Invisible groundwater, visible scientific dialogue.
Recently, a high‑level international workshop themed Large‑Scale Groundwater Modeling and Its Role in Earth System Models was successfully held at Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo. Hosted by Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, the event received support from the Global Groundwater Network (GGN) under the Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) project.
Numerous renowned experts and scholars from across the globe in hydrology, environmental science and Earth‑system science gathered at Eastern Institute of Technology for in‑depth exchanges and discussions on the critical role of groundwater processes in Earth system models as well as relevant cutting‑edge scientific issues.
Chunmiao Zheng, Vice‑President of Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, chaired the workshop and delivered opening remarks. He noted that holding this conference in Ningbo, a city whose character is shaped by water, carries special significance. As an innovative, international new‑type research‑oriented university featuring a high starting point, compact scale and refined development, Eastern Institute of Technology demonstrates its active commitment to building international academic exchange platforms and advancing breakthroughs in key scientific issues within Earth‑system science and sustainable development through hosting this high‑level thematic workshop.
Centered on international academic frontiers, this workshop mainly explored key scientific topics including the latest advances in large‑scale groundwater modeling, numerical representation methods for groundwater‑surface water interactions, and coupling mechanisms between groundwater processes, land‑surface processes and the climate system. Important research directions such as multi‑scale data fusion and parameterization were also covered. In addition, the workshop addressed application prospects of emerging technologies including data assimilation and high‑performance computing in groundwater modeling.
At the workshop, multiple internationally distinguished scholars delivered keynote presentations. Professor Stefan Kollet from Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany, elaborated on the new positioning of groundwater within Earth system models from a global perspective. Professor Qiuhong Tang from Tsinghua University focused on analyzing approaches to improving the representation of groundwater processes in Earth system models. Professor Ling Li from Westlake University introduced the vital role of groundwater in coastal‑zone systems against the backdrop of climate change. Professor Graham Fogg from the University of California, Davis, USA, discussed the application of regional models in the evaluation of continental‑scale models. Professor Okke Batelaan from Flinders University, Australia, analyzed the impacts of hydrogeological conceptual uncertainties on simulation outputs. Professor Steffen Birk from the University of Graz, Austria, conducted an in‑depth analysis of the intrinsic relationships among groundwater‑level fluctuations, soil‑water fluxes and agricultural irrigation.
Dr. Alan Macdonald, researcher at the British Geological Survey, shared technical and practical experience of large‑scale groundwater modeling using groundwater‑model cases from Africa and South Asia. Researcher Xiaodong Zeng from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, presented the development of the CAS‑ESM Earth system model and its applications in global climate and environmental simulations. Professor Zhenzhong Zeng from the Southern University of Science and Technology pointed out the current deficiencies of Earth system models in characterizing eco‑hydrological processes, and emphasized the necessity and urgency of properly representing groundwater processes within Earth system models. Other participating experts also shared their latest research findings on themes including groundwater observation, model construction and Earth‑system simulation.
The participating experts reached a consensus that groundwater acts as a critical link connecting the Earth’s water cycle, ecosystems and climate systems. Nevertheless, groundwater processes are still inadequately represented in mainstream Earth system models, and their coupling accuracy needs to be improved. Strengthening multi‑scale groundwater simulation and interdisciplinary integrated research, and promoting the coordinated development of hydrology, atmospheric science and Earth‑system science, carry important scientific significance and practical value for enhancing climate change prediction capacity and supporting the sustainable management of global water resources.
This workshop will offer new scientific insights for global groundwater‑process simulation and the optimization of Earth system models, and lay a solid foundation for advancing medium‑ and long‑term international joint research programs and cooperation agendas in the follow‑up work.
