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We used an adapted water resources ecological footprint model with two sub-models to assess water resources' status and usage. One sub-model is the water consumption ecological footprint, encompassing household, productive, and ecological consumption. The other is the water pollution ecological footprint, analysing primary pollution indicators: chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen. Results revealed that 89% of the total water resources ecological footprint was attributed to consumption, whereas only 11% was due to pollution. We found a gradual increase in the water resources ecological footprint from 2010 to 2020, with Xi'an consistently exhibiting the highest value. Despite a slight reduction in water resources ecological pressure due to new environmental policies, the carrying capacity declined annually. Encouragingly, there was a noticeable improvement in water use efficiency. This study advances theory and implementation of water resources ecological footprint, and elucidates the interrelationship among economic development, water resource pressure, and utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to water scarcity in the Bashang area of northwest Hebei Province, a cold and arid region in north China, and to address the diminishing groundwater levels caused by pumping irrigation, this study investigated the impact of rainwater tank size and water supply on kidney beans production in greenhouses under various precipitation scenarios to determine the production potential and development strategies for regional precipitation resources. Under the background of average annual precipitation, kidney bean yield increased with increasing reservoir volume and shorter irrigation cycles. Under a 4-day irrigation cycle, the water demand satisfaction rate of kidney beans reached 100% water demand when the rainwater tank size was 15.7 m3. Against the wide variation in multi-year regional precipitation from 1992 to 2023, the annual effect of rainwater harvest was simulated using precipitation data collected 20 years with an 80% precipitation guarantee rate. The average minimum yield reduction rate obtained was 9.4%, and the corresponding minimum rainwater tank size was 29.5 m3. By superimposing the rainwater harvested in the shed and nonshed areas, the volume of the reservoir without yield reduction could be reduced to 20.0 m3. The sum of discharged and inventory water was much greater than the water scarcity in each water supply situation. Simulating and analyzing the effect of the relationship between rainwater tank size and water supply on rainwater harvesting in regional farmland by year provides important data affecting the construction of regional rainwater storage facilities and water supply efficiency. To achieve a high, stable yield of kidney beans grown in a greenhouse with shed film and shed area rainwater harvesting in north China, 2.6 m3 supplementary groundwater irrigation is still needed during the annual growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Studying the spatiotemporal changes of groundwater storage （GWS） and its sustainable spatiotemporal evolution characteristics in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin can provide a valuable reference for the sustainable and rational development of water resources in the Yellow River Basin. Methods: The changes of terrestrial water storage (TWS) and GWS in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin from April 2002 to December 2022 were estimated using Masson data and spherical harmonic (SH) data from GRACE (gravity recovery and climate experience) and GRACE-FO (GRACE follow on) gravity satellites, combined with prior hydrological models, and their temporal and spatial variation characteristics were also analyzed. The sustainability index (SI) of water resources in the study area was further calculated to evaluate the sustainability of regional groundwater. And the correlation and contribution of precipitation change, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), evapotranspiration (ET) and regional GWS were discussed. Results: The change of GWS in the study area showed an overall downward trend at a rate of approximately －3.89 ± 0.37 mm / a, and showed obvious spatial characteristics of the difference between the southern and northern values, which was consistent with the monitoring results of the measured wells (correlation was approximately 0.73). During the study period, the regional groundwater was almost in a state of severe unsustainability, and the spatial sustainability also gradually decreased from south to north, with an average sustainability index of only 0.38. The size of the contribution measure shows that NDVI has the greatest impact on the change of GWS in the study area, ET has the second highest impact，and the rainfall has the smallest; there was a significant negative correlation between NDVI, ET and regional GWS changes (correlation coefficients were approximately －0.76 and －0.77, respectively). The rainfall in the south and north of the study area was positively correlated with the corresponding GWS changes (correlation coefficients were approximately 0.54 and 0.50, respectively). Conclusions: This study effectively evaluated the changes of TWS and GWS in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin over the past 20 years, and reasonably evaluated the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of groundwater sustainability in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, as well as the correlation between external influences and GWS [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban lifeline safety project is a major national livelihood project, which ensures the safe operation of urban gas, water, electricity and other systems. Nowadays, the project is confronted with three types of difficulties: Difficulties in mechanism discovery and experimental reproduction; difficulties in risk detection and early identification, and difficulties in accurate early warning and collaborative prevention and control. In order to reveal the mechanism and reproduce the experiments, a full-size urban lifeline multihazard large-scale scientific device is firstly developed in the world, a series of dis-aster modes with 5 categories and 169 kinds of disasters coupled are established, based on which a comprehensive risk dynamic assessment method coupled with underground pipelines and above-ground disaster-bearing body is presented. To improve the risk detection and early identification, highly sensitive gas sensing laser chip as well as detector with active grating and wavelength-biased are invented. We develop an intelligent ball for leakage located in water supply pipe network based on the inertial guidance, force balance, acoustic spectrum and Bei Dou. Bridge overall modal (fingerprint) monitoring technology is break-through. In order to solve the problem of accurate early warning and collaborative prevention and control, an urban lifeline safety risk physical heuristic artificial intelligence early warning technology is presented, based on which a monitoring and early warning system is developed with collaborative sensing, fusion monitoring, targeting early warning, linkage response and other functions. The related studies result in the development of the safety and emergency response industry, followed by the pioneering and substantial contributions to the prevention and control of urban lifeline risks [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil phosphorus (P) availability affects plant growth and distribution. However, it is still unknown how sex‐specific variation in functional traits affects plants' P acquisition and soil P transformation. On wet sites, female poplars had a greater specific root length (SRL), and a higher diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphate‐solubilizing bacteria (PSB). Male poplars living on wet sites increased the abundance of AMF and PSB communities and enhanced moderately labile and highly resistant organic P mineralisation via increased phosphatase activity. In contrast, on the dry site, the abundance and diversity of AMF and PSB communities increased in females, enhancing moderately labile and highly resistant organic P mineralisation via elevating phosphatase activities. Males maintained greater SRL and promoted Ca‐P mobilisation via the release of root carboxylic acids and rhizosphere acidification on the dry site. The AMF community diversity followed a similar pattern as that of the PSB community when altering the P availability of different‐sex plants. Our results indicated that organic P and Ca‐P are the major sources of plant‐available P in natural P. euphratica forests. Seasonal shifts and geographic locations affected the share of organic and inorganic P pools, and AMF and PSB diversities, ultimately altering sex‐specific P acquisition strategies of plants. Summary statement: Sex‐specific physiological and physiochemical adjustments of plants to soil water variation differentially regulate organic P mineralisation and inorganic P source mobilisation and accelerate biogeochemical P cycling in soil, which predicts the impact of climate change on soil P biogeochemical processes and sex ratio segregation in natural P. euphratica forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embolism resistance of xylem tissue varies among species and is an important trait related to drought resistance, with anatomical attributes like pit membrane thickness playing an important role in avoiding embolism spread. Grafted Citrus trees are commonly grown in orchards, with the rootstock being able to affect the drought resistance of the whole plant. Here, we evaluated how rootstocks affect the vulnerability to embolism resistance of the scion using several rootstock/scion combinations. Scions of 'Tahiti' acid lime, 'Hamlin', 'Pera' and 'Valencia' oranges grafted on a 'Rangpur' lime rootstock exhibit similar vulnerability to embolism. In field‐grown trees, measurements of leaf water potential did not suggest significant embolism formation during the dry season, while stomata of Citrus trees presented an isohydric response to declining water availability. When 'Valencia' orange scions were grafted on 'Rangpur' lime, 'IAC 1710' citrandarin, 'Sunki Tropical' mandarin or 'Swingle' citrumelo rootstocks, variation in intervessel pit membrane thickness of the scion was found. The 'Rangpur' lime rootstock, which is known for its drought resistance, induced thicker pit membranes in the scion, resulting in higher embolism resistance than the other rootstocks. Similarly, the rootstock 'IAC 1710' citrandarin generated increased embolism resistance of the scion, which is highly relevant for citriculture. Summary statement: Different Citrus rootstocks influence scion vulnerability to embolism, with 'Rangpur' lime inducing less vulnerability and thicker pit membranes. Besides, in field‐grown