Climate change impacts on groundwater resources in Mekong Delta under representative concentration pathways (RCPs) scenarios

Groundwater is the essential resource for various uses and have a great economic importance especially in the areas like Mekong Delta, which is the home for some 18 million people and produces a half of Vietnam’s rice and contributes substantial part of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Sustainable use of the groundwater resource is threatened by its uncontrolled abstraction and climate change. This study assesses groundwater resources in Mekong Delta aquifer system in the context of climate change. A set of models are used for the purpose. Groundwater recharge and its spatial variation are estimated using WETSPASS model, groundwater level and storage are estimated using MODFLOW and future climatic conditions in the area are developed by downscaling the data of five General Circulation Models (GCMs) retrieved from CMIP5 data portal. Two representative concentration pathways (RCPs) scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) are considered for projecting future conditions of groundwater resources. Results reveal that the future average annual temperature is projected to increase by 1.5 °C and 4.9 °C by the end of the 21st century under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively. Future rainfall is projected to increase in wet season and decrease in dry season. Groundwater recharge is projected to decline in short-, medium-, and long-terms. As a result, groundwater levels and storage are also projected to decline in future. These findings may help decision-makers and stakeholders for devising sustainable groundwater management strategies in Mekong Delta.     

代表性浓度路径情景下宁夏草地动态演变的预测与模拟

西部地区是我国乃至亚洲的重要生态屏障.因此,遏制由于长期过牧导致的草地退化,保障西部地区生态系统功能,促进西部地区畜牧业和经济社会可持续发展具有重要的研究意义.本研究以宁夏回族自治区作为典型区,收集了宁夏土地利用数据、自然环境数据和社会经济数据,创建了联立方程组模型,研究了自然环境条件和社会经济因素对草地过牧与退牧过程的驱动机制.驱动分析结果显示对于草地过牧过程,气候因素是草地面积退化的重要影响因素,人口压力也在这一过程中起着决定性作用,交通条件较发达的地区,人类活动较频繁,对于草地生态系统破坏也相对较严重;而宁夏退牧过程的主要驱动因素之一是区域原有生态环境,经济要素也是决定退牧意愿的重要影响因素,国家政策是退牧过程的外在推动因素.基于宁夏土地利用规划和1PCC公布的RCPs情景数据,设计估算了规划情景和气候情景下的土地利用需求,然后基于草地动态演变的驱动机理,本文应用土地系统动态(DLS)模拟系统预测了2010-2030年在RCPs情景和规划情景下研究区域草地面积和草地质量的空间分布特征和变化趋势.研究结果表明,规划情景下,研究区域草地面积随时间呈逐渐减少的态势,AIM气候模式下草地面积的变化态势与规划情景相似,但是减少的幅度比规划情景小,而MESSAGE气候模式情景下草地面积变化呈先减少后有小幅增加的态势.三种情景下,草地面积减少的区域主要集中在低密度草区,部分是在中密度草区.总的来看,无论是哪种情景,未来2010-2030年过牧与退牧这种相逆的现象不断减弱,但是并没有消失.这些研究结论将为西部干旱区生态环境保护、草地资源开发利用与保护、畜牧业发展规划提供重要的决策参考信息.