Assessment of green water flows to sustain major biomes of the world: Implications for future ecohydrological landscape management

doi:10.1016/S1464-1909(01)00096-X

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Part B: Hydrology, Oceans and Atmosphere

Volume 26, Issues 11–12, 2001, Pages 843-851

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1464-1909(01)00096-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Global freshwater assessments tend to focus primarily on water flow in perennial rivers, lakes, and groundwater, so called blue water in the hydrological cycle. Little attention is paid to the role of green water, or vapour flows, in sustaining the generation of terrestrial ecosystem services, including biomass production. Ecosystem services (such as carbon sequestration, nutrient retention, pollination and pest control) are generated by ecological processes in different biomes of the World and essential for socio-economic development. In this paper we critically assess the limitations of the past blue water bias for future ecohydrological landscape management. We present results from an effort of quantifying continental green water fluxes for major terrestrial biomes indicating that the large biomes, generating essential ecosystem services depend on more than 90 % of the total average terrestrial return flow of green water to the atmosphere. The paper discusses the future implications of such large dependence on green water fluxes, and options of improving efficiency in water resources management. It points at the need of avoiding sectoral management and calls for an ecohydrological landscape management based on both ecological and hydrological knowledge.

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Assessment of green water flows to sustain major biomes of the world: Implications for future ecohydrological landscape management

Abstract

Phys. Chem. Earth (B)

Journal of Hydrology

Rain water management for dryspell mitigation in semi-arid Kenya

E. Afr. agric. For. J.

Biotic control over the functioning of ecosystems

Science

The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital

Nature

Land and Water Integration and River Basin Management

Meeting water requirements of an expanding world population

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London

Socioeconomic dependence on the life-supporting environment

A vision of water for food and rural development

Report to the World Water Forum

Biospheric aspects of the hydrological cycle

Journal of Hydrology

Vision for Water and Nature

Value proposition as a tool for conflict resolution in natural resources utilisation

Use and transformation of terrestrial water systems