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High need for precision agriculture today has been associated with the completeness of the data available. The application of smart technology becomes the main alternative for fulfilling incomplete data and predicting future data. This paper presents the results of a research that aims to monitor and to predict water availability for determining conservation strategy on water availability using time series data from satellite rainfall, spanning from 2007 to 2022. We employed the innovative use of remote sensing technology, global rainfall measurement (GPM) and Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Rainfall with Station data (CHIRPS), to assess and correct satellite-derived rainfall estimates against ground-based observations. Conducted in the Serang watershed of Mount Merbabu’s volcanic landscape, the research employs a quantitative descriptive approach. We used coupled climate models MIROC6 and MRI-ESM2-0 in the CMIP-6 Framework for rainfall projections 2023–2030, then continued with the F.J. Mock model simulations for water availability projection. Our findings reveal a significant impact of climate change on water availability over the decade, with the most extreme conditions observed in 2029 and 2030, where the increasing of water availability reaching 10 m3 /s. The results showed that CHIRPS performed well in describing rainfall data. The novelty of this research highlighting the potential of: firstly, the use of satellite rainfall data for this specific region has not been extensively studied before; secondly, the discovered impacts of climate change to the water availability are particularly noteworthy, and thus contributing to the sustainability of agricultural practices in response to climate change. A limitation of this study is the short investigation period of just one decade, which does not fully capture the long-term impacts of climate change. Future research is recommended to utilize satellite data over extended periods to better represent extreme climate events and derive drought and wetness patterns over durations exceeding one decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.), a summer legume, is becoming increasingly important as an industrial crop due to its high gum and viscosity content. This study investigated the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA), chitosan (CH), and their combination on the growth, yield, and quality of guar under irrigation regimes. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using a factorial design to evaluate the effect of foliar spraying with MeJA (5, 25, and 50 µM), CH (100, 150, and 200 mg/L), their combination (25 µM MeJA + 150 mg/L CH), and control on two commercial guar varieties (RGC-986 and BR-2017) under different irrigation regimes (100%, 70%, and 40% field capacity). The results showed that the exogenous application of MeJA and CH, individually and in combination, significantly enhanced various morphological traits and yield components in guar, including plant height, pod characteristics, seed yield, and root development. Additionally, the combination treatments improved seed quality parameters, such as gum percentage and viscosity content. Leaf analysis revealed increased levels of total phenolic content, total flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents. The BR-2017 variety showed superior performance in most morphological and qualitative traits, demonstrating greater resistance to irrigation regimes. It maintained yield and quality characteristics under water-deficit conditions, particularly when treated with 25 µM MeJA and 150 mg/L CH. The highest gum percentage (33.67%) and viscosity (4768.5 cP) were observed in the RGC-986 variety, along with enhanced levels of secondary metabolites. This study provides new insights into how MeJA, CH, and their combination can improve the yield and quality of guar under water deficit stress conditions. The results suggest that the use of these elicitors, especially in combination, represents an innovative strategy for improving guar production and quality, with potential variety-specific responses to water-deficit stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on water security in Mykolaiv, a city of 0.5 million inhabitants in southern Ukraine, in the situation of scarcity of usable water resources caused by climate change and military operations. This problem arose after the Dnipro-Mykolaiv water pipeline was destroyed in April 2022 as a result of military operations and the supply of drinking water to the city was cut off. To ensure that the city's population has constant access to sufficient water of acceptable quality, a search for alternative water sources and a climate risk assessment were carried out for the new municipal water supply system from the Southern Bug River. The possible change in flow and its intra-annual distribution under the influence of climate change was modeled using the WaterGAP2 hydrological model and climate projections under the SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-P8.5 scenarios. It was found that under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, the reduction in river flow will be insignificant (up to a maximum of 14% in the far future) and there will be no restrictions on the city's water supply from this section of the river in the near (2021-2050) and far (2051-2080) period. The maximum water withdrawal for municipal water supply and the minimum environmental flow will reach their maximum value only in August (56% of the projected flow), which is not critical. Under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, in the long-term perspective of 2051-2080, the largest decrease in runoff will occur from May to October, and the water withdrawal will increase to 40-79% of the projected flow. The use of the research results not only in water management, but also in municipal administration, and their dissemination in territorial communities will contribute to the successful adaptation of socioeconomic and environmental processes in the region and can bring successful benefits not only to the economy, but also to communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processes of developmental stability, canalization, and phenotypic plasticity have ecological and evolutionary significance, and been studied extensively, but mostly separately and thus the relationships between them are not straightforward. Our objective was to better integrate these processes in the context of temporally heterogeneous environments. We did this by investigating the effects of early experience with temporal heterogeneity in water availability on associations between developmental stability, canalization, and phenotypic plasticity. We subjected eight plant species to a first round of alternating inundation and drought vs. constantly moderate water treatments (heterogeneous experience) and a second round of water conditions (to test plasticity). We measured fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in leaf size, intra‐ and inter‐individual variation (CVintra and CVinter), and plasticity (PI) in traits and analyzed correlations between these variables across all species. Results showed little correlations between FA, CVintra and PI, several positive correlations between FA and CVinter in more stressful conditions, especially in as well as positive correlations between CVinter and PI initially and negative correlations between them later. These suggested the complexity of these relationships, which can depend on whether plasticity occurs. Greater inter‐individual variation will more likely cooperate with plasticity before or during plastic response, whereas higher canalization may reflect phenotypic convergence. Both higher FA and CVintra can reflect faster growth, while CVintra may also reflect plant growth stage, and the two mechanisms should cooperate in response to environmental challenges. The complexity of these relationships suggests plants deal with environmental variation in elaborate and integrative ways which can be affected by many factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity in Chile has been increasing in recent years, particularly in the central-northern region, associated with a sustained decrease in rainfall and the effects of climate change. This study characterizes the hydrosocial cycle in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, with a focus on rural areas, examining the relationship between water availability and socioeconomic factors. For this, demographic data and data related to water demand and use, obtained from government databases, were used. In addition, geographic information systems (GIS) were used for spatial analysis and map creation. Finally, surveys were conducted in rural schools and households to obtain information on water use perceptions and practices. The results show inequalities in access to water with a moderate negative correlation between poverty and water connection/consumption. Rural areas exhibited stronger negative correlations, indicating a greater impact of poverty on water access. Water-saving practices, such as reusing washing water for irrigation, were prevalent in rural households. These results highlight the importance of the hydrosocial cycle to understand the dynamics and factors that shape water demand and consumption in a highly complex region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is one of the trending terms in the world nowadays due to its profound impact on human health and activity. Extreme drought events and desertification are some of the results of climate change. This study utilized the power of AI tools by using the long short-term