De Miguel, Á. (2013) La huella hídrica como indicador de presiones: aplicación a la cuenca del Duero y al sector porcino español. PhD thesis, University of Alcalá.
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Abstract
Abstract The current development model, which is based on the overexploitation of natural resources, environmental degradation and social exclusion, must change into a more sustainable economy. It should also ensure human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Water, one of the most essential component for ecosystem functioning and human well being, plays a key role to reach this sustainable development. The use of environmental indicators, as the water footprint, could be a good tool to assess the human activities impacts on the water resources. It also involves managers, decision makers and the society as a whole in an integrated water resources management. Water footprint is defined as the volume of freshwater consumed or polluted during the elaboration of a product, activity or service in a certain area and at a given time. It incorporates direct and indirect water usage in three components: green, blue and grey water. In this dissertation, the use of the water footprint indicator as an information source for a better water management is evaluated. Also, the usefulness of the water footprint to communicate the environmental sustainably of different products, processes and services has been discussed. For this purpose, the methodology proposed by the Water Footprint Network has been implemented in two case studies: the agriculture in the Duero river basin, and the Spanish pork industry. To simulate the volume of water consumed and polluted by agriculture in the Duero river basin, the CWUModel was developed. By distinguishing between rainfed and irrigated crops, the model is able to separate the use of green and blue water components of the water footprint. The first represents the rainwater stored as soil moisture and the second the irrigation water abstracted from rivers, lakes or aquifers. Using a N-leaching regression model, it has been possible to simulate the grey water component, defined as the volumen of water needed to assimilate the leaching of nitrogen application as fertilizer. Thanks to the spatial analysis, blue water footprint has also been compared with the monthly water availability in the river basin, identifying the actual and future water stress level in differents areas. By incorporating economic criteria in the water footprint assessment, it has also estimated the water and land apparent productivity in agriculture. Finally, a sensitivity analisis was developed to evaluate the effect of the uncertainty in the sources of information used on the predictions of the model. The water footprint of the Spanish pork industry was estimated taking into account the major production ways: the industrial production systems of white pig and stabled Iberian pork, and the extensive production systems of Iberian pork, “montanera” and “recebo”. Since most of the water footprint of this sector results from animal feeding, special attention has been paid to identifying and quantifying the associated virtual water flows. A sustainability assesment of these virtual water flows has been developed through a comparison with other water scarcity and pollution indicators in the origin watershed. In this way, it was possible to identify the hotspot, i.e. flows that can be translated to an unsustainable use of water resources in the origin basin. Since the most common way to manage the pig slurry is by its application as a fertilizer in agriculture, an assessment of the grey water footprint of nitrogen leaching has also been developed. According to the results of this and other studies, it can be concluded that a comprehensive assessment of the water footprint -expressed disaggregated into its three components and compared with other environmental and socio-economic indicators- offers a comprehensive view of the exerted pressures and impacts on water resources, thus helping the society to understand the interconnection of the water cycle at different scales.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Director: Eloy García Calvo Calificación: Sobresaliente Cum Laude Fecha de lectura: 7/11/2013 |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QD Chemistry Q Science > QE Geology S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) |
| Depositing User: | Users 10 not found. |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Dec 2013 13:17 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Jan 2014 09:32 |
| URI: | http://eprints.imdea-agua.org:13000/id/eprint/371 |
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- La huella hídrica como indicador de presiones: aplicación a la cuenca del Duero y al sector porcino español. (deposited 13 Dec 2013 13:17) [Currently Displayed]
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