trees, measurements of leaf water potential did not suggest significant embolism formation even during the dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] This study aims to explore the variation characteristics of streamflow components and baseflow index (BFI) in the Tuweihe River Basin, to clarify the impact of environmental factors on their variations, to identify the dominant factors, and to provide scientific basis for watershed water resources management. [Methods] Tuweihe River Basin in the middle reaches of the Yellow River was taken as the study area. The changes of surface runoff, baseflow and baseflow index (BFI) during the period 1958-2017 were analyzed. The correlation analysis and elasticity coefficient methods were employed to qualitatively and quantitively analyze the influence of environmental factors on them. [Results] The surface runoff and baseflow significantly decreased at a rate of 4.55 and 9.73 mm/decade (p<0.01), respectively, while the BFI showed a significant upward trend (p<0.05). Surface runoff (or baseflow, BFI) was highly sensitive to the changes in potential evapotranspiration, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and volumetric soil water. The changes in NDVI and potential evapotranspiration contributed to the majority of the changes in surface runoff (-34% and -29%), baseflow (-39% and -29%), and BFI (33% and 31%). [Conclusion] The direct and potential hydrological effects of vegetation restoration play an important role in reducing the streamflow components. The changes of streamflow components as well as their relations to environmental changes provide a theoretical basis for the sustainability of water resources and vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aims of this study are to reveal the variation characteristics and future evolution trend of water surface evaporation in the Shule River Basin, to better understand the dynamic changes of water resources in the basin, so as to provide decision support for the planning and management of water resources utilization in the region. [Methods] Based on the monthly and yearly water surface evaporation data of four hydrology stations in Changmabao, Shuangtabao Reservoir, Dangcheng Bay and Danghe Reservoir from 1980 to 2020, linear dip rate, sliding t test, R/S analysis, BP neural network and other analysis methods were used to examine the characteristics of surface evaporation changes in the past 40 years, and the future evaporation and its change trend were predicted. [Results](1) The annual variation of water surface evaporation at all stations in the Shule River Basin showed a decreasing trend during 1980—2020, and the trend rate of each station was ranked as: Shuangtabao Reservoir Station(-187.10 mm/decade)>Danghe Reservoir Station(-178.20 mm/decade)>Changmabao Station(-33.00 mm/decade)>Dangchengwan Station(-30.00 mm/decade), among which the decrease trend of Shuangtabao Reservoir and Danghe Reservoir Station was very significant.(2) The water surface evaporation of Changmabao, Shuangtapao Reservoir and Danghe Reservoir Stations showed a decreasing trend in all seasons, while that of Dangchengwan Station showed an insignificant increasing trend in spring and a decreasing trend in other seasons.(3) The mutation years of Changmabao, Dangcheng Bay, Shuangtabao Reservoir and Danghe Reservoir were 2004, 2015, 2007 and 2007, respectively.(4) The uneven coefficient and concentration of evaporation on the surface of the basin showed a decreasing trend as a whole.(5) It is predicted that the evaporation of water surface will continue to show a downward trend in 2021—2026. [Conclusion] On the whole, the annual and seasonal water surface evaporation in the Shule River Basin shows a decreasing trend, and it also shows a decreasing trend in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to analyze the pollution characteristics and human health risks of heavy metals in water around Poyang Lake, 18 surface water samples were collected around Poyang Lake. The sources and distribution of heavy metals in water were analyzed, and the health risks of heavy metals in water were evaluated according to the risk assessment model of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The main cations of the water in the study area are Ca2+, and the anions are HCO3, SOf-- and Cl-. The hydrochemical genesis is mainly rock weathering and mineral hydrolysis, which is partly controlled by atmospheric precipitation. The average concentration of heavy metal elements in surface water is Fe>Ea>Mn〉Mo>Zn>Cu>Ni>Pb. Fe, Mo, Ni and Mn have different degrees of exceeding the standard, which mainly comes from fertilizer application, factory emissions and other activities. The HQder and HI>1 of Mo for children and adults, and the HQder and HI〉1 of Ba for children, it will causes great harm to human health. The study provides a scientific basis for the protection of water resources around Poyang Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The McMurdo Dry Valleys in Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, are known for their extreme aridity, cold, and nutrient‐poor conditions. These valleys provide a valuable comparison to environments on Mars. The survival of microorganisms in these areas hinges on their ability to withstand dehydration due to the limited availability of liquid water. Some microorganisms have adapted to survive extended periods of metabolic inactivity and dehydration, a physiological response to the harsh conditions in which they exist. This adaptation is significant for astrobiology studies as it allows for testing the resilience of microorganisms under extraterrestrial conditions, exploring the boundaries and potential for life beyond Earth. In this study, we examined the survivability, metabolic activity, cellular membrane integrity, and ultrastructural damage of Cryomyces antarcticus, a eukaryotic organism used for astrobiological studies, following two dehydration processes. We conducted a fast dehydration process, simulating what happens on the surface of Antarctic rocks under typical environmental conditions, and a slow dehydration process, which is commonly used in astrobiological experiments. Our findings revealed a higher percentage of damaged cells following slow dehydration treatments, confirming that rapid dehydration reflects the adaptability of microorganisms to respond to sudden and drastic changes in the Antarctic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water service area dataset, derived from the National Boundary Dataset for public‐supply water systems in the United States, offers a detailed resolution surpassing county‐level assessments, emphasizing water‐centric land use. Crucial for linking populations and infrastructure to system withdrawals, it supports the creation of a national public‐supply water‐use model, enhancing accuracy in estimating water use and distinguishing between publicly supplied and self‐supplied domestic water use. Integrating tabular water system data strengthens the national water‐use model by enabling tracking of withdrawal locations, source water, and water quality. Evaluated against U.S. Census‐derived population datasets, 16 state‐provided water service area datasets, and two national land use datasets, the study covers 22,849 community water systems, excluding most small systems serving fewer than 1000 people. Robust correlations between water service areas (WSAs) and satellite‐sourced urban and exurban land use types facilitate tracking changes over time. A comparison of state and national datasets for population and WSAs reveals discrepancies ranging from 5% to 73% in state‐level populations and 0% to 167% in state‐level WSAs. Significant differences can be attributed to the exclusion of sizable incorporated and unincorporated areas in the state‐based datasets. Additional comparisons of major metropolitan areas exhibit differences ranging from 2% to 56%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in hydrological extremes, including drought, are expected for Amazon forests. A fundamental challenge for predicting forest responses lies in identifying ecological strategies which underlie such responses. Characterization of species-specific hydraulic strategies for regulating water-use, thought to be arrayed along an 'isohydric–anisohydric' spectrum, is a widely used approach. However, recent studies have questioned the usefulness of this classification scheme, because its metrics are strongly influenced by environments, and hence can lead to divergent classifications even within the same species. Here, we propose an alternative approach positing that individual hydraulic regulation strategies emerge from the interaction of environments with traits. Specifically, we hypothesize that the vertical forest profile represents a key gradient in drought-related environments (atmospheric vapor pressure deficit, soil water availability) that drives divergent tree water-use strategies for coordinated regulation of stomatal conductance (gs) and leaf water potentials (ΨL) with tree rooting depth, a proxy for water availability. Testing this hypothesis in a seasonal eastern Amazon forest in Brazil, we found that hydraulic strategies indeed depend on height-associated environments. Upper canopy trees, experiencing high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), but stable soil water access through deep rooting, exhibited isohydric strategies, defined by little seasonal change in the diurnal pattern of gs and steady seasonal minimum ΨL. In contrast, understory trees, exposed to less variable VPD but highly variable soil water availability, exhibited anisohydric strategies, with fluctuations in diurnal gs that increased in the dry season along with increasing variation in ΨL. Our finding that canopy height structures the coordination between drought-related environmental stressors and hydraulic traits provides a basis for preserving the applicability of the isohydric-to-anisohydric spectrum, which we show here may consistently emerge from environmental context. Our work highlights the importance of understanding how environmental heterogeneity structures forest responses to climate change, providing a mechanistic basis for improving models of tropical ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire-prone landscapes experience frequent fires, disrupting above-ground biomass and altering below-ground soil nutrient availability. Augmentation of leaf nutrients or leaf water balance can both reduce limitations to photosynthesis and facilitate post-fire recovery in plants. These modes of fire responses are often studied separately and hence are rarely compared. We hypothesized that under severe burning, woody plants of a coastal scrub ecosystem would have higher rates of photosynthesis (A net) than in unburned areas due to a transient release from leaf nutrient and water limitations, facilitating biomass recovery post-burn. To compare these fire