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Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 16268

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xinchun Cao

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural Water Conservancy, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Interests: water footprint; agricultural water management; irrigation; virtual water; water use efficiency
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Jing Liu

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Guest Editor

College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Interests: virtual water flows; water footprint; agricultural water use; regional water management; water stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Qingling Geng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Coll Earth Sci & Technol, ZhengZhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
Interests: efficient use of resources in a changing environment ecosystem services in the context of land use and climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water represents an essential element for humans, and it plays a significant role in promoting the development of human society. During the last few decades, water use and water management have received more and more attention, considering the increase in water demand and the limited water supply, especially for agricultural sector which is the largest water consumer. This special issue addresses the discussions for water use of agricultural products during different processes, such as production, consumption, trade or others, focus on a particular kind of crop is also welcomed, and different methods including water footprint of but not limited to water-use efficiency, water dependencies, water stress and security, environmentally sustainable water use, water saving and interaction between surface water and underground water, in both natural and artificial systems. Water resource management for agricultural sector which considering of all disciplines of hydrology and different kinds of water sources (such as the blue, green and grey water) is also included.

Prof. Dr. Xinchun Cao
Dr. Jing Liu
Dr. Qingling Geng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

water use
agricultural products
production, consumption and trade processes
water footprint
virtual water
irrigation
water stress
hydrology and crop model
water use efficiency
agricultural water management

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1419 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on Infiltration Characteristics and One-Dimensional Algebraic Model Simulation in Reclaimed Soil with Biochar

by Juan Wang, Danyi Shi, Yan Li, Anquan Chen, Shaoyuan Feng and Chuncheng Liu

Water 2023, 15(16), 2985; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15162985 - 18 Aug 2023

Viewed by 752

Abstract

The cultivated land area in China is approaching the red line of farmland protection. The newly reclaimed land will become a vital reserved land resource, and it possesses a large exploratory potential. Newly reclaimed soil usually has low productivity with poor physical and chemical properties as well as weak fertility, and it is prone to serious soil erosion. The effects of corn straw biochar and rice husk biochar (at the mass ratio of 2%, 4%, and 8%) on the soil infiltration process and soil moisture distribution in the soil profile were studied. The results showed that the infiltration duration was prolonged, and the wetting front migration distance and infiltration rate were decreased under biochar addition treatments, except under the low addition rate for rice husk biochar. The Philip model and Kostiakov model accurately described the water infiltration process of the newly reclaimed soil with both kinds of biochar. The two kinds of biochar used in this study affected both the initial infiltration rates and stable infiltration rates, and water infiltration was more sensitive to rice husk biochar and its addition rate. The moisture in the soil profile after infiltration was simulated using a one-dimensional algebraic model. The surface soil moisture was improved with both kinds of biochar addition, and the water retention ability was enhanced with an increased biochar addition rate. In conclusion, corn straw biochar with a high addition rate is beneficial for inhibiting soil water infiltration and improving weak water retention ability in the newly reclaimed area, which is a recommended choice for efficient soil construction in newly reclaimed land. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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15 pages, 4060 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Relationship between Ecological Water Demand of Haloxlon ammodendron and Its Wind Erosion Prevention Effect

by Haimei Yang, Hongbang Liang, Xingshuang Liu and Mingsi Li

Water 2023, 15(15), 2854; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15152854 - 07 Aug 2023

