Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, Taiwan
Evaluating the water footprint of crop production is crucial for achieving sustainable agriculture and efficient water resource allocation in the watershed, particularly in the context of climate change. This study leverages the SWAT model and AR5 climate scenario data to simulate crop water consump...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006697 |
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| author | Guan-Zhou Lin Li-Chi Chiang |
| author_facet | Guan-Zhou Lin Li-Chi Chiang |
| author_sort | Guan-Zhou Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Evaluating the water footprint of crop production is crucial for achieving sustainable agriculture and efficient water resource allocation in the watershed, particularly in the context of climate change. This study leverages the SWAT model and AR5 climate scenario data to simulate crop water consumption, grey water demand, and crop yield variations under the RCP8.5 scenario for the late 21st century in the Wu River basin, Taiwan. The findings reveal a 1–7% decrease in blue-green water consumption, alongside a significant increase in grey water demand (33–63% for nitrate nitrogen and 68–113% for total phosphorus). Variation in rainfall patterns impact blue-green water consumption and directly affect crop yields, with projected reductions averaging 18% for rice, 41% for sweet potatoes, and 45% for oranges. The blue-green water footprint of paddy fields in the region is already six times the global average and 1.8 times that of irrigated regions worldwide. Under climate change scenarios, the blue-green water footprints of rice, sweet potatoes, and oranges are projected to increase by 122%, 154%, and 196%, respectively. This research highlights sustainable agricultural practices for Taiwan and beyond, emphasizing the need to address rising nutrient grey water demand from extreme rainfall. It recommends alternative crops or reduced phosphorus fertilizer use to mitigate agriculture’s environmental impact, ensuring sustainable development in the Wu River basin and similar regions globally. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-78ac9a378aa24ab782cf2291c2465e9f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj-art-78ac9a378aa24ab782cf2291c2465e9f2025-08-20T03:16:08ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-08-0117711373910.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113739Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, TaiwanGuan-Zhou Lin0Li-Chi Chiang1Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, TaiwanCorresponding author.; Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, TaiwanEvaluating the water footprint of crop production is crucial for achieving sustainable agriculture and efficient water resource allocation in the watershed, particularly in the context of climate change. This study leverages the SWAT model and AR5 climate scenario data to simulate crop water consumption, grey water demand, and crop yield variations under the RCP8.5 scenario for the late 21st century in the Wu River basin, Taiwan. The findings reveal a 1–7% decrease in blue-green water consumption, alongside a significant increase in grey water demand (33–63% for nitrate nitrogen and 68–113% for total phosphorus). Variation in rainfall patterns impact blue-green water consumption and directly affect crop yields, with projected reductions averaging 18% for rice, 41% for sweet potatoes, and 45% for oranges. The blue-green water footprint of paddy fields in the region is already six times the global average and 1.8 times that of irrigated regions worldwide. Under climate change scenarios, the blue-green water footprints of rice, sweet potatoes, and oranges are projected to increase by 122%, 154%, and 196%, respectively. This research highlights sustainable agricultural practices for Taiwan and beyond, emphasizing the need to address rising nutrient grey water demand from extreme rainfall. It recommends alternative crops or reduced phosphorus fertilizer use to mitigate agriculture’s environmental impact, ensuring sustainable development in the Wu River basin and similar regions globally.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006697SWAT modelClimate changeCrop yieldWater footprint |
| spellingShingle | Guan-Zhou Lin Li-Chi Chiang Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, Taiwan Ecological Indicators SWAT model Climate change Crop yield Water footprint |
| title | Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, Taiwan |
| title_full | Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, Taiwan |
| title_fullStr | Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, Taiwan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, Taiwan |
| title_short | Assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield: a case study of the Wu River basin, Taiwan |
| title_sort | assessing climate change impacts on water footprint of crop production and crop yield a case study of the wu river basin taiwan |
| topic | SWAT model Climate change Crop yield Water footprint |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25006697 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT guanzhoulin assessingclimatechangeimpactsonwaterfootprintofcropproductionandcropyieldacasestudyofthewuriverbasintaiwan AT lichichiang assessingclimatechangeimpactsonwaterfootprintofcropproductionandcropyieldacasestudyofthewuriverbasintaiwan |