Terrestrial Water Storage Suffers Decade Declining in Central Asia: Study

Water is the source of life and the link that binds all living beings on the earth. Terrestrial water storage (TWS), referring to all water stored on the land surface, plays a major role in the Earth’s ecology and environment, as well as social and economical development. 

TWS is a key component of the terrestrial and global hydrological cycles. It includes surface water, soil moisture, groundwater, vegetation water content, snow, ice and permafrost. Glacier and snow melt are the major water resources in semi-arid and arid regions, especially in Central Asia. The variation of glaciers and snow melt is affected by climate change on TWS. 

A recent study by scientists from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on has found that TWS are decreasing in Central Asia in the last decade, due to climate change and human activities. 

The research led by CHEN Yaning analyzed the data collected with the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites and Climatic Research Unit datasets from 2003 to 2013. They found that water resources stress was intensified in Central Asia during the decade. 

“In the mountainous regions, climate change exerted an influence on TWS by affecting glaciers and snow cover change. However, human activities are now the dominant factor driving the decline of TWS in the Aral Sea region and the northern Tarim River Basin,” said CHEN. 

The study was published on the recent issue of Journal of Hydrology, entitled “Influences of recent climate change and human activities on water storage variations in Central Asia”.