memory (LSTM) model to predict the drought index for Anbar Province, Iraq. The data from the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) for 118 years have been used for the current study. The proposed model employed seven different optimizers to enhance the prediction performance. Based on different performance indicators, the results show that the RMSprop and Adamax optimizers achieved the highest accuracy (90.93% and 90.61%, respectively). Additionally, the models forecasted the next 40 years of the SPEI for the study area, where all the models showed an upward trend in the SPEI. In contrast, the best models expected no increase in the severity of drought. This research highlights the vital role of machine learning models and remote sensing in drought forecasting and the significance of these applications by providing accurate climate data for better water resources management, especially in arid regions like that of Anbar province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories explaining community assembly assume that biotic and abiotic filters sort species into communities based on the values of their traits and are thus based on between‐species trait variability (BTV). Nevertheless, these filters act on individuals rather than on species. Consequently, the selection is also influenced by intraspecific trait variability (ITV) and its drivers. These drivers may be abiotic (e.g., water availability) or biotic (e.g., competition). Although closely related species should have similar traits, many of them coexist. We investigated the relative magnitudes of BTV and ITV in coexisting closely related species and how their individual traits differ under different drivers of ITV. We manipulated conditions in a greenhouse pot experiment with four common Carex species, where individuals of each species originated from four source localities. Individuals were grown in factorial combinations of two moisture levels, with and without a competitor (grass species Holcus lanatus, a frequent competitor). We analyzed the variability of six morphological traits on individuals in the greenhouse and three morphological traits in the source localities. Species identity was the main determinant of differences in most traits. Competition exerted a greater effect than water availability. For leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and vegetative height, competition's effect even exceeded the variability among species. On the contrary, for specific leaf area (SLA) and clonal spread, the interspecific differences exceeded ITV induced by experimental treatments. SLA measured in the greenhouse closely correlated with values measured in field populations, while LDMC did not. The variability caused by source locality of ramets in the greenhouse was small, although sometimes significant. Closely related species differ in their traits, but for some traits, ITV can exceed BTV. We can expect that ITV can modify the processes of community assembly, particularly among coexisting closely related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the changes of ecosystem functioning is pivotal for understanding the global carbon cycle. Despite its size and contribution to the global carbon cycle, Africa is largely understudied in regard to ongoing changes of its ecosystem functioning and their responses to climate change. One of the reasons is the lack of long‐term in situ data. Here, we use eddy covariance to quantify the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and its components—gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) for years 2010–2022 for a Sahelian semiarid savanna to study trends in the fluxes. Significant negative trends were found for NEE (12.7 ± 2.8 g C m2 year−1), GPP (39.6 ± 7.9 g C m2 year−1), and Reco (32.2 ± 8.9 g C m2 year−1). We found that NEE decreased by 60% over the study period, and this decrease was mainly caused by stronger negative trends in rainy season GPP than in Reco. Additionally, we observed strong increasing trends in vapor pressure deficit, but no trends in rainfall or soil water content. Thus, a proposed explanation for the decrease in carbon sink strength is increasing atmospheric dryness. The warming climate in the Sahel, coupled with increasing evaporative demand, may thus lead to decreased GPP levels across this biome, and lowering its CO2 sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to develop a novel directional electromagnetic field (EMF) application method for promoting plant growth using a solenoid coil-based cultivation system. The emergence of plant shoots from seeds, shoot elongation, root proliferation, and plant growth hormones were monitored in the presence of a directional EMF using our solenoid coil system. To observe the effect of the directional EMF on seed germination, radish and sugarcane seedlings were cultivated in the system. At the seed germination stage, the EMF applied had no significant effect on germination or growth. However, after germination, shoot growth was sensitive to a directional EMF, as it was promoted by different conditions in a plant-species-dependent manner. The maximum growth promotion rates were 25.65% ± 4.21% and 38.57% ± 12.81% for radish and sugarcane, respectively. Similarly, plant root proliferation and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) analyses indicated that directional EMF application was associated with root proliferation and hormone synthesis. Plant growth in the experimental system proved controllable; either growth stimulation or reduction were possible as the system operating conditions were made to vary. Our findings indicate that the application of a specific directional EMF could serve as an electrical plant stimulant (or electrical fertilizer). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Teras Jurnal: Jurnal Teknik Sipil is the property of Teras Jurnal: Jurnal Teknik Sipil and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Vegetation plays a crucial role in atmosphere‐land water and energy exchanges, global carbon cycle and basin water conservation. Land Surface Models (LSMs) typically represent vegetation characteristics by monthly climatological indices. However, static vegetation parameterization does not fully capture time‐varying vegetation characteristics, such as responses to climatic fluctuations, long‐term trends, and interannual variability. It remains unclear how the interaction between vegetation and climate variability propagates into hydrologic fluxes and water resources. Multi‐source satellite data sets may introduce uncertainties and require extensive time for analysis. This study developes a deep learning surrogate for a widely used LSM (i.e., Noah) as a rapid diagnosic tool. The calibrated surrogate quantifies the impacts of time‐varying vegetation characteristics from multiple remotely sensed GVF products on the magnitude, seasonality, and biotic and abiotic components of hydrologic fluxes. Using the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) as a test case, we found that time‐varying vegetation provides more buffering effect against climate fluctuation than the static vegetation configuration, leading to reduced variability in the abiotic evaporation components (e.g., soil evaporation). In addition, time‐varying vegetation from multi‐source remote sensing products consistently predicts smaller biotic evaporation components (e.g., transpiration), leading to increased water yield in the UCRB (about 14%) compared to the static vegetation scheme. We also highlight the interaction between dynamic vegetation parameterization and static parameterization (e.g., soil) during calibration. Parameter recalibration and a re‐evaluation of certain model assumptions may be required for assessing climate change impacts on vegetation and basin‐wide water resources. Key Points: Machine learning‐based surrogates provide a rapid diagnostic tool to fuse multi‐source remotely sensed parameters into land surface modelsInterannual‐varying vegetation buffers hydroclimatic variability and redistributes evapotranspiration biotic and abiotic componentsMulti‐source remote sensing vegetation products consistently correct the underestimated water yield (as much as 14%) in the UCRB from the static vegetation scheme [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Due to climate and human activity, water supply in Jharkhand, India, fluctuates. This study measured AWS and AWA in Jharkhand, India. MODIS NDVI and Terra Climate data processed by Google Earth Engine (GEE) are used in the analysis. Based on mean annual values for NDWI, run-off, precipitation, and ET, AWS and AWA are categorised. Results show significant regional differences in ET, precipitation, runoff, AWS, and AWA in Jharkhand. Purbi Singhbhum has far higher ET rates than Garhwa, Palamu, and Chatra. High AWS levels in Sahibganj, Godda, Pakur, Garhwa, and Kodarma indicate serious water scarcity. Therefore, these locations need focused water management approaches. Different districts including Giridih, Chatra, Jamtara, Latehar, Simdega, and Hazaribagh have different levels of AWS, highlighting the need for individualised treatments. The AWA index helps resource managers make educated decisions by detecting water-scarce places. Climate variability affects temperatures and precipitation, worsening AWS in high-AWS areas. Water scarcity mitigation requires local infrastructure development and water management measures. To verify remote sensing data accuracy, future study should improve data resolution and include in-situ measurements. These findings can help policymakers and stakeholders in Jharkhand create efficient water resource management strategies to reduce water stress and assure water supply.

