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Water for Life and Ecosystem Sustainability

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Timothy O Randhir at University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Volume 3 • Issue 1 • 1000e107
J Earth Sci Climate Change
ISSN:2157-7617 JESCC, an open access journal
Research Article Open Access
Randhir, J Earth Sci Climate Change 2012, 3:1
http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7617.1000e107
Editorial Open Access
Earth Science & Climatic Change
While water is plenty in our blue planet, less than one percent
of the total usable freshwater is available for supporting ecosystems
and humans. e very nature of this limitation is oen overlooked in
appropriation of water to human use. Water use is growing at twice
the rate of population increase in the last century [1]. With rapid
exploitation of this resource that constantly alter quality and availability
of freshwater, humankind can be exposing itself to catastrophic risk.
e United Nations estimate that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will be
living in watersheds facing absolute water scarcity. is is expected
to worsen with impending climatic change through intensication,
acceleration, and enhancement of the global hydrologic cycle [2]. Fresh
water availability is increasingly reaching peak water limits needing
more innovation and change in use behavior [3].
e importance of water goes beyond economic reasons and is
a necessary resource for life and ecosystem sustenance. Life on earth
is intricately tied to the state of water and its spatial distribution that
any changes in the hydrologic cycle can substantially aect several
ecosystem processes [4]. e role of water in sustaining biological
processes highlights its importance in supporting basic life functions.
us, the very nature of physical and chemical properties of water
makes it unique with economically limited possibility of substitution.
Water is one of main factors limiting future food production [5].
During the last century, water resources are increasingly being
threatened from land use changes and climatic change. Loss in access to
safe water aects the livelihood of millions throughout the world with
serious implication on health and livelihood. In addition ecosystem
impacts of water-related disasters (both decit like droughts and excess
like oods) can result in loss of ecosystem services. It is expected that
water resource will continue to be impacted well into the future and
there is a critical need for a renewed focus in this vital resource.
Fluctuations in water quantity can be associated with the state of
ecosystems and economics of a region. Drought-prone regions continue
to face higher stress resulting in depleted water supplies and poor water
quality. Flood prone regions face increase threat of property damage,
uncertainty, and constant change in river geomorphology. Extreme
in hydrologic ows thus pose hydrologic and ecologic challenges that
require a systems approach with multidisciplinary knowledge.
Water quality continues to be a major challenge in several parts
of the world. While point sources are easier to target and mitigate,
dealing with nonpoint sources is a big challenge. Sediment is a major
contaminant aecting aquatic ecosystems, storage capacity, and
economic activities dependent on water. Nutrient loss continues to be
a major issue resulting in eutrophication of water bodies that impact
aquatic communities and sheries. Pathogens continue to be a major
contaminant that aects millions in the world. Water-borne diseases
are considered world leading killer with 3.4 million deaths worldwide
every year. In addition to these, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals
impact water bodies with serious implications on public health and
ecosystems [6].
Future of water resources lies in using transdiciplinary approaches
that bring information and knowledge from multiple disciplines and
multiple scales (local, regional, and global) in handling this complex
task. Understanding the complexity of hydrologic systems and nature
of response to external stressors remain a challenge, and requires new
interdisciplinary approaches like ecohydrology, landscape ecology,
and ecological economics. Research into watershed science and policy
oers scope in researching and managing water as a dynamic landscape
system. Governance of water [7] needs more emphasis in handling
allocation issues at multiple scales. Development and sustenance
of eective institutions to manage and sustain water resources is an
important area to be considered. Establishment of the right to water
and sanitation [8] by world countries become an important step in
equitable distribution of water for satisfying basic needs.
With the advent of fast computing, it is now easier to process
extensive amount of spatial and temporal data on water resources.
Computer modeling is becoming a necessary tool to understand system
dynamics and in assessment of management alternatives. Geographic
Information Systems can provide a framework to analyze multiple
datasets for spatial research and decision making. An important area
of water research is modeling and handling uncertainty. Development
of scientic methods to dene and quantify uncertainty facing water
resources could be useful in eective decisions and policy. Water
resources management oen deals with achieving multiple objectives
in resource use, which requires the use of Multi Criteria Decision
Making (MCDM) [9] so as to balance a variety of objectives into a an
integrated decision framework.
