Ecohydrology in a Changing Environment

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The complex of ecological problems in Central Asia, especially in Uzbekistan, is linked to rapid ongoing demographic and economic processes. However, geographical location has its own peculiarity. Aridity of the climate in Uzbekistan makes water resources as main limiting factor for sustainable economic development (Chub et al., 1998; RECCA, 2011). Annual precipitation, ranging from 80-200 mm in plain to 300-400 mm in foothills and 600-800 mm in mountain rangelands (Chub, 2007), is considerably lower than the evaporation demand of atmosphere (FAO IPTRID et al., 2004). Thus, agriculture, accounting about 90% withdrawal of total available water resources in Uzbekistan, is impossible without irrigation (Qadir et al., 2009). Moreover, agricultural production is highly vulnerable to climate change (Lioubimtseva & Henebry, 2009). High fluctuation of precipitation and temperature increase may influence land use in irrigated lands, create difficulties in water management at regional and local scales, and increase competition of scarce water resources among water users in various sectors.