Viewed by 832

Abstract

Desert vegetation in the outer transition zone of an arid oasis serves as a protective barrier against wind and sand, safeguarding the oasis ecosystem. However, intensive agricultural water usage within the oasis has led to water depletion, posing a threat to the survival and growth of desert vegetation, as well as the associated increase in wind and sand phenomena. To ensure the sustainable distribution of water resources and maintain the stability of the oasis peripheral ecosystem, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the ecological water demand of desert vegetation and its effectiveness in preventing wind erosion. Through a combination of field sample tests, field pit tests, and data analysis, this research focused on Haloxlon ammodendron, the most prevalent species on the oasis periphery, to explore the intricate relationship between its ecological water demand and resistance to wind erosion. The results showed that medium-vegetation-coverage soils exhibited a higher soil moisture content (7.02%) compared to high-vegetation-coverage soils (1.57%) and low-vegetation-coverage soils (3.41%). As the soil water content decreased, the growth rate of H. ammodendron’s plant height, new branches, and crown width decelerated. The ecological water requirement of H. ammodendron during its growth period was 70.95 mm under medium-vegetation-coverage conditions, exhibiting a significant increase of 14.6% and 12.3% compared to high- and low-vegetation-coverage conditions, respectively. Meanwhile, H. ammodendron exhibits remarkable wind erosion prevention effects in moderate coverage conditions, resulting in a significant reduction in surface sand collection and sand transport by 53.15% and 51.29%, respectively, compared to low vegetation coverage; however, no significant difference was observed when compared to high vegetation coverage. The SEM model results revealed that soil water content had an indirect effect on sand transport (R² = 0.90) and sand collection (R² = 0.96) through three pathways of action, namely: volatile water content–crown growth rate–wind speed–sediment discharge; volatile water content–plant height growth rate–vegetation coverage–wind speed–sediment discharge; and volatile water content–plant height growth rate–vegetation coverage–sediment accumulation. This study provides valuable insights for the scientific formulation and implementation of strategies aimed at protecting desert vegetation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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15 pages, 1035 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Use in Australian Irrigated Agriculture—Sentiments of Twitter Users

by Arjina Shrestha, Aaron T. Simmons and Guy Roth

Water 2023, 15(15), 2713; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15152713 - 27 Jul 2023

Viewed by 938

Abstract

The objective of this research was to examine consumer perceptions of water use in key Australian irrigated agriculture industries. Twitter data (‘Tweets’) from 2018 to 2022 related to water use/water footprints by/of the cotton, rice, and dairy industries were analyzed. The results revealed a higher prevalence of negative sentiments towards water use in Australian irrigated dairy, cotton, and rice industries compared to positive sentiments. The cotton industry received the most criticism. Our analysis showed that although the term “water footprint” was not widely used, the volume of water required for the production of irrigated cotton, dairy, and rice, or products derived from these commodities, is being circulated in tweets. However, the study also highlighted the presence of highly variable, incorrect, or outdated water footprint data in these tweets, indicating the unreliability of Twitter as an information source for consumers seeking to make sustainable consumption choices. This research offers valuable insights into consumer sentiments, benefiting stakeholders and policymakers in addressing public concerns and misinformation in the Australian irrigated agriculture sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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14 pages, 1024 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of the Eating Habits of Romanian Residents on the Water Footprint

by Teodora Maria Rusu, Tania Mihăiescu, Antonia Odagiu and Laura Paulette

Water 2023, 15(8), 1622; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15081622 - 21 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1509

Abstract

Water footprint assessment is an analytical tool that helps us understand how activities, actions, and products from human activity influence the scarcity and pollution of water resources. The objectives of the paper are to study the water footprint that is necessary for the production of food for human consumption as an effective way to determine how food habits put pressure on water resources and to identify ways to reduce the stress found on them. To calculate the water footprint of food products consumed by Romanian residents, two types of data were used: information on the average annual net food consumption of each type of food considered during the research and the water footprint per unit of food consumed. In addition, an analysis was carried out based on the structure of the water footprint and the structure of food consumption. In terms of the structure of the water footprint, the contribution rate of the green water footprint is the highest, reaching 83.5%. This is followed by the blue water footprint and the gray water footprint, accounting for 9.04% and 7.46%, respectively. From the perspective of the structure of food consumption, the consumption of cereals, meat, milk, and dairy products contributed the most to the water footprint of residents’ food consumption, reaching 21.8% and 26.6%, respectively, and contributing 24.2% to the total water footprint of food consumption. Our research is useful for water management, improving the efficiency of use in agricultural technologies, and optimizing the structure of food consumption, such as reducing grain and meat consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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12 pages, 1709 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Buried Straw Layer Coupling Film Mulching Regulates Soil Salinity of Coastal Tidal Soil and Improves Maize (Zea mays L.) Growth

by Juan Wang, Anquan Chen, Yan Li, Danyi Shi, Zhaoyi Zhong and Chuncheng Liu

Water 2022, 14(24), 4119; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14244119 - 16 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1534

