Global S&T Development Trend Analysis Platform of Resources and Environment
Climate change threatens already volatile Lake Urmia | |
admin | |
2016-04-20 | |
发布年 | 2018 |
语种 | 英语 |
国家 | 奥地利 |
领域 | 气候变化 |
正文(英文) | These dire findings are the result of a new study by researchers from IIASA and Wageningen University in the Netherlands, which examines the potential of a proposed action plan to save the lake under future scenarios of climate change. The study, published last week in the journal Science of the Total Environment, shows that under scenarios of moderate or intense climate change, the current plan will not be sufficient to protect the lake. “This means that urgent actions are needed to save the lake. It involves both regional action to limit human water use, and global action to limit greenhouse-gas concentration,” says Somayeh Shadkam of Wageningen University, who led the study. Lake Urmia used to be the second largest hypersaline lake in the world. Located in the northwest of Iran near the Turkish border, the lake is an important, internationally recognized natural area designated by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar Convention, and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is a home to many species, including a unique species of brine shrimp. The Urmia basin also supports a variety of agricultural production systems and activities as well as livestock. “Lake Urmia is of central strategic importance in Iran and the region, and this research is an important contribution in the collaboration between IIASA and the country,” says IIASA Director General and CEO Professor Dr. Pavel Kabat, who serves as PhD advisor to Shadkam, and coordinated the project. Lowest recorded level The lake is drying out because of a combination of factors. Over the past decades, agricultural area has tripled. This resulted in a high irrigation water demand, surface flow diversions and groundwater extraction. Efficient water management stayed behind. During the same period, a significant decrease in precipitation and an increasing trend in average maximum temperature took place. ![]() Lake Urmia (also Orumiyeh or Orumieh) in northwestern Iran is one of the world’s largest landlocked salt lakes, but it is shrinking. These images from the NASA Landsat 5 satellite show the lake in 1998 (left) and 2011 (right) ©NASA Earth Observatory Restoration plan First she quantified how much flow would be required to preserve Lake Urmia. Then the researchers developed future projections of total inflow to the lake, using a hydrological model forced with different climate model outputs from the lowest and highest climate change scenarios and different water management plans, as well as the naturalized (without irrigation and reservoirs) situation. The researchers then compared the outcomes to the estimated environmental flow requirements. Need for action The results also indicate that for the whole range of climate change scenarios, the area will have less water available in the future. “This is an important message not only for the Urmia basin, but also for the wider region. Water scarcity is increasing in this area and we need to adapt,” Shadkam says. Recently, Shadkam presented the research outcomes to the committee engaged with the rescue of Lake Urmia. The committee invited the research team to visit Iran to discuss their approach to rescue the lake and collaborate on the issue. Read more on the Wageningen University website. Photo Gallery![]() Reference Shadkam S, Ludwig F, van Vliet M, Pastor A, Kabat P (2016). Preserving the world second largest hypersaline lake under future irrigation and climate change, Science of The Total Environment, Vol. 559, 15 July 2016, p317–325. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.190 |
URL | 查看原文 |
来源平台 | International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) |
文献类型 | 新闻 |
条目标识符 | http://119.78.100.173/C666/handle/2XK7JSWQ/98951 |
专题 | 气候变化 |
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714 | admin. Climate change threatens already volatile Lake Urmia. 2016. |
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