Roots of Water Scarcity (Download PDF)

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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.

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.

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.

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.

- Published/Last Modified on: August 28, 2020

-Examrace Team