Recent global decline in endorheic basin water storages

Wang, Jida; Song, Chunqiao; Reager, J. T.; Yao, Fangfang; Famiglietti, J. S.; Sheng, Yongwei; MacDonald, Glen M.; Brun, Fanny; Schmied, Hannes Müller; Marston, Richard A.; Wada, Yoshihide

doi:10.1038/s41561-018-0265-7

Cited by 358 publications

(307 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Endorheic water stores are driven predominantly by precipitation inputs and groundwater exchange that equilibrate through evaporation. Recent declines in global endorheic water storage (Wang et al, 2018) suggest increased evaporative demands, due to warming temperatures. More frequent droughts are threatening this delicate ecosystem water balance as growing human populations (Wada, van Beek, Wanders, & Bierkens, 2013) and intensifying climate change (Dai, 2013) are increasing water consumption and accelerating endorheic withdrawals (Wurtsbaugh et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Endorheic/terminal lakes and wetlands, hereafter 'lakes' and 'wetlands', are key links in continental flyways with numerous sites designated as critically important to waterbird populations (Frazier, 1999;Kushlan et al, 2002;NAWMP, Canadian Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, & Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, 2012;Senner, Andres, & Gates, 2016). Global drying of endorheic watersheds (Wang et al, 2018) alter resource abundance and distribution (Roshier, Robertson, Kingsford, & Green, 2001;Wilsey, Taylor, Stockdale, & Stockdale, 2017), that can affect energetic cost of migration (Buehler & Piersma, 2008;Devries, Brook, Howerter, & Anderson, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate and human water use diminish wetland networks supporting continental waterbird migration

Donnelly

King

Silverman

et al. 2020

Global Change Biology

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Migrating waterbirds moving between upper and lower latitudinal breeding and wintering grounds rely on a limited network of endorheic lakes and wetlands when crossing arid continental interiors. Recent drying of global endorheic water stores raises concerns over deteriorating migratory pathways, yet few studies have considered these effects at the scale of continental flyways. Here, we investigate the resiliency of waterbird migration networks across western North America by reconstructing long‐term patterns (1984–2018) of terminal lake and wetland surface water area in 26 endorheic watersheds. Findings were partitioned regionally by snowmelt‐ and monsoon‐driven hydrologies and combined with climate and human water‐use data to determine their importance in predicting surface water trends. Nonlinear patterns of lake and wetland drying were apparent along latitudinal flyway gradients. Pervasive surface water declines were prevalent in northern snowmelt watersheds (lakes −27%, wetlands −47%) while largely stable in monsoonal watersheds to the south (lakes −13%, wetlands +8%). Monsoonal watersheds represented a smaller proportion of total lake and wetland area, but their distribution and frequency of change within highly arid regions of the continental flyway increased their value to migratory waterbirds. Irrigated agriculture and increasing evaporative demands were the most important drivers of surface water declines. Underlying agricultural and wetland relationships however were more complex. Approximately 7% of irrigated lands linked to flood irrigation and water storage practices supported 61% of all wetland inundation in snowmelt watersheds. In monsoonal watersheds, small earthen dams, meant to capture surface runoff for livestock watering, were a major component of wetland resources (67%) that supported networks of isolated wetlands surrounding endorheic lakes. Ecological trends and human impacts identified herein underscore the importance of assessing flyway‐scale change as our model depictions likely reflect new and emerging bottlenecks to continental migration.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate and human water use diminish wetland networks supporting continental waterbird migration

Donnelly

King

Silverman

et al. 2020

Global Change Biology

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“…Glacier area on the plateau decreased from 44,366 ± 2,827 km 2 in the 1970s to 42,210 ± 1,621 km 2 in 2001 and 41,137 ± 1,616 km 2 in 2013 illustrated by the Landsat satellite images (Ye et al, ). As a result, the endorheic water storage in the inner TP increases remarkably (Wang et al, ). Except for the identified surface water changes, the groundwater storage volume in the plateau has also been found to increase significantly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonmonsoon Precipitation Dominates Groundwater Recharge Beneath a Monsoon‐Affected Glacier in Tibetan Plateau

Kong

Wang

et al. 2019

JGR Atmospheres

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Groundwater recharge is poorly understood beneath the glacier due to the complex sampling conditions, although it is sensitive to the global change. Here we carried out the sampling and isotopic analysis on groundwater, ice‐melt water, river, and precipitation through a hydrological year at the lowest glacier of Mingyong in Hengduan Mountains, Southeastern Tibetan Plateau. The precipitation during the monsoon seasons (Pm) are more depleted in heavy isotopes than precipitation during the nonmonsoon seasons (Pnm) due to the influence of monsoon. The ice‐melt water and groundwater points are both found located left above the local meteoric water line (δ2H = 8.0δ18O + 8.0) and form lines of δ2H = 6.3δ18O – 10.0 and δ2H = 4.2δ18O – 37.6, respectively. However, their mean isotopic values are both larger than the weighted annual mean of precipitation isotopes. All of the phenomena above points to the occurring of refreezing process after excluding the evaporation process. A theoretical model is built to confirm the refreezing process that causes the lower slope of ice‐melt water line. The groundwater line is explained as a mixing line with ice‐melt water and precipitation with contributions of 46 ± 22% and 54 ± 22%, respectively. For the precipitation contribution, we propose a plausible conceptual model that groundwater comes primarily from Pnm (41 ± 17%), and minor from Pm (13 ± 17%). In this context, it is equivalent to 87 ± 28% groundwater recharged by Pnm because the glacier is mainly accumulated from Pnm. The findings highlight the importance of the Pnm recharging groundwater even in the monsoon‐affected glacial regions.

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“…Indeed, the shrinkage of these water bodies, which in several cases has been observed by GRACE data (Wang, Song, et al, 2018), has been attributed to a range of climatic factors including rising temperatures, decreasing precipitation, and increasing open water evaporation. Isolated from the broader context of global change, these anticipated climate change impacts, together with observed negative water balance-and consequent desiccation-of many of Earth's lakes located in water-limited regions, might give the impression that climate change is the primary driver of this process.…”

Section: The Case For Climatic Impacts On Hydrological Processesmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Intriguingly, in numerous inland water bodies, impacts predicted to occur due to climate change—including decreasing inflows and substantial increases in open water evaporation—are already reported (Table ), including for water bodies in water‐limited regions, such as the Caspian Sea, Great Salt Lake, Lake Kinneret, and Lake Urmia. Indeed, the shrinkage of these water bodies, which in several cases has been observed by GRACE data (Wang, Song, et al, ), has been attributed to a range of climatic factors including rising temperatures, decreasing precipitation, and increasing open water evaporation. Isolated from the broader context of global change, these anticipated climate change impacts, together with observed negative water balance—and consequent desiccation—of many of Earth's lakes located in water‐limited regions, might give the impression that climate change is the primary driver of this process.…”

Section: The Case For Climatic Impacts On Hydrological Processesmentioning

confidence: 93%

Untangling global change impacts on hydrological processes: Resisting climatization

Wine

Davison

2019

Hydrological Processes

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Recent global decline in endorheic basin water storages

Cited by 358 publications

References 88 publications

Climate and human water use diminish wetland networks supporting continental waterbird migration

Climate and human water use diminish wetland networks supporting continental waterbird migration

Nonmonsoon Precipitation Dominates Groundwater Recharge Beneath a Monsoon‐Affected Glacier in Tibetan Plateau

Untangling global change impacts on hydrological processes: Resisting climatization

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