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Water-controlled wealth of nations.

ABSTRACT: Population growth is in general constrained by food production, which in turn depends on the access to water resources. At a country level, some populations use more water than they control because of their ability to import food and the virtual water required for its production. Here, we investigate the dependence of demographic growth on available water resources for exporting and importing nations. By quantifying the carrying capacity of nations on the basis of calculations of the virtual water available through the food trade network, we point to the existence of a global water unbalance. We suggest that current export rates will not be maintained and consequently we question the long-term sustainability of the food trade system as a whole. Water-rich regions are likely to soon reduce the amount of virtual water they export, thus leaving import-dependent regions without enough water to sustain their populations. We also investigate the potential impact of possible scenarios that might mitigate these effects through (i) cooperative interactions among nations whereby water-rich countries maintain a tiny fraction of their food production available for export, (ii) changes in consumption patterns, and (iii) a positive feedback between demographic growth and technological innovations. We find that these strategies may indeed reduce the vulnerability of water-controlled societies.

SUBMITTER: Suweis S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3600477 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Water-controlled wealth of nations.

Suweis Samir S Rinaldo Andrea A Maritan Amos A D'Odorico Paolo P

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20130128 11

Population growth is in general constrained by food production, which in turn depends on the access to water resources. At a country level, some populations use more water than they control because of their ability to import food and the virtual water required for its production. Here, we investigate the dependence of demographic growth on available water resources for exporting and importing nations. By quantifying the carrying capacity of nations on the basis of calculations of the virtual wat ...[more]

PMID: 23359709

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Project description:The aim of the present work is to apply microarrays to identify candidate genes associated with the strategies adopted by different Solanum wild species to maintain their metabolism and limit the harm under water stress conditions. Wild genotypes are a rich source of novel genes for introduction into cultivated species to enhance stress tolerance. The mechanisms in which genes act can involve different pathways inside the cell, resulting in the expression of stress responsive genes. We will identify genes whose expression change in the leaves of potato plants subjected to drought stress. We will analyze different Solanum genotypes in six moments of water stress (0,1,3,5,7 & 10 days after initiation of stress). We will selected 4 time-points (days 0,5,7 & 10) and 2 genotypes (with divergence behavior) for microarrays analysis. The candidate genes obtained with this approach will be validated by semi-quantitative northern blot analysis (Typhoon scanner) and/or RT-PCR in each time-point of treatment and with all wild genotypes in study. This will help us to get a better understanding respect the dynamics of expression of a great number of genes in response to stress, as well as to establish functional relations between the involved genes. Research Plan: 5-weeks-old Solanum wild species plants were randomly sorted in 2 groups (25 plants per group). One group was submitted to non-irrigated conditions, withholding water and the other was normally watered. For microarray analysis, leaflets tissue from 4 plants per group of 4 time-points (days 0,5,7, & 10) were pooled, frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at –80°C.RNA of the pool was extracted following TRIZOL method (Invitrogen). RNA integrity was verified on agarose gel. Hybridizations were performed with n genotypes,t time-points and r repeats. The hybridizations proposed in this experiment to enhance statistical robustness of data will be: 32 slides = n*t*r ; (2 genotypes; 4 time-points; 4 repeats (dye-swap). Keywords: Direct comparison

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Water-controlled wealth of nations.

Publications

Water-controlled wealth of nations.

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