SYDNEY, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A new study has revealed a dramatic and potentially irreversible decline in the Earth's terrestrial water storage (TWS), likely driven by changes in rainfall patterns and warmer temperatures causing more evaporation.
The TWS includes soil moisture, groundwater, and surface water bodies. Between 2000 and 2002 alone, soil moisture decreased by approximately 1,614 gigatonnes, according to the study published Thursday in the journal Science.
The research, led by scientists from the University of Melbourne and South Korea's Seoul National University, combined global soil moisture data from satellites, sea level measurements, and observations of the Earth's polar motion to estimate TWS over the past four decades.
The findings indicate that from 2003 to 2016, an additional 1,009 gigatonnes of soil moisture was lost, with no signs of recovery as of 2021. Scientists warn that future recovery is unlikely under current climate conditions.
This depletion in TWS is attributed to shifts in precipitation patterns and increased evaporation due to rising global temperatures, said the study authors Dongryeol Ryu and Ki-Weon Seo.
The loss of land-stored water is also contributing to sea level rise, with estimates suggesting an increase of approximately 4.4 mm, alongside a 45cm shift in Earth's polar motion, according to the authors.
The research highlights the urgent need to refine climate models and incorporate human-driven factors such as agriculture, large-scale irrigation, and dam construction. ■
