Abstract: This paper applied ecological footprint model to investigate water ecological surplus or deficit and water use efficiency in Liaoning Province from spatial and temporal dimensions. Results from temporal dimension study indicated that, during 2000-2012, water resource ecological surplus only occurred in 2010 and were in ecological deficit in the other years, which suggested that water resource utilization was not sustainable during the study period. We also found that water resource ecological footprint per capita was mainly determined by agricultural water footprint, and water resource ecological carrying capacity per capita was significantly positively correlated with rainfall. Results also suggested that water use efficiency has been enhanced continuously, which facilitates to alleviate water resource crisis. Spatial dimension study results demonstrated that all cities in Liaoning Province were under water ecological deficit except Dandong City in 2011. In terms of water use efficiency, the economically developed areas were more efficient than the less developed areas on average. Lower water use efficiency was also found in the agriculturally developed areas where higher ecological deficits existed. Comparative analysis showed that water resource footprint in Liaoning Province was significantly higher than in Hebei, Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces. We suggest that, to promote sustainable water resource utilization, it is important to improve water resource ecological carrying capacity, reduce water ecological footprint and fix regional water imbalance.

Key words: developmental duration, Assara inouei Yamanaka, fecundity, pomegranate variety, life table parameter, survival rate