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Center for Natural Resources and Sustainability DKU

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  • Kurbonov N. B.

    Water Quality of Lake Iskanderkul and Its Tributaries

    Year: 2020

    Collections: Research Paper

    Topics: Water

    Authors: Mitusov A., Normakhmedova Z. O., Kurbonov N. B.

    Countries: Tajikistan

    Source: Central Asian Journal of Water Research



  • Kussainova Maira

    The scientific online tool “Water Use Efficiency Monitor for Central Asia - WUEMoCA” for monitoring and optimizing national water use efficiency measures

    Year: 2022

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Water, Irrigation, IWRM

    Authors: Conrad Christopher, Usman Muhammad, Kenjabaev Shavkat, Ziganshina Dinara, Kussainova Maira, Nikolayenko Alexandr

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan

    Source:

    Management interventions to increase water use efficiency in the irrigation sector of Central Asia were introduced but a scientific control instrument is still missing - The online tool WUEMoCA provides relevant irrigation performance indicators in the Aral Sea Basin from satellite data in combination with additional sources - WUEMoCA-based analysis of water security and water use efficiency showed: o 11 out of 33 provinces in the Aral Sea Basin were below the critical level to supply crop water demands for more than 5 years in 2000-2018. o Irrigation water use efficiency is very low in general (55%-60%) and scientific data hints at missing or failing water management interventions in the Amu Darya and Zarafshan basins. - WUEMoCA can strategically supplement the ongoing digitization efforts of the countries in the water sector. - By utilizing WUEMoCA-like tools, Central Asian governments and water management bodies will have new platforms for steering and assessing current and future strategic interventions in regional water management.


    Current and potential conflicts for ecosystem services caused by agricultural land use in Central Asia, and essential implications for research on sustainable land management in the region

    Year: 2023

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Agriculture, Sustainable Development, Management

    Authors: Conrad Christopher, Kussainova Maira, Schmidt G.

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

    Source: Central Asian Journal of Sustainability and Climate Research

    The increasing demand for food, bioenergy and other agricultural products, as well as the intensification of climate change, pose special challenges for Central Asia’s agricultural sector in terms of implementing sustainable land management. Central Asia is a climate change hot spot. Adaptation measures of agricultural land use to climate change imply new trade-offs in terms of quality and provision of ecosystem services. Based on literature studies, this paper identifies examples of such trade-offs and presents possible solutions. The ecoregions of Central Asia show strong interdependencies. Therefore, a special focus has to be put on the transregional effects of the use of ecosystem services. Against the background of different concepts of sustainable development (ESS, SDG, Global Environmental Syndromes) integrative approaches for sustainable use and design of landscapes are necessary.



  • Lang Petra


  • Latinovic M.

    Water resources and water security in Central Asia

    Year: 2022

    Collections: Policy Briefs

    Topics: Water

    Authors: Gafurov A., Latinovic M., Schone T. Kogutenko Larissa,

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

    Source:

    Adaptation to expected water shortage and increasing water demand has to be undertaken to achieve water security in the future. In-depth studies on the quantification of climate change impact on water resources should be considered. Optimization of water management practices should consider the best economic value between Central Asian countries. Decision making process on water management should be supported with more scientific knowledge. Capacity building measures on the assessment of water availability in times of climate change should be improved.



  • Laura Ismukhanova

    Assessment of lake Markakol’s physical and chemical condition with consideration of eutrofication

    Year: 2024

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Water

    Authors: Azamat Madibekov, Laura Ismukhanova, Askhat Zhadi, Botakoz Sultanbekova, Serik Zhumatayev, Alibek Karimov, Sergei Fokin

