Balancing water for humans and nature: the new approach in ecohydrology

pt. 1. Water functions in the life-support system

1. Water, the bloodstream of the biosphere

Water as the liquid of life

Focusing on invisible water

Different scales of water-plant interaction

Human landscape interventions

Summary

2. Water availability, expanding the perspective

A conceptual shift to incorporate water for ecosystems

Introducing soil water into the water balance equation

Water resource estimates

Summary

3. Human water requirements

Household and industrial water needs

Distinguishing between water use and consumptive water use

Current green water requirements for food production

Generic human water requirements

Additional water requirements to feed humanity by 2050

Summary

4. Incorporating water for ecosystem 'services'

Expanding the paradigm

Water flows to sustain food production

Green water flows are sustaining major biomes

Committed and uncommitted water flows

The blue water bias is unwarranted

Summary

5. Regional differences

The green water perspective

The blue water perspective

The combined perspective

Summary

pt. 2. Closing upon the vulnerable Savanna Zone

6. Vulnerability of the Savanna Zone

Drylands, the cradle of mankind

Savanna agro-ecosystems, a most difficult challenge

Hydroclimatic challenges and opportunities

The need to distinguish droughts and dry spells

Summary

7. Water perspectives on feeding humanity

More crop per drop

Can irrigation expansion solve the food challenge?

Potential to increase rainfed production

More crop per drop by reducing non-productive green water losses

Global assessment of the water that can be gained

Remaining water requirements to feed humanity

Summary

8. Closing the yield gap on the Savanna, the real world perspective

Changing the farmers' risk perception

Broadening the narrow approaches of the past

Water sources for dry spell mitigation

The upstream-downstream perspective

Summary

pt. 3. Socio-ecohydrological balancing

9. Finding the balance between water for humans and for nature

Humans and ecosystems depend on the same water

Learning to live with change

The challenge of feeding humanity

Implications for management of catchments

Summary

10. Towards hydrosolidarity through integrated land/water/ecosystem management

Human life support and the millennium declaration

Present shifts in thinking and challenges to the 'sanctioned discourse'

Combining social, ecological and economic approaches

The road towards hydrosolidarity

Conclusions.