Education and awareness of water issues at multiple scales is
critical to change water use behavior and to achieve consistent eorts
among water users. Innovation in design of structural practices for
conservation and eciency need innovation and transdiciplinary
eorts among scientists, citizens, agencies, and countries. In addition,
cooperative solutions and careful management of water resources are
critical to avoid conicts and misuse of water resource commons.
As water resources face increasing pressure from climatic change
and human appropriation, there is a critical need to link science and
policy toward sustaining the vital resource for sustaining human and
ecosystem needs.
References
1. United Nations (2012) Water Scarcity, United Nations- Water Factsheet on
Water Scarcity.
2. Bates BC, Kundzewicz ZW, Wu S, Palutikof JP (2008) IPCC Secretariat,
Geneva, 210 pp.
3. Gleik PH, Palaniappan M (2010) Peak Water limits to freshwater withdrawal
and use, PNAS 107: 11155-11162.
*Corresponding author: Timothy O. Randhir, Department of Environmental
Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA, E-mail:
Randhir@eco.umass.edu/trandhir@gmail.com
Received May 17, 2012; Accepted May 19, 2012; Published May 21, 2012
Citation: Randhir TO (2012) Water for Life and Ecosystem Sustainability. J Earth
Sci Climate Change 3:e107. doi:10.4172/2157-7617.1000e107
Copyright: © 2012 Randhir TO. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.
Water for Life and Ecosystem Sustainability
Timothy O. Randhir*
Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, USA.
Citation: Randhir TO (2012) Water for Life and Ecosystem Sustainability. J Earth Sci Climate Change 3:e107. doi:10.4172/2157-7617.1000e107
Page 2 of 2
Volume 3 • Issue 1 • 1000e107
J Earth Sci Climate Change
ISSN:2157-7617 JESCC, an open access journal
4. Postel S, Richter BD (2003) Rivers for life: Managing Water for People and
Nature. Island Press: Washington, DC.
5. Boelee E (2011) Ecosystems, water and food security. Nairobi: United Nations
Environment Programme, Colombo: International Water management institute.
6. UNEP (1999) The state of the Environment. GEO-2000: Global Environment
Outlook. United Nations Environment Programme.
7. United Nations (2006) Water: A Shared Responsibility, The United Nations
World Water Development Report 2.
8. United Nations (2010) The Right to Water. Fact sheet No. 35, United Nations,
Ofce of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, World Health Organization.
9. Randhir TO, Shriver DM (2009) Multiattribute optimization of restoration
options: Designing incentives for watershed management. Water Resources
Research 45: 13.
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The Right to Water United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
  • Jan 2010
United Nations (2010) The Right to Water. Fact sheet No. 35, United Nations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, World Health Organization.
The state of the Environment
  • Jan 1999
UNEP (1999) The state of the Environment. GEO-2000: Global Environment Outlook. United Nations Environment Programme.
Water Scarcity, United Nations-Water Factsheet on Water Scarcity
  • Jan 2012
United Nations (2012) Water Scarcity, United Nations-Water Factsheet on Water Scarcity.
Rivers for life: Managing Water for People and Nature
  • Jan 2003
  • S Postel
  • Bd Richter
Postel S, Richter BD (2003) Rivers for life: Managing Water for People and Nature. Island Press: Washington, DC.
  • Jan 2008
  • Bc Bates
  • Zw Kundzewicz
  • S Wu
  • Jp Palutikof
Bates BC, Kundzewicz ZW, Wu S, Palutikof JP (2008) IPCC Secretariat, Geneva, 210 pp.
Water for Life and Ecosystem Sustainability1000e107 Copyright: © 2012 Randhir TO. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium
  • Jan 2012
  • 107-117
  • To Randhir
Citation: Randhir TO (2012) Water for Life and Ecosystem Sustainability. J Earth Sci Climate Change 3:e107. doi:10.4172/2157-7617.1000e107 Copyright: © 2012 Randhir TO. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.