How is the water balance maintained in nature?
Water remaining in the shallow soil is taken up by plants while water that percolates deeper may ultimately contribute to groundwater aquifers. Depending on subsurface hydraulic gradients, water can also move upwards or horizontally towards the surface and discharge to a water body as baseflow.
What does water balance mean in the water cycle?
Water balance. The cyclical movement of water between the atmosphere and the ground surface, considering precipitation, evaporation, and runoff (Whittow, 1984).
Why is water important for ecosystems?
Water links and maintains all ecosystem on the planet. The role of water in the ecosystem is to provide the lifeblood of the community. As nature’s most important nutrients, people need water to survive. Water helps to transport oxygen, minerals, nutrients and waste products to and from the cells.
What causes a positive water balance?
The Water Balance In wet seasons precipitation is greater than evapotranspiration which creates a water surplus. Ground stores fill with water which results in increased surface runoff, higher discharge and higher river levels. This means there is a positive water balance.
What happens to water in the water cycle?
As it moves through this cycle, it changes forms. Water is the only substance that naturally exists in three states on Earth – solid, liquid, and gas. Over 96% of total global water is in the ocean, so let’s start there. Energy from the sun causes water on the surface to evaporate into water vapor – a gas.
What do you need to know about the hydrological cycle?
The hydrological cycle Take away ideas and understandings The water cycle is the fundamental concept in hydrology, it can be characterized by reservoirs, fluxes, and residence times. 97% of water on Earth is in the oceans. Many problems in hydrology can be expressed as a water balance equation. The blue planet
Why is condensation important to the water cycle?
Condensation and the Water Cycle. Condensation is the process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water. Condensation is crucial to the water cycle because it is responsible for the formation of clouds. These clouds may produce precipitation, which is the primary route for water to return to the Earth’s surface within
How do water drops return to the ocean?
Air currents move these clouds all around the earth. Water drops form in clouds, and the drops then return to the ocean or land as precipitation – let’s say this time, it’s snow.