Evolution Analysis of the Ecological Footprint and the Ecological Carrying Capacity of Water Resources at Different Spatial and Temporal Scales: A Case Study of Gansu Province

Qi Liu, Aidi Huo (), Yanran Liu, Ping Zhang, Zhixin Zhao and Xuantao Zhao
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Qi Liu: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Aidi Huo: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Yanran Liu: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Ping Zhang: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Zhixin Zhao: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Xuantao Zhao: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: Exploring the ecological footprint and ecological carrying capacity is an effective method to evaluate the sustainable development and utilization of natural resources. Gansu Province, one of the typical arid regions in northwest China that is primarily focused on agriculture, was selected to analyze the evolution of the water ecological footprint and carrying capacity in this paper. In addition, the breadth and depth of the water footprint were combined to further evaluate the current situation of water resource utilization and management across different regions. This study can complement the research on the ecological footprint in arid areas dominated by agriculture. The results showed that (1) the agricultural water footprint was the main footprint and the key to water conservation. The overall water ecological footprint indicated a slow decline trend from 2009 to 2022 in Gansu Province. There was a gradual reduction in the agricultural water footprint and a notable increase in the ecological environment water footprint, indicating water use structures were generally becoming reasonable. (2) During the period, the eco-capacity and per capita eco-capacity exhibited similar trends in fluctuation and change, and spatial distribution was relatively dispersed due to the precipitation, total water resources, and industrial structure in the regions. (3) For prefecture-level cities, the depth of the water ecological footprint showed obvious spatial agglomeration. According to the results, the water footprint breadth of Zhangye and Longnan was larger, and the water resource flow can meet the local water demand. The water footprint depth of Lanzhou, Jinchang, Baiyin, and Jiayuguan was high, indicating the stock of water resources needs to be consumed to satisfy social production and living. The results can provide a scientific basis for the effective management and rational conservation of water resources.

Keywords: water footprint; ecological carrying capacity; water footprint breadth and depth; spatial autocorrelation analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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