Consistent characterisation factors at midpoint and endpoint relevant to agricultural water scarcity arising from freshwater consumption

Purpose

The shortage of agricultural water from freshwater sources is a growing concern because of the relatively large amounts needed to sustain food production for an increasing population. In this context, an impact assessment methodology is indispensable for the identification and assessment of the potential consequences of freshwater consumption in relation to agricultural water scarcity. This paper reports on the consistent development of midpoint and endpoint characterisation factors (CFs) for assessing these impacts.

Methods

Midpoint characterisation factors focus specifically on shortages in food production resulting from agricultural water scarcity. These were calculated by incorporating country-specific compensation factors for physical availability of water resources and socio-economic capacity in relation to the irrigation water demand for agriculture. At the endpoint, to reflect the more complex impact pathways from food production losses to malnutrition damage from agricultural water scarcity, international food trade relationships and economic adaptation capacity were integrated in the modelling with measures of nutritional vulnerability for each country.

Results and discussion

The inter-country variances of CFs at the midpoint revealed by this study were larger than those derived using previously developed methods, which did not integrate compensation processes by food stocks. At the endpoint level, both national and trade-induced damage through international trade were quantified and visualised. Distribution of malnutrition damage was also determined by production and trade balances for commodity groups in water-consuming countries, as well as dependency on import ratios for importer countries and economic adaptation capacity in each country. By incorporating the complex relationships between these factors, estimated malnutrition damage due to freshwater consumption at the country scale showed good correlation with total reported nutritional deficiency damage.

Conclusions

The model allows the establishment of consistent CFs at the midpoint and endpoint for agricultural water scarcity resulting from freshwater consumption. The complex relationships between food production supply and nutrition damage can be described by considering the physical and socio-economic parameters used in this study. Developed CFs contribute to a better assessment of the potential impacts associated with freshwater consumption in global supply chains and to life cycle assessment and water footprint assessments.

     

Development of impact factors on damage to health by infectious diseases caused by domestic water scarcity

Background, aim, and scope  

Water scarcity is a critical environmental issue. In particular, domestic water is a necessary resource for our fundamental activities, and poor water quality may lead to damage to health caused by infectious diseases. However, there is no methodology to assess the damage of domestic water scarcity (low accessibility to safe water) caused by water consumption. The main objectives of this study are to model the health damage assessment of infectious diseases (ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm disease, and diarrhea) caused by domestic water scarcity and calculate damage factors on a country scale.     

A comprehensive analysis of blue water scarcity from the production,consumption, and water transfer perspectives

The issue of growing water scarcity has been increasingly perceived as a global systemic risk. To solve it, an integrated approach considering different perspectives of water scarcity is at a premise. In this study, we developed an approach to calculate the blue water scarcity (BWS) and integrated the production, consumption, and water transfer perspectives into a single framework. The results are as follows: The average BWS in the Hetao irrigation district was 0.491 during the 2001–2010 year period, which was much larger than the threshold of 0.30, indicating a high water stress level. From the production perspective, the agricultural sector was the largest contributor to regional water scarcity and the average BWS was as high as 0.479. From the consumption perspective, BWS related to virtual water export was much larger than that related to water consumption for making products to be consumed locally and the values were 0.422 and 0.069, respectively. Under the influence of physical and virtual water transfer, BWS changed from 0.242 (medium to high water stress level) to 0.491 (high water stress level). Strategies for reducing agricultural water consumption, such as increasing crop water productivity, improving irrigation efficiency, and promoting more reasonable irrigation water price, could be adopted in the Hetao irrigation district to alleviate regional BWS. Compared with physical and virtual water import, the virtual water export played a more important role in influencing the regional water scarcity, and the increase in crop water productivity, decrease in crop export volume, or adjustment of trade pattern from water-intensive crops to water-extensive ones could be feasible measures to decrease virtual water export for lower water stress, while the trade-offs in the product-consuming regions should be considered.     

