Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth system resilience in the Anthropocene
Tom Gleeson, Lan Wang‐Erlandsson, Miina Porkka, Samuel C. Zipper, Fernando Jaramillo, Dieter Gerten, Ingo Fetzer, Sarah Cornell, Luigi Piemontese, Line Gordon, Johan Rockström, Taikan Oki, Murugesu Sivapalan, Yoshihide Wada, Kate A. Brauman, Martina Flörke, M. F. Bierkens, Bernhard Lehner, Patrick Keys, Matti Kummu, Thorsten Wagener, Simon Dadson, Tara J. Troy, Will Steffen, Malin Falkenmark, J. S. Famiglietti
Abstract
Fresh water – the bloodstream of the biosphere – is at the centre of the planetary drama of the Anthropocene. Water fluxes and stores regulate the Earth’s climate and are essential for thriving aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as water, food and energy security. But the water cycle is also being modified by humans at an unprecedented scale and rate. A holistic understanding of freshwater’s role for Earth System resilience and the detection and monitoring of anthropogenic water cycle modifications across scales is urgent, yet existing methods and frameworks are not well suited for this. In this paper we highlight four core Earth System functions of water (hydroclimatic regulation, hydroecological regulation, storage, and transport) and key related processes. Building on systems and resilience theory, we review the evidence of regional-scale regime shifts and disruptions of the Earth System functions of water. We then propose a framework for detecting, monitoring, and establishing safe limits to water cycle modifications, and identify four possible spatially explicit methods for their quantification. In sum, this paper presents an ambitious scientific and policy Grand Challenge that could substantially improve our understanding of the role of water in the Earth System and cross-scale management of water cycle modifications that would be a complementary approach to existing water management tools.- Cite:
- Tom Gleeson, Lan Wang‐Erlandsson, Miina Porkka, Samuel C. Zipper, Fernando Jaramillo, Dieter Gerten, Ingo Fetzer, Sarah Cornell, Luigi Piemontese, Line Gordon, Johan Rockström, Taikan Oki, Murugesu Sivapalan, Yoshihide Wada, Kate A. Brauman, Martina Flörke, M. F. Bierkens, Bernhard Lehner, Patrick Keys, et al.. 2020. Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth system resilience in the Anthropocene. Water Resources Research, Volume 56, Issue 4, 56(4).
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@article{Gleeson-2020-Illuminating,
title = "Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth system resilience in the Anthropocene",
author = {Gleeson, Tom and
Wang‐Erlandsson, Lan and
Porkka, Miina and
Zipper, Samuel C. and
Jaramillo, Fernando and
Gerten, Dieter and
Fetzer, Ingo and
Cornell, Sarah and
Piemontese, Luigi and
Gordon, Line and
Rockstr{\"o}m, Johan and
Oki, Taikan and
Sivapalan, Murugesu and
Wada, Yoshihide and
Brauman, Kate A. and
Fl{\"o}rke, Martina and
Bierkens, M. F. and
Lehner, Bernhard and
Keys, Patrick and
Kummu, Matti and
Wagener, Thorsten and
Dadson, Simon and
Troy, Tara J. and
Steffen, Will and
Falkenmark, Malin and
Famiglietti, J. S.},
journal = "Water Resources Research, Volume 56, Issue 4",
volume = "56",
number = "4",
year = "2020",
publisher = "American Geophysical Union (AGU)",
url = "https://gwf-uwaterloo.github.io/gwf-publications/G20-79001",
doi = "10.1029/2019wr024957",
abstract = "Fresh water {--} the bloodstream of the biosphere {--} is at the centre of the planetary drama of the Anthropocene. Water fluxes and stores regulate the Earth{'}s climate and are essential for thriving aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as water, food and energy security. But the water cycle is also being modified by humans at an unprecedented scale and rate. A holistic understanding of freshwater{'}s role for Earth System resilience and the detection and monitoring of anthropogenic water cycle modifications across scales is urgent, yet existing methods and frameworks are not well suited for this. In this paper we highlight four core Earth System functions of water (hydroclimatic regulation, hydroecological regulation, storage, and transport) and key related processes. Building on systems and resilience theory, we review the evidence of regional-scale regime shifts and disruptions of the Earth System functions of water. We then propose a framework for detecting, monitoring, and establishing safe limits to water cycle modifications, and identify four possible spatially explicit methods for their quantification. In sum, this paper presents an ambitious scientific and policy Grand Challenge that could substantially improve our understanding of the role of water in the Earth System and cross-scale management of water cycle modifications that would be a complementary approach to existing water management tools.",
