growth or yield productions and carrying capacity for livestock Alter the functional diversity of plant communities which can impact net primary production and other ecosystem services. Wildfires, such as Australian bushfires and wildfires in the United States, become more common during times of drought and may cause human deaths. Dust bowls, themselves a sign of erosion, which further erode the landscape Dust storms, when drought hits an area suffering from desertification and erosion Habitat damage, affecting both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife Alteration of diversity of plant communities, which can have an impact on net primary production and other ecosystem services. Reduced electricity production due to reduced water-flow through hydroelectric dams Shortages of water for industrial users Snake migration, which results in snake-bites Exposure and oxidation of acid sulfate soils due to falling surface- and ground-water levels. Reduced water quality, because lower water-flows reduce dilution of pollutants and increase contamination of remaining water-sources. Land degradation and loss of soil moisture, resulting in the destruction of cropland productivity. Social and health consequences Water scarcity, crop failure, famine and hunger – drought provides too little water to support food crops; malnutrition, dehydration and related diseases Mass migration, resulting in internal displacement and international refugees Social unrest War over natural resources, including water and food Cyanotoxin accumulation within food chains and water supply (some of which are among the most potent toxins known to science) can cause cancer with low exposure over the long term. High levels of microcystin appeared in San Francisco Bay Area salt-water shellfish and fresh-water supplies throughout the state of California in 2016. Impacts on crops Water stress affects plant development and quality in a variety of ways: firstly drought can cause poor germination and impaired seedling development. At the same time plant growth relies on cellular division, cell enlargement, and differentiation. Drought stress impairs mitosis and cell elongation via loss of turgor pressure which results in poor growth. Development of leaves is also dependent upon turgor pressure, concentration of nutrients, and carbon assimilates all of which are reduced by drought conditions, thus drought stress lead to a decrease in leaf size and number. Plant height, biomass, leaf size and stem girth has been shown to decrease in maize under water limiting conditions. Crop yield is also negatively effected by drought stress, the reduction in crop yield results from a decrease in photosynthetic rate, changes in leaf development, and altered