Abstract

[Aims] The saline soil in continuous silting tidal areas will become a crucial reserved land resource in China. A prominent problem is controlling soil salinization for improving agricultural water and land resources’ productivity in coastal areas. [Methods] An experiment was conducted to study the effects of different mulching and tillage measures on soil salt-water status and maize growth. There were four treatments: (1) film mulching (FM), by only setting a transparent plastic film (with a thickness of 6 μm) on the surface soil; (2) straw deep-burying (SDB), in which only straw was buried as a layer at a soil depth of 30 cm; (3) combining film mulch with deep-buried straw (F+S), in which a straw layer was buried at a soil depth of 30 cm with plastic film mulching on the soil surface; and (4) control (CK), by simulating standard local practice. [Results] The results showed that the soil water storage (SWS) under FM and F+S was significantly higher than others, and F+S showed the best role in soil water conservation. The film mulching had a reasonable effect on soil salinity regulation during the whole maize growth stage; the soil salt content at 0–30 cm was decreased by 1 g/kg and 0.74 g/kg under F+S and FM, respectively. Compared to CK, the plant height, LAI, SPAD value, and yield were all improved under mulching and tillage. The growth process of maize and water-use efficiency (WUE) under F+S was more significantly improved than those under other treatments. [Conclusions] Overall, the F+S can be recommended as a suitable strategy for regulating soil salt and moisture, and thus improving crop productivity in coastal tidal areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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12 pages, 6840 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of Water Footprint for the Cotton and Maize Production in the Küçük Menderes Basin

by M. Tolga Esetlili, Z. Ali Serbeş, Bihter Çolak Esetlili, Yusuf Kurucu and Sezai Delibacak

Water 2022, 14(21), 3427; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14213427 - 28 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2506

Abstract

Considering the effects of rapid population growth, urbanisation and climate change in recent years, the protection of freshwater resources, the prevention of water pollution and the proper sharing of freshwater resources among different sectors have become important issues. Water footprint (WF) is a sign of freshwater use and is not only an indicator that can be used in the climate crisis, but also to protect water against nitrate pollution. In this study, the Küçük Menderes Basin was chosen as the study area due to different crop varieties. Agricultural crop patterns were classified using Rapideye and Sentinel-2 satellite images of the study area obtained in 2017. Thus, the cultivated areas were obtained for cotton and maize (grain and silage) in the basin. In particular, agricultural crop patterns were considered in which agricultural production was intensive and blue water was used predominantly. As a result, the first-crop corn production, which has a high blue WF of 3840 m³/ton in the basin, has the highest greywater footprint due to the use of intensive chemical fertilisers. This was followed by cotton with 2331 m³/ton, and the second-crop silage corn production had the lowest greywater footprint. Agriculture’s water footprint assessment provides a solid foundation for planning climate change adaptive crop production, managing nitrate-sensitive areas and anticipating future regional changes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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16 pages, 42141 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Integrating Blue and Green Water to Identify Matching Characteristics of Agricultural Water and Land Resources in China

by Qingling Geng, Hongling Liu, Xiaohui He and Zhihui Tian

Water 2022, 14(5), 685; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14050685 - 22 Feb 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1773

Abstract

The uneven distribution and spatial mismatch between water and land resources (WLR) limit the utilization efficiency of agricultural water and land resources (AWLR), and then pose a threat to food production. There is a critical need to understand their matching characteristics for strategic resource allocation decisions and management. In this study, a holistic index (RSI) derived from resource equivalency analysis (REA) was developed which contributed to examine the abundance or deficiency of agricultural water and land resources (AWLR) based on the conception of generalized water resources (including blue water and green water). Results indicate that the matching degree of AWLR was the lowest in Northeast China, North China and Gansu in Northwest China, while the highest value was in Xinjiang due to the higher blue water use. In north China, other provinces suffered water scarcity except in Jilin, Liaoning, Henan, while all provinces in south China suffered land scarcity except in Tibet and Jiangsu. Meanwhile, the matching of AWLR was not exactly consistent with the distribution pattern of precipitation. The higher proportion of green water resources was not located in southeast China with rich precipitation; it had to do with water management. Too much or little water resources can result in the increasing of blue water use. The proposed approach can be a powerful instrument to implement public policies and management strategy as an attempt to improve the utilization efficiency and enhance the optimize-allocation of AWLR. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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15 pages, 1243 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Improved Model to Accurately Monitor Soil Water Content

by Jingyu Ji, Junzeng Xu, Yixin Xiao and Yajun Luan

Water 2021, 13(23), 3441; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233441 - 04 Dec 2021

