A recent study published in the journal Science has revealed a concerning decrease in terrestrial water reserves (TWS, for its acronym in English), which includes soil moisture, groundwater, and surface water bodies.
The findings indicate that this decline, likely irreversible under current climate conditions, has been caused by changes in rainfall patterns and warmer temperatures that increase evaporation.
Impacts of the Earth’s water reserves decrease
Between the years 2000 and 2002, there was a loss of approximately 1,614 gigatonnes of soil moisture. Subsequently, between 2003 and 2016, an additional 1,009 gigatonnes were lost, with no evidence of recovery until 2021. This deterioration not only poses a challenge for freshwater availability but also contributes to sea-level rise.
According to the study’s calculations, the loss of terrestrial water has caused a 4.4-millimeter increase in sea levels and a 45-centimeter shift in Earth’s polar motion, highlighting the geophysical impacts of this water crisis.
Research methodology
The research was led by scientists from the University of Melbourne and the Seoul National University, who combined soil moisture data from satellites, sea level measurements, and observations of Earth’s polar motion to reconstruct the TWS loss patterns over the last four decades.
The lead authors, Dongryeol Ryu and Ki-Weon Seo, emphasize that this comprehensive approach has allowed linking terrestrial dynamics to global climate changes.
Factors contributing to the crisis
The study attributes this water loss to two main factors:
- Changes in precipitation patterns:
- Alterations in the frequency and amount of rainfall that reduce water recharge.
2. Intensified evaporation:
- Global temperature increase that promotes terrestrial moisture evaporation.
Additionally, anthropogenic factors such as agriculture, large-scale irrigation, and dam construction also play a significant role in accelerating this crisis.
Urgent call to action
The research highlights the need to improve global climate models to better incorporate human factors affecting water reserves.
This includes adjusting models to more accurately assess the impact of activities such as agriculture and urbanization, and exploring sustainable solutions to mitigate TWS loss.
In the context of global climate crisis, the findings of this study reveal the urgency of adopting immediate measures to address the decrease in water resources and prevent more severe consequences for ecosystem balance and human life.
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