text:
Effects of climate on the productivity of desert truffles beneath hyper-arid conditions.
Bradai, Lyès; Bissati, Samia; Chenchouni, Haroun; Amrani, Khaled
Desert truffles are edible hypogenous fungi that are very well adapted to conditions of aridity in arid and semi-arid regions. This study aims to highlight the influence of climatic factors on the productivity of desert truffles under hyper-arid climatic conditions of the Sahara Desert in Algeria, with assumptions that the more varying climatic factors, mainly rainfall, are more crucial for the development and production of desert truffles. At seven separate sites, desert truffles were collected by systematic sampling between 2006 and 2012. The effects of climate parameters of each site on the productivities (g/ha/year) of desert truffle species were tested using generalized linear models (GLMs). The annual mean of the total production recorded for all three harvested species (Terfezia arenaria, Terfezia claveryi, and Tirmania nivea) was 785.43 ± 743.39 g/ha. Tirmania nivea was commonly present over the sampled sites with an occurrence of 70 ± 10.1%. GLMs revealed that total and specific productivities were closely positively related to autumnal precipitations occurring during October-December, which is the critical pre-breeding period for both desert truffles and host plant species. The other climatic parameters have statistically no effect on the annual variation of desert truffle productivity. PMID:25164975
Climate phase drives canopy condition in a large semi-arid floodplain forest.
Wen, Li; Saintilan, Neil
To maintain and restore the ecological integrity of floodplains, allocating water for environmental benefits (i.e. environmental water) is widely practised globally. To efficiently manage the always limited environmental water, there is pressing need to advance our understanding of the ecological response to long-term climate cycles as evidence grows of intensification of extreme climatic events such as severe drought and heat waves. In this study, we assessed the alleviating effects of artificial flooding on drought impact using the canopy condition of the iconic river red gum forests in Australia's Murray Darling Basin (MDB). To achieve this, we jointly analysed spatial-temporal patterns of NDVI response and drought conditions for the period of 2000-2013, during which the MDB experienced an extreme dry-wet cycle. Our results indicated that while NDVI-derived canopy condition was better at the sites receiving environmental water during the dry phases, both watered and unwatered sites displayed great similarity in seasonality and trends. Furthermore, we did not find any significant difference in NDVI response of the canopy between the sites to suggest significant differences in ecosystem stability and resilience, with watered and unwatered sites showing similar responses to the extreme wet conditions as the drought broke. The highly significant relationship between long-term drought index and NDVI anomaly suggest that climate phase is the main forcing driving canopy condition in semi-arid floodplain forests. PMID:26027753
Accumulation of pharmaceuticals in groundwater under arid climate conditions - Results from unsaturated column experiments.
Zemann, M; Majewsky, M; Wolf, L
Intense reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture is practiced all over the world, especially in arid and water-scarce regions. In doing so, pharmaceutical residues in the water are irrigated to the soil and subsequently can percolate into the local aquifers. Since evaporation rates in these areas are typically high, persistent substances might enrich in the groundwater recharge of closed catchments like the Jordan Valley. Against this background, unsaturated column tests were conducted to investigate the potential for evaporative accumulation of the two pharmaceuticals bezafibrate and carbamazepine under simulated arid climate conditions. Parallel tests were conducted with inhibited microbiological activity where both substances showed an increase in the effluent concentrations proportional to the evaporation loss of the inflow solution. The mean accumulation factors of the pharmaceuticals correspond to the evaporated water loss. The experiments indicate the accumulation potential for pharmaceuticals with high persistence against biodegradation. For the first time, the overall potential for evaporative enrichment could be demonstrated for pharmaceuticals. Under the given experimental conditions, the two investigated pharmaceuticals did not enrich faster than chloride, which might result in soil salting prior to reaching harmful pharmaceutical concentrations in soil water. The findings are relevant to future assessments of environmental impacts of persistent trace substances, which need to take into account that concentrations in the aquatic cycle might increase further due to evaporative enrichment. PMID:27085060
Can environmental conditions affect smallholders' climate change perception? Evidence from an aridity gradient in the Gobi desert.
Rueff, Henri
There is a growing interest in smallholders' climate change perception (CCP). Understanding what people perceive in relation to the climate they endure supports national climate change adaptation policy especially relevant to uncertain and resource-scarce environments. Most research so far focused on the accuracy of CCP compared to observed climatic data. However, the potential effect of factors influencing peoples' perceptions remains largely unstudied. This research tests two hypotheses in a desert environment; first, that CCP varies along an aridity gradient, and, second, that respondents are more consistent (answers less far apart) in their CCP when facing more climate shocks, which supports the first hypothesis. A semi-structured survey was conducted among nomadic (Mongolia) (n=180) and semi-nomadic (Inner Mongolia-China) (n=180) herders, to analyse perception along an aridity gradient (proxied by Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) covering an array of climate change issues in the Gobi. Results suggests that environmental conditions have a significant effect on CCP but only in terms of experienced climate shocks. The CCP for other climatic variables (rain, season length) is more diffused and can poorly be predicted by the surrounding environment smallholders live in. Institutional contrasts between China and Mongolia explain marginally differences of perception. Further research is needed to validate these results among smallholders on other environmental gradient types, for examples along altitudinal biome stratification in mountain environments.
Characteristics of Aridity Conditions in South Dobrudja. For most people, the arid and semi-arid lands are those where precipitation is low (less than 200 mm per year), and yet enough for supplying streams capable of temporarily carrying the debris resulted from weathering, but insufficient for encouraging the development of a vegetal cover meant to protect the soil blanket against eroding agents. The drought is a major and permanent climatic risk for the Dobrudja territory as a whole and for...
What Climate Conditions Enhance Hillslope Erosion in Semi-Arid Regions?
Pierce, J. L.; Riley, K. E.; Kenworthy, M.; Poulos, M. J.; Weppner, K.; Nelson, N.; Svenson, L.
Researchers have long pondered the question of how climate and climate change influence rates and processes of erosion: this question has become more relevant in the face of ongoing and future anthropogenic warming. We examine evidence of hillslope erosion and sedimentation on alluvial fans over Holocene and Quaternary timescales throughout a range of ecosystems in Idaho, USA. Records of erosion include fire-related and non-fire related deposition on alluvial fans, and landscape-scale analysis of hillslope slope angles. Over Holocene timescales, five independent records of forest-fires and fire-related erosion from sagebrush steppe, pinion-juniper, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine and mixed conifer ecosystems indicate that sedimentation rates and processes on alluvial fans vary temporally with Holocene climate and spatially with vegetation type. Despite variations in ecosystem type and associated fire regimes, all sites show similar broad-scale temporal patterns. The mid-Holocene (~4-8 ka) is characterized by few fire-related deposits and many non-fire related sheetflooding events (vs. debris flows); this relatively fire-free interval is punctuated by fire peaks and associated sheetflooding ~7-6 ka. As regional paleoclimatic reconstructions generally indicate this time was generally warm and dry the lack of fire is somewhat counterintuitive; however, decreased fuel loads, combined with perhaps a more stable climate may reduce fire and storm intensity and frequency. Late Holocene (last ~3 ka) cooler, wetter and more variable climates (as compared to the mid-Holocene) are characterized by increased fire activity at all sites, and more large debris flows. Medieval droughts correspond with major fire and debris flow peaks ~1000-800 cal yr BP; decadal to annual droughts during the generally cooler and wetter LIA also promote fire peaks ~500-300 cal yr BP. Modern observations of hillslope erosion indicate north-facing or moister slopes are characterized by dense vegetation
Aridity under conditions of increased CO2
Greve, Peter; Roderick, Micheal L.; Seneviratne, Sonia I.
A string of recent of studies led to the wide-held assumption that aridity will increase under conditions of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations and associated global warming. Such results generally build upon analyses of changes in the 'aridity index' (the ratio of potential evaporation to precipitation) and can be described as a direct thermodynamic effect on atmospheric water demand due to increasing temperatures. However, there is widespread evidence that contradicts the 'warmer is more arid' interpretation, leading to the 'global aridity paradox' (Roderick et al. 2015, WRR). Here we provide a comprehensive assessment of modeled changes in a broad set of dryness metrics (primarily based on a range of measures of water availability) over a large range of realistic atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We use an ensemble of simulations from of state-of-the-art climate models to analyse both equilibrium climate experiments and transient historical simulations and future projections. Our results show that dryness is, under conditions of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations and related global warming, generally decreasing at global scales. At regional scales we do, however, identify areas that undergo changes towards drier conditions, located primarily in subtropical climate regions and the Amazon Basin. Nonetheless, the majority of regions, especially in tropical and mid- to northern high latitudes areas, display wetting conditions in a warming world. Our results contradict previous findings and highlight the need to comprehensively assess all aspects of changes in hydroclimatological conditions at the land surface. Roderick, M. L., P. Greve, and G. D. Farquhar (2015), On the assessment of aridity with changes in atmospheric CO2, Water Resour. Res., 51, 5450-5463
Modeling the effects of climate on date palm scale ( Parlatoria blanchardi) population dynamics during different phenological stages of life history under hot arid conditions
Idder-Ighili, Hakima; Idder, Mohamed Azzedine; Doumandji-Mitiche, Bahia; Chenchouni, Haroun
The date palm scale (DPS) Parlatoria blanchardi is a serious pest due to the damage it inflicts on its host tree ( Phoenix dactylifera). To develop an effective control against DPS in arid regions, it is essential to know its bio-ecology including population dynamics and climatic factors influencing the duration and timing of life history and also the densities of different phenological stages (crawlers, first and second instars nymphs, adult males, and adult females). Monitoring of biological cycle and population dynamics of the pest were achieved through weekly counts of DPS densities on leaflets sampled at different position of date palm trees in an oasis of Ouargla region (Algerian Sahara Desert). Within this hyper-arid region, DPS established four generations per year, the most important was the spring generation. Two overlapping generations occurred in spring-early summer and two in autumn-early winter; these two pairs of generations were interspersed by two phases of high-mortality rates, the first corresponds to winter cold and the second refers to the extreme heat of summer. Statistical analysis of the effects of the studied climatic conditions (minimum, maximum and mean temperatures, precipitation, humidity, wind, rain days, and climatic indices) on the DPS densities at different phenological stages showed great variability from one stage to another. Among these, adult females were the most affected by climate factors. For the total DPS population, high values of minimum temperatures negatively affected population density, while high maximum temperatures, hygrometry, and De Martonne aridity index showed a positive influence.
Effects of climate change on agriculture particularly in semi-arid tropics of the world with some examples of Ethiopian condition
Today climate change is a burning issue all over the world because of its global nature. Fears have arisen that, climate may be changing for the worse and its impact may be felt on agricultural production, which will reduce the supply of food to growing population, especially in developing countries. Climate change would affect various human activities. Agriculture is one of the activities, which can be seriously affected by climate change. Due to high inter-annual variability and uneven distribution of rainfall during the rainy season, recurrent droughts have been observed in semi-arid tropics of the world over the last three decades. As White (1996) pointed out rain fed agriculture in the semi-arid tropics is limited mostly by high climatic variability with principal limiting factor being rainfall. The main crops of traditional rain fed agriculture are sorghum, millet, maize, cowpea, pulses and sesame. There is a suggestion that increased CO2 will benefit temperate and humid tropical agriculture more than that in the semi-arid tropics. During the process of photosynthesis plant species with the C3 photosynthetic pathway tend to respond positively to increased CO2 while the C4 have a poor response. Since C4 plants are mostly tropical crops, the situation will be worst over the areas (Parry, 1990). Climate change will alter the nature of occurrence of agricultural pests in terms of area. Warmer temperatures shorten the generation time; increase the development rate of epidemic. For example, assessment of the effect of global warming on the distribution of livestock disease suggests that pests at present limited to tropical countries may spread into other parts of the world, which have different climatic condition (ibid).(Author)
Full Text Available Characteristics of Aridity Conditions in South Dobrudja. For most people, the arid and semi-arid lands are those where precipitation is low (less than 200 mm per year, and yet enough for supplying streams capable of temporarily carrying the debris resulted from weathering, but insufficient for encouraging the development of a vegetal cover meant to protect the soil blanket against eroding agents. The drought is a major and permanent climatic risk for the Dobrudja territory as a whole and for South Dobrudja in particular, a territory where hydrographic network is underdeveloped, streams are ephemeral, and semi-endorheic areas are well developed. When the period of moisture deficiency lasts longer, it can bring about a significant water imbalance, which results in crop losses or restrictions in water consumption, thus leading to a number of economic problems. Under the circumstances, the risk of aridity expansion is significant, this being the reason why a better water management system in Romania is urgently needed. In the last decades, the numerous specialty studies undertaken in the area have emphasized an intensification of the process of dryness, because atmospheric and pedological droughts have become more and more serious. Romania is a member of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO. It actively participates within the drought management network and the Drought Management Center for Southeastern Europe, which comprises 11 countries. The scope is to work together and exchange experience with the neighboring countries that have recorded positive results and acquired a rich experience in terms of drought management. The employment of appropriate pluvial indices in identifying the areas prone to aridity may prove to be convenient tool for finding practical solutions meant to mitigate the impact of this phenomenon on the local communities living in South Dobrudja.
Shallow Horizontal GCHP Effectiveness in Arid Climate Soils
North, Timothy James
Ground coupled heat pumps (GCHPs) have been used successfully in many environments to improve the heating and cooling efficiency of both small and large scale buildings. In arid climate regions, such as the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area, where the air condi-tioning load is dominated by cooling in the summer, GCHPs are difficult to install and operate. This is because the nature of soils in arid climate regions, in that they are both dry and hot, renders them particularly ineffective at dissipating heat. The first part of this thesis addresses applying the SVHeat finite element modeling soft-ware to create a model of a GCHP system. Using real-world data from a prototype solar-water heating system coupled with a ground-source heat exchanger installed in Menlo Park, California, a relatively accurate model was created to represent a novel GCHP panel system installed in a shallow vertical trench. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the calibrated model. The second part of the thesis involved adapting the calibrated model to represent an ap-proximation of soil conditions in arid climate regions, using a range of thermal properties for dry soils. The effectiveness of the GCHP in the arid climate region model was then evaluated by comparing the thermal flux from the panel into the subsurface profile to that of the prototype GCHP. It was shown that soils in arid climate regions are particularly inefficient at heat dissipation, but that it is highly dependent on the thermal conductivity inputted into the model. This demonstrates the importance of proper site characterization in arid climate regions. Finally, several soil improvement methods were researched to evaluate their potential for use in improving the effectiveness of shallow horizontal GCHP systems in arid climate regions.
Preliminary assessment of aridity conditions in the Iberian Peninsula
Andrade, C.; Corte-Real, J. A.
Aridity is one of the key elements characterizing the climate of a region, having a severe impact on human activities. Aiming at assessing aridity conditions in the Iberian Peninsula, the spatial distribution of the UNEP aridity index is analyzed during the period 1901-2012. Gridded precipitation and potential evapotranspiration datasets are used on a monthly basis. Results show that the southern half of Iberia is particularly vulnerable to water stress and hence to desertification processes. In particular, the UNEP aridity index reveals an increase and northward extension of the semi-arid regime in the Iberian Peninsula between 1901 and 2012. More than 50% of the north and western territory have experienced humid/sub-humid conditions, while the other regions underwent semi-arid settings. Results also reveal that climate was subjected to spatial and temporal variabilities with an overall statistically significant (at a 95% confidence level) trend to aridification in the south-easternmost and central regions. The remaining territory of the Iberian Peninsula does not reveal statistically significant trends.
Climate Warming Threatens Semi-arid Forests in Inner Asia
WU, X.; Liu, H.; Qi, Z.; Li, X.
A line of evidences reveal an increasing tree growth decline and tree mortality mainly attributable to climate warming and the warming-mediated changes in drought and other processes (such as fire and insect dynamics) in many parts of world tropical, temperate and boreal forests. However, the growth responses to climate change of the widely distributed semi-arid forests are unclear. Here, we synthetically investigate the tree growth patterns during past decades and its interannual response to climate variations in Inner Asia combining the ground truth field survey and samplings, remote sensing observations and climate data. We identified a pervasive tree growth decline since mid-1990s in semi-arid forests in Inner Asia. The widely observed tree growth decline is dominantly attributable to warming-induced water stress during pre- and early growing season. Tree growth of semi-arid forests in Inner Asia is particularly susceptible to spring warming and has been suffering a prolonged growth limitation in recent decades due to spring warming-mediated water conditions. Additionally, we identified a much slower growth rate in younger trees and a lack of tree regeneration in these semi-arid forests. The widely observed forest growth reduction and lack of tree regeneration over semi-arid forests in Inner Asia could predictably exert great effects on forest structure, regionally/globally biophysical and biochemical processes and the feedbacks between biosphere and atmosphere. Notably, further increases in forest stress and tree mortality could be reasonably expected, especially in context of the increase frequency and severity of high temperature and heat waves and changes in forest disturbances, potentially driving the eventual regional loss of current semi-arid forests. Given the potential risks of climate induced forest dieback, increased management attention to adaptation options for enhancing forest resistance and resilience to projected climate stress can be expected
Effect of Harvest of Air Relative Humidity on Water and Heat Transfer in Soil With Crops Under Arid Climatic Conditions
El Khadir LAKHAL
Full Text Available In this work, the main objective is to analyze the effect of the harvest of air relative humidity on soil temperature, soil water storage and evaporation. An experiment work was conducted in order to evaluate the quantity of soil water adsorbed by harvesting of relative air humidity. This experimental work was conducted on hilly areas with various hypsographic and microclimatic conditions greatly affecting daily fluctuations of air humidity and soil characteristics. The metrological data needed by SISPAT model were obtained by using a Campbell Scientific equipments Station recorder on data loggers every half hour. A numerical model based on SiSPAT (Système d'Interaction Sol Plante Atmosphère formulation is adopted. The general equations of the proposed model are based on heat and mass transfer in the soil, atmosphere and plant system. This study shows that Soil Water Adsorption (SWA induce an increasing in the total evaporation and in soil water storage especially on the upper layers. The effect of Soil Water Adsorption on soil temperature appears for the first layers of soil and become absent in the profound zone because the vapour condensation phenomenon is very important at night for the first layers.
