Impact of artificial afforestation on the regional water supply balance in Southwest China

Ecological degradation is a key factor limiting sustainable development. Artificial afforestation has chiefly been used to combat it, especially in China. In order to contain rocky desertification and ecological and environmental degradation in Southwest China, the Government of China has planted 6000 km² of trees in this region since the year 2000. Yet, the resultant water consumption of artificial afforestation has had a significant influence on water resource supplies in Southwest China, and its internal mechanisms remain largely unclear. Studies in Southwest China have shown that artificial afforestation has degraded the natural water balance in Yunnan Province because of the elevated evapotranspiration levels associated with manmade forests. Accordingly, such increases in evapotranspiration have disturbed the water resource balance of the region. It is been suggested that natural restoration practices should therefore be encouraged in this region or plants that consume less water should be grown in place of artificial afforestation. This study sheds some light on the cycles of local water resources and the stimulus of climate change to access ways by which to afforest Yunnan Province sustainably and successfully. It also presents a strong argument on how to use water resources to enable vegetation construction initiatives in Yunnan Province while avoiding potential ecological risks.