A review of seabird energetics using the doubly labeled water method

The doubly labeled water (DLW) method has been essential for understanding animal energetics of free-ranging individuals. The first published studies on free-ranging seabirds were conducted on penguins in the early 1980s. Since then, nearly 50 seabird species with representatives from each major taxonomic order have been studied using DLW. Although the basic methodology has not changed, there are at least nine different equations, varying with respect to assumptions on fractionation and the total body water pool, to estimate field metabolic rate (FMR) from isotopic water turnover. In this review, I show that FMR can vary by as much as 45% depending on the equation used to calculate CO₂ production in five albatross species. Energy budgets derived from DLW measurements are critical tools for understanding patterns of energy use and allocation in seabirds. However, they depend on accurate and representative measurements of FMR, so analyses that include greater partitioning of activity specific FMR yield more realistic cost estimates. I also show how the combined use of DLW and biologging methods can 1) provide greater clarity for explaining observed variation in FMR measurements within a species and 2) allow FMRs to be viewed in a wider physiological, behavioral, or ecological context. Finally, I update existing allometric equations with new FMR data. These updates reaffirm that albatrosses have the lowest at-sea FMRs per equivalent body mass and that individuals of other seabird orders have FMRs ranging between 1.39 and 2.24 times higher than albatrosses.     

Identification of methodological challenges remaining in the assessment of a water scarcity footprint: a review

Purpose

This work presents a systematic review, updating the information on the currently available methods to calculate the water footprint (WF), and addressing the following methodological challenges, as they have not been deeply studied to date: (1) accounting and assessing the environmental impacts related to changes in evapotranspiration (ET); (2) inventory of actual blue freshwater consumption in agriculture; (3) temporal and spatial variation to establish explicit characterisation factors (CFs) and (4) adequate connection between inventory flows and spatio-temporal explicit CFs.

Methods

A systematic review relying on the guidelines of Pullin and Stewart (Conserv Biol 20(6):1647–1656, 2006) was conducted. Taking into account five specific formulated research questions in the WF field, WF studies were selected based on two ‘types’ of screening criteria: keyword searches and the WF study filter.

Results and discussion

From the 128 papers in peer-reviewed journals on product WF from a life cycle perspective, this literature review shows that major methodological challenges remain partially unsolved, which could degrade the accuracy of product WF assessments. To understand how land use affects ET, and depending on the land cover and size of the land use production system, actual ET can be estimated based on meteorological data on water balance equations embedded in crop and forest growth models, from field measurements at meteorological stations and more recently from remote sensing. For accounting for blue water consumption in agriculture, there are two types of approaches that lead to quite different results: inventory from actual farming records of applied irrigation and inventory from modelled ET associated with irrigation. Depending on the question being addressed, the practitioner can apply either approach. Furthermore, when a single freshwater scarcity CF is determined for large sub-watersheds, especially when the sub-watersheds have non-uniform freshwater availability and demand, uncertainty in the freshwater use-related impacts is introduced. Regarding the connection between inventory flows and spatio-temporal explicit CFs, the difficulty in identifying the exact location of background processes and characterising the local environmental characteristics (e.g. edaphoclimatic conditions, land cover) can hinder the elaboration of an accurate spatially differentiated impact assessment, as more generic CFs can be applied.

Conclusions

This systematic review shows that there are clearly future research needs with respect to the interrelations between freshwater use and potential damages in the areas of protection of resources, human health and ecosystem quality. It is also of paramount importance to understand the effects of land use and land cover change and water irrigation on WF damage.

     

Frequency and molecular characterisation of Entamoeba histolytica,Entamoeba dispar,Entamoeba moshkovskii,and Entamoeba hartmanni in the context of water scarcity in northeastern Brazil

This study aimed to estimate the frequency, associated factors, and molecularcharacterisation of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoebadispar, Entamoeba moshkovskii, andEntamoebahartmanni infections. We performed a survey (n = 213 subjects) to obtainparasitological, sanitation, and sociodemographic data. Faecal samples were processedthrough flotation and centrifugation methods.E. histolytica,E. dispar, E. moshkovskii, and E.hartmanni were identified by nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Theoverall prevalence of infection was 22/213 (10.3%). The infection rate among subjectswho drink rainwater collected from roofs in tanks was higher than the rate insubjects who drink desalinated water pumped from wells; similarly, the infection rateamong subjects who practice open defecation was significantly higher than that ofsubjects with latrines. Out of the 22 samples positive for morphologicallyindistinguishableEntamoeba species, the differentiation by PCRwas successful for 21. The species distribution was as follows: 57.1% to E.dispar, 23.8% to E. histolytica, 14.3% toE.histolytica and E. dispar, and 4.8% E.dispar and E. hartmanni. These data suggest a highprevalence of asymptomatic infection by the group of morphologicallyindistinguishable Entamoebahistolytica/dispar/moshkovskiicomplexand E. hartmanni species. In this context of water scarcity, thesanitary and socioenvironmental characteristics of the region appear to favourtransmission.     