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, the effects and consequences of climate change have shown themselves by creating irregularities and trends in the essential climatic variables. In most cases, the trend of climatic variables is associated with periodicity. In this study, the trends and periodicity of these data (precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, and net available water (NWA) have been investigated in a period of 60 years in Iran. The Mann–Kendall trend test and Sen's slope estimator are applied for analyzing the trend and its magnitude. Wavelet transform is used to detect the periodicity of time series and to determine the correlation between NWA and temperature, precipitation, and evapotranspiration in common periodicity. The results show that the stations located in eastern and western Iran have more significant increasing/decreasing trends. Evapotranspiration shows the highest increasing trend in most stations, followed by temperature, while NWA and precipitation have trends at lower significance levels and decreasing direction. The examination of periodicity in time series showed that, among all the studied stations, evapotranspiration has the most extended periodicity with an average length of 8.3 years, followed by NWA, temperature, and precipitation with 7.3 years, 5.8 years, and 5.5 years. The results of the correlations investigation showed that in about 80% of the stations, there is a high correlation between precipitation and NWA in the short-term periodicity and at the end of the studied period. The evapotranspiration variable in most stations has a high correlation in different periodicities with the amount of NWA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Redistribution of precipitation across seasons is a widespread phenomenon affecting dryland ecosystems globally. However, the impacts of shifting seasonal precipitation patterns on carbon (C) cycling and sequestration in dryland ecosystems remain poorly understood.In this study, we conducted a 10‐yr (2013–2022) field manipulative experiment that altered the timing of growing‐season precipitation peaks in a semi‐arid grassland.We found that the delayed precipitation peak suppressed plant growth and thus reduced gross ecosystem productivity, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem productivity due to middle growing‐season water stress. Surprisingly, shifting more precipitation to the early growing season can advance plant development, increase the dominance of drought‐tolerant forbs, and thus compensate for the negative impacts of middle growing‐season water stress on ecosystem C cycling, leading to a neutral change in grassland C sink.Our findings indicate that greater precipitation and plant development in spring could act as a crucial mechanism, maintaining plant growth and stabilizing ecosystem C sink. This underscores the urgent need to incorporate precipitation seasonality into Earth system models, which is crucial for improving projections of terrestrial C cycling and sequestration under future climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meanwhile, the study entitled Correlation Analysis Between Watering Interval, Stem Height, Stem Diameter and Number of Leaves in Jackfruit Seedlings (Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lamk) is guided by the amount of watering of 100 ml which is based on the recommendation for the use of the best liquid fertilizer from the research of Mamik et al., (2020). The research will be carried out in the closed room experimental garden of the Plantation Management Study Program, Politeknik Indonesia Venezuela located in Cot Suruy Village, Ingin Jaya District, Aceh Besar Regency, from May 2024 to July 2024. The temperature in the experimental garden is set at 25oC – 28oC. To see the correlation analysis between the Watering Interval, Stem Height, Stem Diameter, and Number of Leaves in Jackfruit Seedlings (Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lamk) bivariate correlation analysis was used. There is a relationship between plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves. There is no relationship between the length of the watering interval and the variables of plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves. Table 6 shows that there are no variables that are strongly related and have a significant effect on the watering interval, plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves. The decreasing amount of water causes plants to be unable to grow normally.

A large part of research to date is devoted to the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes focused on technical aspects. This paper evaluated the socio-economic outcomes of Community-Based Rehabilitation of Degraded Land (CBRDL) in the North Showa area of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Multistage sampling techniques were used. In the first stage, the research site is selected based on years of experience in community-based rehabilitation of degraded lands (CBRDL), then simple random sampling techniques were used to select households from two target populations. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science. The findings revealed that the CBRDL brought about reductions in soil erosion and flooding and increased water availability, increased vegetation cover, and crop productivity. Although a people-centered planning approach was promoted during the intervention, a top-down approach prevailed and much needs to be done to overcome the persistent top-down planning process. Lack of knowledge, low level of awareness, low income, and small household size were identified as the main factors affecting participation in the rehabilitation of degraded lands. The overall evaluation showed that the CBRDL is showing encouraging positive impacts.

Paramo ecosystems are unique and are located in Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. Although the Colombian government has made efforts for their preservation and sustainable use, several of the national paramos have experienced a change in their land cover as a result of climate variability, climate change, and the expansion of the agricultural and livestock frontiers. Changes in land cover can affect ecosystem integrity and its environmental services. Taking into account the regional importance of the Guachaneque paramo, it was analyzed whether its vegetation cover experiences any significant changes. This study was carried out by combining multi – temporal analysis of vegetation cover with climatic and statistical analyses. It was found that most land covers present a change mostly associated with human interventions (0.77–0.91). Climate variability and climate change also affect the landscape, but to a lesser extent (0.09–0.23). Water availability directly affects the expansion of all land covers, except paramo grassland, which indicates that an increase in rainfall associated with climate change will cause a contraction of this land cover. Currently, it is identified that anthropogenic pasture and crop surfaces replace the paramo grassland covers with an approximate change of 28.5 hectares per year. These results alert us to the need for monitoring and controlling the development of livestock and agricultural activities in order to preserve the integrity of the paramo landscape.

