A Human-Water Systems Perspective on Vegetation Cooling and Water Constraints in Arid Regions

A Human-Water Systems Perspective on Vegetation Cooling and Water Constraints in Arid Regions | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 10 March 2026 V1 Latest version Share on A Human-Water Systems Perspective on Vegetation Cooling and Water Constraints in Arid Regions Author : Morgan Levy 0000-0002-1202-4195 [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177315500.05634670/v1 61 views 62 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Urban greening is widely promoted as a heat adaptation strategy, yet its effectiveness for cooling in arid, water-stressed regions remains uncertain from an ecohydrologic perspective. In arid regions, where water scarcity and rising temperatures converge, popular greening strategies warrant critique. I present research that identifies gaps in dominant public narratives, such as the presumption that trees are the most effective vegetation for cooling, and that examines dynamic constraints like soil moisture and water availability. This research adopts a co-production model that engages stakeholders – such as water utilities, community groups, and educators – and treats their input as knowledge sources with relevance equal to that of the scientific literature. I propose that early and ongoing stakeholder engagement can reshape scientific questions, reframe data collection and methods, and generate novel insights that are inherently more actionable. Using publicly available geophysical data, this research analyzes vegetation, land surface and air temperatures, evapotranspiration, and water demand patterns across urban Southern California. The work is informed by questions and responses to a web-based data mapping platform we developed, which facilitates accessible conversations about relationships between heat, vegetation, and water. Preliminary findings suggest non-tree vegetation (e.g., grasses and shrubs) may provide viable cooling with lower water demand, challenging prevailing urban forestry paradigms. Collaborations with water agencies further highlight that future urban irrigation demand may increasingly resemble agricultural demand, complicating assumptions about sustainable greening in arid regions. This work demonstrates how co-produced research can surface overlooked constraints and generate policy-relevant insights grounded in real-world complexity. Supplementary Material File (mclevy_agu25_oral_short.pdf) Download 9.07 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 10 March 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Keywords environmental sciences geography human society hydrology Authors Affiliations Morgan Levy 0000-0002-1202-4195 [email protected] University of California San Diego View all articles by this author Funding Information National Science Foundation 2209058 Morgan Levy National Science Foundation 2209058 Morgan Levy (Co-PI) Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 61 views 62 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Morgan Levy. A Human-Water Systems Perspective on Vegetation Cooling and Water Constraints in Arid Regions. Authorea . 10 March 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.177315500.05634670/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . Format Please select one from the list RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) EndNote BibTex Medlars RefWorks Direct import Tips for downloading citations document.getElementById('citMgrHelpLink').addEventListener('click', function() { popupHelp(this.href); return false; }); $(".js__slcInclude").on("change", function(e){ if ($(this).val() == 'refworks') $('#direct').prop("checked", false); $('#direct').prop("disabled", ($(this).val() == 'refworks')); }); View Options View options PDF View PDF Figures Tables Media Share Share Share article link Copy Link Copied! Copying failed. 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