Descripción del proyecto
Comprender el agua dulce y su papel en las funciones del sistema terrestre
El agua dulce desempeña un papel vital en la regulación y el mantenimiento de los ecosistemas de la Tierra y contribuye al equilibrio energético del planeta. Lamentablemente, las actividades humanas han perturbado esta función crucial, provocando importantes daños. Además, la falta de conocimientos sobre la función del agua dulce ha obstaculizado los iniciativas para protegerla y comprender el alcance de los daños causados. Para colmar esta brecha del conocimiento, el equipo del proyecto AQUAGUARD, financiado con fondos europeos, proporciona evaluaciones cuantificables de las perturbaciones humanas en las funciones del agua dulce. Su objetivo es ofrecer nuevas perspectivas sobre las complejas interacciones entre los diversos impulsores y modificaciones del ciclo del agua, y sus repercusiones resultantes. En última instancia, el equipo del proyecto pretende identificar soluciones para proteger las funciones esenciales del agua dulce.
Objetivo
Freshwater has a fundamental role in regulating the state of the Earth system. Various human actions modify the water cycle, disturbing the Earth system functions it provides, such as mediating the planet’s energy balance and sustaining ecosystems. Humanity’s impact on these functions has not been quantified comprehensively, nor do we know what human actions drive water cycle modifications (WCMs) in different parts of the world. This knowledge gap has made it impossible to acknowledge freshwater's crucial Earth system functions in decision-making. As human pressures on the water cycle continue to increase, there is an urgent need for bridging the gap between Earth system science and water management and governance, to safeguard freshwater’s life-supporting Earth system functions.
AQUAGUARD rises to this challenge by 1) providing quantifications of the full extent of humanity's disturbance of the Earth system functions of freshwater, globally and in a spatially explicit manner, using novel indicators and spatial delineations; 2) using novel computational methods that will provide new insights into the complex driver interactions behind WCMs; 3) quantifying crucial Earth system impacts of WCMs, using modelling and meta-analysis, and 4) identifying feasible and just opportunities to safeguard freshwater’s Earth system functions, using AQUAGUARD’s quantifications combined with novel indicators of feasibility and equity aspects of freshwater change – at scales that are appropriate for water management and governance.
AQUAGUARD addresses fundamental knowledge gaps at the intersection of hydrology, ecology and biogeochemistry, and provides various new methods and ground-breaking scientific results that will illustrate water as an integral part of the Earth system. By doing so, the project opens up new research avenues within and across these fields and expands perspectives in water management and governance from predominantly local to local-to-global.
Ámbito científico
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrology
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencescomputational science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringnatural resources managementwater management
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeochemistrybiogeochemistry
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsInstitución de acogida
70211 KUOPIO
Finlandia