Mimicking nature to reduce agricultural impact on water cycles: A set of mimetrics

Van Noordwijk Meine, van Oel Pieter, Muthuri Catherine, Satnarain Usha, Sari Rika Ratna, Rosero Paulina, Githinji Margaret, Tanika Lisa, Best Lisa, Comlan Assogba Gildas Geraud, Kimbowa George, Andreotti Federico, Lagneaux Elisabeth, Wamucii Charles Nduhiu, Hakim Arief Lukman, Miccolis Andrew, Abdurrahim Ali Yansyah, Farida Aj., Speelman Erika N., Hofstede Gert Jan. 2022. Mimicking nature to reduce agricultural impact on water cycles: A set of mimetrics. Outlook on Agriculture, 51 (1) : 114-128.

Résumé : Metrics of hydrological mimicry ('mimetrics') reflect similarity in ecological structure and/or functions between managed and natural ecosystems. Only the land-surface parts of hydrological cycles are directly visible and represented in local knowledge and water-related legislation. Human impacts on water cycles (HIWC) can, beyond climate change, arise through effects on local and regional hydrological processes, from both reduced and increased water use compared to a natural reference vegetation with which landscape structure and hydrology are aligned. Precipitationsheds, the oceanic and terrestrial origin of rainfall, depend on evapotranspiration and thus on vegetation. The political commitment to reduce agricultural impact on nature requires hydrological mimetrics to trickle down through institutions to actions. Existing metrics do not suffice. For example, the water footprint metric that relates agricultural water use to consumption decisions, suggests minimizing water use is best, ignoring full hydrological impacts. We explore principles, criteria and indicators for understanding HIWC, via modified evapotranspiration, effects on streamflow (downstream impacts) and atmospheric fluxes and precipitation (downwind impacts). Comprehensive HIWC mimetrics for a set of pantropical watersheds suggest hydrological mimicry options for forest-derived land use patterns through intermediate densities of trees with diversity in rooting depth and water use, interacting with soils, crops and livestock.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : hydrologie, cycle hydrologique, changement climatique, utilisation des terres, déboisement, agroforesterie, bassin versant, gestion des eaux, évapotranspiration, impact sur l'environnement, ressource en eau, adaptation aux changements climatiques, développement durable, paysage, érosion

Mots-clés libres : Blue water, Evapotranspiration, Green water, Nature-based solutions, Rainbow water, Water footprint, Watershed functions

Agences de financement hors UE : Wageningen University and Research

Auteurs et affiliations

• Van Noordwijk Meine, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD) - auteur correspondant
• van Oel Pieter, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Muthuri Catherine, ICRAF (KEN)
• Satnarain Usha, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Sari Rika Ratna, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Rosero Paulina, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Githinji Margaret, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Tanika Lisa, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Best Lisa, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Comlan Assogba Gildas Geraud, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Kimbowa George, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Andreotti Federico, CIRAD-ES-UMR SENS (FRA)
• Lagneaux Elisabeth, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Wamucii Charles Nduhiu, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Hakim Arief Lukman, Brawijaya University (IDN)
• Miccolis Andrew, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Abdurrahim Ali Yansyah, LIPI (IDN)
• Farida Aj., IPB University (IDN)
• Speelman Erika N., Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)
• Hofstede Gert Jan, Wageningen University and Research Centre (NLD)

Source : Cirad-Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/604731/)

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