    Countries: Kazakhstan

    Source: https://water-ca.org

    The study was conducted in 2023 and comprised a comparative assessment of the state of Lake Markakol’s aquatic ecosystems in surface and bottom water strata. The analysis of bottom water temperatures showed correlation between this parameter and dissolved oxygen concentrations, indicating that pollution caused by organic impurities leads to lake eutrophication, in turn, pro-pelling the extinction of aquatic life. Although the main water physicochemical parameters of Markakol Lake correspond to the oligotrophic type, the shifts in dissolved oxygen and phos-phate content, as well as growth of aquatic vegetation indicate its transition to the mesotrophic type. Higher phosphate content in water is a consequence of pollution disturbing the biological balance, as well as stimulating the reservoir’s eutrophication and increased biological productivity, i.e. algal bloom. In addition, phosphate ions serve an informative indicator of Hazard Class 3 (organoleptically hazardous) anthropogenic pollution. Based on the correlation factor (r), two statistical models were considered for the target lake: 1) Water Pollution: nutri-ent concentrations depending on surface and bottom water temperatures (Model 1); and 2) changes in Water Pollution Indices (biogenic, heavy metals, mean) because of air temperature growth due to global warming of 0.25°C/decade (Model 2).



  • Lerman Zvi

    Gender gaps in Central Asia: A reassessment.

    Year: 2021

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Gender

    Authors: Lerman Zvi

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan

    Source:



  • Liang Xiao


  • Liebelt Peter

    Knowledge-based soil management for a sustainable ecological and economic development of Central Asia

    Year: 2022

    Collections: Policy Briefs

    Topics: Agriculture, Sustainable Development

    Authors: Guggenberger Georg, Shibistova Olga, Liebelt Peter, Muminjanov Hafiz, Kassam Amir, Friedrich Theodor

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan

    Source:

    Soil degradation is widespread and cross-border in Central Asia with multiple symptoms. This impairs the provision of ecosystem services, including food production, climate change mitigation, biodiversity, and human health. The soil health concept links soil management to broader sustainable development goals. Soil knowledge and its application has to be invigorated, for instance by establishing a Central Asian Soil Competence Network.


    GIS technologies and modelling approaches for more sustainable management of natural resources

    Year: 2024

    Collections: Policy Briefs

    Topics: Sustainable Development, Management

    Authors: Usman Muhammad, Liebelt Peter, Catalin Stefan, Klara Dzhakypbekova

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

    Source:

    The question of suitable approaches and technologies for more effective and environmentally friendly management of natural resources has great relevance for the countries of Central Asia in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the wide range of natural resources, Central Asia is still facing increasing land degradation and water scarcity. These problems are being accelerated by land-use pressure and climate change, which is particularly severe in Central Asia. The following recommendations are developed together with scientists from international projects on the use of GIS technologies and modelling approaches for more sustainable resource management.



  • Litvak Rafael


  • Maiwand Omary

    Groundwater quality assessment using water quality index and geospatial tools: Kabul Province case study

    Year: 2024

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Water

    Authors: Maiwand Omary, Mohammad Najim Nasimi, Mohammad Nasim Nasimi

    Countries: Afghanistan

    Source: https://water-ca.org

    This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of Kabul Province’s groundwater for drinking by way of analyzing the data collected from 34 ground monitoring wells. The purpose was helped through the assessment of a set of groundwater physico-chemical parameters (pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS); sulfate, fluoride, nitrate, and boron content; total hardness (TH) as calcium carbonate, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and total iron), as well as the determination of the Water Quality Index (WQI) developed based on sampling the water points located in the districts of Kabul Province and Kabul City in the course of 3 years (2018 to 2020) to provide a clear and concise representation of water quality status, and cat-egorize groundwater into different quality classes ranging from “excellent” to “unsuitable for drinking”. Moreover, the spatial distribution of WQI and 12 physico-chemical parameter values was mapped using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) Interpolation in Arcmap 10.7 environment, revealing distinct water quality patterns across the study area. The water qual-ity testing outcomes under this investigation show compliance of multiple water contaminant concentrations with the World Health Organization (WHO) Water Quality Guidelines and Afghanistan National Drinking Water Quality Standards (ANDWQS). The WQI values range between 27.5 and 112 (as per ANDWQS) and between 33 and 127.5 (as per WHO Guide-lines); the WQI (WHO) display 9% and WQI (ANDWQS) display 3% of groundwater unsuit-able for drinking. Spatial variation maps (IDW Interpolation) demonstate that turbidity, TDS, TH, and magnesium concentration values for the provinces’s central and eastern sec-tions exceed the permissible thresholds. The study’s findings underscore the need for target-ed groundwater management strategies, including pollution control and regular monitoring, to safeguard water quality and public health in Kabul Province.



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