A System Dynamic Model of Water-Land-Food-Energy-Ecosystem-Environment-Economic-Social Nexus for Western Lake Erie Basin-USA
Abstract The concept of water-food-energy nexus has been widely studied in the past decade. In this paper we expand on this concept to Water-Food-Land-Energy-Ecosystem-Environment Nexus with economic and social aspects based on the life cycle assessment thinking. Set of Environment Footprint Assessment (EFA), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Socio-Economic Assessment (SEA) indicators are proposed to apply this approach. Decision Support System for Water-Land-Food-Energy-Ecosystem-Environment-Economic-Social nexus (SD-WLF4ES-Nexus) applying system dynamic model approach for simulating this tackle is utilized. SD-WLF4ES-Nexus is applied to predict the WLF4ES nexus of one of the main crop, corn crop, in twenty counties located in Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) in USA for the period 2016-2030. The prediction is based on scenarios for population, planted and harvested land, and yield, crop production use by segments, and crop production costs and returns. A matrix for WLF4ES nexus of corn crop in WLEB is developed. This matrix can help in developing polices and strategies for managing the nexus in the basin.