Dust aerosol effect on semi-arid climate over Northwest China detected from A-Train satellite measurements
Huang, J; Minnis, P.; Yan, H; Yi, Y.; Chen, B; Zhang, L.; J. K. Ayers
The impact of dust aerosols on the semi-arid climate of Northwest China is analyzed by comparing aerosol and cloud properties derived over the China semi-arid region (hereafter, CSR) and the United States semi-arid region (hereafter, USR) using several years of surface and A-Train satellite observations during active dust event seasons. These regions have similar climatic conditions, but aerosol concentrations are greater over the CSR. Because the CSR is close to two major dust source regions...
Climatic growing conditions of Jatropha curcas L.
Maes, W.H.; Achten, W.M.J.; Muys, B. [Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Celestijnenlaan 200 E Box 2411, BE-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Trabucco, A. [Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Celestijnenlaan 200 E Box 2411, BE-3001 Leuven (Belgium); International Water Management Institute (IWMI), P.O. Box 2075, Colombo (Sri Lanka)
The massive investment in new jatropha plantations worldwide is not sufficiently based on a profound scientific knowledge of its ecology. In this article, we define the climatic conditions in its area of natural distribution by combining the locations of herbarium specimens with corresponding climatic information, and compare these conditions with those in 83 jatropha plantations worldwide. Most specimens (87%) were found in tropical savannah and monsoon climates (A{sub m}, A{sub w}) and in temperate climates without dry season and with hot summer (C{sub fa}), while very few were found in semi-arid (B{sub S}) and none in arid climates (B{sub W}). Ninety-five percent of the specimens grew in areas with a mean annual rainfall above 944 mm year{sup -1} and an average minimum temperature of the coldest month (T{sub min}) above 10.5 C. The mean annual temperature range was 19.3-27.2 C. The climatic conditions at the plantations were different from those of the natural distribution specimens for all studied climatic variables, except average maximum temperature in the warmest month. Roughly 40% of the plantations were situated in regions with a drier climate than in 95% of the area of the herbarium specimens, and 28% of the plantations were situated in areas with T{sub min} below 10.5 C. The observed precipitation preferences indicate that jatropha is not common in regions with arid and semi-arid climates. Plantations in arid and semi-arid areas hold the risk of low productivity or irrigation requirement. Plantations in regions with frost risk hold the risk of damage due to frost. (author)
Aridity changes in the Tibetan Plateau in a warming climate
Gao, Yanhong; Li, Xia; Leung, L. Ruby; Chen, Deliang; Xu, Jianwei
Desertification in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has drawn increasing attention in the recent decades. It has been postulated as a consequence of increasing climate aridity due to the observed warming. This study quantifies the aridity changes in the TP and attributes the changes to different climatic factors. Using the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration (P/PET) as an aridity index, we used observed meteorological records at 83 stations in the TP to calculate PET using the Penman-Monteith algorithm and the ratio. Spatial and temporal changes of P/PET in 1979-2011 were analyzed. Results show that stations located in the arid and semi-arid northwestern TP are becoming significantly wetter, and half of the stations in the semi-humid eastern TP are becoming drier, though not significantly, in the recent three decades. The aridity change patterns are significantly correlated with the change patterns of precipitation, sunshine duration and diurnal temperature range. Temporal correlations between the annual P/PET ratio and other meteorological variables confirm the significant correlation between aridity and the three variables, with precipitation being the dominant driver of P/PET changes at the interannual time scale. Annual PET are insignificantly but negatively correlated with P/PET in the cold season. In the warm season, however, the correlation between PET and P/PET is significant at the confidence level of 99.9% when the cryosphere near the surface melts. Significant correlation between annual wind speed and aridity occurs in limited locations and months. Consistency in the climatology pattern and linear trends in surface air temperature and precipitation calculated using station data, gridded data, and nearest grid-to-stations for the TP average and across sub-basins indicate the robustness of the trends despite the large spatial heterogeneity in the TP that challenge climate monitoring.
Aridity changes in the Tibetan Plateau in a warming climate
Desertification in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has drawn increasing attention in the recent decades. It has been postulated as a consequence of increasing climate aridity due to the observed warming. This study quantifies the aridity changes in the TP and attributes the changes to different climatic factors. Using the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration (P/PET) as an aridity index, we used observed meteorological records at 83 stations in the TP to calculate PET using the Penman–Monteith algorithm and the ratio. Spatial and temporal changes of P/PET in 1979–2011 were analyzed. Results show that stations located in the arid and semi-arid northwestern TP are becoming significantly wetter, and half of the stations in the semi-humid eastern TP are becoming drier, though not significantly, in the recent three decades. The aridity change patterns are significantly correlated with the change patterns of precipitation, sunshine duration and diurnal temperature range. Temporal correlations between the annual P/PET ratio and other meteorological variables confirm the significant correlation between aridity and the three variables, with precipitation being the dominant driver of P/PET changes at the interannual time scale. Annual PET are insignificantly but negatively correlated with P/PET in the cold season. In the warm season, however, the correlation between PET and P/PET is significant at the confidence level of 99.9% when the cryosphere near the surface melts. Significant correlation between annual wind speed and aridity occurs in limited locations and months. Consistency in the climatology pattern and linear trends in surface air temperature and precipitation calculated using station data, gridded data, and nearest grid-to-stations for the TP average and across sub-basins indicate the robustness of the trends despite the large spatial heterogeneity in the TP that challenge climate monitoring. (letter)
Extreme climatic events shape arid and semiarid ecosystems
Holmgren, M.; Stapp, P.; Dickman, C.; Gracia, C.; Graham, S.
Climatic changes associated with the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) can have a dramatic impact on terrestrial ecosystems worldwide, but especially on arid and semiarid systems, where productivity is strongly limited by precipitation. Nearly two decades of research, including both short-term exp
Investigation of agricultural residues gasification for electricity production in Sudan as an example for biomass energy utilization under arid climate conditions in developing countries
Bakhiet, Arig G.
This study examines the possibility of electricity production through gasification of agricultural residues in Sudan. The study begins in Chapter 1, by providing general contextual analysis of the energy situation (production and consumption patterns) in Sudan with specific focus on electricity. It proceeded to study the potential of Petroleum, Biomass and other renewable sources for electricity production. Dramatic increase in electricity production was found to be essential especially through decentralised power plants as the current electricity production services cover {proportional_to} 13 % of the population of Sudan. Biomass potential in Sudan justifies the use of agricultural residues as energy source; its potential was estimated by {proportional_to} 350000 TJ/a. Further, the urban centres of arid regions in western Sudan were identified as the target group for this study. In chapter 2, specific investigations for selected study area through field work using statistical tools such as questionnaires, interviews and field observation show that income is highly correlated to electricity consumption. The flat rate system did not result in higher consumption thus the assumption that this consumption will not drastically change in the next 10 years could be accepted. As orientation value for BGPP, 8000 tons of GN.S are available annually, the average electricity consumption is {proportional_to} 4 kWh/day/family while acceptable price could be 40 SDD/kWh (0.15 Euro). In chapter 3, literature review was carried to spot out the comparative merits of the gasification technology and the most optimum gasifying and electricity production system. As a result downdraft gasifier and ICE were suggested as suitable systems. In chapter 4, fuel properties and fuel properties of agricultural residues were studied, different samples were tested and the results were presented. The main conclusions derived were: fuel properties of agricultural residues are modifiable properties, so
Climate risk management for water in semi–arid regions
Robertson, Andrew W.; Baethgen, Walter; Block, Paul; Lall, Upmanu; Sankarasubramanian, Arumugam; de Assis de Souza Filho, Francisco; Verbist, Koen
Background: New sources of hydroclimate information based on forecast models and observational data have the potential to greatly improve the management of water resources in semi-arid regions prone to drought. Better management of climate-related risks and opportunities requires both new methods to develop forecasts of drought indicators and river flow, as well as better strategies to incorporate these forecasts into drought, river or reservoir management systems. In each case the existing i...
Landscaping and performance of some aesthetic plant species in hot,arid conditions of India
Rajesh Kumar Gupta; Pradeep Chaudhry; Rameshwar Lal Srivastava
Abstract:Establishment of ornamental and aesthetic plants in hot,arid conditions of India is difficult due to the prevailing climatic,edaphic and biotic factors.Effect of turfgrass on the growth of ornamental plants in hot arid conditions has not been studied so far anywhere in the world.A study was conducted on the campus of Arid Forest Research Institute,Jodhpur,India to assess the performance of a few ornamental plant species in combination with turfgrass and without turfgrass with respect to different soil tilling intervals.Growth of plants was better with turfgrass than without turfgrass.We suggest adopting a soil tilling interval of 30 days to achieve optimum growth of ornamental plant species in terms of height and crown diameter.Our results can help reduce labor costs and achieving better landscapes in fewer days in hot urban conditions of Indian sub continent.
Regional difference of aridity/humidity conditions changeover China during the last thirty years
YIN Yunhe; WU Shaohong; ZHENG Du; YANG Qingye
The meteorological data of 616 stations in China were used to calculate the potential evapotranspiration and aridity/humidity index by applying the modified FAO-Penman-Monteith model. Regional difference of trends in precipitation, potential evapotranspiration and aridity/humidity index over China and their interdecadal variations were analyzed from 1971 to 2000. The results show that all the four climatic factors trends have obvious regional difference and interdecadal variations. Annual precipitation during the 30-year period shows an increasing trend over most regions of China, with decreasing trends in potential evapotranspiration and aridity/humidity index. Most regions in China become more humid, especially significant in northern Xinjiang, eastern Tibet, western Sichuan, and northern Yunnan. The average value over China would mask the regional difference of climate change because of the complex environmental condition in China. Therefore regional difference should be analyzed to further understand climate change and its impacts. Both water supply and demand need to be considered when attempting to study regional aridity/humidity conditions.
Mitigating Climate Change in the Arid Lands of Namibia
Schneider, Martin B.; Sorensen, Marten
Mitigating Climate Change in the Arid Lands of Namibia Namibia is the most arid country south of the Sahara, with scarce rainfall and perennial rivers only at its borders, > 80% of the area relies solely on groundwater. This has had devastating economic effects limiting opportunities for sustainable rural livelihoods that keep the population majority living below the World Bank poverty line (IFAD, 2013). A primary example of climatic variability which affects agrarian productivity is increased bush encroachment of Namibia's arid grazing land. The result has been a severe biodiversity loss, increased desertification and diminished water-use efficiency and underground water tables. Given these factors, Namibia's arid lands provide a unique opportunity to assess and test innovative / appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Working toward sustainable management, restoration, and maintenance of balanced, resilient arid ecosystems in Namibia will also be a means to support and expand economic sectors incl. opportunities for job creation and potentially provide a model for similar arid regions. Main vegetation zones are: desert (46%), savannah (37%), and dry woodlands and forests (17%), i.e. dimensions of management strategies within stakeholder groups using participatory approaches. 3. Determine science-based alternatives for adaptive land management strategies and test their acceptability to local communities and within the current policy framework. 4. Integrate identified indigenous knowledge with appropriate science and new emerging technologies to develop a training toolkit of effective strategies relevant to all stakeholders. 5. Utilize training sessions, education workshops, curriculum revisions, and appropriate information and communication technologies (ICTs) including social media outlets to disseminate the toolkit strategies. 6. Apply a modified logic model approach within a value chain analysis process to evaluate program effectiveness and impacts at
Lighting and Energy Performance of an Adaptive Shading and Daylighting System for Arid Climates
Giovannini, Luigi; Lo Verso, Valerio Roberto Maria
Finding the proper trade-off between blocking direct sunlight, ensuring sufficient indoor daylighting and view out is a particularly delicate task especially in arid climates, due to harsh environmental conditions. As a tentative answer to this challenge, an adaptive shading and daylighting system (Shape Variable Mashrabiya - SVM) has been developed by the authors, described in an earlier paper. In this paper, we analyze how the SVM may affect annual lighting and global primary energy perform...
New multi-model approach gives good estimations of wheat yield under semi-arid climate in Morocco
Bregaglio , S.; N. Frasso; V. Pagani; T. Stella; Francone, C.; Cappelli, G.; Acutis, M.; Balaghi, R.; Ouabbou, H.; Paleari, L.; R. Confalonieri
Wheat production in Morocco is crucial for economy and food security. However, wheat production is difficult because the semi-arid climate causes very variable wheat yields. To solve this issue, we need better prediction of the impact of drought on wheat yields to adapt cropping management to the semi-arid climate. Here, we adapted the models WOFOST and CropSyst to agro-climatic conditions in Morocco. Six soft and durum wheat varieties were grown during the 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 growing sea...
Co-inoculation with Rhizobium and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR for inducing salinity tolerance in mung bean under field condition of semi arid climate
Muhammad Aamir
Full Text Available Salinity stress severely affects the growth, nodulation and yield of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.. However, its growth can be improved under salinity stress by inoculation/co-inoculation with rhizobia and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR containing 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC deaminase enzyme. ACC-deaminase containing bacteria regulate the stress induced ethylene production by hydrolyzing the ACC (immediate precursor of ethylene into ammonia and ketobutyric acid, thus improve plant growth by lowering the ethylene level. A study was conducted under salt affected field conditions where pre-isolated strains of Rhizobium and PGPR were used alone as well as in combination for mitigating the salinity stress on growth, nodulation and yield of mung bean by following the randomized complete block design (RCBD. The data were recorded and analyzed statistically to see the difference among treatments.
Mitigating Climate Change in the Arid Lands of Namibia
Schneider, Martin B.; Sorensen, Marten
Mitigating Climate Change in the Arid Lands of Namibia Namibia is the most arid country south of the Sahara, with scarce rainfall and perennial rivers only at its borders, > 80% of the area relies solely on groundwater. This has had devastating economic effects limiting opportunities for sustainable rural livelihoods that keep the population majority living below the World Bank poverty line (IFAD, 2013). A primary example of climatic variability which affects agrarian productivity is increased bush encroachment of Namibia's arid grazing land. The result has been a severe biodiversity loss, increased desertification and diminished water-use efficiency and underground water tables. Given these factors, Namibia's arid lands provide a unique opportunity to assess and test innovative / appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Working toward sustainable management, restoration, and maintenance of balanced, resilient arid ecosystems in Namibia will also be a means to support and expand economic sectors incl. opportunities for job creation and potentially provide a model for similar arid regions. Main vegetation zones are: desert (46%), savannah (37%), and dry woodlands and forests (17%), i.e. management strategies currently used by rural communities. 2. Capture and assess cultural and gender dimensions of management strategies within stakeholder groups using participatory approaches. 3. Determine science-based alternatives for adaptive land management strategies and test their acceptability to local communities and within the current policy framework. 4. Integrate identified indigenous knowledge with appropriate science and new emerging technologies to develop a training toolkit of effective strategies relevant to all stakeholders. 5. Utilize training sessions, education workshops, curriculum revisions, and appropriate information and communication technologies (ICTs) including social media outlets to disseminate the toolkit strategies. 6. Apply a modified logic
Arid Climate Landscape Evolution and the Pediment Problem
Strudley, M. W.; Murray, A. B.; Haff, P. K.
