Arid Zone Research ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (2): 339-352.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2024.02.16

• Agricultural Ecology • Previous Articles    

Spatial and temporal characteristics of crop water footprint and influencing factors in Guanzhong region at the county scale

NIE Hanlin(), FAN Liangxin(), GUO Jin, ZHANG Mengke, WANG Zhijun   

  1. School of Surveying, Mapping and Land Information Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Jiaozuo 454000, Henan, China
  • Received:2023-05-23 Revised:2023-10-18 Online:2024-02-15 Published:2024-03-11

Abstract:

Exploring the regional crop water footprint and its spatial and temporal distribution patterns and driving factors can help optimize agricultural production layouts, improve agricultural production and water use efficiency, and achieve sustainable agricultural development. This study quantified and analyzed the water footprint of major crops in 54 counties and districts in the Guanzhong region from 2000 to 2020. Pathway analysis was used to explore the driving factors influencing temporal and spatial changes in crop water footprint. Key findings revealed that: (1) The total water footprint of crops in the Guanzhong region decreased from 2.232 × 108 m3 in 2000 to 2.003 × 108 m3 in 2020. Blue water use was the most dominant, followed by gray water use, with green water use being the lowest, accounting for 37.261%, 36.254%, and 26.485%, respectively. (2) Significant spatial variations existed in the total crop water footprint, showing a high eastern and low western profile. Regions with similar crop water footprints (high-high or low-low) demonstrated an agglomeration distribution. (3) The crops’ green water footprint was primarily influenced by yield per unit area, while the blue water footprint was mainly affected by average wind speed, followed by pesticide use and relative humidity. Additionally, fertilizer application had the greatest impact on the gray water footprint. This finding suggests that agricultural input factors significantly outweigh meteorological factors in influencing the crop water footprint. Consequently, production level and agricultural inputs were primarily responsible for regional water footprint variability. Potential strategies for regulating crop water footprint include: (1) implementing reasonable allocation of precipitation to improve green water utilization to achieve optimal allocation and use of water resources; (2) enhancing irrigation practices by improving irrigation facilities, increasing irrigation efficiency, and reducing irrigation water resource consumption, particularly as irrigation is a significant contributor to the blue water footprint in agricultural water consumption; (3) reducing fertilizer application and pesticide use while ensuring crop yield to minimize water consumption caused by water environment pollution, thereby controlling agricultural water consumption and alleviating pressure on water resources. These study results are beneficial for conserving water resources and improving water use efficiency in the Guanzhong region. They provide crucial support for facilitating sustainable agricultural water management practices.

Key words: crop, water footprint, influencing factors, spatiotemporal distribution, Guanzhong region