recovery mechanisms in regrowing plants, we measured leaf gas exchange, leaf and soil N and P concentrations, and plant stomatal limitations in Australian native coastal scrub species across a burn sequence of sites at 1 year after severe fire, 7 years following a light controlled fire, and decades after any fire at North Head, Sydney, Australia. Recent burning stimulated increases in A net by 20% over unburned trees and across three tree species. These species showed increases in total leaf N and P as a result of burning of 28% and 50% for these macronutrients, respectively, across the three species. The boost in leaf nutrients and stimulated leaf biochemical capacity for photosynthesis, alongside species-specific stomatal conductance (g s) increases, together contributed to increased photosynthetic rates after burning compared with the long-unburned area. Photosynthetic stimulation after burning occurred due to increases in nutrient concentrations in leaves, particularly N, as well as stomatal opening for some species. The findings suggest that changes in species photosynthesis and growth with increased future fire intensity or frequency may be facilitated by changes in leaf physiology after burning. On this basis, species dominance during regrowth depends on nutrient and water availability during post-fire recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the irrigation water demand due to solar radiation in high-tech greenhouses using hydroponic systems in Turkey's Mediterranean and continental climates, and to determine the annual water consumption and storage capacity with harvested rainwater. Intensive greenhouse cultivation and the recent increase in modern greenhouse cultivation were important factors in selecting the provinces for the study. The chosen provinces were Antalya and Adana, with a Mediterranean climate, and Afyonkarahisar and Kırşehir, with a continental climate. In this research, depending on the production period, the amount of water consumed per unit of area in greenhouses in Antalya, which has a Mediterranean climate, was determined to be 1173.52 L m−2 per yr−1, and in Adana, it was 1109.18 L m−2 per yr−1. In the provinces of Afyonkarahisar and Kırşehir, where a continental climate prevails, water consumption was calculated to be 1479.11 L m−2 per yr−1 and 1370.77 L m−2 per yr−1, respectively. Storage volumes for the provinces of Antalya, Adana, Afyonkarahisar and Kırşehir were found to be 438.39 L m−2, 122.71 L m−2, 42.12 L m−2 and 43.65 L m−2, respectively. For the provinces of Antalya, Adana, Afyonkarahisar and Kırşehir, the rates of rainwater harvesting and meeting plants' water consumption were calculated to be 80.79%, 54.27%, 27.47% and 25.16%, respectively. In addition, the amount of water fee savings that could be achieved by rainwater harvesting was calculated to be USD 901.3 per yr−1 for Antalya, USD 835.3 per yr−1 for Adana, USD 247.6 per yr−1 for Afyonkarahisar and USD 210.2 per yr−1 for Kırşehir. As a result, rainwater harvesting will not only provide economic gain to enterprises but will also be important in reducing the negative effects of irregular rainfall regimes caused by climate change on underground and surface water resources. It was also concluded that enterprises should focus on popularizing rainwater harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscanthus is a perennial grass that can yield substantial amounts of biomass in land areas considered marginal. In the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina, marginal lands are typically located in coarse‐textured soils with low nutrient retention and water‐holding capacity, and high erosivity potential. Little is known about miscanthus water use under these conditions. We conducted a study to better understand the efficiency with which miscanthus uses natural resources such as water and radiant energy to produce harvestable dry biomass in comparison to corn, a typical commodity crop grown in the region. We hypothesized that under non‐limiting soil water conditions, miscanthus would have greater available energy and water use rates owing to its greater leaf area, thus leading to greater agronomic yields. Conversely, these effects would be negated under drought conditions. Our measurements showed that miscanthus intercepted more radiant energy than corn, which led to greater albedo (by 0.05), lower net radiation (by 4% or 0.4 MJ m−2 day−1), and lower soil heat flux (by 69% or 1.0 MJ m−2 day−1) than corn on average. Consequently, miscanthus had greater available energy (by 7% or 0.6 MJ m−2 day−1) and water use rates (by 14% or 0.5 mm day−1) than corn throughout the growing season on average, which partially confirmed our hypothesis. Greater water use rates and radiation interception by miscanthus did not translate to greater water‐use (1.5 g kg−1 vs. 1.6 g kg−1) and radiation‐use (0.9 g MJ−1 vs. 1.1 g MJ−1) efficiencies than corn. Compared to literature values, our data indicated that water and radiation availability were not limiting at our study site. Thus, it is likely that marginal land features present at the Coastal Plain region such as low soil fertility and high air temperatures throughout the growing season may constrain agronomic yields even if soil water and radiant energy are non‐limiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water deficit priming through regulated deficit irrigation has been shown to be beneficial for peanut cultivation, leading to improved water‐use efficiency during the crop cycle and enhanced stress acclimation. The effects of priming using water deficit can be heritable, but little is known about stress priming effects on the physiology and growth of successive generations undergoing water stress. Two experiments were conducted to assess cross‐generational priming by determining physiological and growth responses of offspring of primed and non‐primed peanut plants of two genotypes, COC‐041 and New Mexico Valencia C (NMV‐C), both previously found to be strongly responsive to priming. Seeds were collected from parental plants subjected to mild water stress by regulated deficit irrigation (primed) or adequate irrigation (non‐primed). These seeds were then planted, and the offspring were monitored for physiological and growth responses to water stress, including on a whole‐plant basis using a high‐throughput physiological phenotyping platform and on individual leaves by periodic single‐leaf measurements. Measurements included whole‐plant transpiration (plant‐Tr), root water uptake, leaf transpiration, stomatal conductance and net CO2 assimilation (leaf‐Tr, leaf‐gs, and leaf‐A), leaf water and osmotic potential (leaf‐Ψw and leaf‐Ψo), leaf osmotic adjustment, leaf relative water content (leaf‐RWC) and cumulative plant‐Tr. Offspring of both genotypes from primed parent plants had faster early establishment, with more uniform germination, and more rapid initial seedling growth compared to offspring from non‐primed parent plants. Although offspring of both non‐primed and primed plants of both genotypes exhibited a significant reduction of plant‐Tr, gas exchange, leaf‐Ψw, leaf‐Ψo, and leaf‐RWC when exposed to water stress, offspring of primed plants showed increased water use efficiency through reduced leaf‐gs, leaf‐Tr and plant‐Tr while maintaining leaf‐A under water stress. Despite offspring of both primed and non‐primed plants being susceptible to severe water stress, offspring of primed plants exhibited overall enhanced water use efficiency, leading to greater dry biomass production per gram of transpired water and a trend of less growth reduction due to water stress compared to offspring of non‐primed plants, especially for the genotype COC‐041. This study shows the potential of water deficit priming to promote cross‐generational changes in physiological function under limited water availability, by enhancing crop stress acclimation in the next plant generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice–wheat rotation cropland is one of the most important agroecosystems in South China, the escalation of conflict between food demand augment and water supply shortage increased with climate change. Water use efficiency plays a more significant role in optimising water and carbon management. Thus, the diurnal and seasonal variations of water use efficiency were assessed by the 3‐year eddy covariance observations in the Shouxian National Observatory, a typical rice–wheat rotation station. The results revealed a 'U'‐shaped diurnal pattern of water use efficiency for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.). Seasonal water use efficiency had two peaks with the highest in the winter wheat‐growing season. The average water use efficiency for the rice–wheat rotation cropland was 2.85 g C kg−1 H2O over the whole year with 2.62 and 3.11 g C kg−1 H2O for winter wheat and rice, respectively. However, gross primary productivity and evapotranspiration of rice were higher than those of winter wheat. Temperature, photosynthetically active radiation were the principal impact factors of water use efficiency in the rice‐growing season. Comparatively, soil water and vapour pressure deficit dominated the water use efficiency changes in the winter wheat‐growing season. Our analyses can help understand the water use requirements for carbon assimilation on rice–wheat rotation cropland on the field scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the relationship between fluoride exposure and Osteochondroma (OC) prevalence, a cross-sectional study was conducted in drinking water endemic fluorosis areas of Heilongjiang Province, China. Our study first reported that the prevalence of OC was 2.3% in drinking water endemic fluorosis areas of Heilongjiang Province, China, and no difference in gender. Logistic regression analysis found that compared to 1st quartile participants, the prevalence of OC was 73% lower in the 2nd quartile participants of WF (Water fluoride), and 3.4 times higher among the 2nd quartile UF (Urinary fluoride) participants. Our study suggests that 0.259–0.420 mg/L of WF may be considered an appropriate level for reducing OC prevalence, while UF (≥0.750 mg/L) could slightly increase the prevalence of OC. In summary, the link between fluoride and OC prevalence is complicated and needs to be further investigated in a cohort population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, using data from Census 2011, examines the availability of treated drinking water, latrine facility, drainage facility and electricity between villages, census towns (CTs) and statutory towns (STs) in West Bengal, India. Urban areas of socio-economically developed administrative divisions experienced higher household service coverage. Availability of drinking water and latrine facilities is distinctly better in STs over CTs and CTs over villages. Other services like latrine with sewerage facilities and closed drainage facilities recorded insignificant differences in household coverage