Although widely disseminated throughout many different climatic environments, pediments, or gently sloping, laterally extensive surfaces characterized by a thin veneer of alluvium covering bedrock, are particularly well developed in granitic desert locales such as the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in southern California and the Sonoran Desert in western Arizona. These features form a transitional zone within the piedmont of many exposed batholithic mountainous bodies, separating a zone of bare bedrock erosion in the steep mountain mass from a depositional zone in the alluvial basin. Well developed pediments in granitic environments commonly contain bedrock outcroppings (tors or inselbergs) that may remain uncovered indefinitely and sharp slope discontinuities at the piedmont junction separating the pediment surface from the mountain mass. Pediments have been the focus of debate in geomorphic circles for over half a century. While some geomorphologists have proposed that pediments and their associated tor fields represent unearthed relict landforms, others propose unique modes of sediment transport that form and maintain the beveled form of pediment surfaces. We hypothesize that a simple relationship between bedrock weathering and alluvial thickness could explain this range of enigmatic features and phenomena, a relationship that Anderson (2002) incorporates in his proposed explanation for high alpine surfaces and tors. Field observations suggest that the transformation of bedrock to regolith is most rapid with a finite covering of regolith. This weathering rule, combined with a simple set of sediment transport rules provides a mechanism through which pediment surfaces are produced. We examine the development of pediment surfaces and associated features using a 3D numerical, distributed-parameter landscape evolution model incorporating the most pertinent landscape development processes acting in arid regions. Temporally and spatially variable rainfall (storm size
Impacts of climate change on nutrient cycling in semi-arid and arid ecosystems
Belnap, J. [National Biological Survey, Moab, UT (United States)
Effective precipitation is a major factor in determining nutrient pathways in different ecosystems. Soil flora and fauna play a critical role in nutrient cycles of all ecosystems. Temperature, timing, and amounts of precipitation affect population composition, activity levels, biomass, and recovery rates from disturbance. Changes in these variables can result in very different inputs and outputs for different nutrients. As a result, areas with less effective precipitation have very different nutrient cycles than more mesic zones. Climate change, therefore, can profoundly affect the nutrient cycles of ecosystems. Nitrogen cycles may be especially sensitive to changes in temperature and to timing and amounts of precipitation. Rainfall contains varying amounts of nitrogen compounds. Changes in amounts of rainfall will change amounts of nitrogen available to these systems. Because rainfall is limited in semi-arid and regions, these systems tend to be more dependent on microbial populations for nitrogen input. Consequently, understanding the effects of climate change on these organisms is critical in understanding the overall effect on ecosystems.
Wind power variations under humid and arid meteorological conditions
Highlights: • It indicates the role of weather parameters' roles in the wind energy calculation. • Meteorological variables are more significant in arid regions for wind power. • It provides opportunity to take into consideration air density variability. • Wind power is presented in terms of the wind speed, temperature and pressure. - Abstract: The classical wind power per rotor area per time is given as the half product of the air density by third power of the wind velocity. This approach adopts the standard air density as constant (1.23 g/cm3), which ignores the density dependence on air temperature and pressure. Weather conditions are not taken into consideration except the variations in wind velocity. In general, increase in pressure and decrease in temperature cause increase in the wind power generation. The rate of increase in the pressure has less effect on the wind power as compared with the temperature rate. This paper provides the wind power formulation based on three meteorological variables as the wind velocity, air temperature and air pressure. Furthermore, from the meteorology point of view any change in the wind power is expressed as a function of partial changes in these meteorological variables. Additionally, weather conditions in humid and arid regions differ from each other, and it is interesting to see possible differences between the two regions. The application of the methodology is presented for two meteorology stations in Istanbul, Turkey, as representative of the humid regions and Al-Madinah Al-Monawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for arid region, both on daily record bases for 2010. It is found that consideration of air temperature and pressure in the average wind power calculation gives about 1.3% decrease in Istanbul, whereas it is about 13.7% in Al-Madinah Al-Monawwarah. Hence, consideration of meteorological variables in wind power calculations becomes more significant in arid regions
An Evaluation of Unsaturated Flow Models in an Arid Climate
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two unsaturated flow models in arid regions. The area selected for the study was the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nevada. The two models selected for this evaluation were HYDRUS-1D [Simunek et al., 1998] and the SHAW model [Flerchinger and Saxton, 1989]. Approximately 5 years of soil-water and atmospheric data collected from an instrumented weighing lysimeter site near the RWMS were used for building the models with actual initial and boundary conditions representative of the site. Physical processes affecting the site and model performance were explored. Model performance was based on a detailed sensitivity analysis and ultimately on storage comparisons. During the process of developing descriptive model input, procedures for converting hydraulic parameters for each model were explored. In addition, the compilation of atmospheric data collected at the site became a useful tool for developing predictive functions for future studies. The final model results were used to evaluate the capacities of the HYDRUS and SHAW models for predicting soil-moisture movement and variable surface phenomena for bare soil conditions in the arid vadose zone. The development of calibrated models along with the atmospheric and soil data collected at the site provide useful information for predicting future site performance at the RWMS
An Evaluation of Unsaturated Flow Models in an Arid Climate
Dixon, J.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two unsaturated flow models in arid regions. The area selected for the study was the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nevada. The two models selected for this evaluation were HYDRUS-1D [Simunek et al., 1998] and the SHAW model [Flerchinger and Saxton, 1989]. Approximately 5 years of soil-water and atmospheric data collected from an instrumented weighing lysimeter site near the RWMS were used for building the models with actual initial and boundary conditions representative of the site. Physical processes affecting the site and model performance were explored. Model performance was based on a detailed sensitivity analysis and ultimately on storage comparisons. During the process of developing descriptive model input, procedures for converting hydraulic parameters for each model were explored. In addition, the compilation of atmospheric data collected at the site became a useful tool for developing predictive functions for future studies. The final model results were used to evaluate the capacities of the HYDRUS and SHAW models for predicting soil-moisture movement and variable surface phenomena for bare soil conditions in the arid vadose zone. The development of calibrated models along with the atmospheric and soil data collected at the site provide useful information for predicting future site performance at the RWMS.
Styles and rates of long-term denudation in carbonate terrains under a Mediterranean to hyper-arid climatic gradient
Ryb, U.; Matmon, A.; Erel, Y.; Haviv, I.; Benedetti, L.; Hidy, A. J.
Carbonate minerals, unlike silicates, have the potential to dissolve almost completely and with high efficiency. Thus, in carbonate terrains denudation rate and style (the governing process of denudation, mechanical or chemical) should be more sensitive to climatic forcing. Using 36Cl measurements in 39 carbonate bedrock and sediment samples, we calculate long-term denudation rates across a sharp climatic gradient from Mediterranean to hyper-arid conditions. Our samples were collected along the Arugot watershed, which drains the eastern flank of the Judea Range (central Israel) to the Dead Sea and is characterized by a pronounced rain shadow. Denudation rates of flat-lying bedrock outcrops sampled along interfluves differ by an order of magnitude from ∼20 mm ka-1 in the Mediterranean zone to 1-3 mm ka-1 in the hyper-arid zone. These rates are strongly correlated with precipitation, and thus reflect the importance of carbonate mineral dissolution in the overall denudation process. In contrast, denudation rates of steep bedrock surfaces depend on the hillslope gradient, but only in the hyper-arid climate zone, indicating that mechanical processes dominate the overall hillslope denudation within this zone. The dominance of slope-dependent mechanical erosion in the hyper-arid zone is also reflected by an increase in spatially-average denudation rates from 17-19 mm ka-1 in the Mediterranean-semi-arid zones to 21-25 mm ka-1 in the hyper-arid zone. These higher rates are attributed to clast contribution from steep slopes under arid climate. This suggests an increased importance of mechanical processes to the overall denudation in the hyper-arid zone. We demonstrate that the transition between chemically-dominated denudation to mechanically-dominated denudation occurs between 100 and 200 mm of mean annual precipitation. Long-term denudation rates across the Judea Range indicate that between Mediterranean and hyper-arid climates, chemical weathering rates are limited by
Semi-arid vegetation response to antecedent climate and water balance windows
Thoma, David P.; Munson, Seth M.; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Witwicki, Dana L.; Bunting, Erin
Questions Can we improve understanding of vegetation response to water availability on monthly time scales in semi-arid environments using remote sensing methods? What climatic or water balance variables and antecedent windows of time associated with these variables best relate to the condition of vegetation? Can we develop credible near-term forecasts from climate data that can be used to prepare for future climate change effects on vegetation? Location Semi-arid grasslands in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Methods We built vegetation response models by relating the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from MODIS imagery in Mar–Nov 2000–2013 to antecedent climate and water balance variables preceding the monthly NDVI observations. We compared how climate and water balance variables explained vegetation greenness and then used a multi-model ensemble of climate and water balance models to forecast monthly NDVI for three holdout years. Results Water balance variables explained vegetation greenness to a greater degree than climate variables for most growing season months. Seasonally important variables included measures of antecedent water input and storage in spring, switching to indicators of drought, input or use in summer, followed by antecedent moisture availability in autumn. In spite of similar climates, there was evidence the grazed grassland showed a response to drying conditions 1 mo sooner than the ungrazed grassland. Lead times were generally short early in the growing season and antecedent window durations increased from 3 mo early in the growing season to 1 yr or more as the growing season progressed. Forecast accuracy for three holdout years using a multi-model ensemble of climate and water balance variables outperformed forecasts made with a naïve NDVI climatology. Conclusions We determined the influence of climate and water balance on vegetation at a fine temporal scale, which presents an opportunity to forecast vegetation
Heterogeneous aquifer system modelisation under semi-arid climate
Drias, Tarek; Toubal, Ahmed Cherif
The studied zone is a part of the Mellegne's (North-East of Algeria) under pound, this zone is characterised by its semi-arid climate. The water bearing system is formed by the plio-quaternairy alluviums resting on a marley substratuim of age Eocene. The geostatiscitcs approach of the hydrodynamics parameters (Hydrolic load, transmisivity) allowed the study of their spatial distrubution (casting) by the method of Krigeage by blocks and the identification of zones with water-bearing potentialities. In this respect, the zone of Ain Chabro which, is situated in the South of the plain shows the best values of the transmisivity...... The use of a bidimensinnel model in the differences ended in the permanent regime allowed us to establish the global balence sheet (overall assessment) of the tablecloth and to refine the transmisivity field. These would vary more exactley between 10-4 to 10-2 m²/s. The method associating the probability appraoch of Krigeage to that determining the model has facilited the wedging of the model and clarified the inflitration value. Keys words: hydrodynamics, geostatiscitcs, Modeling, Chabro, Tébessa.
Climate change in semi-arid Malawi: Perceptions, adaptation strategies and water governance
Miriam K. Joshua
Full Text Available Climate change and variability are a threat to sustainable agricultural production in semi-arid areas of Malawi. Overdependence on subsistence rain-fed agriculture in these areas calls for the identification of sustainable adaptation strategies. A study was therefore conducted in Chikwawa, a semi-arid district in southern Malawi, to: (1 assess community's perception of a changing climate against empirical evidence, (2 determine their local adaptive measures, (3 evaluate the potential of irrigated agriculture as an adaptive measure in household food security and (4 challenges over access to available water resources. The study employed focus group discussions and key informant interviews to assess people's perceptions of climate change and variability and their desired interventions. To validate the people's perceptions, rainfall and temperature data for the period 1960–2010 were analysed. A participatory complete randomised experimental design in both rain-fed and dry season–irrigated conditions was conducted to assess a maize cropping system that would improve adaptation. The study established persistent declining yields from rain-fed production in part because of perennial rainfall failure. In response, the community has shifted its focus to irrigation as an adaptation strategy, which has in turn triggered water conflicts in the community over the control of the resource. Water legislation however fails to adequately provide for rules governing sharing of water resources between various stakeholders. This article therefore recommends development of an appropriate institutional framework that forms a strong basis for equitable distribution of water for irrigation in areas most vulnerable to extreme climate events – including droughts and floods.Keywords: Food Security; Climate Change and Variability; Rainfall Variability; Irrigation; Water Resources; Governance Crisis
Modeling the Hydrological Response to Climate Change in an Arid Inland River Basin
Zheng, C.; Zhang, A.; Tian, Y.; Zheng, Y.; Liu, J.
Located deep in the hinterlands of Eurasia, the Heihe River Basin (HRB) is an arid inland river basin in northwest China where the hydrologic regime responds sensitively to climate change. From the headwater region to terminal lakes, the HRB can be roughly divided into three sections, i.e., the upstream Qilian Mountains, the midstream oases and the downstream Gobi Desert. Runoff generated in the upstream mountainous terrains, dominated by climate variations, is the critical water resource for the whole river basin. With increasing intensification of climate change, there is an urgent need to understand future changes of water resources and water-related disasters to support regional water management. This study investigates the potential impact of climate change on hydrologic processes in the upper HRB for the future period of 2021~2150. Downscaled temperature and precipitation projections from six General Circulation Models under two emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) are adopted to drive a commonly used flow model, Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), for the upper HRB. The impacts of climate change on the total runoff and its components are quantified based on the future climate scenario analysis and the results of SWAT simulation. To understand how the climate change affects the availability and distribution of water resources in the middle and lower HRB where irrigated agriculture and ecosystem conservation compete for water resources, runoffs from the upper HRB are used as the boundary conditions for an integrated groundwater-surface water model based on the USGS GSFLOW for the middle and lower HRB. The integrated model assimilated multiple types of data including groundwater levels at monitoring wells, streamflow at gaging stations, and evapotranspiration (ET) derived from remote sensing data. The calibrated model was able to adequately reproduce the observed hydrological variables. The integrated model was then used to assess the potential response of the
An Overview of the Semi-arid Climate and Environment Research Observatory over the Loess Plateau
HUANG Jianping; ZHANG Seidou; WANG Guoyin; FENG Guanghong; YUAN Jiuyi; ZHANG Lei; ZUO Hongchao; WANG Shigong; FU Congbin; CHOU Jifan; ZHANG Wu; ZUO Jinqing; BI Jianrong; SHI Jinsen; WANG Xin; CHANG Zhoulin; HUANG Zhongwei; YANG Su
Arid and semi-arid areas comprise about 30% of the earth's surface. Changes in climate and climate variability will likely have a significant impact on these regions. The Loess Plateau over Northwest China is a special semi-arid land surface and part of a dust aerosol source. To improve understanding and capture the direct evidence of the impact of human activity on the semi-arid climate over the Loess Plateau, the Semi-Arid Climate and Environment Observatory of Lanzhou University (SACOL) was established in 2005. SACOL consists of a large set of instruments and focuses on: (1) monitoring of long term tendencies in semiarid climate changes; (2) monitoring of the aerosol effect on the water cycle; (3) studies of interaction between land surface and the atmosphere; (4) improving the land surface and climate models; and (5) validation of space-borne observations. This paper presents a description of SACOL objectives, measurements, and sampling strategies. Preliminary observation results are also reviewed in this paper.
Evidence of Urban-Induced Precipitation Variability in Arid Climate Regimes
Shepherd, J. Marshall
Water is essential to life in the Earth system. The water cycle components that sustain life are becoming more scarce and polluted. The most recent (1999-2004) drought experienced in the southwestern United States is the seventh worst in the approximately 500-year proxy tree-ring record. As a result, many regions contemplated drought emergencies in which severe water restrictions are implemented. Though larger weather and climate processes likely control drought processes, there is increasing evidence that anthropogenic or human-related activities can significantly alter precipitation processes. Urbanization is an example of anthropogenic forcing. Recent studies continue to provide evidence that urban environments can modify or induce precipitation under a specific set of conditions. Arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and other parts of the world are rapidly developing and placing greater demands on the environmental system. In the past fifty years, Phoenix has expanded from a predominantly agricultural center to an urbanized region with extent 700 percent larger than its size in the middle of the twentieth century. Riyadh's population grew from about a half million people in 1972 to almost two million by 2000. Saudi Arabia experienced urbanization later than many other countries; in the early 1970s its urban-rural ratio was still about 1:3. By 1990 the ratio had reversed to about 3:l. In the mid-1970s Riyadh's population was increasing by about 10 percent a year. Irrigation also significantly increased between 1972 and 1990 southeast of Riyadh. The study employs a 108-year precipitation historical data record, global climate observing network observations and satellite data to identify possible anomalies in rainfall in and around two major arid urban areas, Phoenix, Arizona and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It provides statistically sound evidence that rainfall distribution and magnitude is statistically different in post-urban than in pre
Agronomic evaluation of barley mutants under semi-arid conditions
A mutant line, Cyp M9, selected from a population of the barley variety Attiki treated with gamma rays, was evaluated against commercial varieties for the grain yield, yield components, and the protein content and yield in 15 trials. The grain yield of Cyp M9 was 14% higher than that of its mother variety, Attiki, and similar to those of the best commercial varieties, Athenais and Kantara. The protein yield of the mutant line (711 kg/ha) was higher than those of the commercial varieties. Regression analyses of the varietal grain yield and the environmental mean showed that the response of Cyp M9 to improved environmental conditions was greater than those of the commercial varieties. Furthermore, Cyp M9 showed a better response to higher rainfall conditions than Kantara. In general, the mutant Cyp M9 responded to environmental changes in the semi-arid environment in a manner similar to, or better than, those of the commercial varieties. (author). 5 refs, 1 fig., 1 tab
Quantitative Prediction Study of Climate-sensitive Potassium with Hyperspectrum in Arid and Semi-arid Region of Northwestern China
Soil potassium content in arid and semi-arid region can reflect the conditions of the paleoclimate and it can be inverted by soil spectra. The relationship between soil spectra and soil potassium content was discussed in this research. Based on four reflectance transformations, single-variance analysis and multi-variances inversion model were built to invert potassium content. The results of single-wavelength inversions were very significant except for the reflectance model. The multi-variances models were good and accurately (R2 (determination coefficient) >0.674 and RMSE (root-mean-square error) <0.09). Then, the sensitive wavelengths of the potassium were chosen by using the higher correlation coefficients. The results of this study showed that both methods have a great potential for predicting soil potassium content. The sensitive wavelengths of the potassium content were at 2200–2300 nm which could be illustrated by the potassium-bearing minerals spectral absorption features
Climatic Conditions in Classrooms.
Kevan, Simon M.; Howes, John D.
