Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026
07:34
Evaluation of Integrated Anaerobic Digestion and Hydrothermal Carbonization for Bioenergy Production
Published on: June 15, 2014
26.3K
Bioenergy Development Policy and Practice Must Recognize Potential Hydrologic Impacts: Lessons from the Americas
David W Watkins1, Márcia M G Alcoforado de Moraes2, Heidi Asbjornsen3
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA. dwatkins@mtu.edu.
Environmental Management
|March 28, 2015
Summary
Large-scale bioenergy production significantly impacts the hydrologic cycle, affecting water footprints based on feedstock and cultivation. Integrated water resource management is crucial for sustainable bioenergy development.
Area of Science:
- Hydrology
- Environmental Science
- Bioenergy Research
Background:
- Bioenergy production influences key hydrologic processes: canopy interception, evapotranspiration, infiltration, surface runoff, and groundwater recharge.
- Water footprints of bioenergy vary widely, influenced by feedstock type, soil, cultivation methods, and climate.
- Water management for bioenergy is complex, depending on land use, water availability, and competing demands at the watershed level.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing research on the water resource impacts of bioenergy production.
- To identify knowledge gaps hindering integrated water-bioenergy management policy development.
- To analyze case studies for understanding scales of impact and trade-offs in biofuel production.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of plot-scale to regional-scale studies.
- Analysis of four case studies in the Americas focusing on biofuel production.
- Assessment of hydro-economic systems relationships and integrated resource management.
Main Results:
- Bioenergy production alters hydrologic cycles, with water footprints varying by numerous factors.
- Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding integrated water-bioenergy system management.
- Case studies highlight scale-dependent impacts and unique conflicts in biofuel production.
Conclusions:
- Effective policy for integrated water-bioenergy management requires addressing identified knowledge gaps.
- Case-specific research is essential for assessing benefits and trade-offs of integrated resource management.
- Understanding the complex interactions between bioenergy and water resources is critical for sustainability.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Biofuels
96
The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...
96
01:43Sustainable Development
15.5K
As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.
15.5K
02:41Responses to Drought and Flooding
12.5K
Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.
12.5K
01:30Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
1.5K
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
1.5K
00:46Bioremediation
23.1K
Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
23.1K
01:26Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
97
Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to...
97