A forest is a dynamic formation developed through evolutionary transformations that have progressed over a long time. Bioindication can help us understand changes occurring in a forest. Spiders play a significant role in biomonitoring. The presence of stenotopic spiders is affected by several factors, of which water availability is vital. According to the assumptions underlying water retention programs, water accumulated in retention reservoirs is expected to stimulate higher biodiversity of habitats. An analysis of the effect of a moisture gradient on the appearance of epigeic spiders in the Dąbrówka Forest Subdistrict has demonstrated the highest species diversity in the transect located closest to retention reservoirs (93 species). The species diversity of epigeic spiders decreased with the growing distance from these water reservoirs (transect B: 84 species; transect C: 70). Inverse relationships were determined with regard to the numbers of captured spiders (transect A: 927 specimens; B: 1134; C:1288). The spider species that dominated quantitatively was the forest species Pardosa lugubris, caught most abundantly in the area assigned to transect C (76.28%). A higher humidity gradient of a habitat (transects A and B) favors the occurrence of characteristic species with specific habitat and moisture requirements, which are ecologically valuable.

Abstract Water availability is of paramount importance for sustainable development and environmental planning, specifically in regions such as the Iberian Peninsula, renowned for diverse landscapes and varying climatic conditions. Due to climate change, understanding the potential impacts on water resources becomes essential for effective water management strategies. This research effort aims to assess future potential water availability for the Iberian Peninsula in different climate scenarios, employing cutting-edge water resource modelling techniques integrated within a geographic information system (GIS) framework. In this study, potential water availability is defined as the annual demand for water that can be satisfied at a specific point in the fluvial network with certain reliability. An ensemble of state-of-the-art climate models is utilised to project runoff for the Iberian Peninsula during the mid- and late-twenty-first century periods. These climate projections were subsequently processed using the GIS-based water resource management model, WAAPA, to derive potential water availability under a range of realistic hypotheses. The results indicate that anticipated shifts in precipitation patterns will lead to alterations in hydrological regimes across the region, significantly impacting future water availability. By using GIS-based methodologies, we can facilitate the identification of vulnerable areas susceptible to changes in water availability, offering spatially explicit information along the main rivers of the Iberian Peninsula for decision-makers and stakeholders. High-resolution spatial outputs from this research and detailed water availability estimates serve as valuable input for integrated water resource management and climate change adaptation planning. By combining advanced GIS-based hydrological modelling with climate scenarios, this research presents a robust framework for assessing water resources amidst a changing climate, applicable to other regions struggling with analogous challenges. Ultimately, our study provides vital insights for policymakers and stakeholders, empowering them to make informed decisions and devise adaptive measures to ensure sustainable use of water resources despite uncertain future climatic conditions.

A climate change assessment for streamflow availability of the selected rivers in Turkey is presented. Using an Index Basin Mapping (IBM) approach, climate change information is transferred across hydrologically similar rivers. This approach maps rivers of interest without downscaled climate information to index rivers where climate projections are available. Then, monthly perturbation ratios of index rivers, conveying projected climatic changes, are applied to the mapped rivers. Climate change effects on monthly streamflow availability and timing in eight selected rivers are evaluated under 20 scenarios produced from 10 General Circulation Models (GCMs) under medium and high emission cases. Results show that winter streamflow availability will increase due to more precipitation falling as rainfall rather than snowfall. Spring and summer streamflow availability will decrease due to reduced snowmelt runoff. Monthly streamflow variability will increase in all evaluated rivers. Out of eight selected rivers, the Çoruh, Yeşilırmak and Zamantı Rivers will be the most affected by climatic changes, with 14.6, 4.1, and 5.6% reductions in overall water availability under the high emission ensemble scenario. Overall water availability is projected increase in the Ceyhan and Göksu Rivers with climate change. Increased monthly streamflow variability can complicate water management in the region. HIGHLIGHTS Applicability of river mapping between hydroclimatologically similar basins.; Monthly perturbation ratios that reflect seasonal shift and water quantity.; Climate change assessment on timing and magnitude of streamflow availability.; Water availability reduced in spring but increased in winter with climatic changes in the Mediterranean rivers.;

Woody vegetation and the atmosphere are closely related, which determines the relevance of studying this interaction within the framework of the problem of global climate change and the resilience of terrestrial ecosystems to external influences. For the research region, the Komi Republic, climate warming has been revealed, expressed in increased air temperature in the summer. The warmest year over the years of observation was 2013, when the average air temperature in the summer was 17.2 °C, while the longterm annual average norm was 14.6 °C. The growth and productivity of woody plants in a forest community depend on the amount of moisture in the soil. In the middle subzone of the taiga, moisture reserves are 60–200 mm, so woody plants do not lack it. In this regard, transpiration rates of Scots pine and Siberian spruce needles in different types of forest under fluctuating weather conditions has been studied. The results of the research have shown that at elevated air temperatures, low amounts of precipitation and favourable soil water supply, the transpiration rate in pine increases by 1.5 times, and in spruce by 3 times. This is probably due to the fact that the spruce stomata react especially quickly to changes in external conditions, which is determined by the increased sensitivity of the needles to moisture conditions. It has been established that during the same period there is the closest relationship between the transpiration rate and the air temperature (r = 0.7–0.9). In different types of forest, the transpiration rate in pine varies from 4 to 16 %, in spruce within 5 %. An assessment of changes in the pine and spruce needles transpiration rates in response to changing weather conditions has shown that this process is largely determined by the species membership. Pine is a light-demanding species with a taproot system. Spruce is a shade-tolerant species with a shallow root system.