Presents an overview of research on the ways in which classroom thermal environment, lighting conditions, ion state, and electromagnetic and air pollution affect learning and the performance of students and teachers. (SJL)
Retreating or standing: responses of forest species and steppe species to climate change in arid Eastern Central Asia.
Hong-Xiang Zhang
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The temperature in arid Eastern Central Asia is projected to increase in the future, accompanied by increased variability of precipitation. To investigate the impacts of climate change on plant species in this area, we selected two widespread species as candidates, Clematis sibirica and C. songorica, from montane coniferous forest and arid steppe habitats respectively. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We employed a combined approach of molecular phylogeography and species distribution modelling (SDM to predict the future responses of these two species to climate change, utilizing evidence of responses from the past. Genetic data for C. sibirica shows a significant phylogeographical signal (N ST > F ST, P<0.05 and demographic contraction during the glacial-interglacial cycles in the Pleistocene. This forest species would likely experience range reduction, though without genetic loss, in the face of future climate change. In contrast, SDMs predict that C. songorica, a steppe species, should maintain a consistently stable potential distribution under the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM and the future climatic conditions referring to its existing potential distribution. Molecular results indicate that the presence of significant phylogeographical signal in this steppe species is rejected and this species contains a high level of genetic differentiation among populations in cpDNA, likely benefiting from stable habitats over a lengthy time period. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Evidence from the molecular phylogeography of these two species, the forest species is more sensitive to past climate changes than the steppe species. SDMs predict that the forest species will face the challenge of potential range contraction in the future more than the steppe species. This provides a perspective on ecological management in arid Eastern Central Asia, indicating that increased attention should be paid to montane forest species, due to their high sensitivity to
A study on environmental aridity over northern and southern to Qinling Mountains under climate warming
Based on the data up to 1999 from hydroclimatological departments, this paper analyzes the climatic divide implications of the Qinling Mountains in regional response to the process of climate warming, due to which the grades of dryness/wetness (GDW) in 100 years show that the northern region has entered a drought period, while the southern is a humid period. In a course of ten years, the D-value of annual average air temperature over southern Shaanxi (the Hanjiang Valley) and the Central Shaanxi Plain (the Guanzhong Plain) has narrowed, i.e., the former with a slight change and the latter with rapid increase in temperature. Both regions were arid with the decrease in precipitation D-value, namely the plain became warmer while the south was drier. The Qinling Mountains play a pronounced role in the climatic divide. The runoff coefficient (RC) of the Weihe River decreases synchronously with that of the Hanjiang due to climate warming. The RC of Weihe dropped from 0.2 in the 1950s to less than 0.1 in the 1990s. The Weihe Valley (the Guanzhong Plain) is practically an arid area due to shortage of water. The successive 0.5, 1.0℃ temperature anomaly over China marks, perhaps, the important transition period in which the environment becomes more vulnerable than before.The study shows the obvious trend of environmental aridity, which is of help to the understanding of regional response to global climate change.
Designing of zero energy office buildings in hot arid climate
Abdel-Gwad, Mohamed
The designing of office buildings by using large glass areas to have a transparent building is an attractive approach in the modern office building architecture. This attitude increases the energy demand for cooling specially in the hot arid region which has long sun duration time, while the use of small glazing areas increases the energy demand for lighting. The use of uncontrolled natural ventilation increases the rate of hot ambient air flow which increases the building energy demand for cooling. At the same time, the use of mechanical ventilation to control the air change rate may increase the energy demand for fans. Some ideas such as low energy design concept are introduced for improving the building energy performance and different rating systems have been developed such as LEED, BREEAM and DGNB for evaluating building energy performance system. One of the new ideas for decreasing the dependence on fossil fuels and improving the use of renewable energy is the net zero-energy building concept in which the building generates enough renewable energy on site to equal or exceed its annual energy use. This work depends on using the potentials of mixing different energy strategies such as hybrid ventilation strategy, passive night cooling, passive chilled ceiling side by side with the integrating of photovoltaic modules into the building facade to produce energy and enrich the architectural aesthetics and finally reaching the Net Zero Energy Building. There are different definitions for zero energy buildings, however in this work the use of building-integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) to provide the building with its annual energy needs is adopted, in order to reach to a Grid-Connected Net-Zero Energy Office Building in the hot arid desert zone represented by Cairo, Egypt. (orig.)
A Framework Predicting Water Availability in a Rapidly Growing, Semi-Arid Region under Future Climate Change
Han, B.; Benner, S. G.; Glenn, N. F.; Lindquist, E.; Dahal, K. R.; Bolte, J.; Vache, K. B.; Flores, A. N.
Climate change can lead to dramatic variations in hydrologic regime, affecting both surface water and groundwater supply. This effect is most significant in populated semi-arid regions where water availability are highly sensitive to climate-induced outcomes. However, predicting water availability at regional scales, while resolving some of the key internal variability and structure in semi-arid regions is difficult due to the highly non-linearity relationship between rainfall and runoff. In this study, we describe the development of a modeling framework to evaluate future water availability that captures elements of the coupled response of the biophysical system to climate change and human systems. The framework is built under the Envision multi-agent simulation tool, characterizing the spatial patterns of water demand in the semi-arid Treasure Valley area of Southwest Idaho - a rapidly developing socio-ecological system where urban growth is displacing agricultural production. The semi-conceptual HBV model, a population growth and allocation model (Target), a vegetation state and transition model (SSTM), and a statistically based fire disturbance model (SpatialAllocator) are integrated to simulate hydrology, population and land use. Six alternative scenarios are composed by combining two climate change scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) with three population growth and allocation scenarios (Status Quo, Managed Growth, and Unconstrained Growth). Five-year calibration and validation performances are assessed with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency. Irrigation activities are simulated using local water rights. Results show that in all scenarios, annual mean stream flow decreases as the projected rainfall increases because the projected warmer climate also enhances water losses to evapotranspiration. Seasonal maximum stream flow tends to occur earlier than in current conditions due to the earlier peak of snow melting. The aridity index and water deficit generally increase in the
Drought Forecasting Using Stochastic Models in a Hyper-Arid Climate
Amr Mossad; Abdulrahman Ali Alazba
Drought forecasting plays a crucial role in drought mitigation actions. Thus, this research deals with linear stochastic models (autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA)) as a suitable tool to forecast drought. Several ARIMA models are developed for drought forecasting using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) in a hyper-arid climate. The results reveal that all developed ARIMA models demonstrate the potential ability to forecast drought over different time ...
Climate change and water storage variability over an arid endorheic region
Yang, Tao; Wang, Chao; Chen, Yaning; Chen, Xi; Yu, Zhongbo
Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) plays an important role in regional climate and water resources management, especially in arid regions under global change context. However, serious lack of in-situ measurements in remote alpine mountains is hindering our current understanding of regional TWS change in the Tarim River Basin (TRB), a large and typical arid endorheic area in Northwest China of Central Asia. To solve the problem, four different hydrology products from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite, model simulations from Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) in conjunction with in-situ measurements, are utilized to investigate patterns and underlying causes of TWS and its component changes. An excess of precipitation over evapotranspiration (ET) plus runoff contributes to an increase of TWS. The phase of Total Soil Moisture (TSM) lags that of Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), indicating a recharge from snowmelt to TSM. Increasing TWS together with decreasing SWE resulted in an increase of subsurface water. Our results are of great value to amend basin-wide water management and conservation strategies for the similar arid regions considering climate change.
Predicting the Affects of Climate Change on Evapotranspiration and Agricultural Productivity of Semi-arid Basins
Peri, L.; Tyler, S. W.; Zheng, C.; Pohll, G. M.; Yao, Y.
Many arid and semi-arid regions around the world are experiencing water shortages that have become increasingly problematic. Since the late 1800s, upstream diversions in Nevada's Walker River have delivered irrigation supply to the surrounding agricultural fields resulting in a dramatic water level decline of the terminal Walker Lake. Salinity has also increased because the only outflow from the lake is evaporation from the lake surface. The Heihe River basin of northwestern China, a similar semi-arid catchment, is also facing losses from evaporation of terminal locations, agricultural diversions and evapotranspiration (ET) of crops. Irrigated agriculture is now experiencing increased competition for use of diminishing water resources while a demand for ecological conservation continues to grow. It is important to understand how the existing agriculture in these regions will respond as climate changes. Predicting the affects of climate change on groundwater flow, surface water flow, ET and agricultural productivity of the Walker and Heihe River basins is essential for future conservation of water resources. ET estimates from remote sensing techniques can provide estimates of crop water consumption. By determining similarities of both hydrologic cycles, critical components missing in both systems can be determined and predictions of impacts of climate change and human management strategies can be assessed.
Early Pleistocene climate in western arid central Asia inferred from loess-palaeosol sequences
Wang, Xin; Wei, Haitao; Taheri, Mehdi; Khormali, Farhad; Danukalova, Guzel; Chen, Fahu
Arid central Asia (ACA) is one of the most arid regions in the mid-latitudes and one of the main potential dust sources for the northern hemisphere. The lack of in situ early Pleistocene loess/dust records from ACA hinders our comprehensive understanding of the spatio-temporal record of aeolian loess accumulation and long term climatic changes in Asia as a whole. Here, we report the results of sedimentological, chronological and climatic studies of early Pleistocene loess-palaeosol sequences (LPS) from the northeastern Iranian Golestan Province (NIGP) in the western part of ACA. Our results reveal that: 1) Accumulation of loess on the NIGP commenced at ~2.4-1.8 Ma, making it the oldest loess known so far in western ACA; 2) the climate during the early Pleistocene in the NIGP was semi-arid, but wetter, warmer, and less windy than during the late Pleistocene and present interglacial; 3) orbital-scale palaeoclimatic changes in ACA during the early Pleistoceneare in-phase with those of monsoonal Asia, a relationship which was probably related to the growth and decay of northern hemisphere ice sheets.
Bioclimatic landscape design in extremely hot and arid climates
Attia, Shady; Duchhart, Ingrid
In the desert the role of bioclimatic landscape design is to consider three major environmental factors, solar radiation, evaporation, wind and air flows. Therefore the landscape architect should be prepared with a group of design principals and design guidelines that can help him to improve the micro-climate and conserve energy. This paper presents a group of passive design strategies for bioclimatic landscape architecture in the desert. In this study, a bioclimatic landscape design strategy...
Biomimicry as an approach for sustainable architecture case of arid regions with hot and dry climate
Bouabdallah, Nabila; M'sellem, Houda; Alkama, Djamel
This paper aims to study the problem of thermal comfort inside buildings located in hot and arid climates. The principal idea behind this research is using concepts based on the potential of nature as an instrument that helps creating appropriate facades with the environment "building skin". The biomimetic architecture imitates nature through the study of form, function, behaviour and ecosystems of biological organisms. This research aims to clarify the possibilities that can be offered by biomimicry architecture to develop architectural bio-inspired building's design that can help to enhance indoor thermal ambiance in buildings located in hot and dry climate which helps to achieve thermal comfort for users.
Impact of climate change on arid lands agriculture
El-Beltagy Adel
Full Text Available Abstract The planet earth, on which we live in communities, is being increasingly 'ruptured' because of human activities; its carrying capacity is under great stress because of demographic pressures. The pressure is especially affecting the people living in the dry areas because of the marginal and fragile nature of the resources they have access to. There are over 2,000 million hectares of land that have been degraded, with a loss of agrobiodiversity, increased water scarcity and increased natural resource destruction. Superimposed on this is the fact that the neglectful and exploitive use of natural resources has set the train of global climate change in motion. It is anticipated that the impact of climate change will cut across all boundaries. Crops, cropping systems, rotations and biota will undergo transformation. To maintain the balance in the system, there is a need for new knowledge, alternative policies and institutional changes. The marginalized people in dry areas are likely to be most seriously hit by the shifts in moisture and temperature regimes as a result of the global climate change. To help them cope with the challenges, there is a need for a new paradigm in agricultural research and technology transfer that makes full use of modern science and technology in conjunction with traditional knowledge. This necessitates more investment by international agencies and national governments for supporting the relevant integrated research and sustainable development efforts, with full participation of the target communities. Only such an approach can enable the vulnerable communities of the dryland areas to use the natural resources in a sustainable manner and thus help protect the environment for future generations. The clock is ticking and the future of the world lies in the collective responsibility and wisdom of all nations on this planet. This should be reflected in the endorsement of a solid future plan.
Satellite-Based Monitoring of Decadal Soil Salinization and Climate Effects in a Semi-arid Region of China
WANG Hesong; JIA Gensuo
Soil salinization is a common phenomenon that affects both the environment and the socio-economy in arid and semi-arid regions; it is also an important aspect of land cover change.In this study,we integrated multi-sensor remote sensing data with a field survey to analyze processes of soil salinization in a semi-arid area in China from 1979 to 2009. Generally,the area of salt-affected soils increased by 0.28% per year with remarkable acceleration from 1999 to 2009 (0.42% increase per year).In contrast,the area of surface water bodies showed a decreasing trend (-0.08% per year) in the same period.Decreases in precipitation and increases in aridity due to annual (especially summer) warming provided a favorable condition for soil salinization. The relatively flat terrain favored waterlogging at the surface,and continuous drought facilitated upward movement of soil water and accumulation of surface saline and calcium. Meanwhile,land-use practices also played a crucial role in accelerating soil salinization.The conversion to cropland from natural vegetation greatly increased the demand for groundwater irrigation and aggravated the process of soil salinization.Furthermore,there are potential feedbacks of soil salinization to regional climate.The salinization of soils can limit the efficiency of plant water use as well as photosynthesis; therefore,it reduces the amount of carbon sequestrated by terrestrial ecosystem.Soil salinization also reduces the absorbed solar radiation by increasing land surface albedo.Such conversions of land cover significantly change the energy and water balance between land and atmosphere.
Book Review: Late Cenozoic Climate Change in Asia: Loess, Monsoon and Monsoon-arid Environment Evolution
Clemens, Steven C.
Loess-Paleosol deposits drape >500,000 km2 of eastern China, spanning environments from the humid, monsoon-influenced regions near the coast to the arid, westerlies-dominated regions inland. Sections, up to hundreds of meters thick, are exposed in deeply incised river valleys and can be accessed as well by drilling. Combined, the high sedimentation rates and extensive geographic coverage make these sections unique among global terrestrial sediment archives. The Chinese loess-paleosol sequences, and the arid interior regions to the northwest, record diverse aspects of geologic and environmental change ranging from the tectonic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau (106 year time scale) through glacial-interglacial scale changes in global ice volume and greenhouse gasses (105 year time scale) on down through the orbital (104 years) to millennial and centennial scale events (103-102 year) relevant to the underpinnings of human interactions with changing environmental pressures. 'Late Cenozoic Climate Chang in Asia: Loess, Monsoon and Monsoon-arid Environment Evolution' is a timely contribution that synthesizes findings derived from the extensive work in these areas, places the findings in the broader context of global climate change and helps to define avenues for future research.
Analysis of behaviour patterns and thermal responses to a hot-arid climate in rural China.
Yan, Haiyan; Yang, Liu; Zheng, Wuxing; He, Wenfang; Li, Daoyi
Climate can greatly affect building design, life style and thermal perception for all groups of people; however, this phenomenon has not yet been rigorously evaluated in China's hot-arid climate. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a thermal comfort survey by evaluating the influence of the hot-arid climate upon the behavioural patterns and thermal comfort responses of 160 residents in 65 traditional vernacular houses in Turfan, China, in 2011. In this survey, there were 206 sets of effective data, and the features of the traditional residential buildings and the human behaviour patterns in Turfan were described and analysed. The results showed that the diversified courtyards and shade spaces were the most obvious features of traditional houses in Turfan. People here typically spend most of their time in one of two spaces for eating, resting, and entertaining. It was found that the preferred temperature was 26.5°C. The preferred air velocity occurred at 0.62m/s. A suitable air velocity range of 0.15-1.24m/s was suggested in Turfan. Moreover, the neutral temperature of the local people was 30.1°C (tg or to). The upper limits of the 80% acceptable zone by using the direct and indirect acceptability method were 32.7 and 33.8°C, respectively. The neutral temperature and upper limit of the acceptable zone in Turfan were higher than those of the adaptive standards. Attention should be paid to the role of thermal comfort in influencing building design by using simple passive cooling strategies. The above results are believed to be potentially valuable for the design and evaluation of residential buildings located in hot-arid climate. PMID:27264894
A fitful fungus from a hot, arid climate increases grain yield in cool-cultivated barley
Murphy, Brian R.; Fiona M Doohan; HODKINSON, TREVOR R.
Purpose The fungus Piriformospora indica was first isolated from plants growing in arid, hot desert conditions and has been shown to have significant potential as a biocontrol and biofertilising organism in barley under optimal growth conditions. However, it was not thought to be effective in plants grown in low temperatures and has consequently not been well tested in cold-stressed crops. This study sought to determine the effects of inoculating barley plants with this f...
