pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon, available Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, Copper, Manganese, and microbial activity. Soil microbial biomass carbon, basal soil respiration, total viable count of bacteria, coliform population, Pseudomonas species, and Azotobacter significantly increased after sewage water irrigation as compared to prior to irrigation. Nevertheless, the bulk density and Rhizobium species of the soil flooded with sewage water was decreased relative to the same characteristics prior to irrigation. Cauliflower yield was significantly increased when sewage water flooded field as compared to the tube well water flooded field (i.e., water delivered via an iron pipe). Escherichia coli contamination was greater in sewage water and groundwater that can pose health risks for the nearby communities, to farmers and consumer of farm products. Hence, the efficient use of sewage and municipal wastewater successfully increase water resource for irrigation and may help in expanding agricultural production. But excessive use of sewage water may also affect the soil flora and fertility.

Development of sustainable, cost effective foam finishing approach for cellulosic textile employing succinic acid/xylitol crosslinking system

Clothing is an essential human need that must fulfil the purpose of protecting against weather in addition to satisfying the functional and aesthetic need without sacrificing serviceability and comfort. The escalating awareness about personal hygiene and environmental concerns, especially in the current frenzied world with a pandemic, has generated a huge demand for functional, ironing-free clothing with impeccable hygiene while maintaining the true spirit of sustainability in all three aspects i.e. performance, chemical, and process domains. Conventional textile processing is highly unsustainable in terms of the excessive use of water, energy, and toxic chemicals. In this study, we introduced a sustainable foam processing method for the development of easy-care textile with improved physical, aesthetic, and comfort performance while maintaining zero toxicity in the finishing formulation. Foam of the succinic acid crosslinker was systematically optimized using natural thickeners as the stabilizing agents. Xylitol was introduced in the recipe as an extender to promote crosslinking. The finished sample of the optimized foam formulation showed remarked improvement of 32% in strength and 13% in stiffness with comparable easy-care performance as that of the conventional padded sample. The unparallel dominancy and sustainability of the foaming process were established through a detailed cost and effectiveness index which heralded the rapid adaptation and industrialization.

Tapping into the physiological responses to mistletoe infection during heat and drought stress.

Mistletoes are important co-contributors to tree mortality globally, particularly during droughts. In Australia, mistletoe distributions are expanding in temperate woodlands, while their hosts have experienced unprecedented heat and drought stress in recent years. We investigated whether the excessive water use of mistletoes increased the probability of xylem emboli in a mature woodland during the recent record drought that was compounded by multiple heatwaves. We continuously recorded transpiration ($T_{SLA}$) of infected and uninfected branches from two eucalypt species over two summers, monitored stem and leaf water potentials ($\Psi $) and used hydraulic vulnerability curves to estimate percent loss in conductivity (PLC) for each species. Variations in weather (vapor pressure deficit, photosynthetically active radiation, soil water content), host species and % mistletoe foliage explained 78% of hourly $T_{SLA}$. While mistletoe acted as an uncontrollable sink for water in the host even during typical summer days, daily $T_{SLA}$ increased up to 4-fold in infected branches on hot days, highlighting the previously overlooked importance of temperature stress in amplifying water loss in mistletoes. The increased water use of mistletoes resulted in significantly decreased host $\Psi _{\rm{leaf}}$ and $\Psi _{\rm{trunk}}$. It further translated to an estimated increase of up to 11% PLC for infected hosts, confirming greater hydraulic dysfunction of infected trees that place them at higher risk of hydraulic failure. However, uninfected branches of Eucalyptus fibrosa F.Muell. had much tighter controls on water loss than uninfected branches of Eucalyptus moluccana Roxb., which shifted the risk of hydraulic failure towards an increased risk of carbon starvation for E. fibrosa. The contrasting mechanistic responses to heat and drought stress between both co-occurring species demonstrates the complexity of host-parasite interactions and highlights the challenge in predicting species-specific responses to biotic agents in a warmer and drier climate.

IoT-based Home Water Monitoring using Arduino

There are many problems related to water in Indonesia, ranging from floods to water crises. One of the things we can do is manage water consumption so that we can use water effectively and wisely. The problem of excessive anggd unwise water use can be overcome by water consumption management.. In this study, a water consumption management system incc the household is created, which includes monitoring and control so that we can monitor and control it and also have a history of daily water use. The system will be made using Arduino Uno as controller and will be displayed on the LCD and the website. Based on research, the following conclusions were obtained: Successfully implemented IoT based home water monitoring using Arduino, Successfully designed a tool for water tank management based on Arduino Uno, the results obtained by the tool can detect when the water is full, and the water pump turns off automatically so that the water does not fill again and the tank will not be full. The average error of this system is 6.16 %. The bigger volume will make the error value decrease.

Assessing fish community response to water quality and habitat stressors in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The degradation of freshwater ecosystems can be attributed to stressors associated with the increased demand for water and other aquatic resources. Freshwater ecosystems face such challenges in supporting agriculture, industry, and high-density urban areas in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa. In this study, the presence of fish species and their abundance was quantified at 40 sites in KZN on 16 major rivers systems. Surveys were done during a drought period between February 2015 and April 2016, as part of the River Health Programme, a national river monitoring assessment. The Fish Response Assessment Index (FRAI) was used to evaluate the condition of the sites, and redundancy analysis was used to evaluate the habitat, water quality and fish community relationships. The FRAI scores showed four sites to be in a ‘Seriously Modified’ condition. These areas were associated with intensive agricultural activities and urban environments. The presence of invasive fish species, abstraction and industrial use all had negative impacts on the ecological state of the rivers. When compounded by excessive water use, the drought resulted in poor fish community integrity, highlighting the vulnerability of fish communities in this region. The absence or low abundances of some indigenous fish alongside the high presence of invasive fish requires additional investigation. Results highlight the importance of mitigation measures against anthropogenic impacts should be enforced to ensure sustainable use of KZN water resources.