A rapid method for the characterisation of transgene junctions

Presented here is a simple method that enables amplification of the DNA immediately surrounding the junction between an inserted tDNA and the host genome, without prior sequence information.     

Adsorption characterisation of water and ethanol on wheat starch and wheat gluten using inverse gas chromatography

Adsorption of water and ethanol on wheat starch and wheat gluten has been studied in the temperature range of 60–150 °C using inverse gas chromatography (IGC). From the chromatographic retention data it is able to calculate the separation factors for the two solutes and obtain values for thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy (ΔG_s) and the enthalpy (ΔH_s) of adsorption of water and ethanol. The results indicate that water is adsorbed more strongly than ethanol at all temperatures, and the low temperature is found to facilitate the adsorptive separation of water from ethanol. It is also shown that the starch definitely plays a crucial role for the water and ethanol separation, despite that wheat flour includes both gluten and starch. The wheat starch is seen to have potential application in biomass water–ethanol separation to obtain fuel ethanol through the preferential adsorption of water from aqueous ethanol.     

基于SWAT模型的图们江流域蓝绿水资源供需平衡分析

随着经济快速发展和工农业各类用水量大幅增加,对河流的开发程度随之加强,流域水资源可持续利用受到不利影响。从蓝绿水视角出发,基于SWAT模型量化了图们江流域2015—2020年不同时间尺度下的蓝绿水资源并探讨了研究区水资源供需平衡情况。结果表明：研究时段内流域蓝绿水资源均具有明显的季节特征,年均蓝绿水资源量为117.16亿m³,其中蓝水资源量30.14亿m³,绿水资源量87.02亿m³,绿水占水资源量的74.27%。以年为尺度,蓝水资源供需评估指数>1,可利用蓝水资源量基本不能满足其需求量,降水少的年份蓝水资源供需矛盾突出,而绿水资源可以达到供需平衡,其供需评估指数集中在0.1—0.2之间。在月尺度分析中研究区蓝水供需评估指数出现极端值的频率较高,表明该地区蓝水供需不平衡,尤其是可利用蓝水资源一般在每年的7—8月才较为丰富,而蓝水需求用水集中分布于作物生长期,导致蓝水供应与蓝水需求在时间分配上不均衡,且在实际水资源分配中忽略了生态用水;月尺度绿水供需评估指数集中在0.1—0.4之间,有明显的季节变化特征,整体上绿水资...     

The effect of water supply on seed-bank analysis using the seedling-emergence method

1. When using the seedling-emergence method to analyse a soil seed bank the greenhouse conditions should match the germination requirements of the species involved. Although the seedling-emergence method is common practice in ecological studies, the germination characteristics of many species are not known, or are only partly known.
2. Before carrying out a large-scale seed-bank study in a wet dune slack, we tested the water requirements of the species in the seed bank, comparing a waterlogged soil with a moist soil. Four species germinated in significantly larger numbers in a waterlogged soil, seven species in a moist soil and 11 species showed no significant difference. When a species was present in low densities, it was often missed using the less appropriate treatment.
3. These results emphasize the need for a preliminary study before carrying out a seed-bank analysis and show the danger of using a 'standard' method to analyse soil samples from different habitats.     

Study of the structure of biodegraded wood using the water vapour sorption method

The dynamics of the biodegradation of wood by brown-rot fungi (Coniophora puteana, Poria placenta, and Gloephyllum trabeum) was investigated by the water vapour sorption method. The change in wood microstructure characteristics (specific surface and concentration of surface hydrophilic centres) with increasing exposure time correlated with reduction in mass and change in composition. Two-to-eight-nanometer-wide micropores, whose size and volume depended on the fungal species and exposure time, appeared in the wood. Methodological aspects of the application of sorption methods should be taken into account in the interpretation of the results.     

