Water societal metabolism in the Yucatan Peninsula. The impact of climate change on the recharge of groundwater by 2030

The demographic and economic growth in Yucatan peninsula (YP) in recent years has caused changes in the hydrological response and flow of the water cycle. The growth effects and its impact on society are poorly understood. Here we present an estimation of water consumption and its evolution based on...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Rodríguez-Huerta, Edgar, Rosas Casals, Martí|||0000-0002-5243-2601, Hernández Terrones, Laura Margarita
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/166563
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/166563
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.310
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Water resources management --Mexico--Yucatán Peninsula
Water consumption
Water--Metabolism
MuSIASEM
Groundwater recharge
Yucatan peninsula
Societal metabolism
Water resources management--Explotació-- Mèxic--Yucatán, Península de
Aigua -- Consum
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Desenvolupament humà i sostenible::Política i gestió ambiental::Gestió de l'aigua
Descripción
Sumario:The demographic and economic growth in Yucatan peninsula (YP) in recent years has caused changes in the hydrological response and flow of the water cycle. The growth effects and its impact on society are poorly understood. Here we present an estimation of water consumption and its evolution based on the analysis of Yucatan Peninsula's societal metabolism, using the interdisciplinary tool MuSIASEM. Societal metabolism together with metabolic patterns generate a new narrative on how the YP development is linked to the uses of water, considering social functions, as well as the biophysical limits established by the annual recharge of groundwater, being it the main source of water supply. Given the current trends in YP socio-economic growth and climate change scenarios, our results show superlinear scaling relations between water metabolic rate and water consumption which leads increase in water consumption and 23% decrease in groundwater recharge by the year 2030. The consequences of this scenario are particularly worrying for the near future, given the current socio-economic structure in YP, highly dependent both on the services (i.e., tourism) and agriculture sectors.