between cities and villages. Results of multi-variable regression models reveal that type of economic activities and social characteristics of the urban areas; nature of basic services and their institutional arrangements significantly influence the service provision. So, the paper argues for stepping up investment, institutionalization of an integrated planning paradigm and strengthening urban governments to ensure equitable distribution of basic services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a new systems modeling tool that integrates knowledge from hydrology, agriculture, and economics to understand the effect of small-scale irrigation on food security and groundwater sustainability in Ethiopia. Irrigation is an effective tool to mitigate climate impacts and improve agricultural yields. Small-scale irrigation, such as decentralized groundwater irrigation, is well suited for developing countries where small-holder farming communities are widely dispersed and can only afford small infrastructure investment. We study the underlying interdependencies between food and water systems in Ethiopia, where small-holder agriculture is the foundation of the nation's economy and climate variability has led to great challenges to its food security. Our coupled market and crop model with groundwater module captures the interdependencies of climate, water availability, irrigation, crop yield, farmland allocation, crop production, transport, and consumption based on a system approach across multiple spatial scales. We study the implication of small-scale irrigation to Ethiopia's food security and water resource conditions as a "what-if" question by comparing an irrigation scenario to the calibrated baseline in 2015, a year of significant drought and crop failure over a large portion of Ethiopia. Our model offers fresh insights into geographic disparities in outcomes that are driven by baseline climate variability, soil fertility, and market conditions. In general, we find that small-scale irrigation can potentially improve food security through increases in food consumption, but it requires policy support to direct the increases of production to domestic consumption while maintaining a sustainable groundwater condition. By using Ethiopia as an example, we show the strength of our model to study how water infrastructure resources support critical functions and service in water and food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the EPA storm water management model (EPA-SWMM) was used for the simulation of intermittent water distribution systems (WDSs). The model was compared with field data collected during an experimental campaign carried out in the intermittent WDS of a small municipality in southern Italy. In a novel way compared to the literature, the whole cycle of operation of the WDS was simulated, including the filling, the distribution, and the emptying phases of the intermittent network. To improve the description of the hydraulics of the WDS during intermittent water supply, the modeling also included private tanks that are normally interposed between network pipes and end users. Comparison of model results and experimental observations concerned water levels at the reservoirs and pressures at specific nodes of the water distribution network (WDN) during some days of experiments characterized by different water supply modalities and water demand. Globally, the developed model proved capable of simulating correctly the whole cycle of intermittent operation of the WDN with an average RMSE between model and experiments of 0.1 m for water levels and 5.2 m for pressures. Simulations also made it possible to formulate preliminary considerations about equity in water resource distribution among users. The potential and limitations of the study are discussed and suggestions for future research steps made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities in South America face many of the urban water supply challenges experienced globally including increasingly extreme future hydroclimatic conditions and rapid population growth. These challenges are further exacerbated by historical socioeconomic inequity, informal land occupation, and poor water services management. In recent years, decision support tools that aid in structuring water supply management and infrastructure pathway policies that remain robust under deeply uncertain future scenarios have been developed. However, within the context of developing countries, failing to acknowledge the complex social and institutional dynamics and stark differences in residents' experiences of climate extremes may lead to uneven adaptation capacities across socioeconomic strata. Toward this end, our study extends the deeply uncertain pathways framework by applying multiobjective optimization, disaggregated service area-level assessments of performance and vulnerability across time, and exploratory visual analytics in the Federal District of Brazil (FDB). We highlight the performance and robustness disparities between two water supply service areas in the FDB that differ in socioeconomic standing to reveal the impacts of deeply uncertain future hydroclimatic and socioeconomic scenarios on vulnerable populations. We further show that historical inequity renders poorer residents significantly more vulnerable to deeply uncertain future conditions without urgent and significant infrastructure investments. Overall, the outcomes of our study are largely applicable to urban water utilities in regions with high levels of historical regional inequity seeking to develop water management and infrastructure planning policies that are robust, adaptive, and equitable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palestine is water-stressed and prone to possible shocks in water supply. However, about one-third to one-half of the delivered water in the Palestinian territories is lost in the distribution network, highlighting the necessity of a cost-effective supply policy that also minimizes corrosion and health-related risks by achieving a maximum level of water quality. There must be a decision-making system to help managers review and measure the status quo and develop optimal allocation decisions to resolve the potential problems with supply and quality as much as possible. This research presents optimal resource allocation for the drinking water supply system (DWSS) to minimize the unit cost of supply in the system and the chloride concentration of the water supplied simultaneously. A bespoke biobjective mixed-integer linear programming (BOMILP) model was developed. The weighted sum method (WSM) based on the positive ideal solution (PIS) approach is utilized to tackle the biobjectiveness of the model in a Pareto sense. The model was implemented and validated using a case study of Gaza. The results suggest that the share of desalinated water resources in the supply network will increase by about 50% in the 2030–2035 period. Furthermore, we found that the unit cost of supply is highly sensitive to a decrease in resource capacities. Finally, the average quality of water supplied can deteriorate rapidly if demand surges. The model can successfully handle the complexity of effective utilization of resources and yield optimal decisions for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Western Cheliff plain hosts an important alluvial aquifer that is exploited for various uses including drinking water supply, irrigation and industry. This study aims to provide a hydrogeochemical characterisation of groundwater by using statistical methods and binary diagrams, as well as to evaluate the physico-chemical quality of groundwater by using the water quality index (WQI). Moreover, parametric indices such as SAR and %Na were used to evaluate the suitability of groundwater for irrigation. The hydrochemical approach based on results of 45 analyses of groundwater samples for the dry period 2019 enabled the determination of the most dominant chemical facies, which was chloride, sulphate, calcic and magnesium. The binary diagrams used indicated that the water-rock interaction and the evaporitic phenomenon are major geochemical processes that control the mineralisation of groundwater. The evaluation of groundwater quality for drinking water supply using WQI provided results with values ranging from 45.95 to 194.78, and above 60% of samples were classified into the category of excellent to good quality (WQI < 100), while the remaining 40% of water samples were classified in the category of poor quality for drinking (WQI > 100). However, the quality of groundwater is mostly acceptable for irrigation, mostly for plants with salinity-tolerant in drained soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In commercial hatcheries, chicken embryos are incubated in complete darkness. However, in a natural environment, chicken embryos receive light stimulation during the incubation process as hens need to leave the nest to feed or turn the eggs. Therefore, providing light during incubation is closer to the natural growth environment of chicken embryos, which may have a positive effect on their growth and development. This study investigated the effects of providing different wavelengths of light during incubation on the behaviour, growth, immunity, and stress responses of post-hatch chicks. The results indicated that providing white light during incubation may enhance the growth performance of post-hatch chicks and potentially improve their ability to cope with environmental changes. This study aims to determine the effects of light exposure during incubation on the growth and development of post-hatch chicks and to provide a basis for the development of effective lighting strategies during the incubation period. Manipulation of light during incubation may have an effect on post-hatch chicks through the role of prenatal stage. The effects of providing different wavelengths of light (white, blue, and green lights, dark as control) during incubation on the growth performance, organ development, immune response, stress related hormones, digestive enzymes and behaviour of post-hatch chicks were investigated for 1–42 days. A total of 60 chicks per light treatment in three batches were used in this study. The results showed that the percentage of chicks accessing to feed and water resources appeared not to be affected by incubation light. Chicks hatched under white light were found to have a growth advantage (p < 0.05). The weight of organs (except thymus), IgA, IgY, IgM and heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio for post-hatch chicks were not affected by incubation light (p > 0.05). Thymus weight was reduced in chicks incubated under blue light compared to dark incubation (p < 0.05). The jejunum amylase and ileum lipase activities were significantly affected by the light treatments (p < 0.01). All light incubation chicks had stable plasma corticosterone levels and may have better ability to