A dynamic assessment of water scarcity risk in the Lower Brahmaputra River Basin: An integrated approach

Many international river basins are likely to experience increasing water scarcity over the coming decades. This water scarcity is not rooted only in the limitation of resources, i.e. the shortage in the availability of freshwater relative to water demand, but also on social factors (e.g. flawed water planning and management approaches, institutional incapability to provide water services, unsustainable economic policies). Therefore, the assessment of water scarcity risks is not limited to the assessment of physical water supply and demand, but it requires also consideration of several socio-economic factors. In this study, we provide a comprehensive dynamic assessment of water scarcity risks for the Lower Brahmaputra river basin, a region where the hydrological impact of climate change is expected to be particularly strong and population pressure is high. The basin area of Brahmaputra River lies among four different countries: China, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan. For water scarcity assessment, we propose a novel integration of different approaches: (i) the assessment of water scarcity risk, considering complex social-ecological system; (ii) the analysis of dynamic behaviour of the system; (iii) exploration of participatory approach in which limited number of stakeholders identify the most relevant issues with reference to water scarcity risks and provide their preferences for the aggregation of risk assessment indicators. Results show that water scarcity risk is expected to slightly increase and to fluctuate remarkably as a function of the hazard signal. Social indicators show trends that can at least partially compensate the increasing trend of the drought index. The results of this study are intended to be used for contributing to planned adaptation of water resources systems, in Lower Brahmaputra River Basin.     

Extreme water efficiency of Cape gannet Morus capensis chicks as an adaptation to water scarcity and heat stress in the breeding colony

Cape gannet Morus capensis chicks depend entirely on fish prey and metabolic water for water requirements during development. Water loss through evaporative cooling due to heat stress is substantial. We measured water flux and field metabolic rates (FMR) of Cape gannet chicks and adults to determine if gannets developed water saving strategies. The water economy index (WEI, g kJ^?1) decreased with chick age according to the model WEI = 0.676 – 0.272 × log₁₀(t), indicating that water efficiency increased with age. At fledging, the WEI of chicks was at the level expected of adult desert birds. Desert birds maintain a low WEI by also having a low FMR, whereas Cape gannet chicks have FMR comparable to other seabird species’ nestling requirements. We propose that maintaining low WEI is adaptive for Cape gannets because (1) chicks need to balance water loss through evaporative cooling, (2) fledglings need to overcome a period of up to a week when they cannot ingest any water and (3) adults spend extended periods in the breeding colony during which water can become a limiting factor. Understanding the physiological mechanism of maintaining low WEI will become increasingly important with future rising temperatures.     

Analysis of the water quality at Cipeusing river,Indonesia using the pollution index method

River pollution is still a problem in most countries, especially in developing countries, such as Indonesia. Several methods have been used to reduce the level of pollution across these water sources. In West Java Indonesia, Cipeusing is one of the highest polluted rivers that need analysis of pollution index to produce a value for indicating the relative pollution levels of the water quality standard.The study was conducted between 2016 and 2017 at the Cipeusing River, to assess it's pollution levels using the Pollution Index (PI) method. The results showed that the water pollution changed from 2016 to 2017. In terms of physical, chemical and microbiological analysis using the PI method in 2016, Cipeusing River gave a value of 5.05–7.07 (moderately polluted), and in 2017, this value was 15.65–17.65 (severelly polluted). The highest pollution index was at the downstream area of the river. Thus, efforts are needed in order to control the water pollution levels at the Cipeusing River.     

Comparison of carbon footprint and water scarcity footprint of milk protein produced by cellular agriculture and the dairy industry

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - This paper studies the carbon footprint and water scarcity footprint (WSF) of a milk protein, beta-lactoglobulin, produced by cellular...     

Comparisons of the taste of drinking water from three Australian sources

A comparative study of water supplies in three townships inNew South Wales, Australia, employing a rating scale methodand various levels of dilution of source water with deionisedwater, was conducted using untrained tasters drawn from thesame townships as the waters. Each taster thus tasted, withoutknowledge of its source, 36 samples in a balanced design, permittingcomparisons in terms of source, dilution, familiarity and ordereffects within the test. Clear differences between source waterswere found; these are compared with some European results reportedby Zoeteman.