Simulated response of groundwater to predicted recharge in a semi-arid region using a scenario of modelled climate change
Groundwater systems in arid regions will be particularly sensitive to climate change owing to the strong dependence of rates of evapotranspiration on temperature, and shifts in the precipitation regimes. In agricultural areas, such changes in climate may require increased irrigation, putting stress on existing water supplies. In this study, a regional-scale numerical groundwater model was developed for the Oliver region of the south Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada, to simulate the impacts of future predicted climate change on groundwater. In future time periods (the 2050s and 2080s), the most noticeable change in the water budget is the increased contribution of recharge to the annual water budget, estimated at 1.2% (2050s) and 1.4% (2080s) of the total annual budget relative to the current conditions. This increase is related primarily to increases to irrigation return flow resulting from higher irrigation needs under warmer temperatures and a longer growing season. Increases in recharge and irrigation return flow will result in higher water tables with future climate conditions, particularly in the irrigation districts. Median value increases in groundwater level of up to 0.7 m by the 2080s are estimated.
Application of a stochastic weather generator to assess climate change impacts in a semi-arid climate: The Upper Indus Basin
Forsythe, N.; Fowler, H. J.; Blenkinsop, S.; Burton, A.; Kilsby, C. G.; Archer, D. R.; Harpham, C.; Hashmi, M. Z.
Assessing local climate change impacts requires downscaling from Global Climate Model simulations. Here, a stochastic rainfall model (RainSim) combined with a rainfall conditioned weather generator (CRU WG) have been successfully applied in a semi-arid mountain climate, for part of the Upper Indus Basin (UIB), for point stations at a daily time-step to explore climate change impacts. Validation of the simulated time-series against observations (1961-1990) demonstrated the models' skill in reproducing climatological means of core variables with monthly RMSE of operating in this mountainous context at the boundary between monsoonal and mid-latitude (westerly) weather systems. Of equal importance the model captures well the observed interannual variability as quantified by the first and last decile of 30-year climatic periods. Differences between a control (1961-1990) and future (2071-2100) regional climate model (RCM) time-slice experiment were then used to provide change factors which could be applied within the rainfall and weather models to produce perturbed 'future' weather time-series. These project year-round increases in precipitation (maximum seasonal mean change:+27%, annual mean change: +18%) with increased intensity in the wettest months (February, March, April) and year-round increases in mean temperature (annual mean +4.8 °C). Climatic constraints on the productivity of natural resource-dependent systems were also assessed using relevant indices from the European Climate Assessment (ECA) and indicate potential future risk to water resources and local agriculture. However, the uniformity of projected temperature increases is in stark contrast to recent seasonally asymmetrical trends in observations, so an alternative scenario of extrapolated trends was also explored. We conclude that interannual variability in climate will continue to have the dominant impact on water resources management whichever trajectory is followed. This demonstrates the need for
Simulating the hydrologic impacts of land-cover and climate changes in a semi-arid watershed
Changes in climate and land cover are principal variables affecting watershed hydrology. This paper uses a cell-based model to examine the hydrologic impacts of climate and land cover changes in the semi-arid Lower Virgin River (LVR) watershed located upstream of Lake Mead, Nevad...
Management of Brackish water for crop production under arid and semi-arid conditions
For sustainable crop production, changing soil or water chemistry so as to counter the adverse effects of brackish water is a good option. This is normally accomplished by soil or water applied amendments such as gypsum. The other option of blending or cycling brackish and non-brackish water also has merits to reduce the potential hazards. The biological and organic amendments improve soil physical conditions which, otherwise, are expected to be deteriorated by the use of brackish water. Keeping this in view, a field experiment was conducted on a non saline-non sodic sandy loam soil (EC/sub e/ 1.31-1.76 dS m/sup -1/, pH = 8.47-8.61, SAR = 5.50-7.41, infiltration rate 0.6-0.8 cm/h, bulk density = 1.56-1.61 Mg m/sup -3/ for the upper 15 cm soil depth) to evaluate the growth response of cotton crop to different soil and water treatments. Treatments included: T/sub 1/ canal water), T/sub 2/ [tube well water (EC = 3.38 dS m/sup -1/, SAR = 16.43 and RSC = 5.57 mmol/sub c/ L/sup -1/)], T3 [cyclic use (alternate irrigations with canal and tube well waters)], T/sub 4/ (tube well water as such + FYM at the rate of 25 Mg ha/sup -1/annually) and T/sub 5/ (tube well water + gypsum at the rate of water gypsum requirement (WRSC to be decreased up to 00). During the first year of experimentation seed cotton yield was not significantly affected by the applied treatments and was in the decreasing order of: T/sub 3/ (2361 kg ha/sup -1/) > T/sub 4/ (2073 kg ha/sup -1/) > T 1 (2015 kg ha/sup -1/) > T/sub 5/ (2001 kg ha.1 and T 2 (1982 ha/sup -1/. Number of bolls picked per plant was in the decreasing order of: T 2 (33) > T/sub 4/ (32) > T/sub 1/ (31) > T/sub 3/ (30) and T/sub 5/ (26) with non-significant treatment differences. The pH, EC/sub e/ and SAR values remained below safe limits by this cotton (first) crop. (author)
Impacts of Present and Future Climate Variability and Change on Agriculture and Forestry in the Arid and Semi-Arid Tropics
The arid and semi-arid regions account for approximately 30% of the world total area and are inhabited by approximately 20% of the total world population. Issues of present and future climate variability and change on agriculture and forestry in the arid and semi-arid tropics of the world were examined and discussion under each of these issues had been presented separately for Asia, Africa and Latin America. Several countries in tropical Asia have reported increasing surface temperature trends in recent decades. Although, there is no definite trend discernible in the long-term mean for precipitation for the tropical Asian region, many countries have shown a decreasing trend in rainfall in the past three decades. African rainfall has changed substantially over the last 60 yr and a number of theoretical, modelling and empirical analyses have suggested that noticeable changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme events, including floods may occur when there are only small changes in climate. Climate in Latin America is affected by the El Nino-southern oscillation (ENSO) phases and there is a close relationship between the increase and decrease of rainfall depending upon the warm or cold phases of the phenomenon. Over land regions of Asia, the projected area-averaged annual mean warming is likely to be 1.6 ± 0.2C in the 2020s, 3.1 ± 0.3C in the 2050s, and 4.6 ± 0.4C in the 2080s and the models show high uncertainty in projections of future winter and summer precipitation. Future annual warming across Africa is projected to range from 0.2C per decade to more than 0.5C per decade, while future changes in mean seasonal rainfall in Africa are less well defined. In Latin America, projections indicate a slight increase in temperature and changes in precipitation. Impacts of climate variability and changes are discussed with suitable examples. Agricultural productivity in tropical Asia is sensitive not only to temperature increases, but also to changes in the nature
Modeling water scarcity and droughts for policy adaptation to climate change in arid and semiarid regions
Kahil, Mohamed Taher; Dinar, Ariel; Albiac, Jose
Growing water extractions combined with emerging demands for environment protection increase competition for scarce water resources worldwide, especially in arid and semiarid regions. In those regions, climate change is projected to exacerbate water scarcity and increase the recurrence and intensity of droughts. These circumstances call for methodologies that can support the design of sustainable water management. This paper presents a hydro-economic model that links a reduced form hydrological component, with economic and environmental components. The model is applied to an arid and semiarid basin in Southeastern Spain to analyze the effects of droughts and to assess alternative adaptation policies. Results indicate that drought events have large impacts on social welfare, with the main adjustments sustained by irrigation and the environment. The water market policy seems to be a suitable option to overcome the negative economic effects of droughts, although the environmental effects may weaken its advantages for society. The environmental water market policy, where water is acquired for the environment, is an appealing policy to reap the private benefits of markets while protecting ecosystems. The current water management approach in Spain, based on stakeholders' cooperation, achieves almost the same economic outcomes and better environmental outcomes compared to a pure water market. These findings call for a reconsideration of the current management in arid and semiarid basins around the world. The paper illustrates the potential of hydro-economic modeling for integrating the multiple dimensions of water resources, becoming a valuable tool in the advancement of sustainable water management policies.
Analyzing and modelling of flow transmission processes in river-systems with a focus on semi-arid conditions
Cunha Costa, Alexandre
One of the major problems for the implementation of water resources planning and management in arid and semi-arid environments is the scarcity of hydrological data and, consequently, research studies. In this thesis, the hydrology of dryland river systems was analyzed and a semi-distributed hydrological model and a forecasting approach were developed for flow transmission processes in river-systems with a focus on semi-arid conditions. Three different sources of hydrological data (streamflow ...
Determining the relative importance of climatic drivers on spring phenology in grassland ecosystems of semi-arid areas.
Zhu, Likai; Meng, Jijun
Understanding climate controls on spring phenology in grassland ecosystems is critically important in predicting the impacts of future climate change on grassland productivity and carbon storage. The third-generation Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS3g) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data were applied to derive the start of the growing season (SOS) from 1982-2010 in grassland ecosystems of Ordos, a typical semi-arid area in China. Then, the conditional Granger causality method was utilized to quantify the directed functional connectivity between key climatic drivers and the SOS. The results show that the asymmetric Gaussian (AG) function is better in reducing noise of NDVI time series than the double logistic (DL) function within our study area. The southeastern Ordos has earlier occurrence and lower variability of the SOS, whereas the northwestern Ordos has later occurrence and higher variability of the SOS. The research also reveals that spring precipitation has stronger causal connectivity with the SOS than other climatic factors over different grassland ecosystem types. There is no statistically significant trend across the study area, while the similar pattern is observed for spring precipitation. Our study highlights the link of spring phenology with different grassland types, and the use of coupling remote sensing and econometric tools. With the dramatic increase in global change research, Granger causality method augurs well for further development and application of time-series modeling of complex social-ecological systems at the intersection of remote sensing and landscape changes. PMID:25487765
Vegetation mosaics in arid Australia: linked roles for climate and soils
Dunkerley, D.
It is widely considered that quasi-regular patterns in dryland soils and vegetation reflect a process of self-organisation. In such a view, the spatial patterns emerge from multiple interactions and feedbacks among the elements of the ecogeomorphic system. In arid western NSW, Australia, key elements affecting the self-organisation of strongly banded vegetation appear to include the extreme climatic variability (related to ENSO and other global climate phenomena) and the geomorphic history of the landscape, which involves major glacial-period accessions of exotic aeolian clays of the illite family, which exhibit very marked shrink-swell behaviour. The latter may be a prerequisite for pattern emergence, and the former a key driver of emergence. A cellular model of pattern emergence was driven by a timeseries of annual rainfalls exhibiting occasional marked wet La Niña years and also multi-year El Niño droughts, in order to explore how this climatic driver affects pattern emergence. Importantly, the model incorporated the effects of drying and contraction of the deeper subsoils during multi-year droughts. In the field, extreme soil desiccation is seen to result in widespread tension cracking and collapse of the surface soils into voids in the more clay rich, and more strongly contracted, subsoil. The collapse features maintain the water trapping efficiency of the vegetation groves even when the plant cover has declined greatly. Trapping efficiency remains low within intergroves, because the subsoils there are always relatively dry, owing to their impermeable soil surfaces. Modelling excluding soil collapse during drought showed much greater loss of groves and resultant changes in grove spacing that is not seen in long-term field monitoring data. This suggests that the variability of annual rainfalls (and not just the average climatic aridity) may actually confer stability on the banded vegetation communities via a little-explored linkage of soil and climatic
The relative contribution of short-term versus long-term effects in shrub-understory species interactions under arid conditions.
Noumi, Zouhaier; Chaieb, Mohamed; Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann; Michalet, Richard
Plant-plant interactions (competition and facilitation) in terrestrial ecosystems include: (1) short-term effects, primarily quantified with experimental removals; and (2) long-term effects, mostly due to soil weathering processes, primarily quantified with observational methods. It has been argued that these effects are likely to vary in contrasting directions with increasing drought stress in arid systems. However, few studies have used appropriate methodology to assess both types of effects and their variation across nurse species and environmental conditions, in particular in arid systems. This knowledge is crucial for predicting variation in the mediating role of facilitation with climate change and assessing the importance of nurse effects in ecological restoration. In the arid climate of central-south Tunisia, understory species' biomass, abundance and composition and soil parameters were compared in shrub-control, shrub-removed and open areas for three shrub species and in two habitats with contrasting soil moisture conditions. Long-term effects were dominant, positive for all three shrub species and associated with increasing nutrient content in shrub patches. Short-term effects, mainly related to water consumption, were weaker, mostly negative and dependent on shrub species. Additionally, long-term effects were less positive and short-term effects more negative in the dry habitat than in the wet habitat. Our study provides evidence of the primary influence of positive (facilitative) long-term effects in this arid system. However, the net effects of shrubs could be less beneficial for other species with increasing aridity under climate change, due to both a decrease in positive long-term effects and an increase in negative short-term effects. PMID:26527462
We successfully designed and fabricated accurately scaled prototypes of a green roof and a conventional white roof and began testing in simulated conditions of 115-70°F with relative humidity of 13%. The design parameters were based on analytical models created through ver...
Assessment of the desertification vulnerability of the Cappadocian district (Central Anatolia, Turkey based on aridity and climate-process system
Murat Türkeş
Full Text Available The present study discusses climate of the Cappadocian district in Turkey on the basis of Thornthwaite's climate classification and water budget, Erinç's aridity index and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD aridity index, along with the spatial and inter-seasonal variations of precipitation and air temperatures. Vulnerability of the Cappadocia to desertification processes was also investigated with respect to the aridity, lithology dominated by tuffs and climate-process system and present land-use features of the district. The data analysis revealed that coefficients of variation (CV of the mean and maximum temperatures are the greatest in summer and the smallest in winter. Nevşehir and Kayseri environs are the most continental parts of the Cappadocia with a high inter-annual variability and low temperatures. Cappadocia is characterized with a continental rainfall regime having a maximum precipitation in spring. Variability of summer precipitation totals is greater than that of other seasons, varying from 65.7% to 78%. The CVs of the annual precipitation totals are about 18% at north and about 20% at south. Semi-arid and dry sub-humid or semi-humid climate types prevail over Cappadocia according to Thornthwaite's moisture and Erinç's aridity indices. Steppe is the dominant vegetation formation with sparse dry trees. The Cappadocia is vulnerable to the desertification processes due to both natural factors (e.g. degree of aridity, climate-process system, weathering of tuffs, erosion, climate change, etc. and human-involvement (e.g. land degradation and intensive tourism, etc.. In order to mitigate desertification and to preserve the historical and cultural heritages in Cappadocia, sustainable land-use management and tourism planning applications are urgently needed.
Assessment of the desertification vulnerability of the Cappadocian district (Central Anatolia, Turkey based on aridity and climate-process system
Murat Türkeş
Full Text Available The present study discusses climate of the Cappadocian district in Turkey on the basis of Thornthwaite's climate classification and water budget, Erinç's aridity index and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD aridity index, along with the spatial and inter-seasonal variations of precipitation and air temperatures. Vulnerability of the Cappadocia to desertification processes was also investigated with respect to the aridity, lithology dominated by tuffs and climate-process system and present land-use features of the district. The data analysis revealed that coefficients of variation (CV of the mean and maximum temperatures are the greatest in summer and the smallest in winter. Nevşehir and Kayseri environs are the most continental parts of the Cappadocia with a high inter-annual variability and low temperatures. Cappadocia is characterized with a continental rainfall regime having a maximum precipitation in spring. Variability of summer precipitation totals is greater than that of other seasons, varying from 65.7% to 78%. The CVs of the annual precipitation totals are about 18% at north and about 20% at south. Semi-arid and dry sub-humid or semi-humid climate types prevail over Cappadocia according to Thornthwaite's moisture and Erinç's aridity indices. Steppe is the dominant vegetation formation with sparse dry forests. The Cappadocia is vulnerable to the desertification processes due to both natural factors (e.g. degree of aridity, climate-process system, weathering of tuffs, erosion, climate change, etc. and human-involvement (e.g. land degradation and intensive tourism, etc.. In order to mitigate desertification and to preserve the historical and cultural heritages in Cappadocia, sustainable land-use management and tourism planning applications are urgently needed.
Ecological opportunity and the evolution of habitat preferences in an arid-zone bird: implications for speciation in a climate-modified landscape.