cope with environmental changes. Hence, white light photoperiod incubation may have potential to improve post-hatch chicks' growth performance and environmental adaptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caries is the most common chronic disease among children. In Pennsylvania, a comprehensive oral health Basic Screening Survey and assessment of the association between caries and community water fluoridation (CWF) among children have not been conducted. From 2021 through 2022, the first Basic Screening Survey was conducted among third-grade students in Pennsylvania. Oral health and demographic data were collected. CWF data were provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The relative risk of developing caries in association with CWF was assessed using the GENMOD procedure in SAS, Version 9.4 (SAS Institute) in this cross-sectional study. Caries prevalence was 59.7% among 4,120 screened students. Participation in the free or reduced lunch program and CWF were each significantly associated with risk of developing caries after adjustment for age, sex, and race and ethnicity. The risk of developing caries was 33% higher among students who participated in the free or reduced lunch program than those who did not participate (relative risk, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.24 to 1.42). Students with the highest CWF coverage had a nearly 16% lower risk of developing caries than those without CWF coverage (relative risk, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.94). CWF was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing caries. Efforts are needed to increase CWF coverage, along with promotion of oral health education and healthy dietary habits among Pennsylvania children. Increasing CWF coverage will reduce caries burden among Pennsylvania children. Although Pennsylvania has no state laws to regulate CWF, these findings are persuasive for local municipalities to consider expanding CWF coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate models are indispensable tools for decision-making, yet their efficacy in characterizing climatic conditions in regions of complex topography, such as Central-Western Argentina (CWA), remains challenging. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate mean and extreme values of temperature and precipitation simulations from a set of CMIP6 climate models in CWA. The mean values were compared against CRU TS 4.05 for the period 1950–2014; and the extreme values against ERA5 for the temperature and ERA5, CPC, and CHIRPS for the precipitation during 1981–2010. To evaluate the mean values, we considered several statistical metrics that accounted for the representation of the annual cycle, the long-term trends, and the spatial patterns, followed by a selection of the climate models that best represent the region. Subsequently, we analyzed 20 climate extreme indices using Taylor Diagrams and box-and-whiskers plots. The CMIP6 models tended to exhibit a wet bias over CWA, with temperature simulations warmer (colder) than observations over the Andes (Lowlands). Moreover, most models adequately captured the increase in temperature, as well as the increase in precipitation in the lowlands and its decrease in the Andes. From the set of 24 precipitation and 12 temperature simulations, we evaluated the performance for the representation of climate extremes, finding that most models had difficulties with the quantification of indices based on percentiles. This climate information can be valuable to obtain more accurate climate projections for CWA and to aid decision-making in a region with significant wine production and high reliance on water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation plays an important role in the water resources system in Tarim Basin (TB), the most arid region in China. However, the source of water vapor for precipitation and its linkages with climate circulations still keep mysterious. Based on the observed precipitation of 21 stations from 1961 to 2020 in TB and the NCAR/NCEP reanalysis data, the temporal and spatial variations of summer precipitation in TB and their linkages with the westerly, Asian summer monsoons and extratropical circulation are investigated. The results show that: (a) the summer precipitation in TB changes consistently at all 21 stations, and exhibits an increasing trend (4.1 mm/decade) from 1961 to 2020 with large interannual fluctuations; (b) although the water vapor in TB mainly comes from the westerly circulation, the water vapor from the edges of Asians summer monsoons also plays an important role. It is unexpectedly found that the summer precipitation in TB is negatively correlated with the Westerly Index (WI). When the upstream westerly wind weakens, the northeast wind from the eastern boundary and the southwest wind from the southern boundary strengthen, which bring more water vapor from the edges of East Asian and South Asian summer monsoons respectively, leading to abundant precipitation in TB; (c) when the Eastern Atlantic/Western Russian pattern (EA/WR) is in extreme negative phase, there is an anticyclone anomaly near 55°N, 55°E, which weakens the upstream westerly wind and reduces the water vapor input of western boundary into TB. However, the water vapor input from the edges of the Eastern and Southern Asian summer monsoon strengthens, facilitating abundant precipitation in TB. This study provides a new insight into the joint influence of westerly, monsoons and extratropical circulation on summer precipitation in TB, which is meaningful for understanding the mechanism of change in summer precipitation and the trend projection of future water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using automatic rainfall station and ERA5 reanalysis data, the Southwest China vortex (SWCV) processes that induce warm-sector rainstorms in the Sichuan Basin were analyzed, their environmental field and dynamic thermal characteristics were researched through physical diagnosis and dynamic synthesis, and the development mechanism was discussed. The results showed that for the warm-sector rainstorms caused by the SWCV (SWCV-WR), the general circulation backgrounds can could be divided into three types: upper trough-vortex (Type I), plateau shear line (Type II), and short-wave trough (Type III) types. Regarding the aspects of the maintenance of the SWCV, duration of the warm-sector rainstorms, and maximum hourly precipitation intensity, the influence of Type I is the most evident, followed by Types II and III for SWCV-WR. The vertical structure of the SWCV is shallow and inclined to the west with height, but the positive vorticity of Types I and II can reach up to 200 hPa for SWCV-WR. The pseudo-equivalent potential temperature in the vortex area is greater than 354 K, which is accompanied by an upward-energy tongue, and shallow secondary circulation occurs on the eastern side of the SWCV, promoting vortex development. Regarding the thermodynamic characteristics of SWCV, Type I is the strongest, followed by Type III, and Type II is the weakest. The water vapor supply in different types of SWCV-WR is not only closely related to the strength of water vapor transport in the Bay of Bengal, but also to the variations in water vapor transport caused by the influence of different water vapor sources, such as the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean, during its transportation. For SWCV-WR, the vorticity advection presents an uneven east-west positive and negative distribution. Under the dynamic forcing, the positive vorticity on the east side of SWCV of Types I and II (III) is enhanced (weakened), while that on the west side is weakened (enhanced). Different atmospheric vorticity variations have different significant effects on the three types of SWCV-WR. Under the spatial non-uniform heating, the horizontal non-uniform heating effect on the different types of SWCV-WR has regional differences, while the vertical non-uniform heating effect has the largest effect on the spatial non-uniform heating and a positive heating effect on the three types of SWCV-WR. Therefore, the spatial non-adiabatic heating effect, particularly the vertical non-uniform heating effect, is an important mechanism for the development and evolution of SWCV and SWCV-WR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of water resources is no longer an option but a necessity especially in countries with a high rate of population growth like Pakistan. Pakistan has a high-water scarcity, an extremely varying topography, and is also one of the countries encountering the problem of climate change. Therefore, prudent utilization of available water resources is a matter in the plains of Pakistan as in its high-altitude regions. Instead of wasting water which is a valuable resource, rainwater harvesting is a way of saving rainwater as an alternative source of fresh water for better use. The aim of this study was to search for potential rainwater-harvesting areas in a high-altitude Gilgit River basin. This research employed the SCS-CN technique in estimating surface runoff in the GIS environment. The geospatial study used four input parameters: slope of the land, land covers, surface runoff and drainage density. The research concluded that some lands, especially those that are deserted in dry area and agricultural lands, can serve as the sites of rainwater harvesting, with only 4% of area that was highly suitable for the purpose. Nevertheless, 37% of the investigated area was shown as totally unviable for rainwater collection installations because of steep slopes and substantial volume of snow. Simultaneously, the rainwater storage design solutions suggested were check dam, percolation tank, and agricultural ponds with the area of 3.5%, 1%, and 0.75% of the given land area, respectively, for rainwater harvesting. The locations of potential catchment and planned rainwater harvesting structures would assist the local authorities and the policy makers to provide plans and design on the construction of water storages and also the optimization of water use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic plants play an important role in aquatic systems. A comprehensive understanding of their spatial distribution may help to develop biodiversity conservation plans. This work investigated the spatial distribution of aquatic plants across China, including the invasive, threatened, and province-endemic species. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the effects of environmental variables on richness pattern and variation partitioning was used to reveal the pure and shared effects of four explanatory variable groups: energy-water availability, geographical location, habitat heterogeneity, and human impact on species richness. Results showed that aquatic plants were unevenly distributed in China and they decreased from southern China toward northern China. Yunnan Province was the hotspot of aquatic plants. The number of invasive species was more in southeast China and less in northwest China. The endemism of aquatic plants in each province was not obvious. Aquatic plant richness across China tended to be higher in areas where the energy and water supply are adequate and actual evapotranspiration was the strongest correlate for total species richness (r = 0.630). Among the three growth forms, the correlation between submerged species richness and environmental factors was weak, while that of floating plants was strong. According to variation partitioning, the shared effect of energy-water availability and geographical location was dominant in aquatic plant richness pattern across China (R2 = 0.47 for total species richness). Pure spatial factors had a weak effect in shaping the richness pattern, suggesting that dispersal limitations have no significant effect on the distribution pattern of aquatic plants for their relatively strong dispersal capacity. Moreover, the effects of habitat heterogeneity and human impact on total aquatic plant richness pattern were also weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaching‐induced corrosion of the reinforcing steel in water‐bearing separating cracks When water flows through separating cracks or construction joints, the cement paste leaches out, and alkalinity is reduced. As with carbonation, this decrease in pH leads to the loss of the passive layer, which is limited to the directly adjacent area. The progress of corrosion may depend on the water exchange rate. This presented study investigates the influence of the water pressure level on test specimens with crack widths between 0.20 and 0.25 mm (mean values) on the onset of depassivation and the corrosion rate. The test specimens were exposed to demineralised water at a hydrostatic pressure of 0.04 bar, 0.20 bar or 1.00 bar and monitored for corrosion. A few days after the start of exposure, high macroelement currents flow in all test specimens. Later, due to self‐healing, the flow stops at 0.04 bar, and the macroelement currents decrease significantly. In contrast, the reduced but steady flow at 0.20 and 1.00 bar leads to a continuous corrosion progression. While a (planned) longer interruption of the water supply results in repassivation of the steel, renewed pressurisation significantly increases both the flow and corrosion rates. The leaching manifests in an increase in the pH of the effluent water and a reduced calcium concentration in the crack area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streams constitute the water supply of the watersheds and provide the transfer of energy along the course of water, ensuring water biodiversity. Due to the different uses of the earth, the benthic community is being suppressed. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of changes in land use on the abundance, richness, and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in subtropical streams, considering the physical and chemical variables of streams seasonally. In total, 144 samples were collected between February 2022 and November 2023 at 12 sites distributed in a watershed in southern Brazil, four sites for each land use. Herein, 83.520 individuals were identified, comprising 67 taxa. There was a decrease in richness along the forested–rural–urban gradient and a greater abundance in the urban environment, without the significant influence of seasonality. We conclude that the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate in the streams is influenced not only by environmental variables but also by the spatial distribution between streams. The proximity of the streams generates a similarity in dominance. This study contributed to understanding the relationships of the environment with the benthic community and considering the spatial distribution among the streams sampled in future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread groundwater contaminants and are present in over 7000 drinking water wells near a North Carolina (NC) PFAS plant (Chemours). To understand options available to affected residents, we used new and previously existing water quality data to investigate deeper aquifers as alternate drinking water supplies and compared the regulatory responses near Chemours and three other PFAS production facilities with nearby contaminated wells. Data from >100 wells show that GenX concentrations decrease with increasing depth through the four aquifers in the study area: surficial, Black Creek, Upper Cape Fear, and bedrock. This illustrates the extent of vertical PFAS penetration through the aquifer sequence following roughly 40 years of atmospheric emissions. Detailed data on 143 water quality parameters in nine deep wells (two Upper Cape Fear, seven bedrock) revealed only eight exceedances of drinking water standards (one each for arsenic, perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA], iron, chloride, and gross alpha, and three for manganese) and nine exceedances of health advisories (all for sodium). Regulatory responses to PFAS contamination of wells in four states included mention of deeper wells as an alternate water source only for nonresidential users in NC and residential users in Vermont. The bedrock aquifer is currently used by some residents and may be a viable alternative to shallower groundwater, though arsenic treatment may be beneficial at some deep wells and long‐term sustainability of the aquifer should be evaluated. Practitioner Points: GenX concentrations decreased with increasing depth in four aquifers near a PFAS plant.A few exceedances of drinking water standards and health advisories were found in deep bedrock wells.New bedrock wells could be part of the response to PFAS issues in shallower wells.In the long term, deep bedrock wells might be a less expensive option for some residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The confined groundwater of arid sedimentary plains has been disturbed by long‐term anthropogenic extraction, and its hydrochemical quality is required for sustainable development. The present research investigates the hydrochemical characteristics, formation, potential health threats, and quality suitability of the confined groundwater in the central North China Plain. Results show that the confined groundwater has a slightly alkaline nature in the study area, predominantly dominated by fresh‐soft Cl‐Na and HCO3‐Na types. Water chemistry is governed by water–rock interactions, including dissolution of evaporites and cation exchange. Approximately 97% of the sampled confined groundwaters exceed the prescribed standard for F−. It is mainly due to geological factors such as mineral dissolution, cation exchange, and competitive adsorption of HCO3− and may also be released from compacted soils because of groundwater extraction. Enriched F− in the confined groundwater can pose an intermediate and higher non‐carcinogenic risk to more than 90% of the population. It poses the greatest health threat to the population in the north‐eastern part of the study area, especially to infants and children. For sustainable development, the long‐term use of confined groundwater for irrigation in the area should be avoided, and attention should also be paid to the potential soil salinization and infiltration risks. In the study area, 97% of the confined groundwaters are found to be excellent or good quality for domestic purposes based on Entropy‐weighted Water Quality Index. However, the non‐carcinogenic health risk caused by high contents of F− cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is recommended that differential water supplies should be implemented according to the spatial heterogeneity of confined groundwater quality to ensure the scientific and rational use of groundwater resources. Practitioner Points: The hydrochemistry quality of confined groundwater in an arid sedimentary plain disturbed by long‐term anthropogenic extraction was investigated.The suitability of confined groundwater for multiple purposes such as irrigation and drinking were evaluated.The hydrochemical characteristics and formation mechanism of confined groundwater under the influence of multiple factors were revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changing climate is threatening everything we hold dear, increasing dangers to food production, to the availability of water, to land and to livelihoods across the globe. In the past century, humanity has become the dominant force shaping the climate system, ramping up greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. To halt climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases must be reduced to zero as soon as possible. However, the necessary action has not been forthcoming and the overall response has been painfully slow, for a number of reasons. This special issue of the Journal of the Royal Society Te Apārangi addresses many of these issues, with a focus on Aotearoa New Zealand, looking at how we think about climate change and the nature and pace of our response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of conventional drought indices is increasingly called into question as the stationarity of hydrologic series undergoes significant alterations and becomes irreversibly impacted by environmental changes. In the extant literature concerning Non‐Stationary Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Indices (NSPEIs), researchers typically construct linear models incorporating location parameters and covariates; however, the simultaneous consideration of both location and scale parameters has been conspicuously infrequent. In this study, we developed a NSPEI using the generalized additive models in location, scale and shape. This index innovatively incorporates location and scale parameters that vary in response to changes in meteorological factors, thereby offering a more reliable and robust means to quantify drought characteristics under changing environmental conditions. The index was employed across representative sub‐watersheds within the western region of Liaoning Province and subjected to a comparative analysis alongside the conventional Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) to ascertain its reliability. The findings indicate that within the study area, both the precipitation and evapotranspiration series exhibit non‐stationary behaviour. Specifically, the precipitation data reveals an overall declining trend, while the evapotranspiration data demonstrates an ascending trend. Furthermore, NSPEI demonstrates superior performance over SPEI in the reconstruction of historical drought events within the western region of Liaoning Province, thereby providing a more accurate representation of the actual drought conditions experienced. The NSPEI estimated a larger drought peak, whereas the SPEI identified longer durations and greater severity of droughts. These findings provide valuable information for evaluating drought characteristics and managing water resources under changing environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater is a valuable and universally distributed resource on Earth. Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of groundwater is of utmost importance for effective management. Normally, groundwater levels are recorded at arbitrary points, but groundwater modeling requires interpolating the measured values at specific grid nodes. This study aims to dentify and evaluate the geographical variations of groundwater levels in Türkiye using three geostatistical interpolation techniques. Data from 355 groundwater wells from 1970 to 2019 were used for this purpose. In addition, an investigation of changes in annual average temperature and precipitation was conducted for two different time periods: 1985–2000 and 2001–2016. The results show an increase in the annual average temperature in Türkiye by 0.82 °C during the reference period (1985–2000). Despite regional differences in the precipitation regime, the average annual precipitation in Türkiye has not changed significantly overall. Especially in the Meriç-Ergene, Konya Closed (Konya Kapalı), and Euphrates-Tigris basins, a significant decrease in groundwater levels was observed, even though this decrease is less than 100 m in some wells. After a comprehensive analysis of all these data, possible explanations for the changes in groundwater levels were considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate drought prediction is crucial for enhancing resilience and managing water resources. Developing robust forecasting models and understanding the variables influencing their outcomes are essential. This study developed models that integrate wavelet transformation (WT) with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models, increasing prediction accuracy. This study investigates the prediction of meteorological droughts using standalone bootstrapped random forest (BRF) and bi-directional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) models, compared to wavelet-decomposed hybrid models (WBRF, WBi-LSTM). These models were evaluated in the Mun River Basin, Thailand, utilizing monthly meteorological data (1993–2022) from the Thai Meteorological Department. The predictions were assessed using statistical metrics (R2, MAE, RMSE, and MAPE). For the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), the hybrid WBRF model consistently outperformed the standalone BRF across various metrics and timescales, demonstrating higher R2 (0.89–0.97 for SPI-3) and lower error metrics (MAE: 0.144–0.21 for SPI-6, RMSE: 0.2–0.3 for SPI-12). Similarly, the hybrid WBi-LSTM model outperformed the standalone Bi-LSTM in SPI predictions, exhibiting higher R2 (0.87–0.91 for SPI-3) and lower error metrics (MAE: 0.19–0.23 for SPI-6, RMSE: 0.27–0.81 for SPI-12) across all timescales. This trend was also observed for the China Z-index, Modified China Z-index, Hutchinson Drought Severity Index, and Rainfall Anomaly Index, where hybrid models achieved superior performance compared to standalone models. The WBi-LSTM model emerged as the preferred choice across different timespans. The integration of WT enhanced the predictive accuracy of hybrid models, making them effective tools for drought prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review paper delves into the intricacies of water quality index (WQI) and its relationship with land use and land cover in the Ganga River basin of Uttar Pradesh. The study highlights the significance of the Ganga River, a major perennial river in India, and presents findings from previous paper work shows that 57 sites of Ganga basin show fair, poor, or heavily polluted water quality. Analysis of live storage data within the basin revealed a notable increase in LULC compared to previous years, resulting in decrease water quality indicators such as low rate of dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and high concentrations of pollutants like faecal coliform, total coliform, and nitrate (NO3-). The observed increased in nitrate concentration, particularly attributed to enhance industrial activities and agricultural runoff during the harvesting season, suggests a negative trend towards water quality restoration. The prevalence of untreated commercial and industrial wastewater remains a significant challenge to sustained water quality improvement. In conclusion, the paper advocates for addressing land use land cover of the Ganga basin and ensuring adequate flow releases to rejuvenate the river effectively. It underscores the need for comprehensive measures to sustainably manage land use and cover water resources and mitigate anthropogenic impacts on the middle Ganga River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature shows that only 56% of Kenyan households had access to electricity, with rural areas having the lowest access rate at percent. The high cost of extending the power grid to remote areas and power losses on distribution are significant challenges facing rural electrification. In addressing power accessibility problems, especially in rural areas, there is a need for tapping hydropower generation through the invention and implementation of in‐duct turbines to maximize the utilization of already existing pressurized water ducts that supply water in various parts of Kenya for hydropower generation. Makueni County is endowed with gravity‐fed water ducts with high potential for hydropower which can innovatively be produced by application of in‐duct turbines. This paper focuses on the assessment of energy needs and applications in rural areas. The research design was exploratory and experimental in nature. It was exploratory because, through an assessment, it sought to explore and identify the potential areas within the water supply lines for the production of hydropower to supply hydropower in Makueni County. It was experimental because the researcher developed (designed and fabricated) a hydro turbine for use in the production of hydropower from gravity water ducts of a diameter raging 100 mm. The research revealed that 62% (98) used solar power for lighting their homes, while 17% (28), 12% (20), and 8% (12) used lanterns, electricity, and kerosene lamps, respectively. Among the fuels assessed was firewood which was identified as the most used fuel at 89% (140). This was followed at a distance far by paraffin at 6% (9) of respondents. The households at 100% (158) identified electricity as a potential source of lighting for their household. The study recommends harnessing hydropower to enhance reach to 100% of the rural communities. The energy availability will provide opportunities for communities and institutions in rural areas to open their minds to business development and engage in income‐generating activities like the rearing of poultry and the development of light industries like the gridding of maize and other cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing consensus models of conflict decision-making generally assume that the decision-makers' preferences are simple and certain. This assumption oversimplifies the complexity of real-world conflicts due to the ignorance of the decision-maker's limited rationality. The present work makes the first attempt at solving this issue by defining the grey consensus and dissent preference of two decision makers (DMs), which is then embedded into the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) to obtain conflict equilibrium solutions. To be specific, preference relations are first described as interval grey scales to reflect the decision maker's judgments on conflict states, and then converted into crisp values to interface with GMCR. We next present both the logical and matrix representations under the GMCR framework, along with detailed pseudocode that can be implemented to investigate actual conflict situations practically. For validation and verification purposes, the proposed decision framework is applied to the water resource conflict of the Yellow River Basin in China, from which insights are derived to facilitate effective strategic decision-making for resolving complex conflicts in uncertain environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The addition of fluoride to community drinking water supplies has been a long‐standing public health intervention to improve dental health. However, the evidence of cost‐effectiveness in the UK currently lacks a contemporary focus, being limited to a period with higher incidence of caries. A water fluoridation scheme in West Cumbria, United Kingdom, provided a unique opportunity to study the contemporary impact of water fluoridation. This study evaluates the cost‐effectiveness of water fluoridation over a 5–6 years follow‐up period in two distinct cohorts: children exposed to water fluoridation in utero and those exposed from the age of 5. Methods: Cost‐effectiveness was summarized employing incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICER, cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained). Costs included those from the National Health Service (NHS) and local authority perspective, encompassing capital and running costs of water fluoridation, as well as NHS dental activity. The measure of health benefit was the QALY, with utility determined using the Child Health Utility 9‐Dimension questionnaire. To account for uncertainty, estimates of net cost and outcomes were bootstrapped (10 000 bootstraps) to generate cost‐effectiveness acceptability curves and sensitivity analysis performed with alternative specifications. Results: There were 306 participants in the birth cohort (189 and 117 in the non‐fluoridated and fluoridated groups, respectively) and 271 in the older school cohort (159 and 112, respectively). In both cohorts, there was evidence of small gains in QALYs for the fluoridated group compared to the non‐fluoridated group and reductions in NHS dental service cost that exceeded the cost of fluoridation. For both cohorts and across all sensitivity analyses, there were high probabilities (>62%) of water fluoridation being cost‐effective with a willingness to pay threshold of £20 000 per QALY. Conclusions: This analysis provides current economic evidence that water fluoridation is likely to be cost‐effective. The findings contribute valuable contemporary evidence in support of the economic viability of water fluoridation scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To pragmatically assess the clinical and cost‐effectiveness of water fluoridation for preventing dental treatment and improving oral health in a contemporary population of adults and adolescents, using a natural experiment design. Methods: A 10‐year retrospective cohort study (2010–2020) using routinely collected NHS dental treatment claims data. Participants were patients aged 12 years and over, attending NHS primary dental care services in England (17.8 million patients). Using recorded residential locations, individuals exposed to drinking