PRODUCTION COST AND WATER SAVINGS OF PADDY PRODUCED BY DRIP IRRIGATION

Although there are different opinions on climate variability and global warming, it is a common idea in all hypotheses that water will become even more scarce. The water used in the production of paddy, which is one of the most important food sources for the majority of the population in the world, is too much due to the irrigation method. The average global water footprint of paddy production is reported as 1.391 billion m3/year. Considering this amount, it can be seen that paddy has an enormous environmental footprint. Excessive water use causes both waste of scarce resource water and numerous environmental problems during production. The most important reason for flooded production is the ability of paddy to grow/develop in water and to have a less competitive capacity with weeds. However, when rice is grown with drip irrigation, which is one of the irrigation methods that save water with high efficiency, significant increases in both yield and quality occur. Studies are showing that 50-74.6% water saving is achieved in paddy production with drip irrigation depending on the region, climate, soil, variety, producer habits, and similar situations. In addition, the cost of one kilogram of paddy produced in the drip irrigation system in the conditions of Canakkale province of Turkey has been calculated as 0.35 $. This value has been calculated as 0.44 $ in the flooded method. In addition, methane, carbon dioxide, and Nitrous oxide emissions are significantly reduced due to the transition from anaerobic to aerobic conditions. In this way, greenhouse gas emissions, other environmental negative effects, and especially groundwater pollution caused by paddy production can be reduced.

Tree mortality and regeneration of Euphrates poplar riparian forests along the Tarim River, Northwest China

BackgroundTree mortality and regeneration (seedling and sapling recruitment) are essential components of forest dynamics in arid regions, especially where subjected to serious eco-hydrological problems. In recent decades, the mortality of the Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica) along the Tarim River in Northwest China has increased. However, few studies have quantified the causes of mortality and regeneration in this azonal riparian forest type.MethodsThe present study describes the annual hydrological response of tree mortality and regeneration in forest gaps. A total of 60 canopy gaps were investigated in six replicate grid plots (50 m × 50 m) and the annual runoff and water consumption data during the period of 1955–2016 were collected from hydrological stations in the middle reaches of the Tarim River. We compared the regeneration density of seedlings and saplings within the canopy gap areas (CGAs), undercanopy areas (UCAs), and uncovered riverbank areas (RBAs) through detailed field investigation.ResultsOur study found that the mortality of young and middle-aged gap makers has increased remarkably over recent decades, particularly since the year 1996. The main results indicated that regional water scarcity was the primary limiting factor for long-term changes in tree mortality, as shown by a significant correlation between the diameter at breast height (DBH) of dead trees and the annual surface water. The average density (or regeneration rate) of seedlings and saplings was highest in the RBAs, intermediate in the CGAs, and lowest in the UCAs. Compared with the UCAs, the CGAs promote tree regeneration to some extent by providing favorable conditions for the survival and growth of seedlings and saplings, which would otherwise be suppressed in the understory. Furthermore, although the density of seedlings and saplings in the CGAs was not as high as in the RBAs, the survival rate was higher in the CGAs than in the RBAs.ConclusionForest canopy gaps in floodplain areas can play a decisive role in the long-term germination and regeneration of plant species. However, as a typical phreatophyte in this hyper-arid region, the ecosystem structure, functions and services of this fragile P. euphratica floodplain forests are threatened by a continuous decrease of water resources, due to excessive water use for agricultural irrigation, which has resulted in a severe reduction of intact poplar forests. Furthermore, the survival of seedlings and saplings is influenced by light availability and soil water at the regional scale. Our findings suggest that policymakers may need to reconsider the restoration and regeneration measures implemented in riparian P. euphratica forests to improve flood water efficiency and create canopy gaps. Our results provide with valuable reference information for the conservation and sustainable development of floodplain forest ecosystems.

Assessing the Impact of Water Efficiency Policies on Qatar’s Electricity and Water Sectors

Water and electricity have a unique relationship in the modern world as one requires the other in a complex system of networks to supply the utility to the customers. This energy–water interaction is especially peculiar in the Gulf Cooperation Council, where there are limited water resources, but extremely high use rates. Qatar provides a unique case in terms of extreme water scarcity and excessive water use. To understand the intricate network, this paper establishes an updated and comprehensive qualitative model of the water system in the country with the help of a water balance and system dynamics (causal loop diagram) methodology. Regression estimates are then used to estimate future water and energy consumption in addition to carbon dioxide emissions until the year 2050. Finally, system dynamics (stock and flow diagram) is used to determine the supply impacts of efficiency policies including limiting of groundwater abstraction to only 50 million m3, reduction of water consumption in the household, commercial and industrial sector by 10%, and gradual increase in the share of reverse osmosis (RO)-produced desalinated water to 50% in order to assess the supply volume, electricity consumption and CO2 emissions. The efficient use of water in different sectors of the economy results in a combined saving of 1222 GWh (8.1%) or 594,000 tons CO2. Furthermore, by moving to membrane-based desalination technology energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by 3672 GWh (24.3%) and 1.8 million tons CO2, respectively. Further results suggest that while replacing groundwater with desalinated water can increase the energy consumption significantly, reuse of treated wastewater has almost the same footprint as groundwater, but can increase the resilience of the system considerably as groundwater abstraction levels are lowered to their renewal rates.