Viewed by 2101

Abstract

The accurate monitoring of soil water content during the growth of crops is of great importance to improve agricultural water use efficiency. The Campbell model is one of the most widely used models for monitoring soil moisture content from soil thermal conductivities in farmland, which always needs to be calibrated due to the lack of adequate original data and the limitation of measurement methods. To precisely predict the water content of complex soils using the Campbell model, this model was evaluated by investigating several factors, including soil texture, bulk density and organic matter. The comparison of the R² and the reduced Chi-Sqr values, which were calculated by Origin, was conducted to calibrate the Campbell model calculated. In addition, combining factors of parameters, a new parameter named m related to soil texture and the organic matter was firstly introduced and the original fitting parameter, E, was improved to an expression related to clay fraction and the organic matter content in the improved model. The soil data collected from both the laboratory and the previous literature were used to assess the revised model. The results show that most of the R² values of the improved model are >0.95, and the reduced Chi-Sqr values are <0.01, which presents a better matching performance compared to the original. It is concluded that the improved model provides more accurate monitoring of soil water content for water irrigation management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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16 pages, 268 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Water–Economy Nexus of Beef Produced from Different Cattle Breeds

by Frikkie Alberts Maré

Water 2021, 13(18), 2513; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13182513 - 14 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1887

Abstract

The sustainable use of water, or any other natural resource for that matter, is not the only factor that should be considered in terms of sustainability, as social equity and economic prosperity are equally important. The objective of this study was to analyse different breeds of beef cattle, following the same production method, in terms of their water footprint and economic value addition for different links in the value chain. A bottom-up approach was applied to identify the breed with the best economic water consumption in terms of beef production. The results indicated that the total WF/kg carcass revealed notable differences between the various breeds. The Bonsmara had the smallest WF/kg carcass, while the Limousin had the largest. The WF/kg of beef for the different cuts (rib eye, topside, and flank) showed large variations between the breeds and between the different cuts of beef from the same breed. In terms of the economic water consumption, the Angus consumed between 4% and 25% less water per rand of economic value addition than the Bonsmara, Simmentaler, Simbra, Limousin, Afrikaner, and Brahman. When the economic water consumption of the individual value links was considered, it was found that Bonsmara had the best figures for cow–calf production, while the Limousin and Simmentaler were the best in terms of feedlot finishing and processing, respectively. These contradicting results showed the importance of a bottom-up approach to ensure that the fallacy of division does not occur and, secondly, that possible problem areas in the value chain are identified and addressed separately. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

Review

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16 pages, 5574 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of Crop Water Footprint: A Widely Used Agricultural Water Resources Evaluation Method

by Jianfeng Xiao, Jia Wei, Mengyang Wu and Xinchun Cao

Water 2022, 14(18), 2866; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14182866 - 14 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2299

Abstract

As a new theme in agricultural water resources evaluation, the crop water footprint (CWF) has attracted much attention, and the number of published studies has shown rapid growth. In order to explore the research prospects of the CWF, this paper conducted a visual bibliometric analysis of its development context, hot topics and knowledge base, by using CiteSpace (version 5.6. R5, Chaomei Chen, Philadelphia, PA, USA). Up to the retrieval time, there were, in total, 838 articles based on the Web of Science core collection database. In terms of contribution, China, the Netherlands and the United States were the three most representative countries, and the University of Twente and Arjen Y. Hoekstra were the most productive institution and author, respectively. In terms of the discipline background, Environmental Sciences & Ecology, Environmental Sciences and Water Resources were the three most relevant categories. Based on the co-occurrence analysis of the keywords, the hot topics of the three periods has been illustrated, and assessing the climate change impact on the water-use efficiency of crop production is the focus of the current research. The knowledge background of the CWF was elaborated by the co-citation and cluster analysis of references, which consists of four parts: concept, quantification, evaluation and reduction. Reducing the water requirement to improve crop water productivity through rainwater harvesting and formulating reasonable hydro-policies is the main responsive strategy to improve agricultural water-use efficiency. In particular, the accurate differentiation of the blue, green and gray water footprint calculation, considering multiple pollutants, the exploration of mitigation policies for the climate change impact and the combination of the CWF and traditional indicators, will be the focuses of future research in the CWF. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Use/Footprint for Agricultural Products during Production, Trade and Consumption Processes)

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