Toward sustainable irrigation practices safeguarding groundwater biodiversity and ecosystem services

Abstract

Groundwater provides much of the water used globally for irrigation and human consumption and is central to the One Health framework. Healthy groundwater depends on self-purification processes performed by diverse groundwater biota, but these processes can be threatened by the effects of irrigation. In the present article, we explore this threat using an interdisciplinary framework and propose recommendations for sustainable irrigation. We identified two major potentially harmful effects of irrigation on groundwater ecosystems: habitat loss from lowering water tables and irrigation-induced leaching of contaminants into groundwater. These effects can be mitigated by improving technological practices, crop selection, the use of natural small water retention measures, precision irrigation, and the controlled use of agrochemicals. The construction and operation of irrigation systems should consider hydrogeological conditions. We recommend prioritizing groundwater biomonitoring at abstraction and irrigation sites, considering different aquifer types, and implementing advanced methods to identify multiple contamination sources.