Norman, Janette A; Christidis, Les
Bioclimatic models are widely used to investigate the impacts of climate change on species distributions. Range shifts are expected to occur as species track their current climate niche yet the potential for exploitation of new ecological opportunities that may arise as ecosystems and communities remodel is rarely considered. Here we show that grasswrens of the Amytornis textilis-modestus complex responded to new ecological opportunities in Australia's arid biome through shifts in habitat preference following the development of chenopod shrublands during the late Plio-Pleistocene. We find evidence of spatially explicit responses to climatically driven landscape changes including changes in niche width and patterns of population growth. Conservation of structural and functional aspects of the ancestral niche appear to have facilitated recent habitat shifts, while demographic responses to late Pleistocene climate change provide evidence for the greater resilience of populations inhabiting the recently evolved chenopod shrubland communities. Similar responses could occur under future climate change in species exposed to novel ecological conditions, or those already occupying spatially heterogeneous landscapes. Mechanistic models that consider structural and functional aspects of the niche along with regional hydro-dynamics may be better predictors of future climate responses in Australia's arid biome than bioclimatic models alone. PMID:26787111
Surficial weathering of iron sulfide mine tailings under semi-arid climate
Hayes, Sarah M.; Root, Robert A.; Perdrial, Nicolas; Maier, Raina; Chorover, Jon
Mine wastes introduce anthropogenic weathering profiles to the critical zone that often remain unvegetated for decades after mining cessation. As such, they are vulnerable to wind and water dispersion of particulate matter to adjacent ecosystems and residential communities. In sulfide-rich ore tailings, propagation to depth of the oxidative weathering front controls the depth-variation in speciation of major and trace elements. Despite the prevalence of surficial mine waste deposits in arid regions of the globe, few prior studies have been conducted to resolve the near-surface profile of sulfide ore tailings weathered under semi-arid climate. We investigated relations between gossan oxidative reaction-front propagation and the molecular speciation of iron and sulfur in tailings subjected to weathering under semi-arid climate at an EPA Superfund Site in semi-arid central Arizona (USA). Here we report a multi-method data set combining wet chemical and synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) methods to resolve the tight coupling of iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) geochemical changes in the top 2 m of tailings. Despite nearly invariant Fe and S concentration with depth (130–140 and 100–120 g kg−1, respectively), a sharp redox gradient and distinct morphological change was observed within the top 0.5 m, associated with a progressive oxidative alteration of ferrous sulfides to (oxyhydr)oxides and (hydroxy)sulfates. Transformation is nearly complete in surficial samples. Trends in molecular-scale alteration were co-located with a decrease in pH from 7.3 to 2.3, and shifts in Fe and S lability as measured via chemical extraction. Initial weathering products, ferrihydrite and gypsum, transform to schwertmannite, then jarosite-group minerals with an accompanying decrease in pH. Interestingly, thermodynamically stable phases such as goethite and hematite were not detected in any samples, but ferrihydrite was observed even
Weed harrowing in winter cereal under semi-arid conditions
Pardo, G.; Cirujeda, A.; Aibar, J.; Cavero, J.; Zaragoza, C.
Five field experiments on barley and wheat have been carried out in North-Eastern Spain on the same field during the cropping seasons 1999-00 to 2003-04 to compare the effect of different harrowing adjustments on weed control, weed biomass and cereal yield. The variables considered were harrowing timing (pre- or early post-emergence), one or two passes, travelling direction, harrowing depth and speed compared with an untreated control and herbicide. Excepting year 2001, with very little weed emergence, mechanical control as a whole caused a significant weed plant reduction compared to the untreated plots in all years. No influence of harrowing depth and travelling speed and of pre-emergence harrowing were found in the trials. A single harrowing treatment conducted across the sowing direction gave the same or less control compared to harrowing along the sowing direction. Two harrowing passes achieved a higher efficacy than one single pass and little differences were detected if the second pass was conducted the same day, across the sowing direction or 15 days later. Despite herbicide had generally a higher efficacy than the harrowing treatments, in three out of five years it was found a mechanical control with the same control than herbicide. The effect of the different treatments on weed biomass was lower than on weed number and no significant differences were found for grain yield. Considering that an herbicide treatment in the present conditions is three times more expensive than harrowing, a single post-emergence harrowing can be considered a valid option for low and medium-infested cereal fields. (Author) 30 refs.
Evaporative Cooler Use Influences Temporal Indoor Relative Humidity but Not Dust Mite Allergen Levels in Homes in a Semi-Arid Climate.
Johnston, James D; Tuttle, Steven C; Nelson, Morgan C; Bradshaw, Rebecca K; Hoybjerg, Taylor G; Johnson, Julene B; Kruman, Bryce A; Orton, Taylor S; Cook, Ryan B; Eggett, Dennis L; Weber, K Scott
Concerns about energy consumption and climate change make residential evaporative coolers a popular alternative to central air conditioning in arid and semi-arid climates. However, evaporative coolers have been shown to significantly increase indoor relative humidity and dust mite allergen levels in some studies, while showing no association in other studies. Improved measurement of temporal fluctuations in indoor relative humidity may help identify factors that promote mite growth in homes in dry climates. Dust samples and continuous indoor relative humidity measurements were collected from homes with central air conditioning and homes with evaporative coolers in Utah. Samples were collected over two seasons, winter/spring (Jan-Apr) and summer (July-Sept), 2014. Dust samples were analyzed for Der p 1 and Der f 1 using a two-site monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis. Housing characteristics including age of home, occupant density, and age of mattresses, furniture, and carpeting were also measured. Positive Der p 1 or Der f 1 samples were found in 25.0% of the homes and there was no difference in mean allergen levels by type of air conditioning. Indoor relative humidity was significantly higher in homes with evaporative coolers compared to those with central air conditioning during the summer. Homes with evaporative coolers also spent significantly more time during summer above 55.0% and 65.0% relative humidity compared to central air homes, but not above 75.0%. Findings from this study suggest that increased humidity from evaporative coolers may not be sufficient to exceed the critical equilibrium humidity or maintain humidity excursions for sufficient duration in relatively larger single-family homes in semi-arid climates to support mite growth and reproduction. PMID:26808528
Evaporative Cooler Use Influences Temporal Indoor Relative Humidity but Not Dust Mite Allergen Levels in Homes in a Semi-Arid Climate.
James D Johnston
Full Text Available Concerns about energy consumption and climate change make residential evaporative coolers a popular alternative to central air conditioning in arid and semi-arid climates. However, evaporative coolers have been shown to significantly increase indoor relative humidity and dust mite allergen levels in some studies, while showing no association in other studies. Improved measurement of temporal fluctuations in indoor relative humidity may help identify factors that promote mite growth in homes in dry climates. Dust samples and continuous indoor relative humidity measurements were collected from homes with central air conditioning and homes with evaporative coolers in Utah. Samples were collected over two seasons, winter/spring (Jan-Apr and summer (July-Sept, 2014. Dust samples were analyzed for Der p 1 and Der f 1 using a two-site monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA analysis. Housing characteristics including age of home, occupant density, and age of mattresses, furniture, and carpeting were also measured. Positive Der p 1 or Der f 1 samples were found in 25.0% of the homes and there was no difference in mean allergen levels by type of air conditioning. Indoor relative humidity was significantly higher in homes with evaporative coolers compared to those with central air conditioning during the summer. Homes with evaporative coolers also spent significantly more time during summer above 55.0% and 65.0% relative humidity compared to central air homes, but not above 75.0%. Findings from this study suggest that increased humidity from evaporative coolers may not be sufficient to exceed the critical equilibrium humidity or maintain humidity excursions for sufficient duration in relatively larger single-family homes in semi-arid climates to support mite growth and reproduction.
Nursery pre-conditioning of plants for revegetation, gardening and landscaping in semi-arid environments
Franco Leemhuis, José Antonio; Martínez Sánchez, Juan José; Fernández Hernández, Juan Antonio; Bañón Arias, Sebastián del Pilar; Ochoa Rego, Jesús; Vicente Colomer, María José
In landscaping and xerogardening projects, under semi-arid conditions, appropriate techniques used in the nursery during seedling production are crucial for the establishment, survival and subsequent growth of plants after transplanting (Figure 1). Morphological and anatomical adaptations in seedlings include reductions in shoot height and/or leaf area, rises in root-collar diameter and root growth potential and, often, a reduction in the shoot:root ratio; in addition, there are physiological...
Geochemical Processes Controlling the Generation and Environmental Impacts of Acid Mine Drainage in Semi Arid Conditions
Magombedze, Chris
This study evaluates the geochemical processes that control the geochemistry of acid mine drainage in semi arid conditions. The central objective is to characterise and understand the evolution of acid mine drainage and its potential environmental impacts on the Mazowe River sub-catchment, in north east Zimbabwe. The work is based on a case study at three neighbouring metal sulphide mines, namely Trojan Nickel Mine, Mazowe Gold Mine and Iron Duke Pyrites.The methodology used in this research ...
Evaluation of oxidative stress during adverse environmental conditions in Marwari sheep from arid tracts in India
Ruchi Maan; Nalini Kataria,
The purpose of the study was to evaluate oxidative stress during adverse environmentalconditions in Marwari sheep breed, to monitor the health status. Six hundred and thirty animals weresampled belonging to arid tracts of Rajasthan, India during adverse environmental conditions includingextreme hot and extreme cold. Oxidative stress was evaluated by determining serum catalase activitiesby basic colorimetric method in which serum was reacted with hydrogen peroxide for specific period oftime. T...
Comparative characteristics of anatomical and morphological adaptations of plants of two subgenera Haworthia Duval to arid environmental conditions
Nataliya Volodymyrivna Nuzhyna
Full Text Available This paper presents the comparative anatomical and morphological characteristics of plants of two subgenera: Haworthia and Hexangularis. The study revealed two different strategies of adaptation to arid conditions of the growth of different subgenera of the genus Haworthia. Plants of the subgenus Haworthia adapted to arid conditions by increasing the accumulation of water, the presence of "windows", a smaller stoma size, and a thinner outer wall of the epidermis cells. On the other hand, plants of the subgenus Hexangularis adapted to arid conditions by reducing overheating and transpiration as well as by the presence of papillae and a thickened outer wall of the epidermis cells.
Climatic and Grazing Controls on Biological Soil Crust Nitrogen Fixation in Semi-arid Ecosystems
Schwabedissen, S. G.; Reed, S.; Lohse, K. A.; Magnuson, T. S.
Nitrogen, next to water, is believed to be the main limiting resource in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) -a surface community of mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria-have been found to be the main influx of "new" nitrogen (N) into many dryland ecosystems. Controls on biocrust N fixation rates include climate (temperature and moisture), phosphorus availability, and disturbance factors such as trampling, yet a systematic examination of climatic and disturbance controls on biocrusts communities is lacking. Biocrust samples were collected along an elevation gradient in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed near Murphy, Idaho. Four sites were selected from a sagebrush steppe ecosystem with precipitation ranging from ≤250mm/yr to ≥1100mm/yr. Each site included 5 grazed plots and one historic exclosure plot that has been free from grazing for more than 40 years. Five samples each were collected from under plants and from interplant spaces from the grazed plots and exclosures and analyzed for potential N fixation using an acetylene reduction assay. We hypothesized that N fixation rates would be the highest in the exclosures of the two middle sites along the elevation gradient, due to the lack of disturbance and optimal temperature and moisture, respectively. As predicted, results showed higher rates of potential N fixation in exclosures than non-exclosures at a mid-elevation 8.4 ± 3.1 kg N/ha/yr in the exclosures compared to 1.8 ± 1.5 kg N/ha/yr indicating that grazing may reduce N fixation activity. Interestingly, rates were 2-5 times lower under plant canopies compared to interplant spaces at all but the highest elevation site. Findings from our study suggest that biocrust N fixation may be a dominant input of N into theses dryland systems and, in line with our hypotheses, that climate, location within the landscape, and disturbance may interact to regulate the rates of this fundamental ecosystem process.
Ocean climate and seal condition
Crocker Daniel E
Full Text Available Abstract Background The condition of many marine mammals varies with fluctuations in productivity and food supply in the ocean basin where they forage. Prey is impacted by physical environmental variables such as cyclic warming trends. The weaning weight of northern elephant seal pups, Mirounga angustirostris, being closely linked to maternal condition, indirectly reflects prey availability and foraging success of pregnant females in deep waters of the northeastern Pacific. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of ocean climate on foraging success in this deep-diving marine mammal over the course of three decades, using cohort weaning weight as the principal metric of successful resource accrual. Results The mean annual weaning weight of pups declined from 1975 to the late 1990s, a period characterized by a large-scale, basin-wide warm decadal regime that included multiple strong or long-duration El Niños; and increased with a return to a cool decadal regime from about 1999 to 2004. Increased foraging effort and decreased mass gain of adult females, indicative of reduced foraging success and nutritional stress, were associated with high ocean temperatures. Conclusion Despite ranging widely and foraging deeply in cold waters beyond coastal thermoclines in the northeastern Pacific, elephant seals are impacted significantly by ocean thermal dynamics. Ocean warming redistributes prey decreasing foraging success of females, which in turn leads to lower weaning mass of pups. Annual fluctuations in weaning mass, in turn, reflect the foraging success of females during the year prior to giving birth and signals changes in ocean temperature cycles.
Degradation of High Voltage Polymeric Insulators in Arid Desert's Simulated Environmental Conditions
Yasin Khan
Full Text Available Problem statement: High Voltage (HV polymeric insulators are replacing ceramic insulator commonly used for HV outdoor networks due to their ease of handling, reliability and cost. However, their long term performance and reliability are major concerns to power utilities. Approach: To investigate their performance in arid desert's conditions, two types of HV composite insulators were aged as per International Electrochemical Commission (IEC standard-61109. Additional test samples were subjected to accelerated aging conditions simulating the actual Ultraviolet (UV radiation intensity and temperature in the inland desert. Results: This study described the experimental results of the effects of thermo electric stress and UV radiations on the polymeric insulators aged under two conditions i.e., as per IEC standard and modified IEC standard that simulates the inland arid desert. The tests results after the artificial accelerated aging indicated that the dielectric response of thermoplastic insulators under the tested thermo-electric cum UV-irradiations outperforms Silicone rubber insulators.Conclusion: From the obtained results it will be easy to assess the performance and suitability of composite insulators for their applications in arid desert environments.
Statistical downscaling of climate data to estimate streamflow in a semi-arid catchment
S. Samadi
Full Text Available Linear and non-linear statistical 'downscaling' study is done to relate large-scale climate information from a general circulation model (GCM to local-scale river flows in west Iran. This study aims to investigate and evaluate the more promising downscaling techniques, and provides a through inter comparison study using the Karkheh catchment as an experimental site in a semi arid region for the years of 2040 to 2069. A hybrid conceptual hydrological model was used in conjunction with modeled outcomes from a General Circulation Model (GCM, HadCM3, along with two downscaling techniques, Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM and Artificial Neural Network (ANN, to determine how future streamflow may change in a semi arid catchment. The results show that the choice of a downscaling algorithm having a significant impact on the streamflow estimations for a semi-arid catchment, which are mainly, influenced, respectively, by atmospheric precipitation and temperature projections. According to the SDSM and ANN projections, daily temperature will increase up to +0.58° (+3.90% and +0.48° (+3.48% and daily precipitation will decrease up to −0.1mm (−2.56% and −0.4 mm (−2.82% respectively. Moreover streamflow changes corresponding to downscaled future projections presented a reduction in mean annual flow of −3.7 m3 s−1 and −9.47 m3 s−1 using SDSM and ANN outputs respectively. The results suggest a significant decrease of streamflow in both downscaling projections, particularly in winter. The discussion considers the performance of each statistical method for downscaling future flow at catchment scale as well as the relationship between atmospheric processes and flow variability and changes.
Climatic and Hydrological Changes of Past 100 Years in Asian Arid Zone
Feng, Zhaodong; Salnikov, Vitaliy; Xu, Changchun
The Asian Arid Zone (AAZ) is here defined to include the following regions: northwestern China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Generally speaking, the AAZ has experienced a temperature rising during the past 100 years that was significantly faster than the global average (0.14 ºC per decade). Specifically, the rate was 0.39 ºC per decade in northwestern China (1950-2010), 0.26 ºC per decade in Kazakhstan (1936-2005), 0.22 ºC per decade in Mongolia (1940-2010), 0.29 ºC per decade in Uzbekistan (1950-2005), 0.18 ºC per decade in Turkmenistan (1961-1995). It should be noted that the mountainous parts of AAZ seems to have experienced a slower rate of temperature rising. For example, the rate was 0.10 ºC per decade in Tajikistan (1940-2005) and was 0.08 ºC per decade in Kyrgyzstan (1890-2005). Precipitation has a slight increasing trend in northwestern China, but it has fluctuated along a near-constant line in the rest of the AAZ. Hydrological data from high-elevation basin show that the runoff has been increasing primarily as a result of rising temperature that caused increases in ice melting. A natural decreasing trend of surface runoff in low-elevation basins is undeniable and the decreasing trend is attributable to intensified evaporation under warming conditions. It is true that the total amount of runoff in the Tianshan Mountains and the associated basins has been increased primarily as a result of temperature rising-resulted increases in ice melting. But, approaching to the turning point of glacier-melting supplies to runoff will pose a great threat to socio-economic sustainability and to ecological security. The turning point refers to the transition from increasing runoff to decreasing runoff within ice melting supplied watersheds under a warming climate.
NDVI-based vegetation responses to climate change in an arid area of China
Xu, Yufeng; Yang, Jing; Chen, Yaning
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and the change of climate variables will eventually have a great impact on vegetation cover and agricultural practices, especially in the arid area Xinjiang in China, whose agriculture and ecosystems are heavily vulnerable to climate change. In this paper, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to study the vegetation growth and its response to climate change in Xinjiang. Firstly, two NDVI datasets (Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)) were merged through a pixel-wise regression analysis to obtain a long time series of NDVI data, and then, relationships between yearly NDVI and yearly climate variables, and monthly NDVI and monthly climate variables were extensively investigated for grassland and cropland in northern and southern Xinjiang, respectively. Results show the following: (1) there was an increasing trend in NDVI for both grassland and cropland in both northern and southern Xinjiang over the past decades and trends were significant except that for grassland in northern Xinjiang; (2) precipitation and evaporation were more important than temperature for grassland in northern Xinjiang, while precipitation and temperature were more important than evaporation for grassland in southern Xinjiang and cropland in both northern and southern Xinjiang; (3) NDVI was highly correlated with accumulated monthly precipitation instead of monthly precipitation, and there was a lagged effect of precipitation, temperature, and evaporation on NDVI change. However, lagged effects were only significant in specific months. The results could be helpful to agricultural practices; e.g., based on lagged effect of precipitation, irrigation in July is very important for crop growth.
