@article{fdi:010076563,
  title = {{O}bserved controls on resilience of groundwater to climate variability in sub-{S}aharan {A}frica [+ {A}uthor correction, 2020, vol. 588, {E}25 ]},
  author = {{C}uthbert, {M}. {O}. and {T}aylor, {R}. {G}. and {F}avreau, {G}uillaume and {T}odd, {M}. {C}. and {S}hamsudduha, {M}. and {V}illholth, {K}. {G}. and {M}ac{D}onald, {A}. {M}. and {S}canlon, {B}. {R}. and {K}otchoni, {D}. {O}. {V}. and {V}ouillamoz, {J}ean-{M}ichel and {L}awson, {F}. {M}. {A}. and {A}djomayi, {P}. {A}. and {K}ashaigili, {J}. and {S}eddon, {D}. and {S}orensen, {J}. {P}. {R}. and {E}brahim, {G}. {Y}. and {O}wor, {M}. and {N}yenje, {P}. {M}. and {N}azoumou, {Y}. and {G}oni, {I}. and {O}usmane, {B}. {I}. and {S}ibanda, {T}. and {A}scott, {M}. {J}. and {M}acdonald, {D}. {M}. {J}. and {A}gyekum, {W}. and {K}oussoube, {Y}. and {W}anke, {H}. and {K}im, {H}. and {W}ada, {Y}. and {L}o, {M}. {H}. and {O}ki, {T}. and {K}ukuric, {N}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{G}roundwater in sub-{S}aharan {A}frica supports livelihoods and poverty alleviation(1,2), maintains vital ecosystems, and strongly influences terrestrial water and energy budgets(3). {Y}et the hydrological processes that govern groundwater recharge and sustainability-and their sensitivity to climatic variability-are poorly constrained(4,5). {G}iven the absence of firm observational constraints, it remains to be seen whether model-based projections of decreased water resources in dry parts of the region(4) are justified. {H}ere we show, through analysis of multidecadal groundwater hydrographs across sub-{S}aharan {A}frica, that levels of aridity dictate the predominant recharge processes, whereas local hydrogeology influences the type and sensitivity of precipitation-recharge relationships. {R}echarge in some humid locations varies by as little as five per cent (by coefficient of variation) across a wide range of annual precipitation values. {O}ther regions, by contrast, show roughly linear precipitation-recharge relationships, with precipitation thresholds (of roughly ten millimetres or less per day) governing the initiation of recharge. {T}hese thresholds tend to rise as aridity increases, and recharge in drylands is more episodic and increasingly dominated by focused recharge through losses from ephemeral overland flows. {E}xtreme annual recharge is commonly associated with intense rainfall and flooding events, themselves often driven by large-scale climate controls. {I}ntense precipitation, even during years of lower overall precipitation, produces some of the largest years of recharge in some dry subtropical locations. {O}ur results therefore challenge the 'high certainty' consensus regarding decreasing water resources(4) in such regions of sub-{S}aharan {A}frica. {T}he potential resilience of groundwater to climate variability in many areas that is revealed by these precipitation-recharge relationships is essential for informing reliable predictions of climate-change impacts and adaptation strategies.},
  keywords = {{AFRIQUE} {SUBSAHARIENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{N}ature},
  volume = {572},
  numero = {7768},
  pages = {230--234 + 10 p.  [+ {A}uthor correction, 2020, vol. 588, {E}25 ]},
  ISSN = {0028-0836},
  year = {2019},
  DOI = {10.1038/s41586-019-1441-7},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010076563},
}