Research on groundwater ecological environment mapping based on ecological service function: A case study of five Central Asian countries and neighboring regions of China
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Abstract: The groundwater system is a unique ecosystem that serves both resource and ecological functions. Hydrogeologists have conducted extensive theoretical research and practical work on groundwater ecological mapping. This paper, based on the study of groundwater resources and surface ecology in the five Central Asian countries and adjacent areas of China, introduces the concept of ecosystem service functions. It establishes a groundwater ecological zoning index system and conducts research of ecological mapping using the five Central Asian countries and adjacent areas of China as examples. Through this process, the ecosystem service functions of groundwater can be more comprehensively reflected, which can better guide regional geological environment protection and industrial planning. This approach helps coordinate the relationship between socio-economic development and water resource protection, maintain the health of the groundwater ecological environment, enhance the value of groundwater ecological services, and promote the sustainable development of regional economies and societies.
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Table 1. Groundwater resources in the five central Asian countries and adjacent areas of China (108 m3/a)
Code Primary groundwater systems Quantity of groundwater resources Recharge resources Extractable resources A Groundwater system in Ertix River Basin 203.23 60.97 B Groundwater system in rivers in Kazakh Uplands 742.45 237.59 C Groundwater system in Yili River - Balkhash Lake 450.92 144.29 D Groundwater system in lower reaches of Ural River -Turanskaya lowland 518.98 166.07 E Groundwater system in Syr Darya River - Amu Darya River - Aral sea 519.07 181.67 F Groundwater system in Pamirs Plateau – Vakhsh River 160.76 48.23 G Groundwater system in Junggar Basin 282.05 84.62 H Groundwater system in Tarim Basin 469.19 187.45 Total 3,346.67 1,110.89 Table 2. The area of different types of ecosystems in Central Asia (104 km2)
Country/region Grassland ecosystem Settlement ecosystem Farmland ecosystem Forest ecosystem Aquatic ecosystem Desert ecosystem Kazakhstan 65.94 0.18 82.70 12.96 12.97 154.26 Kyrgyzstan 0.01 - 2.00 6.59 0.82 12.08 Tajikistan 1.96 - 1.08 - 0.11 11.57 Uzbekistan 3.70 0.18 9.21 0.33 3.65 31.91 Turkmenistan 1.60 0.01 4.46 - 1.12 41.77 total 73.21 0.37 99.45 19.88 18.67 251.59 Note: “-” means no date. Table 3. Index system for groundwater ecological function zoning
Zoning indicators Ecological functional elements Geomorphological attribute Effects of cicada wings reflecting topography or landscape pattern on watershed water ecological functions at the macro-scale Groundwater resources Representing spatial variation law of groundwater resource Rainfall, evaporation Dryness (evaporation/rainfall) Vegetation attributes Vegetation types, vegetation status, species composition, vegetation coverage, plant functional groups, plant photosynthetic capacity, etc Soil property Soil type, available data Land use The change of land use types can affect the hydrological cycle by changing surface interception and evapotranspiration; Water quality of different land use types is also greatly affected. Population density Reflect the pressure of population on watershed ecosystem Socioeconomic characteristics Reflect regional GDP of socio-economic development of the basin and is the available data Groundwater quality Water quality monitoring data reflecting the basic health status of groundwater ecosystems, such as BOD, COD, TP, TN etc. Pollutant type Surface source, point source (chemical fertilizers, pesticides, industrial waste discharge area) Groundwater footprint Comprehensive reflection of the present situation of human utilization of groundwater resources, and reflection of the degree of human interference with groundwater resources and environment Table 4. Groundwater ecological environment zoning
Type Serial number Main features of ecological environment zoning Groundwater regulation and storage-supporting the ecological environment 1 Less human activities, river-lake alluvial and lacustrine deposits; Wetland-low land under special protection; Restricted exploitation of groundwater; Supporting coastal socio-economic eco-environmental areas. 2 More human activities; Basin alluvium is dominant; Better groundwater recharge conditions; Strong reservation function; Key protection of water source; Moderate exploitation of groundwater, Supporting socio-economic and eco-environmental areas. 3 Increased human activities, alluvial flood deposits in front of mountain; Active intersection zone of surface water and groundwater; Equal emphasis on groundwater protection and exploitation, to support social and economic development, and maintain prairie-oasis agro-pastoral ecological environment. Groundwater conservation-maintaining the ecological environment 4 Human activities are scarce; Mountain bedrock fissure aquifer is dominant; Plateau mountain forest ecology, water resource recharge ecological protection zone. 5 Human activities are scattered; Low hills fissure aquifer and river alluvial aquifer are in alteration; Forest grass-farming-grazing ecology is dominant; Slight desertification; Soil conservation and ecological environment protection areas. 6 Less human activities; Fissure pore aquifer is dominant; Sparse grassland and shrub; Gobi desert transitional zone etc.; Moderate desertification, vegetation afforestation and eco-environmental transformation zones. Groundwater scarcity-fragile ecological environment 7 Desert and desertification are unsuitable for human existence; Dry climate, Scarce rainwater; Strong sand flow; Lack of ground water; Plants are scarce; Natural reserves. 8 Gobi desert is unsuitable for human existence; Dry climate; Ground water evaporated quickly; Shallow surface layer; Vegetation is scarce; Natural reserves. -
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