water with an optimal fluoride concentration (≥0.7 mg F/L) were matched to non‐exposed individuals using propensity scores. Number of NHS invasive dental treatments, DMFT and missing teeth were compared between groups using negative binomial regression. Total NHS dental treatment costs and cost per invasive dental treatment avoided were calculated. Results: Matching resulted in an analytical sample of 6.4 million patients. Predicted mean number of invasive NHS dental treatments (restorations 'fillings'/extractions) was 3% lower in the optimally fluoridated group (5.4) than the non‐optimally fluoridated group (5.6) (IRR 0.969, 95% CI 0.967, 0.971). Predicted mean DMFT was 2% lower in the optimally fluoridated group (IRR 0.984, 95% CI 0.983, 0.985). There was no difference in the predicted mean number of missing teeth per person (IRR 1.001, 95% CI 0.999, 1.003) and no compelling evidence that water fluoridation reduced social inequalities in dental health. Optimal water fluoridation in England 2010–2020 was estimated to cost £10.30 per person (excludes initial set‐up costs). NHS dental treatment costs for optimally fluoridated patients 2010–2020 were 5.5% lower, by £22.26 per person (95% CI ‐£21.43, −£23.09). Conclusions: Receipt of optimal water fluoridation 2010–2020 resulted in very small positive health effects which may not be meaningful for individuals. Existing fluoridation programmes in England produced a positive return on investment between 2010 and 2020 due to slightly lower NHS dental care utilization. This return should be evaluated against the projected costs and lifespan of any proposed capital investment in water fluoridation, including new programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We provide an overview of nationwide environmental data available for Denmark and its linkage potentials to individual-level records with the aim of promoting research on the potential impact of the local surrounding environment on human health. Background: Researchers in Denmark have unique opportunities for conducting large population-based studies treating the entire Danish population as one big, open and dynamic cohort based on nationally complete population and health registries. So far, most research in this area has utilised individual- and family-level information to study the clustering of disease in families, comorbidities, risk of, and prognosis after, disease onset, and social gradients in disease risk. Linking environmental data in time and space to individuals enables novel possibilities for studying the health effects of the social, built and physical environment. Methods: We describe the possible linkage between individuals and their local surrounding environment to establish the exposome – that is, the total environmental exposure of an individual over their life course. Conclusions: The currently available nationwide longitudinal environmental data in Denmark constitutes a valuable and globally rare asset that can help explore the impact of the exposome on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have challenged the validity of the Redfield ratio. It is proposed that physical and biogeochemical processes govern the geographical variations in carbon : nitrogen : phosphorus (C : N : P) ratios. However, this proposal remains to be examined through concurrent observations of C : N : P ratios with physical and biogeochemical processes in various marine reservoirs. Here, we sampled the Arabian Sea for its C, N, and P content in organic and inorganic pools during the winter monsoon. We analyzed the role of convective mixing, eddies, and N2 fixation to explain the variation in observed elemental ratios. Convective mixing injected the cold water and enhanced the supply of N and P nutrients in the top layer (surface to 50–75 m) of the northern Arabian Sea. This led to a decrease in the N : P and C : P ratios in the particulate organic matter in the northern region, but C : N : P increased equatorward, averaging 245 : 32 : 1 in the top layer of the Arabian Sea. The variation in the elemental ratios in the top layer is best explained by the changes in water temperature. N2 fixation contributed negligibly to the N : P ratio of the export flux. The substantial decrease in N : P ratios of nutrients in the subsurface waters is most likely caused by the denitrifying conditions in the Arabian Sea. As the processes of convective mixing and eddies are are prevalent oceanic processes, our observations underpin that the interplay of these processes leads to changes in the elemental ratios globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycled moisture is an important indicator of the renewal capacity of regional water resources. Due to the existence of Yulong Snow Mountain, Lijiang in Yunnan Province, southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, is the closest ocean glacier area to the equator in Eurasia. Daily precipitation samples were collected from 2017 to 2018 in Lijiang to quantify the effect of sub-cloud evaporation and recycled moisture on precipitation combined with the d-excess model during monsoon and non-monsoon periods. The results indicated that the d-excess values of precipitation fluctuated between −35.6‰ and 16.0‰, with an arithmetic mean of 3.5‰. The local meteoric water line (LMWL) was δD = 7.91δ18O + 2.50, with a slope slightly lower than the global meteoric water line (GMWL). Sub-cloud evaporation was higher during the non-monsoon season than during the monsoon season. It tended to peak in March and was primarily influenced by the relative humidity. The source of the water vapour affected the proportion of recycled moisture. According to the results of the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, the main sources of water vapour in Lijiang area during the monsoon period were the southwest and southeast monsoons. During the non-monsoon period, water vapour was transported by a southwesterly flow. The recycled moisture in Lijiang area between March and October 2017 was 10.62%. Large variations were observed between the monsoon and non-monsoon seasons, with values of 5.48% and 25.65%, respectively. These differences were primarily attributed to variations in the advection of water vapour. The recycled moisture has played a supplementary role in the precipitation of Lijiang area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Route Project of South-to-North Water Diversion (MRP) has effectively increased the amount of available water resources in the receiving areas of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, curbed the trend of declining groundwater levels, expanded the area of landing funnels, and increased the magnitude of ground subsidence, and enabled the groundwater system to play an important ecosystem service value. This article classified groundwater ecosystem services in the receiving areas of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei into four categories: provisioning services, regulating services, supporting services and culture services, according to the classification of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. We constructed an ecosystem service value assessment index system and a monetized quantitative value assessment model to assess the groundwater ecosystem services value (GESV) around the commissioning of the MRP, and analyzed the contribution of the MRP to the GESV. The results showed that the total annual average of the GESV in the receiving areas of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei before the water connection was 124.298 billion yuan, and after the water connection was 144.033 billion yuan, of which the value of the regulating and supporting services increased and the value of the supply services decreased. The enhancement of the GESV in the water-receiving areas of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei by the MRP has increased year by year, and its contribution to the GESV increased from 10.508 billion yuan in 2015 to 49.354 billion yuan in 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in water consumption along with climate change makes freshwater more vulnerable to pollution. Conserving the dwindling freshwater resources is one of the major problems faced by water management experts. Hence, forecasting lake water level (WL) fluctuations is crucial for managing water resources systems. As part of this study, the standalone support vector regression (SVR) model along with the hybrid SVR model combined with the algorithm of innovative gunner (AIG) was employed for WL multistep-ahead (1–3 months) forecasting of Michigan and Superior Lakes. The hybrid model takes advantage of the unique strength of individual models and it can be an effective way to improve forecasting performance. The average mutual information (AMI) and Taylor diagram techniques were applied for WL of lakes up to a lag of 20 months to determine the most effective inputs for model development. Multistep-ahead WL forecasting models of each lake were built based on the training subset (70%; from 1918 to 1991) and the testing subset (30%; from 1992 to 2021). The models were validated statistically and visually in the testing stage. Finally, based on the results, error values were found to be small for AIG-SVR models for both selected stations: Lake Michigan: 0.039 m < RMSE < 0.140 m and Lake Superior: 0.037 m < RMSE < 0.133 m. The test results also revealed that AIG-SVR model has boosted the accuracy of the results. The great potential of the AIG algorithm based on SVR as a novel model was proved in estimating accurate multistep lake WL values with high generalization ability and low variance compared to the SVR model for both lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation patterns are critical for understanding the hydrological and climatological dynamics of any region. Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean sea, with its diverse topography and climatic conditions, serves as an ideal case study for analyzing precipitation data, to gain insights into regional water resources, agricultural productivity, and climate change impacts. This paper employs advanced statistical physics methods, particularly Tsallis q-statistics, to analyze sub-hourly precipitation data from 2002 to 2023, provided by the Sicilian Agrometeorological Informative System (SIAS). We investigate several critical variables related to rainfall events, including duration, depth, maximum record, and inter-event time. The study spans two decades (2002–2012 and 2013–2023), analyzing the distributions of relevant variables. Additionally, we examine the simple returns of these variables to identify significant temporal changes, fitting these returns with q-Gaussian distributions. Our findings reveal the scale-invariant nature of precipitation events, the presence of long-range interactions, and memory effects, characteristic of complex environmental processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]