State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Feb 7;46(3):1796-803. doi: 10.1021/es203657t. Epub 2012 Jan 30.
Global water interdependencies are likely to increase with growing virtual water trade. To address the issues of the indirect effects of water trade through the global economic circulation, we use ecological network analysis (ENA) to shed insight into the complicated system interactions. A global model of virtual water flow among agriculture and livestock production trade in 1995-1999 is also built as the basis for network analysis. Control analysis is used to identify the quantitative control or dependency relations. The utility analysis provides more indicators for describing the mutual relationship between two regions/countries by imitating the interactions in the ecosystem and distinguishes the beneficiary and the contributor of virtual water trade system. Results show control and utility relations can well depict the mutual relation in trade system, and direct observable relations differ from integral ones with indirect interactions considered. This paper offers a new way to depict the interrelations between trade components and can serve as a meaningful start as we continue to use ENA in providing more valuable implications for freshwater study on a global scale.
随着虚拟水贸易的增长，全球水资源的相互依存关系可能会增加。为了解决通过全球经济循环进行水贸易的间接影响问题，我们使用生态网络分析（ENA）深入了解复杂的系统相互作用。还建立了一个 1995-1999 年农业和畜牧业生产贸易中虚拟水流动的全球模型，作为网络分析的基础。控制分析用于通过模拟生态系统中的相互作用来识别定量控制或依存关系。效用分析通过模仿生态系统中的相互作用，提供了更多描述两个地区/国家之间相互关系的指标，并区分了虚拟水贸易系统的受益方和贡献方。结果表明，控制和效用关系可以很好地描述贸易系统中的相互关系，并且考虑到间接相互作用后，直接可观察关系与整体关系不同。本文提供了一种描述贸易组成部分之间相互关系的新方法，并且可以作为一个有意义的起点，因为我们继续在全球范围内使用 ENA 为淡水研究提供更有价值的启示。