Nyaen Weir is one of the weirs in Sukoharjo Regency. This weir has an irrigation area called the Nyaen irrigation area. The Nyaen irrigation area experiences water shortages in the third planting period. Therefore, further analysis is needed to overcome the water shortage appropriately. This study aims to determine the water balance in the Nyaen Irrigation Area. The method used is direct observation along with a quantitative descriptive method. The analysis stage begins with a site survey to discover the problems in the irrigation network and then collect secondary data at the research location. The water balance analysis step is to compare the availability of water with irrigation water needs. According to the water balance analysis in the Nyaen Irrigation Area, it is not balanced because the right intake is 25% sufficient, and the left intake is 75% acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant fraction of Earth's ecosystems undergoes periodic wet‐dry alternating transitional states. These globally distributed water‐driven transitional ecosystems, such as intermittent rivers and coastal shorelines, have traditionally been studied as two distinct entities, whereas they constitute a single, interconnected meta‐ecosystem. This has resulted in a poor conceptual and empirical understanding of water‐driven transitional ecosystems. Here, we develop a conceptual framework that places the temporal availability of water as the core driver of biodiversity and functional patterns of transitional ecosystems at the global scale. Biological covers (e.g., aquatic biofilms and biocrusts) serve as an excellent model system thriving in both aquatic and terrestrial states, where their succession underscores the intricate interplay between these two states. The duration, frequency, and rate of change of wet‐dry cycles impose distinct plausible scenarios where different types of biological covers can occur depending on their desiccation/hydration resistance traits. This implies that the distinct eco‐evolutionary potential of biological covers, represented by their trait profiles, would support different functions while maintaining similar multifunctionality levels. By embracing multiple alternating transitional states as interconnected entities, our approach can help to better understand and manage global change impacts on biodiversity and multifunctionality in water‐driven transitional ecosystems, while providing new avenues for interdisciplinary studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Water availability is of paramount importance for sustainable development and environmental planning, specifically in regions such as the Iberian Peninsula, renowned for diverse landscapes and varying climatic conditions. Due to climate change, understanding the potential impacts on water resources becomes essential for effective water management strategies. This research effort aims to assess future potential water availability for the Iberian Peninsula in different climate scenarios, employing cutting-edge water resource modelling techniques integrated within a geographic information system (GIS) framework. In this study, potential water availability is defined as the annual demand for water that can be satisfied at a specific point in the fluvial network with certain reliability. An ensemble of state-of-the-art climate models is utilised to project runoff for the Iberian Peninsula during the mid- and late-twenty-first century periods. These climate projections were subsequently processed using the GIS-based water resource management model, WAAPA, to derive potential water availability under a range of realistic hypotheses. The results indicate that anticipated shifts in precipitation patterns will lead to alterations in hydrological regimes across the region, significantly impacting future water availability. By using GIS-based methodologies, we can facilitate the identification of vulnerable areas susceptible to changes in water availability, offering spatially explicit information along the main rivers of the Iberian Peninsula for decision-makers and stakeholders. High-resolution spatial outputs from this research and detailed water availability estimates serve as valuable input for integrated water resource management and climate change adaptation planning. By combining advanced GIS-based hydrological modelling with climate scenarios, this research presents a robust framework for assessing water resources amidst a changing climate, applicable to other regions struggling with analogous challenges. Ultimately, our study provides vital insights for policymakers and stakeholders, empowering them to make informed decisions and devise adaptive measures to ensure sustainable use of water resources despite uncertain future climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water reservoirs are important sources of drinking water in many parts of the world. The aim of the article is to check how water management is carried out in the Dobromierz reservoir (southwestern Poland) in the aspect of climate variability and defining recommendations for water management of this object. The reservoir was put into operation in 1986 and supplies drinking water to the city of Świebodzice. The analysis of water management (expressed by characteristic flows) showed that in most cases it is carried out in accordance with the water management manual (average compliance of approximately 93%). The main problems in the proper operation of this facility, based on literature analysis, were a lack of constant water monitoring inflow and outflow from the reservoir, lack of a fish ladder, and unsatisfactory water quality due to agricultural pollutants. The solution to these problems would be to install monitoring devices, build a fish ladder, and regulate the use of arable lands. It was shown that the construction of the reservoir had an impact on the dynamics of annual flows in the Strzegomka River (reduced fluctuations in flows after the reservoir was put into operation; daily data from Łażany water gauge, 1951–2022). Moreover, climate variability has an impact on water management (changes in temperature and sunshine duration, which affect the dynamics of flows) Water management in reservoirs should be adapted to local conditions, as well as strategies for dealing with climate variability, recommendations, documentation, and policies at various levels of management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant pH is an emerging functional trait that plays important roles in physiological processes and nutrient cycling. However, how root pH varies among plant functional groups (PFGs) and the regulatory factors on a large scale remain unclear. Therefore, we quantified root pH variation of herbaceous plants in four PFGs from 20 sites on the Tibetan Plateau along a 1600 km transect and explored the correlations between root pH and different PFGs, climate and soil conditions. The results showed that the root pH of herbaceous plants was slightly acidic (6.46 ± 0.05). Grasses had the highest root pH (6.91 ± 0.10) across all functional groups (p <.05), whereas legumes had the lowest (5.90 ± 0.08; p <.05). The root pH decreased with mean annual precipitation, aridity index, soil water content and soil stress coefficient, whereas the significant positive correlation with soil pH. PFGs, climate and soil explained 5.39, 11.15 and 24.94% of the root pH variance, respectively. This study provided a comprehensive analysis of root pH patterns in herbaceous plants over a large spatial scale. Root pH was controlled by the combined influence of PFGs, climate and soil properties, with moisture status being the main influential factor. In contrast to the leaf pH, the root pH of herbaceous plants is strongly affected by the soil pH along environmental gradients. Our findings provide new insights into root functional traits and survival strategies of herbaceous plants in alpine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large tree decline is occurring globally with critical implications for biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Restoration thinning is a potential management action to accelerate tree growth and promote large tree development in forests, yet trials have been limited and results have been mixed.We conducted a large‐scale trial to determine whether restoration thinning could accelerate the development of large trees in river red gum forests in Australia that had experienced widespread woody thickening and a decline of large trees due to long‐term commercial timber harvesting and river regulation.Thinning was conducted on 44 9‐ha plots by removing trees <40 cm diameter from around retained trees at a range of spacings. Initial tree densities ranged from ~260 to ~1860 trees per ha and 8%–86% of trees were removed by thinning. We monitored 1980 trees prior to thinning, and annually for 5 years post‐thinning. We tested the effects of thinning intensity on diameter growth of different sized trees and explored whether long‐ and short‐term water availability affected outcomes.Thinning promoted the growth of small trees <56 cm diameter, especially in drier sites during wet years. Higher thinning intensities reduced the growth rates of large trees (no smaller than 79.5 cm diameter) in wetter sites.For medium‐ and large‐sized