Ecological Risks Arising in the Regional Water Resources in Inner Mongolia Due to a Large-Scale Afforestation Project

Peng Chen, Rong Ma (), Jiansheng Shi, Letian Si, Lefan Zhao and Jun Wu
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Peng Chen: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Rong Ma: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Jiansheng Shi: China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Land and Resources, Beijing 100083, China
Letian Si: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Lefan Zhao: School of Earth Science and Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Jun Wu: School of Earth Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: In recent years, a large-scale afforestation campaign has been implemented in Inner Mongolia, China, to control desertification and soil erosion. However, the water consumption associated with large-scale afforestation significantly impacts the water resources in Inner Mongolia, resulting in a major ecological risk. This study aimed to evaluate the ecological risk of water resources caused by afforestation in the region. In this study, using land cover data, normalized difference vegetation index ( NDVI ) data, and meteorological data, we performed trend analysis and used the water balance equation and water security index (WSI) to analyze the ecological risks of water resources caused by afforestation in Inner Mongolia from 2000 to 2020. The results show that (1) the afforestation area in Inner Mongolia was 5.37 × 10 4 km 2 in 2000–2020; (2) afforestation in arid and semi-arid areas led to a reduction in water resources; (3) afforestation reduced water resources in the study area by 62 million cubic meters (MCM) per year; and (4) ~76% of afforestation regions faced ecological risks related to water resources. This study provides scientific suggestions for the sustainable development of regional water resources and afforestation.

Keywords: afforestation; water resource; ecological risk; Inner Mongolia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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