Simulating the Evolution of the Land and Water Resource System under Different Climates in Heilongjiang Province, China

Heilongjiang Province is under the pressure of a water shortage due to climate change, population growth and economic development. To effectively manage regional land and water resources, this paper describes a system dynamics model that was built to simulate the interaction between land and water resources and socioeconomic factors, as well as the evolution of regional land and water resources in different climates in Heilongjiang Province. The results show that the declining trend of unused land area and the water supply–demand ratio will not stop, even under the most optimistic (e.g., humid climate) climate conditions, if the current land use patterns continue. Therefore, measures should be taken to manage the unreasonable usage patterns of land and water resources in this region. This study simulated the evolution of regional land and water resources for five scenarios under an arid climate by changing the net irrigation quota for paddy fields, the water quota for industrial use, forestland area, annual change rate of farmland area, and the growth rate of the gross industrial output value. Further, a combined scenario that can maximally reduce the regional land and water resource sustainable risk was identified. The simulation of the combined scenario showed that it can effectively increase the degree of regional land and water resource use in the region, as well as reduce the risks that threaten these resources. This study provides theoretical support for the efficient use of land and water resources in the future