WaterNet: the NASA Water Cycle Solutions Network

This article describes a psychoanalyst's personal experience in an international and interdisciplinary social trauma research network. Crises and conflicts are understood as an integral feature of such a collaboration. Using the self-reflective capacity of the psychoanalyst may help to turn them into a new perspective. Crossing disciplinary borders, reconnecting to the field of academic research, might prove to be a rather rewarding step.

As more applications of video and audio to be used more researches QoS measurement of multicast are being done nowadays. Even more experiments which are done at the international research network are more important than before. In this paper we use overlay multicast technology to construct a test-bed with overlay multicast relay (OMR) over international research network. We do multicast QoS experiments in the test-bed with international research network and make analysis and comparison. Through these research works, we get different kind of performance evaluation of multicast in international research network. We propose QoS measurement method of multicast video service in the international research network.

Water taste and odor (T&O): Challenges, gaps and solutions from a perspective of the WaterTOP network

Ecosystem services (ES) are essential for human well-being. However, few studies have investigated the optimization of the management of water resources based on trade-offs of ES in arid areas. In order to solve this problem, four important ES that affect the carbon cycle and water cycle were selected from the regulating ecosystem services (carbon storage (CAS), evapotranspiration (ET)), the supporting ecosystem services (soil drought index (TVDI)) and the provisioning ecosystem services (groundwater depth (GWD)) in arid areas. The spatiotemporal distribution of these four ES were quantitatively analyzed—using related models—in the Tarim River, situated in a typical arid inland basin, in 2000, 2010, and 2018, in order to determine the fundamental driving factors of change in ES. The results showed that CAS was mainly affected by changes in land use, while ET, TVDI, and GWD were mainly affected by changes in water volume. The unified management of water resources improved the regulating ecosystem services (an initial increase in CAS, followed by a decrease; ET continued to grow from 2000 to 2018), the supporting ecosystem services (TVDI was maintained at 0.69–0.74), and the provisioning ecosystem services (GWD rose 5.77% in 2000–2010, and stabilized at 3.05 m in 2018). The trade-off/synergy relationships of the four ES were further analyzed at different geographical scales through correlation analysis and the trade-off index (RMSD). In different river sections, the ES that affect carbon and water cycles were highly dependent on each other. In areas with high CAS, the groundwater depth was low, and the soil moisture and ET were high. With different land use types, there was a synergistic relationship between CAS and GWD in woodland and grassland areas, and between ET and GWD in farmland areas. This showed that there was still strong competition between natural vegetation and groundwater, represented by woodland and grassland, and the ineffective loss of water resources such as ET through expansion of farmland. Finally, this study innovatively incorporated the results of trade-offs of ES into water resource management. In order to reduce the trade-offs between ES, and to improve ES, to achieve the ecological protection and restoration of desert riparian forests, and to optimize the water resource management in arid areas, different ecological water regulation and control measures were proposed in the high-flow years and the low-flow years of arid areas. This study can provide important scientific references for the improvement of ES and the optimization of the management of water resources in other similar river basins in arid areas.

Climate Change involves changes in precipitation. The propagation of precipitation changes into the water cycle is complex and dependent on e.g. aridity and land cover which are themselves affected by climate change. As a result, estimating effects on water fluxes such as evaporation and runoff as well as water resources such as soil moisture is not straightforward. This study maps future changes in the seasonal cycle of precipitation across the globe, as projected by Earth system models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). Additionally, we analyse the propagation of the detected seasonal precipitation surpluses and deficits into the water cycle, and determine the main underlying controls. For this purpose we determine and compare seasonal changes in precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff and soil moisture across the next decades. While this yields a first indication of the propagation of increasing or decreasing precipitation, we furthermore calculate correlations between the considered variables in each decade as an independent measure of the relation between precipitation and the water cycle components. In this context we use partial correlations to better separate water cycle couplings from the impact of other meteorological forcings such as radiation. A particular focus of our analysis will be on uncertainties of (i) precipitation trends and (ii) their projected propagation into the water cycle across the CMIP6 model ensemble to distinguish robust patterns from areas with high uncertainties. Our analysis helps to understand changes in future water fluxes and resources and the underlying robustness, which can inform the development of Earth system models as well as water resources management.

