Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018
The process of blue water used in crop cultivation has both natural and economic properties due to the intervention of irrigation facilities. This study revealed crop water use (CWU) from 1999 to 2018 in each province of China based on water footprint theory, and then established the blue water depe...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Agricultural Water Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423004584 |
| _version_ | 1797430082759819264 |
|---|---|
| author | Nan Wu Jianyun Zhang Xinyu Gao Xiaojun Wang Mengyang Wu Xinchun Cao |
| author_facet | Nan Wu Jianyun Zhang Xinyu Gao Xiaojun Wang Mengyang Wu Xinchun Cao |
| author_sort | Nan Wu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The process of blue water used in crop cultivation has both natural and economic properties due to the intervention of irrigation facilities. This study revealed crop water use (CWU) from 1999 to 2018 in each province of China based on water footprint theory, and then established the blue water dependence index (BDI) to evaluate the dependence of agricultural cultivation on irrigation water from the perspective of water withdraw, and conducted a spatial and temporal pattern analysis.The influencing factors and structural pathways of BDI were explored using least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) at national and regional scales. Results indicated that the annual amount of water used for crop production in China exceeded 900.0 Gm³. The growth in CWU from 1999 to 2018 for cash crops and grain crops was 145.4 Gm³ and 74.4 Gm³, respectively.BDI of all crops was 0.281 over the study period in China, with grain crops being 2.6 times more dependent on blue water resources than cash crops. Xinjiang, with annual average BDI of 0.716, 0.805, and 0.620 for all, grain and cash crops, respectively, has the highest irrigation demand. The PLS-SEM results showed a significant causal relationship between the economy and BDI, with obvious regional differences in structural path analysis. Based on the analysis of agricultural water use, the regions can adjust the structure of crop cultivation, optimize the allocation of water and soil resources, expand the cultivation of fodder grains and promote steady economic growth, to achieve a ''win-win'' situation of ensuring food security and sustainable use of agricultural water resources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:22:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c67b6369753b4c3f899a24e1aeaeb5cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1873-2283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:22:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agricultural Water Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-c67b6369753b4c3f899a24e1aeaeb5cf2023-12-02T06:58:41ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832023-12-01290108593Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018Nan Wu0Jianyun Zhang1Xinyu Gao2Xiaojun Wang3Mengyang Wu4Xinchun Cao5College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China; Research Center for Climate Change, Ministry of Water Resources, Nanjing 210029, ChinaCollege of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR ChinaState Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China; Research Center for Climate Change, Ministry of Water Resources, Nanjing 210029, ChinaCollege of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR ChinaCollege of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center for Agricultural Soil-Water Efficient Utilization, Carbon Sequestration and Emission Reduction, Nanjing 210098, China; Corresponding author at: College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.The process of blue water used in crop cultivation has both natural and economic properties due to the intervention of irrigation facilities. This study revealed crop water use (CWU) from 1999 to 2018 in each province of China based on water footprint theory, and then established the blue water dependence index (BDI) to evaluate the dependence of agricultural cultivation on irrigation water from the perspective of water withdraw, and conducted a spatial and temporal pattern analysis.The influencing factors and structural pathways of BDI were explored using least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) at national and regional scales. Results indicated that the annual amount of water used for crop production in China exceeded 900.0 Gm³. The growth in CWU from 1999 to 2018 for cash crops and grain crops was 145.4 Gm³ and 74.4 Gm³, respectively.BDI of all crops was 0.281 over the study period in China, with grain crops being 2.6 times more dependent on blue water resources than cash crops. Xinjiang, with annual average BDI of 0.716, 0.805, and 0.620 for all, grain and cash crops, respectively, has the highest irrigation demand. The PLS-SEM results showed a significant causal relationship between the economy and BDI, with obvious regional differences in structural path analysis. Based on the analysis of agricultural water use, the regions can adjust the structure of crop cultivation, optimize the allocation of water and soil resources, expand the cultivation of fodder grains and promote steady economic growth, to achieve a ''win-win'' situation of ensuring food security and sustainable use of agricultural water resources.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423004584Crop water useBlue-green waterWater footprintPLS-SEMIrrigation management |
| spellingShingle | Nan Wu Jianyun Zhang Xinyu Gao Xiaojun Wang Mengyang Wu Xinchun Cao Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018 Agricultural Water Management Crop water use Blue-green water Water footprint PLS-SEM Irrigation management |
| title | Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018 |
| title_full | Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018 |
| title_fullStr | Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018 |
| title_short | Distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in China, 1999–2018 |
| title_sort | distribution and drivers for blue water dependence in crop production in china 1999 2018 |
| topic | Crop water use Blue-green water Water footprint PLS-SEM Irrigation management |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423004584 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nanwu distributionanddriversforbluewaterdependenceincropproductioninchina19992018 AT jianyunzhang distributionanddriversforbluewaterdependenceincropproductioninchina19992018 AT xinyugao distributionanddriversforbluewaterdependenceincropproductioninchina19992018 AT xiaojunwang distributionanddriversforbluewaterdependenceincropproductioninchina19992018 AT mengyangwu distributionanddriversforbluewaterdependenceincropproductioninchina19992018 AT xinchuncao distributionanddriversforbluewaterdependenceincropproductioninchina19992018 |