Effects of changing climate on aquatic habitat and connectivity for remnant populations of a wide-ranging frog species in an arid landscape.
Pilliod, David S; Arkle, Robert S; Robertson, Jeanne M; Murphy, Melanie A; Funk, W Chris
Amphibian species persisting in isolated streams and wetlands in desert environments can be susceptible to low connectivity, genetic isolation, and climate changes. We evaluated the past (1900-1930), recent (1981-2010), and future (2071-2100) climate suitability of the arid Great Basin (USA) for the Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) and assessed whether changes in surface water may affect connectivity for remaining populations. We developed a predictive model of current climate suitability and used it to predict the historic and future distribution of suitable climates. We then modeled changes in surface water availability at each time period. Finally, we quantified connectivity among existing populations on the basis of hydrology and correlated it with interpopulation genetic distance. We found that the area of the Great Basin with suitable climate conditions has declined by approximately 49% over the last century and will likely continue to decline under future climate scenarios. Climate conditions at currently occupied locations have been relatively stable over the last century, which may explain persistence at these sites. However, future climates at these currently occupied locations are predicted to become warmer throughout the year and drier during the frog's activity period (May - September). Fall and winter precipitation may increase, but as rain instead of snow. Earlier runoff and lower summer base flows may reduce connectivity between neighboring populations, which is already limited. Many of these changes could have negative effects on remaining populations over the next 50-80 years, but milder winters, longer growing seasons, and wetter falls might positively affect survival and dispersal. Collectively, however, seasonal shifts in temperature, precipitation, and stream flow patterns could reduce habitat suitability and connectivity for frogs and possibly other aquatic species inhabiting streams in this arid region. PMID:26445654
Impacts of anthropogenic activities on climate change in arid and semiarid areas based on CMIP5 models
Zhao, T.; LI, C.
Based on all (ALL) forcing and single-forcing runs from CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) simulations, the present paper examines the anthropogenic influence of greenhouse gases (GHG), anthropogenic aerosols (AA), land use (LU) and combined anthropogenic (Ant) effects on climate change in global arid and semiarid regions. Significant warming is a robust feature over the global land as a response to Ant and GHG forcings, and the warming rate from the latter forcing is two to three times that of ALL forcing results over the past 60 years. AA produces remarkable cooling over the global land surface, whereas LU leads to slight cooling in most arid and semiarid areas. GHG- and Ant-driven increases of precipitation are found in most land areas, especially in arid and semiarid regions. AA and LU produce substantial variation of precipitation over various areas, and current uncertainties are relatively great in AA and LU forcing runs. Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) is used to analyze temporal scales of annual temperature and precipitation. The results show that interdecadal and multidecadal variations of temperature and precipitation are attributable to combined natural and anthropogenic forcings in most arid and semiarid regions, where AA dominates variations of both temperature and precipitation on multidecadal timescales. Both GHG and LU have positive effects on multidecadal changes of precipitation over arid and semiarid regions globally. However, the latter significantly prevents multidecadal changes of temperature over arid and semiarid regions of Australia.
Developing User-Driven Climate Information Services to Build Resilience Amongst Groups at Risk of Drought and Flood in Arid and Semi-Arid Land Counties in Kenya
Githungo, W. N.; Shaka, A.; Kniveton, D.; Muithya, L.; Powell, R.; Visman, E. L.
The Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) counties of Kitui and Makueni in Kenya are experiencing increasing climate variability in seasonal rainfall, including changes in the onset, cessation and distribution of the two principal rains upon which the majority of the population's small-holder farmers and livestock keepers depend. Food insecurity is prevalent with significant numbers also affected by flooding during periods of intense rainfall. As part of a multi-partner Adaptation Consortium, Kenya Meteorological Services (KMS) are developing Climate Information Services (CIS) which can better support decision making amongst the counties' principal livelihoods groups and across County Government ministries. Building on earlier pilots and stakeholder discussion, the system combines the production of climate information tailored for transmission via regional and local radio stations with the establishment of a new SMS service. SMS are provided through a network of CIS intermediaries drawn from across key government ministries, religious networks, non-governmental and community groups, aiming to achieve one SMS recipient per 3-500 people. It also introduces a demand-led, premium-rate SMS weather information service which is designed to be self-financing in the long term. Supporting the ongoing process of devolution, KMS is downscaling national forecasts for each county, and providing seasonal, monthly, weekly and daily forecasts, as well as warnings of weather-related hazards. Through collaboration with relevant ministries, government bodies and research institutions, including livestock, agriculture, drought management and health, technical advisories are developed to provide guidance on application of the climate information. The system seeks to provide timely, relevant information which can enable people to use weather and climate information to support decisions which protect life and property and build resilience to ongoing climate variability and future change.
Establishment of a planted field with Mediterranean shrubs in Sardinia and its evaluation for climate mitigation and to combat desertification in semi-arid regions
De Dato GD
Full Text Available Forested areas are important in arid and semi-arid regions primarily to combat desertification, but also to increase carbon sinks. To reverse the land degradation processes, restoration in the Mediterranean Basin had been frequently obtained by planting indigenous and exotic conifers, but it has been demonstrated that shrubs are nurse species for tree seedlings. Furthermore, planting indigenous shrubs is more efficient than allochthonous in restoring degraded soils. The aims of this work were: 1 to illustrate an experimental area in Sardinia used as a test-site to build up afforestation and reforestation activities in arid and semi-arid areas with autochthonous shrub species; 2 to show the results on plant survival and biomass one year after plantation trying to explain the role of different densities and specific compositions; 3 to hypothesize some trends of C accumulation of this "artificial" Mediterranean semi-arid shrubland by comparison with data found in the literature. The area is located in North West Sardinia, and is characterized by a Mediterranean climate. The revegetation was set up in February 2006, planting local species (Juniperus phoenicea, Pistacia lentiscus and Rosmarinus officinalis. Three densities and three specific compositions (monospecific plots with P. lentiscus, monospecific plots with J. phoenicea and mixed plots with the three cited species were combined. One month after plantation, almost all plants were alive, but mortality increased after summer, independently of the treatments, likely due to summer drought. During the first year, no differences among the densities and the specific compositions were observed. Total above-ground biomass was in the range of 0.8-3.0 g m-2. Below-ground biomass was in the range of 0.9-1.7 g m-2. A significant lower biomass was measured in October, especially in the Pistacia plots. Higher densities and plant mixing seemed to better perform, allowing establishment of species with a
Climatic Conditions, Cultural Diversity, and Labor Productivity
Gundlach, Erich; Matus-Velasco, Ximena
Countries with the highest labor productivity overwhelmingly lie in the world's temperate climatic zones far away from the equator. The question we address is whether climatic conditions as measured by distance from the equator remain correlated with labor productivity after other variables are taken into account. We find that climatic conditions do not have a significant impact on labor productivity once we control for factor accumulation and cultural diversity within countries. Our regressi...
Improving Modeling of the Summer Climate of Semi-Arid Regions
Eltahir, E.; Marcella, M.
Presented is a study on the importance of certain land surface processes in accurately simulating the summertime climate of Southwest Asia. A nearly 4 degree C bias is simulated in summertime temperatures, by standard Regional Climate Model version 3 (RegCM3). Biases are also found in surface albedo, shortwave incident, and surface vapor pressure. Using satellite data, (Earth Radiation Budget Experiment-ERBE) modifications are introduced to match simulated surface albedo to the ERBE data. In addition, by incorporating RegCM3's dust module with sub-grid variability, surface shortwave incident biases are reduced. Lastly, representing the irrigation and marshlands of Mesopotamia reduces vapor pressure deficits in the region. All of these factors combined, along with errors in observational datasets, account for the 4 degree C warm bias in RegCM3 simulations. We conclude that accurate representations of albedo, irrigation, and dust emissions are important processes to be included for accurate summertime climate modeling in semi-arid regions around the world.
Interaction between groundwater and trees in an arid site: Potential impacts of climate variation and groundwater abstraction on trees
Yin, Lihe; Zhou, Yangxiao; Huang, Jinting; Wenninger, Jochen; Zhang, Eryong; Hou, Guangcai; Dong, Jiaqiu
The understanding of the interaction between groundwater and trees is vital for sustainable groundwater use and maintenance of a healthy ecosystem in arid regions. The short- and long-term groundwater contribution to tree water use was investigated using the HYDRUS-1D model and stable isotopes. For the short-term simulation, the ratio between the actual transpiration (Ta) and potential transpiration (Tp) approached almost ∼1.0 due to the constant groundwater uptake. The results from the short-term simulation indicated that the groundwater contribution to tree water use ranged between 53% and 56% in the dry season (May-June) and 16-19% in the wet period (August-September). Isotopic analysis indicated that groundwater contributed to 45% of plant water use in the dry season, decreasing to 4-12% during the wet period. Because of canopy interception and transpiration, groundwater recharge only occurred after heavy rainfall and accounted for 3-8% of the total heavy rainfall. For the long-term simulation, Ta/Tp ranged between 0.91 and 1.00 except in 2007 (0.78), when the water table declined because of groundwater abstraction. In the scenario simulation for deep water table conditions caused by anthropogenic activities, Ta/Tp ranged between 0.09 and 0.40 (mean = 0.22) that is significantly lower than the values in the natural conditions. In conclusion, vegetation restoration in arid zones should be cautious as over-planting of trees will decrease the groundwater recharge and potentially cause a rapid drop in water table levels, which in turn may result in the death of planted trees. Trees adapt to arid regions by adopting root patterns that allow soil water uptake by shallow roots and groundwater use by deep roots, thus climatic variation itself may not bring severe negative impact on trees. However, anthropogenic activities, such as groundwater abstraction, will result in significant water table decline that will reduce actual transpiration of trees significantly
Interacting Effects of Land Management Strategies and Climate Change on the Ecohydrologic Systems of the Semi-Arid Santa Fe Municipal Watershed
Dugger, A. L.; Tague, C.; Allen, C. D.; Ringler, T.
Current regional climate models predict overall warming in the Southwest U.S. along with increased drying and potential shifts in the timing and intensity of precipitation events. While climate controls on the water budget through precipitation inputs and the timing of snow accumulation and melt are critical in semi-arid mountain watersheds, we also expect vegetation water use and productivity changes to exert a strong control on the distribution, timing, and quantity of water availability. Given that management practices can significantly alter the structure and density of vegetation, land management has the potential to either mitigate or exacerbate certain climate change impacts on the water system. Our main goal is to examine climate, subsurface, and vegetation interactions in the semi-arid Santa Fe Municipal Watershed to determine the dominant controls on streamflow as well as the envelope of expected hydrologic behavior under potential climate and land management changes. We use a process-based, spatially distributed, integrated hydro-ecological model (RHESSys) to simulate water and vegetation carbon cycling. Specifically, we build a physically-based model calibrated for soil and effective drainage parameters and apply a range of climate inputs based on historical variability and forced with extremes in projected climate shifts. We then investigate the spatially and seasonally variable responses of vegetation, the timing and amounts of streamflow, and the interactions between these processes under different land management and disturbance schemes. This modeling exercise produces a series of probability distributions for annual and seasonal streamflow yields under various conditions, which under a statistical lens reveals the dominant controls on the magnitude and timing of streamflow. Results from this analysis highlight confounding (or mitigating) impacts on the vulnerability of water yields to climate change.
Impact of Direct Soil Moisture and Revised Soil Moisture Index Methods on Hydrologic Predictions in an Arid Climate
Milad Jajarmizadeh
Full Text Available The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT is a physically based model that is used extensively to simulate hydrologic processes in a wide range of climates around the world. SWAT uses spatial hydrometeorological data to simulate runoff through the computation of a retention curve number. The objective of the present study was to compare the performance of two approaches used for the calculation of curve numbers in SWAT, that is, the Revised Soil Moisture Index (SMI, which is based on previous meteorological conditions, and the Soil Moisture Condition II (SMCII, which is based on soil features for the prediction of flow. The results showed that the sensitive parameters for the SMI method are land-use and land-cover features. However, for the SMCII method, the soil and the channel are the sensitive parameters. The performances of the SMI and SMCII methods were analyzed using various indices. We concluded that the fair performance of the SMI method in an arid region may be due to the inherent characteristics of the method since it relies mostly on previous meteorological conditions and does not account for the soil features of the catchment.
Effects of changes in land use and management on landslide processes induced by water under semi-arid Mediterranean and humid tropical conditions
Pla-Sentís, I.
Under particular climate conditions, the hydrological processes in sloping lands leading to landslides induced by water are affected both by the soil properties and by the use and management of the land. Frequently, the influence of changes in use and management of the land is even more important than the changes in climate, associated or not to global changes, in increasing the risks or triggering landslides. In this contribution there are presented two cases of landslides triggered by hydrological changes induced by changes in land use and management, under semi-arid mediterranean climate conditions (terracing of dry land vineyards in NE Spain) and under humid tropical climate conditions (deforestation and change to overgrazed grassland in W Venezuela). There are shown the induced soil and land hydrological changes in each case, both evaluated in situ under field conditions and using the simulation model SOMORE developed by the author. This model, based on hydrological processes evaluated in situ, has been successfully used for predicting the changes in soil water regime and soil water balance, and to deduce their effects on problems related with water supply to plants, runoff, surface erosion, mass erosion (landslides), and flooding, under different climate and land use and management. From that we may be able both to predict the probabilities and risks of landslides under the present and previewed changing climatic conditions, and to select and apply the best land use and management practices to prevent them. The structure of this non empirical hydrological model is also presented.
Vegetation and climate history in arid western China during MIS2: New insights from pollen and grain-size data of the Balikun Lake, eastern Tien Shan
Zhao, Yongtao; An, Cheng-Bang; Mao, Limi; Zhao, Jiaju; Tang, Lingyu; Zhou, Aifeng; Li, Hu; Dong, Weimiao; Duan, Futao; Chen, Fahu
Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 is mostly a cold period encompassing the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), but the regional expression of MIS2 in arid areas of China is not well known. In this paper, we use high-resolution lacustrine pollen and grain-size records from Balikun Lake to infer vegetation, lake evolution, and climate in arid western China during MIS2. Our results suggest that: 1) the regional vegetation around Balikun was mainly dominated by desert and/or desert-steppe, and Balikun Lake was relatively shallow and experienced high aeolian input during MIS2; 2) distinctive runoff from mountain glacial meltwater in the eastern parts of the Balikun basin caused a high relative abundance of Artemisia pollen during the LGM (26.5-19.2 cal kyr BP), while simultaneously the desert areas expanded as indicated by the high abundance of desert shrubs (e.g., Elaeagnaceae, Rhamnaceae, Hippophae). This cold and dry LGM climate triggered a substantial lowering of lake level; 3) an extremely cold and dry climate prevailing from 17.0 to 15.2 cal kyr BP, correlated with Heinrich event 1 (H1), would explain the low vegetation cover found then; and 4) the warm and humid Bølling/Allerød interstadial (BA: ca. 15-ca. 13 cal kyr BP) is clearly recorded in the Balikun region by the development of wetland herb communities (e.g., Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Typha), and the lake level rose due to increased runoff. Our results challenge the traditional view of cold and wet climatic conditions and high lake levels in arid western China during the LGM, and we propose that changes in local temperature modulated by July insolation was an indispensable factor in triggering vegetation evolution in the Balikun region during MIS2.
[Changes of China agricultural climate resources under the background of climate change. VII. Change characteristics of agricultural climate resources in arid and semi-arid region of Tibet Plateau].
Xu, Hua-jun; Yang, Xiao-guang; Wang, Wen-feng; Xu, Chao
Based on the 1961-2007 ground observation data from 55 meteorological stations in arid and semi-arid region of Tibetan Plateau, and by using 5-day moving average method and ArcGIS-IDW module, this paper analyzed the spatiotemporal change characteristics and climatic trend rates of agricultural climate resources in the region in 1961-1980 (period I) and 1981-2007 (period II). In 1961-2007, the sunshine duration during the growth season of chimonophilous crops in the study region changed less, while that during the growth season of thermophilic crops increased but with little spatial change. Comparing with those in period I, the average value of accumulated temperature in period II showed an increasing trend, and the area with > or = 1500 degrees C x d during the growth season of thermophilic crops increased by 33.9%. The precipitation decreased gradually from southeast to northwest. During the growth season of chimonophilous crops, the precipitation in the southeast in the two periods reached 800 mm, but the climatic trend in other areas was positive or negative, and the change rate was small. The area with precipitation > or = 400 mm during the growth season of thermophilic crops in period II expanded by 40%, as compared in period I. The reference crop evapotranspiration (ET0) generally increased slightly, and shared the similar spatial distribution pattern with sunshine duration and accumulated temperature. During the growth season of thermophilic crops, the area with ET0 > or = 400 mm in period II expanded by 35.7%, compared with that in period I. In the study period, the heat and precipitation resources during crop growth seasons in Tibet Plateau increased in a certain degree, which was very beneficial to the agriculture-stock production. However, the increase of reference crop evapotranspitation indicated the increase of potential evaporation. Thereby, the researches about the possible effects of climate change on agriculture-stock production should be further
Climate Conditioning for the Learning Environment.