Integrated simulation of the dualistic water cycle and its associated processes in the Haihe River Basin

Integrating blue and green water flows for water resources management and planning

This paper, prepared by an international team of authors focuses on the conceptual aspects: analyses law, ethical, human, technical, social factors of ICT development, e-learning and intercultural development in different countries, setting out the previous and new theoretical model and preliminary findings of study in the framework of the international project IRNet. In particular, the article describes a WP2: analyses of legal, ethical, human, technical and social factors of ICT and e-learning development, and the state of intercultural competences in partner countries. The second part of the paper includes data from preliminary research. During the study and analysis of global (international) and local (national) documents as well as university documents tables were prepared which set forth a comparison of different legal, ethical, human, technical, scientific and social factors of ICT and e-learning development, and the state of intercultural competences in several partner countries, for example the Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Australia in the context of the IRNet project - international research network

PurposeDespite broadening acceptance in society of the need to prioritise social and environmental sustainability, individuals and groups who dispute its relevance represent a grand challenge. Universities are uniquely placed to institutionalise the idea that pursuing sustainability is the “right thing to do”. As universities that prioritise sustainability themselves are more likely to be effective in promoting sustainability more broadly, this study explores what drives universities’ sustainability performance.Design/methodology/approachWe combine external rankings data and internal sustainability performance data from the top 700 universities globally, using a regression model to explore the key determinants of sustainability performance. Drawing upon institutional theory, we critically examine the drivers shaping sustainability performance within higher education.FindingsOverall, we find that large universities with greater access to resources and strong academic reputations are associated with better sustainability performance. The findings reveal the following characteristics to be drivers of sustainability performance: faculty–student ratio, international student ratio, number of students, public university, university ranking, academic reputation, citations per faculty member, international research network and employment outcomes, legal tradition, academic freedom and political stability.Practical implicationsPolicymakers and university administrators should recognise the importance of economic and geopolitical factors in shaping sustainability performance within the higher education sector. Greater public funding, growing international student enrolments at higher tuition fees, as well as growing domestic enrolments, allow greater access to resources that positively influence sustainability performance. By leveraging regional sustainability initiatives and international research networks, universities can enhance their sustainability performance and contribute meaningfully to institutionalising the notion of sustainability globally.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a deeper understanding of the transformative potential inherent in universities as agents of societal change and sustainability advocacy to overcome the grand challenge of groups and individuals who resist and promote ignoring social and environmental sustainability. By elucidating the mechanisms through which universities embrace and perpetuate sustainability, this research contributes to informed policy interventions and strategic initiatives aimed at fostering a more sustainable and equitable future.

Water resource management, one of the paradigms for creating sustainable universities, ensures that universities manage the quantity of water used and maintain the quality. Water resource management models that begin with campus priority create input for cities at a higher scale. Water resource management encompasses a variety of sustainable practices. One of the most applicable is the reuse of rainwater. The study aims to propose site-specific solutions for reusing harvested rainwater and contribute to nature and the water cycle. In the study, the Rational Method was used to calculate the amount of rainwater. Hardscape (roads, parking lots), landscaped areas (landscaped and wooded areas) and roofing materials within the campus were determined and the amount of rainwater was calculated for each material. In a year, the total water consumption was calculated at 54,773,000 liters. The valuable volume of annual rainwater is 296,400,000. It can be seen that a volume that is approximately 5 times the amount of water required is achieved.

Soil moisture (SM) has an important role in the earth's water cycle and is a key variable in water resources management. Considering the critical state of water resources in the Urmia Lake basin, northwest Iran, this study examined the potential for utilizing a variety of remote sensing data and products, in conjunction with a promising downscaling method, to monitor soil moisture with a reasonable spatial and temporal resolution, as a novel and effective tool for agricultural and water resource management. Accordingly, remote sensing products of surface soil moisture were scaled to MODIS's image scale (∼1 km) using the UCLA downscaling method and Temperature, Vegetation, Drought Index (TVDI) values obtained from the scattering space method. Results showed that the LPRM, ESA-CCI, and GLDAS downscaled images had the highest inverse correlation with the TVDI (best results) accordingly equal to −0.600, −0.787, and −0.630. Also, based on the evaluation of the obtained results with the ground stations data, the LPRM and the ESA-CCI downscaled images had the best statistical indices values accordingly in 2010 and 2014 that confirm the promising application of remote sensing soil moisture data (rLPRM (2010) = 0.92, MAELPRM (2010) = 4.14%, RMSELPRM (2010) = 6.39% and rESA-CCI (2014) = 0.7, MAEESA-CCI (2014) = 2.23%, RMSEESA-CCI (2014) = 2.59%).