trees, long‐ and short‐term water availability were stronger drivers of tree growth than competition due to tree density.Synthesis and applications. Restoration thinning may accelerate tree growth in young river red gum forests where all trees are small. But restoration thinning may be ineffective or detrimental in multi‐aged forests where the goal is to promote the growth rates of trees that are already medium to large in size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colomadu District is an area on the outskirts of or around a city that is experiencing rapid development due to the local population’s interest in moving, causing an increase in population. The aim is to determine the projected use of groundwater in Colomadu District, Karanganyar Regency, to determine the use of groundwater needs in each village in Colomadu District, Karanganyar Regency in 2021, and to determine when the balance between supply (availability) and demand of groundwater in Colomadu District will be exceeded or in deficit. The research method used was data collection in the form of sampling, measuring water quality, and interviews. Sampling was carried out by collecting water from the residents' wells and taking as many as two samples per village, which represented the water quality in each village. The samples were collected by first drawing water from the well, then the prepared sample bottles were rinsed three times using sample water (well water), and the rinsed bottles were then filled with sample water. The projection of groundwater use in Colomadu District in 2025 is 3,345,311.68 m³ year-1 ; in 2030 is 3,716,727.52 m³ year-1 ; in 2035 is 4,129,380.08 m³ year-1 ; and in 2040 is 4,587,847.71 m3 year-1 . Projections are made until demand exceeds supply, namely, in 2085, when demand can reach 11,833,854.16 m³ year-1 with a population of 272,244 people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radial growth of trees, as reflected by tree ring width, serves as a vital proxy for past climate conditions, offering insights into climate dynamics over centennial and millennial time scales. Traditionally, in the high altitudes and latitudes of the central Scandinavian Mountains, summer temperatures, particularly in July, have significantly influenced the radial growth of Scots pine. This research aims to reassess the climatic determinants of Scots pine radial growth in Jämtland, central Scandinavian Mountains, by incorporating a refined analysis that considers temperature, precipitation, and snow depth, and their correlations with tree growth over time. Using a dynamic moving window heatmap correlation analysis, this study revisits a Scots pine chronology to explore the evolving climatic influences on radial growth. This approach allows for the identification of temporal shifts in growth-limiting factors. We observe a notable transition in the 1970s, marking a shift where water availability, rather than temperature, emerges as a critical limiting factor for radial growth at both the beginning and the end of the growing season. This shift is reflective of the broader global trend of decreasing tree growth response to increasing temperatures in the latter half of the 20th century, underscoring the significant impact of ongoing climate change on forest ecosystems. The results highlight the necessity for adaptive forest management strategies that consider the changing dynamics of climatic influences on tree growth. Furthermore, our study contributes to the broader understanding of forest growth patterns in the face of climate change, with substantial implications for ecological research and forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of agricultural commodities produced in the Southern U.S. under irrigation is increasingly at risk due to erratic rainfall patterns, inadequate water supplies and compromised water quality. This study assessed the needs of crop growers in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Southern Region. The purpose was to identify growers' critical water resource management concerns to identify research priorities from the perspective of growers in this region. To obtain this information, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to growers throughout the Southern Region in 2020. The final sample included 111 crop (row and specialty) production growers from the Southern Region. Overall, respondents named the water available to irrigate as the greatest water resource management priority. Within all the water availability priorities asked, respondents' first choice was declining water supply in the future. Declining water supply and the cost of irrigating presently were the next most frequently named water availability priorities. Growers named both increasing the efficiency of irrigation and development of farming practices to improve soil moisture retention as the primary and secondary focus of future irrigation research, respectively. These results will aid in strengthening existing and developing new initiatives for water research and Extension in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to predict water availability in New Capital (IKN) and its surroundings using artificial neural networks and spectral indices as predictors. The study uses Sentinel-2 A imagery from the year 2022 analyzed directly from Google Earth Engine (GEE) to calculate three spectral indices, including the Land Surface Water Index (LSWI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), and uses these indices as predictors in the artificial neural network model. The study carried out four simulations to determine the best prediction results, and the best results were obtained using ANN parameters: 2 hidden layers (HL); learning rate (LR) 0.01; momentum (M) 0.4; root mean square (RMS) 0.001 and iteration (I) 25,000 with overall accuracy (OA) 97.7% and kappa index 0.96. The results show that the percentage of water availability in the study area is high water/HW (0.51%), vegetation water/VW (20.41%), and non-water/NW (79.08%). The study concludes that artificial neural networks and spectral indices can effectively predict water availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfire substantially alters aquatic ecosystems by inducing moderate to catastrophic physical and chemical changes. However, the relations of environmental and watershed variables that drive those effects are complex. We present a Driver‐Factor‐Stressor‐Effect (DFSE) conceptual framework to assess the current state of the science related to post‐wildfire water‐quality. We reviewed 64 peer‐reviewed papers using the DFSE framework to identify drivers, factors, stressors, and effects associated with each study. A total of five drivers were identified and ranked according to their frequency of occurrence in the literature: atmospheric processes > fire characteristics > ecologic processes and characteristics > land surface characteristics > soil characteristics. Commonly reported stressors include increased nutrients, runoff, and sediment transport. Furthermore, although several different factors have been used at least once to explain water‐quality effects, relatively few factors outside of precipitation and fire characteristics are frequently studied. We identified several gaps indicating the need for long‐term monitoring, multi‐factor studies, consideration of organic contaminants, consideration of groundwater, and inclusion of soil characteristics. This assessment expands on other reviews and meta‐analyses by exploring causal linkages between influential variables and overall effects in post‐wildfire watersheds. Information gathered from our assessment and the framework itself can be used to inform future monitoring plans and as a guide for modeling efforts focused on better understanding specific processes or to mitigate potential risks of post‐wildfire water quality. Plain Language Summary: Wildfires impact the hydrology and water quality of surface waters that drain burned areas. However, the environmental and watershed factors that drive post‐wildfire water quality are not well understood. We conducted a scoping review of peer‐reviewed publications to assess the current state of the science and identify knowledge gaps. Using the data gathered from the review, we developed a conceptual framework to identify factors that most frequently explain post‐wildfire impacts, the resulting stressors (i.e., changes in the system), and the effects associated with the observed stressors. Precipitation and burn severity are most frequently related to post‐wildfire impacts. Factors such as soil characteristics are studied relatively infrequently. Effects include impaired water quality, increased drinking water treatment, and increased streamflow. Our analysis identified several gaps that can be filled by long‐term monitoring, conducting studies in geographic regions affected by wildfire but where little data exists, expanding current observations to better understand shifts in baseflow contributions, and expanding chemical analyses to include organic contaminants. Key Points: Precipitation and burn severity are studied more often than soil and land characteristics to explain post‐wildfire water qualityIncreased streamflow and impaired water quality are the most documented effects of wildfire, though other effects