News release: Groundwater is key to protecting global ecosystems
… As climate change and human water use rapidly deplete groundwater levels around the world, scientists and policy makers need better data for where these groundwater-dependent ecosystems exist. Now, a new study maps these ecosystems in dryland regions globally, examines their protection status and explores how they overlap with human communities. The research, published in the journal Nature, marks the first time that groundwater-dependent ecosystems have been mapped on a global scale. … Their results show that 53% of these ecosystems are in areas with known groundwater depletion, while only 21% exist on protected lands or regions with policies in place for their protection.
Related map:
- The Nature Conservancy: Global groundwater dependent ecosystem