}
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<abstract>Fresh water – the bloodstream of the biosphere – is at the centre of the planetary drama of the Anthropocene. Water fluxes and stores regulate the Earth’s climate and are essential for thriving aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as water, food and energy security. But the water cycle is also being modified by humans at an unprecedented scale and rate. A holistic understanding of freshwater’s role for Earth System resilience and the detection and monitoring of anthropogenic water cycle modifications across scales is urgent, yet existing methods and frameworks are not well suited for this. In this paper we highlight four core Earth System functions of water (hydroclimatic regulation, hydroecological regulation, storage, and transport) and key related processes. Building on systems and resilience theory, we review the evidence of regional-scale regime shifts and disruptions of the Earth System functions of water. We then propose a framework for detecting, monitoring, and establishing safe limits to water cycle modifications, and identify four possible spatially explicit methods for their quantification. In sum, this paper presents an ambitious scientific and policy Grand Challenge that could substantially improve our understanding of the role of water in the Earth System and cross-scale management of water cycle modifications that would be a complementary approach to existing water management tools.</abstract>
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%0 Journal Article %T Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth system resilience in the Anthropocene %A Gleeson, Tom %A Wang‐Erlandsson, Lan %A Porkka, Miina %A Zipper, Samuel C. %A Jaramillo, Fernando %A Gerten, Dieter %A Fetzer, Ingo %A Cornell, Sarah %A Piemontese, Luigi %A Gordon, Line %A Rockström, Johan %A Oki, Taikan %A Sivapalan, Murugesu %A Wada, Yoshihide %A Brauman, Kate A. %A Flörke, Martina %A Bierkens, M. F. %A Lehner, Bernhard %A Keys, Patrick %A Kummu, Matti %A Wagener, Thorsten %A Dadson, Simon %A Troy, Tara J. %A Steffen, Will %A Falkenmark, Malin %A Famiglietti, J. S. %J Water Resources Research, Volume 56, Issue 4 %D 2020 %V 56 %N 4 %I American Geophysical Union (AGU) %F Gleeson-2020-Illuminating %X Fresh water – the bloodstream of the biosphere – is at the centre of the planetary drama of the Anthropocene. Water fluxes and stores regulate the Earth’s climate and are essential for thriving aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as water, food and energy security. But the water cycle is also being modified by humans at an unprecedented scale and rate. A holistic understanding of freshwater’s role for Earth System resilience and the detection and monitoring of anthropogenic water cycle modifications across scales is urgent, yet existing methods and frameworks are not well suited for this. In this paper we highlight four core Earth System functions of water (hydroclimatic regulation, hydroecological regulation, storage, and transport) and key related processes. Building on systems and resilience theory, we review the evidence of regional-scale regime shifts and disruptions of the Earth System functions of water. We then propose a framework for detecting, monitoring, and establishing safe limits to water cycle modifications, and identify four possible spatially explicit methods for their quantification. In sum, this paper presents an ambitious scientific and policy Grand Challenge that could substantially improve our understanding of the role of water in the Earth System and cross-scale management of water cycle modifications that would be a complementary approach to existing water management tools. %R 10.1029/2019wr024957 %U https://gwf-uwaterloo.github.io/gwf-publications/G20-79001 %U https://doi.org/10.1029/2019wr024957
Markdown (Informal)
[Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth system resilience in the Anthropocene](https://gwf-uwaterloo.github.io/gwf-publications/G20-79001) (Gleeson et al., GWF 2020)
- Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth system resilience in the Anthropocene (Gleeson et al., GWF 2020)
ACL
- Tom Gleeson, Lan Wang‐Erlandsson, Miina Porkka, Samuel C. Zipper, Fernando Jaramillo, Dieter Gerten, Ingo Fetzer, Sarah Cornell, Luigi Piemontese, Line Gordon, Johan Rockström, Taikan Oki, Murugesu Sivapalan, Yoshihide Wada, Kate A. Brauman, Martina Flörke, M. F. Bierkens, Bernhard Lehner, Patrick Keys, et al.. 2020. Illuminating water cycle modifications and Earth system resilience in the Anthropocene. Water Resources Research, Volume 56, Issue 4, 56(4).