Roots of Water Scarcity
⪻ Articles ⪼
- It has been observed that afforestation programmes end up consuming more water rather than conserving it.
- Simply planting trees will not conserve water.
- Trees can suck up water and release it through evapotranspiration.
- Evapotranspiration is the water lost by the trees to the atmosphere through openings on the underside of the leaves known as stomata.
- Areas with varying geology, soil and patterns of precipitation have different responses to large-scale plantations.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan
- Launched in July 2019.
- To make the country՚s most water-stressed districts water secure.
- The district administrations were encouraged to planting of trees on wide scale.
- A staggering number of afforestation activities were reported which turned out to be a fudged data.
- It is illogical to plant sensitive species in open areas as they will be scorched in sunlight.
- The transitional species need to be planted first thereafter allowing the ecosystem around them to grow.
Three Aspects to be Considered While Planting Trees for Water Conservation
First (Scale)
- In general forest expansion of 2 sq. km or more can increase the rainfall possibility.
- Trees transport water to the air and water vapour to another location which can be far from the afforested area.
Second (Kind of Tree)
- The kind of tree species to be planted for water conservation.
- Broad leaved species for example Eucalyptus and poplar consume more water as compared to needle leaved species such as casuarina and pines.
Third (Site Characteristics)
- Areas with varying geology, soil and patterns of precipitation have different responses to large scale plantations.
- In China for example a study carried out for 30 years till 2011 shows that different regions experienced varying changes in precipitation and soil moisture with an increasing no. of trees.
✍Examrace Team at