Washington: Researchers at the University of New Hampshire discovered that water use efficiency has plateaued since 2001, implying that plants are absorbing less CO2 and consuming more water, which could have implications for carbon cycling, agricultural production, and water resources. Jingfeng Xiao, research professor at UNH’s Earth Systems Research Center, said,
We observed an overall significant increase in water use efficiency throughout 1982 to 2016, with a substantial rise from 1982 to 2000, but after that water use efficiency seems to have stalled. An increase in CO2 allows green plants to grow faster and use water more efficiently but this study shows that some of the nature-based methods that scientists thought might be in place to help achieve carbon neutrality may be undermined by the adverse effects of climate warming and that plants are not using water as efficiently as scientists might have expected.
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The multifaceted dynamics involved in the complex trade-off between carbon gain and water loss as temperatures rise and atmospheric CO2 levels rise remain unknown. Researchers used satellite and micrometeorological FLUXNET data, as well as machine learning/AI, to develop 24 models for five major vegetation types: forests, shrublands, savannas, grasslands, and croplands in their study, which was recently published in the journal Science.
They investigated the potential influences and limitations on CO2 uptake in each ecosystem and discovered that satellite-driven models indicated a weakening response in plant growth and a sustained increase in plant water use since 2001, possibly due to rising vapour pressure deficit (VPD), which is the amount of water actually in the air versus the amount of water vapour the air could hold.
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As VPD increases, it has the potential to slow or suppress photosynthesis while increasing plant water consumption, thereby weakening plant growth and decreasing water use efficiency in global ecosystems.
According to the researchers, this trend may indicate that rising temperatures caused by climate change, as well as projected increases in VPD, may have an impact on future global land carbon levels, which are primarily stored in forests and other ecosystems and can affect water cycles and plant growth.
They note that several factors were considered, and WUE saturation did not appear to be the result of changes in vegetation regrowth, land cover, or nutrient constraints on such as too much or too little nitrogen or phosphorus.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