can be importantKnowledge gaps include long‐term monitoring, multi‐factor studies, and consideration of groundwater and organic contaminants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation responses to rising atmospheric CO2 levels can significantly affect water availability (defined as precipitation minus evapotranspiration (ET)). While this effect has long been recognized and assessed for the mean state, its influence on interannual variability, which is more closely associated with extreme events, has yet to be comprehensively quantified. In this study, our primary focus is to evaluate the impacts of ET by plant physiology (denoted as ETPhy) on the mean and interannual variability of water availability under elevated CO2 using multiple CO2 sensitivity experiments from the coupled model intercomparison project phase 6. We show that the contribution of vegetation physiological effects to the mean water availability varies among regions, while it consistently contributes to variability by about 33%. Considering CO2 physiological effects alone, ETPhy exerts a more significant influence on the mean state than on variability, particularly in humid regions. Consequently, ETPhy contributes less than 5% to the variability of water availability in humid regions under rising CO2, whereas it accounts for about 20% of the mean state. This distinction could be attributed to the different mechanisms governing the mean and variability of ETPhy. Specifically, evaporation from CO2 physiological forcing is the most critical contributor to the variability of ETPhy in most regions while showing minimal impacts on the mean state. Our findings identify the divergent effects of ETPhy on the mean state and interannual variability of water availability under elevated CO2, as important in future climate projections. Plain Language Summary: Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations impacts on vegetation physiological processes are expected to change the evapotranspiration (ET) by plant physiology (denoted as ETPhy), allowing for altering the mean and the interannual variability of water availability (defined as precipitation minus ET). Using an ensemble of Earth system model simulations, this study reveals that the impacts of CO2 physiological effects on the mean of water availability are region‐specific, but with a nearly consistent contribution to its interannual variability. Combined with the impact of ETPhy on the mean and variability of water availability resulting from CO2 physiological forcing, ETPhy typically contributes less than 5% to the variability of water availability in humid regions under rising CO2, whereas it accounts for about 20% of the mean state. This discrepancy could arise from the different mechanisms governing the mean and variability of ETPhy. These results underscore the importance of accounting for the effects of ETPhy in response to increasing CO2 in altering the mean and the interannual variability of regional water resources. Key Points: The effects of CO2 vegetation responses contribute variably in space to mean annual water availability but uniformly to variabilityThe evapotranspiration (ET) from CO2 physiological forcing (ETPhy) shows more impacts on the mean of water availability than its variabilityThe evaporation from CO2 physiological forcing plays an important role in the variability of ETPhy but has weak effects on the mean [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is a fundamental resource for ecosystems, humans, and the development of all economic sectors; it is necessary to identify and evaluate its environmental pressures and impacts. The water footprint (WF) is an appropriate indicator for the consumption of water used to produce a product. The present study uses this tool to evaluate the green and blue water requirements and the sustainability of irrigation water use for agroindustrial avocado production in Ziracuaretiro, Michoacán (2012–2021). Our analysis was based on aggregating weather and soil data at the municipal level and official government databases of avocado cultivated surface, fruit production, and water rights concessions. The analysis considers the homogeneity of information throughout the study area. We estimated that rainfed plantations require 839.03 m3/ton, and irrigated plantations require 2355.80 m3/ton, with an average of 1597.47 m3/ton. In addition, we determined that avocado cultivation can demand up to 124.3% of agricultural water concessions in this municipality. Moreover, the WF estimates and the analysis indicate that such studies are fundamental for decision-makers to develop and implement water use efficiency strategies and shows the need for further research related to the water consumption of avocado as a crop at more detailed scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how plant fitness varies along natural gradients is critical for predicting responses to environmental change. However, individual vital rates are often used as fitness proxies without knowing how other vital rates vary along the same gradients.We investigated how canopy cover, plant–plant interactions, water availability and soil properties influenced the emergence, survival, seed production and population growth rates of eight annual plant species in semi‐arid Western Australia. We sowed seeds into sun‐exposed and shaded blocks across a reserve, removed all neighbouring plants from half of the interaction neighbourhoods, and used rainout shelters to reduce and increase precipitation relative to ambient plots.Canopy cover had strong negative effects on emergence, but few direct impacts on other vital rates and population growth rates. Direct competitive effects on survival and seed production were rare, although evident for population growth rate for 3/8 species. Competition was stronger in open than shaded plots for half of the species. Canopy cover also interacted with the watering treatment to influence survival of half of the species, but watering alone had few direct impacts on species' vital and population growth rates. We found only positive significant correlations between pairs of rates, and survival and seed production were far more frequently correlated with population growth rate than emergence.Synthesis. Our study illustrates that vital rates can respond to the same local‐scale environmental variation in different ways that are likely not driven by life history trade‐offs. We caution against using emergence as a proxy for population growth rate and emphasise that no single vital rate was a reliable fitness proxy overall. Interactions among abiotic and biotic factors were important drivers of vital and population growth rates for some species, highlighting the need to account for plant–plant interactions when predicting population responses to environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroclimate drives vegetation distributions, but fine‐scale topographic variation can generate microclimate refugia for plant persistence in unsuitable areas. However, we lack quantitative descriptions of topography‐driven microclimatic variation and how it shapes forest structure, diversity, and composition. We hypothesized that topographic variation and the presence of the forest overstory cause spatiotemporal microclimate variation affecting tree performance, causing forest structure, diversity, and composition to vary with topography and microclimate, and topography and the overstory to buffer microclimate. In a 20.2‐ha inventory plot in the North American Great Plains, we censused woody stems ≥1 cm in diameter and collected detailed topographic and microclimatic data. Across 59‐m of elevation, microclimate covaried with topography to create a sharp desiccation gradient, and topography and the overstory buffered understory microclimate. The magnitude of microclimatic variation mirrored that of regional‐scale variation: with increasing elevation, there was a decrease in soil moisture corresponding to the difference across ~2.1° of longitude along the east‐to‐west aridity gradient and an increase in air temperature corresponding to the difference across ~2.7° of latitude along the north‐to‐south gradient. More complex forest structure and higher diversity occurred in moister, less‐exposed habitats, and species occupied distinct topographic niches. Our study demonstrates how topographic and microclimatic gradients structure forests in putative climate‐change refugia, by revealing ecological processes enabling populations to be maintained during periods of unfavorable macroclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple lines of evidence confirm a widespread increase in vegetation growth across China over the past few decades. The relationship between vegetation growth and water availability is thought to be becoming stronger under climate change, that is, water constraints on vegetation growth have been increasing. However, our understanding of how water constraints have influenced these vegetation greening trends, especially those climate change‐driven ones, remains limited. Here, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation of recent water constraints and their implications for vegetation growth in China between 1982 and 2015. By analyzing the spatiotemporal patterns of the relationship between vegetation