How does land use affect the hydrological cycle?
Land use changes, which are mostly induced by human activities, affect hydrological processes such as evapotranspiration (ET), interception and infiltration, resulting in alterations of surface and subsurface flows [3, 4].
Why is the water cycle important for living things on land?
Why is the hydrologic cycle important? The hydrologic cycle is important because it is how water reaches plants, animals and us! Besides providing people, animals and plants with water, it also moves things like nutrients, pathogens and sediment in and out of aquatic ecosystems.
What is meant by land use change?
Land use change is a process by which human activities transform the natural landscape, referring to how land has been used, usually emphasizing the functional role of land for economic activities.
How does land use change affect the water cycle?
Land use changes such as irrigation, dams, and deforestation can alter evaporation patterns in a region, potentially affecting water resources in distant regions. Many studies of moisture recycling have had a regional focus up until now. To provide a global perspective, van der Ent et al.
How does the Earth’s natural water cycle work?
Water moves underground downward and sideways, in great quantities, due to gravity and pressure. Eventually it emerges back to the land surface, into rivers, and into the oceans to keep the water cycle going. Note: This section of the Water Science School discusses the Earth’s “natural” water cycle without human interference.
What is the role of plants in the water cycle?
The contribution summarises different aspects of the involvement of plants in the water cycle at organism, ecosystem and landscape levels. It stresses the importance of soil – plant – air water continuum for local water cycling and plant adaptations for optimised water management.
How does the human population affect the water cycle?
Seriously mismanaged dams can result in droughts downstream, with smaller streams completely drying up, leaving areas of unwatered land. People then have to look at ways of getting more water into these dry areas. Find out more about hydro power. As the human population has increased, so have our demands on the land.