Introduction The objective of this chapter is to summarise our understanding of the physical interactions between water resources, energy use, and climate change and mitigation. The distribution and pressures on our water resources will be reviewed, as well as our current understanding of observed and projected changes due to climate change. By addressing a set of relevant questions, the aim is to provide a framework within which we can interpret which interactions are likely and which less likely; which are desirable and which not desirable. The questions addressed include the following: • What are the characteristics, drivers and challenges of water resource management? Why do water resource management challenges vary between countries? Are concepts like green and blue water, embedded water, peak water and integrated water resources management useful in managing the relationship between water, climate and energy? • What are the observed and projected impacts of climate change on water resources? Why does it seem that climate change makes water management harder everywhere? Does it matter whether climate change is man-made? How do melting ice caps and glaciers affect water resources? What is the relationship between drought and water resources? How do climate change, floods and water resources interact? Will climate change affect water use? • What are the potential impacts of water management on climate and energy security? What adaptation measures are considered in water management? What is their influence on energy security and climate mitigation measures? For example, can changes in water management change climate? What do water management changes mean for energy use? • How can climate mitigation and energy security measures impact on water security? Can switching between energy sources affect water security? What impact do the by-products of energy generation have on climate and the water cycle? What is the impact of climate mitigation measures such as landscape carbon storage?

Currently the world hosts seven billion people that require food. About one third of the earth’s land area is now intensively used by agriculture, and another third extensively. Agriculture inevitably depends on soil quality as well as on water resources. More than 70 % of human water use is due to irrigation. In addition, transpiration from rainfed agriculture comprises a substantial part of the earth’s water cycle. Thus, land use both highly depends and affects water availability and is intimately intertwined with water resources management. The term “landscape” is used here to account for a variety of feedback effects between natural resources, human land use, economy and demography. The world population continues to increase. In addition, growth of economic wealth in many countries increased demand for upmarket agricultural products, and there is increasing demand for biofuel production as well which increases pressure on soil and water at a global scale. During the last 50 years cultivated area per capita decreased by half and likely will continue to decrease. Thus there is urgent need for advanced concepts of sustainable use of water and soil resources. Already today groundwater and river water over-exploitation due to increasing irrigation is a matter of concern. In some regions groundwater levels have been decreasing by 1 m per year during the last decades. Even large rivers fell increasingly dry. This has severe implications for water resources further downstream, not to mention biodiversity aspects. For example, the Aral Sea has been shrinking by more than 90 % within a few decades, giving place to a hostile salt desert. Thus, inefficient water management and land degradation are closely connected to each other. Climate change is now considered an increasing threat on water resources. Increasing air temperature is often associated with increasing evapotranspiration and thus increasing utilization of rare water resources. However, this is an oversimplification. On the one hand, warmer air masses can transport more water vapour, and increasing temperature comes along with increasing energy for mass transport which could even increase precipitation. In addition, higher CO2 partial pressure likely will increase water use efficiency of plants and thus reduce water consumption. On the other hand, large scale atmospheric circulation patterns most probably will be affected by climate change and thus change spatial patterns of precipitation which is not trivial to predict. Correspondingly, climate change models are fraught with large uncertainties with respect to precipitation. However, experts agree that in general frequency and intensity of extreme events like floods and drought likely will increase which poses agricultural management and soil resources at increasing risk. Besides, melting of glaciers in mountainous regions currently increases water availability in the lowlands downstream, whereas the opposite is true in the long-term. Thus there is urgent need for an “Integrated Water Resources Management” (IWRM) which has to include soil quality management as well. Various ideas, concepts and methods exist. However, local conditions have to be considered. Thus, experience from different parts of the world needs to be exchanged. This book is intended to contribute to that.KeywordsLandscape hydrologyWater over-exploitationIntegrated water resources management

Water is a critical natural resource that has significant impacts on human living and society. Growing population and energy consumption exacerbate the scarcity of water and our ability to manage this resource. This demonstration paper presents WaterScope, a smart and connected platform for water resource management, which integrates multiple data sources such as water level data, social media data, and water related articles. Furthermore, the tool enables forecasting underground water levels, identifying water concerns, sharing knowledge and expertise among stakeholders, and thus bringing new insights to our understanding and insights of the water supplies and resource management. The prototype engages water stakeholders who face problems of similar nature but deal with the problem in an ad-hoc and isolated manner. The interactive WaterScope platform targets creating an interconnected virtual community that aims to improve water supply resilience.

Regional water cycle health evaluation and obstacle factor analysis: A case study of the Yellow River basin in Henan Province, China