growth and water availability, we reveal recent water constraints and their changes hidden within an overall greening trend in China. Further analysis demonstrates that two climate change‐related categories, defined broadly as "climate" (e.g., air temperature, precipitation, and so on) and "CO2" (i.e., atmospheric carbon dioxide), have exerted varying levels of importance in regulating vegetation growth across different water constraints. With increasing water constraints, the proportion of the climate‐dominated area has significantly risen, while that of the CO2‐dominated area has sharply declined. Our findings highlight that water constraints can mediate the dominance of climate and atmospheric CO2 on vegetation growth. This has the great potential to exacerbate the uncertainty surrounding current and future sustainable vegetation greening trends. Plain Language Summary: China's vegetation growth has shown a broad increase under climate change and human activities over the past few decades. At the same time, changes in vegetation water demand, terrestrial water availability, and climatic factors are expected to lead to increasing water constraints on vegetation growth. However, whether water constraints have influenced climate change‐driven vegetation greening trends remains unclear. In this study, we provide a comprehensive assessment of recent water constraints and their implications for vegetation growth in China between 1982 and 2015. To do this, we analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of the relationship between vegetation growth and water availability to reveal recent water constraints hidden within China's vegetation greening. Further analysis shows that climate and atmospheric CO2 have exerted varying levels of importance in regulating vegetation growth across different water constraints. With increasing water constraints, more regions become climate‐dominated and fewer become CO2‐dominated. Overall, our findings highlight that water constraints can mediate the dominance of climate and atmospheric CO2 on vegetation growth. This will help decision‐makers recognize the uncertainty of sustainable vegetation greening trends. Key Points: We reveal recent water constraints and their changes hidden within China's widespread vegetation greeningClimate and atmospheric CO2 have exerted varying levels of importance in regulating vegetation growth across different water constraintsWith increasing water constraints, more of China's vegetated regions become climate‐dominated and fewer become CO2‐dominated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In rural planning, ensuring sustainable water management is pivotal, particularly in addressing the challenges posed by the absence of comprehensive rural water security assessments. Despite the abundance of water resources in mountainous regions, their accessibility and utilization remain significant hurdles for local populations, often hindering sustainable development. This study proposed a rural water accessibility (RWA) model, focusing on village settlements (VSs) as fundamental units for water utilization. The model examines two critical aspects of mountainous water security that are essential for sustainability: the supply–demand relation between VSs and their water sources, and the water availability to characterize difficulties in obtaining water sources in complex terrain. Using data from 1156 natural VSs in Dongchuan District, Kunming, water demand was calculated based on population and local average rural water demand per person. Springs and streams were identified as main and standby water sources, respectively. The RWA model evaluates the supply–demand balance and assesses water availability using the least-cost path (LCP) method. The results establish RWA grades, indicating water security conditions for VSs. This approach effectively identifies supply–demand relations and determines water demand gaps, facilitating targeted water management in rural areas, especially during droughts. It enables managers to accurately gauge the grade of water accessibility for each VS, allowing for prompt and tailored emergency water supply interventions. Furthermore, aggregating the RWA of each VS can provide valuable insights for devising sustainable water management strategies in mountainous regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on water security in Mykolaiv, a city of 0.5 million inhabitants in southern Ukraine, in the situation of scarcity of usable water resources caused by climate change and military operations. This problem arose after the Dnipro-Mykolaiv water pipeline was destroyed in April 2022 as a result of military operations and the supply of drinking water to the city was cut off. To ensure that the city’s population has constant access to sufficient water of acceptable quality, a search for alternative water sources and a climate risk assessment were carried out for the new municipal water supply system from the Southern Bug River. The possible change in flow and its intra-annual distribution under the influence of climate change was modeled using the WaterGAP2 hydrological model and climate projections under the SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-P8.5 scenarios. It was found that under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, the reduction in river flow will be insignificant (up to a maximum of 14% in the far future) and there will be no restrictions on the city’s water supply from this section of the river in the near (2021-2050) and far (2051-2080) period. The maximum water withdrawal for municipal water supply and the minimum environmental flow will reach their maximum value only in August (56% of the projected flow), which is not critical. Under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, in the long-term perspective of 2051-2080, the largest decrease in runoff will occur from May to October, and the water withdrawal will increase to 40-79% of the projected flow. The use of the research results not only in water management, but also in municipal administration, and their dissemination in territorial communities will contribute to the successful adaptation of socio-economic and environmental processes in the region and can bring successful benefits not only to the economy, but also to communities.

The increasing frequency of drought events due to global climate change has significant impacts on ecosystems, often resulting in reduced vegetation productivity. However, vegetation responses to drought often exhibit non-linear threshold phenomena, where vegetation growth sharply decreases once water stress reaches a certain level. Our study, conducted on the Mongolian Plateau, focuses on revealing the drought response thresholds and distribution patterns of different vegetation types. These thresholds mark critical turning points from high drought resistance to high vulnerability in vegetation response and serve as early warning indicators, crucial for accurately assessing how terrestrial ecosystems adapt to climate change. We utilized remote sensing observation datasets and inversion datasets spanning from 2001 to 2020, including six representative vegetation indices. The results indicate that: (1) Over 70 % of the Mongolian Plateau experiences low vegetation growth (

In West Africa, long dry spells are likely to become more frequent and intense as a result of global climate variability, which may significantly impact cocoa tree performance (i.e. morphology, physiology, growth and production), and asks for improved water management. Potassium (K) application may mitigate drought impacts on cocoa, yet knowledge on how shorter, drier wet seasons affect cocoa and on the potential mitigating effect of K application is limited. This study investigated the effects of reduced water availability via shelters and K application on cocoa leaf traits, root growth, reproductive dynamics and yield of cocoa trees in a 6-year old plantation. Two soil moisture levels and two K treatments were considered: a control (no shelter) and sheltered (67 % rainfall reduction) treatment, either with or without 200 kg ha−1 K application. Results indicated rain sheltering significantly decreased soil moisture by 9 %, root interceptions by 50 %, root mass density by ∼50 %, stomatal conductance (Gs) by ∼60 %, flush intensity by ∼70 %, leaf greenness ∼48 % and leaf size by ∼68 %. While individual pod mass remained unchanged, flower intensity, healthy cherelles, pod, and bean numbers per tree dropped, leading to a dry bean yield reduction from ∼2100 kg ha−1 to ∼1450 kg ha−1 (∼31 %). The beneficial impact of K application was primarily noticeable under control conditions, where it increased Gs, leaf size and greenness. Also, about 35 % of precipitation is intercepted by and directly evaporates from the cocoa canopy and thus never reaches the soil. Future agro-meteorological crop models need to take this into account. Overall, results indicate a strong negative effect of reducing water availability during the wet season on leaf physiology, pod production and cocoa yield. Yields were mostly reduced because of a lower number of pods and much less by an effect on individual pod size. However, K application may not mitigate drought effects and sustaining cocoa yield would require integrated water management.