Perkins and Will, Architects, Chicago, IL.
Discusses heating, cooling, and ventilation for the classroom in relationship to students' learning abilities. It is designed to assist school boards, administrators, architects and engineers in understanding the beneficial effects of total climate control, and in evaluating the climate conditioning systems available for schools. Discussion…
Modeling Spatial Recharge in the Arid Southern Okanagan Basin and Impacts of Future Predicted Climate Change
Allen, D. M.; Toews, M. W.
Groundwater systems in arid regions will be particularly sensitive to climate change owing to the strong dependence of evapotranspiration rates on temperature, and potential shifts in the precipitation amounts and timing. In this study, future predicted climate change from three GCMs (CGCM1 GHG+A, CGCM3.1 A2, and HadCM3 A2) are used to evaluate the sensitivity of recharge in the Oliver region of the Okanagan Valley, south- central British Columbia, where annual precipitation is approximately 300~mm. Temperature data were downscaled using Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM), while precipitation and solar radiation changes were estimated directly from the GCM data. Results for the region suggest that temperature will increase up to 4°C by the end of the century. Precipitation is expected to decrease in the spring, and increase in the fall. Solar radiation may decrease in the late summer. Shifts in climate, from present to future-predicted, were applied to the LARS-WG stochastic weather generator to generate daily stochastic weather series. Recharge was modeled spatially using output from the HELP hydrologic model applied to one-dimensional soil columns. An extensive valley-bottom soil database was used to determine both the spatial variation and vertical assemblage of soil horizons in the Oliver region. Soil hydraulic parameters were estimated from soil descriptions using pedotransfer functions through the ROSETTA program. Leaf area index (LAI) was estimated from ground-truthed Landsat 5 TM imagery, and surface slope was estimated from a digital elevation model. Irrigation application rates were modified for each climate scenario based on estimates of seasonal crop water demand. Daily irrigation was added to precipitation in irrigation districts using proportions of crop types along with daily climate and evapotranspiration data from LARS-WG. The two dominant crop classes are orchard (including peaches, cherries and apples) and vineyards (grapes). Recharge in
Wetlands as a Record of Climate Change and Hydrological Response in Arid Rift Settings
Ashley, G. M.
Of all the terrestrial depositional settings, rift basins typically provide the greatest accommodation space, and consequently have some of the longest records of continental sedimentation. Lake deposits were the only rift component studied for records of long-term climatic change and for testing hypotheses of orbital forcing. Recently, the continuing quest for the paleontological and cultural records of human origins entombed in the sedimentary rocks of the East African Rift System raised questions concerning hydrologic and biologic response to climatic change. Additional issues are the impact of climate on paleolandscapes and the environmental stresses that might have affected human evolution. Other important indicators of rift hydrology, such as springs and wetlands are now emerging as viable records of climate change. Rift valley basins are shallow, hydrologically closed systems that are responsive to shifts in climate, and specifically sensitive to changes in the hydrologic budget (P-ET). Long term wet-dry cycles in the low latitudes are thought to be astronomically controlled, i.e. Milankovitch precession cycles (19-23 ka). In the tropics, precipitation (P) varies with changes in solar insolation which fluctuates similarly. Springs and groundwater-fed wetlands are common, however the sources and sustainability of water or what geologic factors lead to the formation and longevity of wetlands is not well established. It appears that rainfall is trapped on topographic highs (rift fault blocks and volcanoes). This meteoric water infiltrates quickly through porous volcanic rocks and is stored in aquifers and released slowly. As a component of the rift hydrologic system, wetlands appear to be reliable indicators of rainfall fluctuations on both Milankovitch and sub-Milankovitch time scales. Wetland sediments are commoner in the geologic record during times of higher rainfall and are less common during drier periods. Modern arid rift wetland records are peats and
Suitability of different comfort indices for the prediction of thermal conditions in tree-covered outdoor spaces in arid cities
Ruiz, María Angélica; Correa, Erica Norma
Outdoor thermal comfort is one of the most influential factors in the habitability of a space. Thermal level is defined not only by climate variables but also by the adaptation of people to the environment. This study presents a comparison between inductive and deductive thermal comfort models, contrasted with subjective reports, in order to identify which of the models can be used to most correctly predict thermal comfort in tree-covered outdoor spaces of the Mendoza Metropolitan Area, an intensely forested and open city located in an arid zone. Interviews and microclimatic measurements were carried out in winter 2010 and in summer 2011. Six widely used indices were selected according to different levels of complexity: the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI), Vinje's Comfort Index (PE), Thermal Sensation Index (TS), the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV), the COMFA model's energy balance (S), and the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). The results show that the predictive models evaluated show percentages of predictive ability lower than 25 %. Despite this low indicator, inductive methods are adequate for obtaining a diagnosis of the degree and frequency in which a space is comfortable or not whereas deductive methods are recommended to influence urban design strategies. In addition, it is necessary to develop local models to evaluate perceived thermal comfort more adequately. This type of tool is very useful in the design and evaluation of the thermal conditions in outdoor spaces, based not only to climatic criteria but also subjective sensations.
Coupled modeling approach to assess climate change impacts on groundwater recharge and adaptation in arid areas
Hashemi, H.; Uvo, C. B.; Berndtsson, R.
The effect of future climate scenarios on surface and groundwater resources was simulated using a modeling approach for an artificial recharge area in arid southern Iran. Future climate data for the periods of 2010-2030 and 2030-2050 were acquired from the Canadian Global Coupled Model (CGCM 3.1) for scenarios A1B, A2, and B1. These scenarios were adapted to the studied region using the delta-change method. A conceptual rainfall-runoff model (Qbox) was used to simulate runoff in a flash flood prone catchment. The model was calibrated and validated for the period 2002-2011 using daily discharge data. The projected climate variables were used to simulate future runoff. The rainfall-runoff model was then coupled to a calibrated groundwater flow and recharge model (MODFLOW) to simulate future recharge and groundwater hydraulic heads. As a result of the rainfall-runoff modeling, under the B1 scenario the number of floods is projected to slightly increase in the area. This in turn calls for proper management, as this is the only source of fresh water supply in the studied region. The results of the groundwater recharge modeling showed no significant difference between present and future recharge for all scenarios. Owing to that, four abstraction and recharge scenarios were assumed to simulate the groundwater level and recharge amount in the studied aquifer. The results showed that the abstraction scenarios have the most substantial effect on the groundwater level and the continuation of current pumping rate would lead to a groundwater decline by 18 m up to 2050.
Effects of environmental conditions on soil salinity and arid region in Tunisia
Ben Ahmed, C.; Ben Rouina, B.; Boukhris, M.
The shortage of water resources of good water quality is becoming an issue in the arid and semi arid regions. for this reason, the use of water resources of marginal quality such as treated wastewater and saline groundwater has become and important consideration, particularly in arid region in Tunisia, where large quantities of saline water are used for irrigation. (Author)
Groundwater Recharge Evaluation in Semi-Arid Northeast Mexico in Response to Projected Climate Change
Wolaver, B. D.
This research evaluates the effects of projected climate change on mountain recharge in the semi-arid Cuatrocinegas Basin (CCB) of northeast Mexico. The CCB UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is located in Coahuila, Mexico (~27° N, ~102° W) and includes > 500 springs that discharge from a regional flow system to wetlands with > 70 endemic species and to an irrigation network. This study tests the hypothesis that projected climate changes will reduce CCB recharge. In CCB, ~75% of annual precipitation (~220 mm at 700 m, ~400 mm at 2350 m) falls between May and October and ~40% falls during the North American Monsoon in June, July, and August. Environmental isotopes indicate aquifer residence times of > 50 years. Stable isotopes (O and H) show that mountain precipitation (at an elevation of ~1170 to 2350 m) dominates groundwater recharge. Recharge is insignificant at lower- elevation valleys that cover the majority of the study area due to high evapotranspiration rates. A Cl--balance water-budget recharge analysis estimates a spatially distributed recharge rate of ~1 to 3% of precipitation to provide at least 35x106 m3/year spring discharge (as measured in canals that drain dozens of springs). IPCC AR4 climate projections predict an annual temperature increase of 3.0 to 3.5°C and an annual precipitation decrease of 5 to 10% for Subregion CNA (located adjacent to CCB) by 2099. During June to August, models project a temperature increase of 3.5 to 4.0°C and a precipitation increase of 0 to 5%. Although global and regional circulation models evaluate mountain regions poorly, a first-order evaluation of climate projections on CCB recharge is needed input to develop effective long-term groundwater management policies. Climate projections suggest that the minimum elevation at which recharge occurs in CCB may increase by ~615 m to 1785 m, which would limit recharge to the highest mountain elevations. If annual precipitation is reduced by 5 to 10% and temperatures increase as
Definitions of climate and climate change under varying external conditions
C. Werndl
Full Text Available Commonly, definitions of climate are endorsed where the external conditions are held constant. This paper argues that these definitions risk being empirically void because in reality the external conditions vary. As a consequence, analogous definitions for varying external conditions are explored with help of the recently developed theory of non-autonomous dynamical systems, and the similarities and differences between the cases of constant and varying external conditions are discussed. It is argued that there are analogous definitions for varying external conditions which are preferable to the definitions where the external conditions are held constant. In this context, a novel definition is proposed (namely, climate as the distribution over time under a regime of varying external conditions, which is argued to be promising.
Concept, Design and Performance of a Shape Variable Mashrabiya as a Shading and Daylighting System for Arid Climates
Karamata, Boris; Andersen, Marilyne
The design of a solar protection system that can minimize solar gains while maximizing daylight and view to the outside is particularly challenging in arid climates, such as in the Middle-East, where sand, wind and corrosion impose specific constraints. We propose a system that provides a trade-off for three requirements: (i) maximize diffuse sunlight and view to the outside, (ii) efficiently block direct sunlight and (iii) transform a fraction of it into diffuse light for indoor daylighting....
Simulation of the Arid Climate of the Southern Great Basin Using a Regional Climate Model.
Giorgi, Filippo; Bates, Gary T.; Nieman, Steven J.
As part of the development effort of a regional climate model (RCM)for the southern Great Basin, this paper present savalidation analysis of the climatology generated by a high-resolution RCM driven by observations. The RCM is aversion of the National Center for atmospheric Research-Pennsylvania State University mesoscale model, version 4 (MM4), modified for application to regional climate simulation. Two multiyear simulations, for the periods 1 January 1982 to 31 December 1983 and 1 January 1988 to 25 April 1989, were performed over the western United States with the RCM driven by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts analyses of observations. The model resolution is 60 km. This validation analysis is the first phase of a project to produce simulations of future climate scenarios over a region surrounding Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the only location currently being considered as a potential high-level nuclear-waste repository site.Model-produced surface air temperatures and precipitation were compared with observations from five southern Nevada stations located in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. The seasonal cycles of temperature and precipitation were simulated well. Monthly and seasonal temperature biases were generally negative and largely explained by differences in elevation between the observing stations and the model topography. The model-simulated precipitation captured the extreme dryness of the Great Basin. Average yearly precipitation was generally within 30% of observed and the range of monthly precipitation amounts was the same as in the observations. Precipitation biases were mostly negative in the summer and positive in the winter. The number of simulated daily precipitation events for various precipitation intervals was within factors of 1.5-3.5 of observed. Overall, the model tended to overestimate the number of light precipitation events and underestimate the number of heavy precipitation events. At Yucca Mountain, simulated
Simulation of the arid climate of the southern great basin using a regional climate model
As part of the development effort of a regional climate model (RCM) for the southern Great Basin, this paper presents a validation analysis of the climatology generated by a high-resolution RCM driven by observations. Two multiyear simulations were performed over the western United States with the RCM driven by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts analyses of observations. This validation analysis is the first phase of a project to produce simulations of future climate scenarios over a region surrounding Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the only location currently being considered as a potential high-level nuclear-waste repository site. Model-produced surface air temperatures and precipitation were compared with observations from five southern Nevada stations located in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain. The seasonal cycles of temperature and precipitation were simulated well. Monthly and seasonal temperature biases were generally negative and largely explained by differences in elevation between the observing stations and the model topography. The model-simulated precipitation captured the extreme dryness of the Great Basin. Average yearly precipitation biases were mostly negative in the summer and positive in the winter. The number of simulated daily precipitation events for various precipitation intervals was within factors of 1.5-3.5 of observed. Overall, the model tended to overestimate the number of light precipitation events and underestimate the number of heavy precipitation events. At Yucca Mountain, simulated precipitation, soil moisture content, and water infiltration below the root zone (top 1 m) were maximized in the winter. Evaporation peaked in the spring after temperatures began to increase. The conclusion drawn from this validation analysis is that this high-resolution RCM simulates the regional surface climatology of the southern Great Basin reasonably well when driven by meteorological fields derived from observations. 26 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs
Hydrodynamic caracterisation of an heterogeneous aquifer system under semi-arid climate
Drias, T.; Toubal, A. Ch
The studied zone is a part of the Mellegne's (North-East of Algeria) under pound, this zone is characterised by its semi-arid climate. The water bearing system is formed by the plio-quaternairy alluviums resting on a marley substratuim of age Eocene. The geostatiscitcs approach of the hydrodynamics parameters (Hydrolic load, transmisivity) allowed the study of their spatial distrubution (casting) by the method of Krigeage by blocks and the identification of zones with water-bearing potentialities. In this respect, the zone of Ain Chabro which, is situated in the South of the plain shows the best values of the transmisivity...... The use of a bidimensinnel model in the differences ended in the permanent regime allowed us to establish the global balence sheet (overall assessment) of the tablecloth and to refine the transmisivity field. These would vary more exactley between 10-4 to 10-2 m²/s. The method associating the probability appraoch of Krigeage to that determining the model has facilited the wedging of the model and clarified the inflitration value. Keys words: hydrodynamics, geostatiscitcs, Modeling, Chabro, Tébessa.
A pluvial episode identified in arid Australia during the Medieval Climatic Anomaly
Cohen, T. J.; Nanson, G. C.; Jansen, J. D.; Gliganic, L. A.; May, J.-H.; Larsen, J. R.; Goodwin, I. D.; Browning, S.; Price, D. M.
Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from a relict shoreline on Lake Callabonna record a major pluvial episode in southern central Australia between 1050 ± 70 and 1100 ± 60 Common Era (CE), within the Medieval Climatic Anomaly (MCA). During this pluvial interval Lake Callabonna filled to 10-12 times the volume of the largest historical filling (1974) and reached maximum depths of 4-5 m, compared to the 0.5-1.0 m achieved today. Until now there has been no direct evidence for the MCA in the arid interior of Australia. A multi-proxy, analogue-based atmospheric circulation reconstruction indicates that the pluvial episode was associated with an anomalous meridional atmospheric circulation pattern over the Southern extratropics, with high sea-level pressure ridges in the central Indian Ocean and Tasman Sea, and a trough extending from the Southern Ocean into central Australia. A major decline in the mobility of the Australian aboriginal hunter-gatherer coincides with this MCA period, in southern central Australia.
Drought Forecasting Using Stochastic Models in a Hyper-Arid Climate
Amr Mossad
Full Text Available Drought forecasting plays a crucial role in drought mitigation actions. Thus, this research deals with linear stochastic models (autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA as a suitable tool to forecast drought. Several ARIMA models are developed for drought forecasting using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI in a hyper-arid climate. The results reveal that all developed ARIMA models demonstrate the potential ability to forecast drought over different time scales. In these models, the p, d, q, P, D and Q values are quite similar for the same SPEI time scale. This is in correspondence with autoregressive (AR and moving average (MA parameter estimate values, which are also similar. Therefore, the ARIMA model (1, 1, 0 (2, 0, 1 could be considered as a general model for the Al Qassim region. Meanwhile, the ARIMA model (1, 0, 3 (0, 0, 0 at 3-SPEI and the ARIMA model (1, 1, 1 (2, 0, 1 at 24-SPEI could be generalized for the Hail region. The ARIMA models at the 24-SPEI time scale is the best forecasting models with high R2 (more than 0.9 and lower values of RMSE and MAE, while they are the least forecasting at the 3-SPEI time scale. Accordingly, this study recommends that ARIMA models can be very useful tools for drought forecasting that can help water resource managers and planners to take precautions considering the severity of drought in advance.
Evaluation of the performance of solidified commercial low-level wastes in an arid climate
Shallow land burial is being used as a disposal method for commercial low-level waste at waste disposal sites in arid (Hanford site near Richland, Washington) and humid (Barnwell, South Carolina) climatic regions. A field lysimeter facility has been established at the Hanford site in which to conduct waste-form leaching tests. The primary objective of this research is to determine typical source terms generated by commercial solidified low-level wastes. The field lysimeter facility consists of ten 3-m-deep by 1.8-m-diameter, closed-bottom lysimeters around a central instrument caisson, 4 m in diameter. Commercial cement and vinyl ester-styrene waste samples were removed from 210-L drums and placed in the 1.8-m-diameter lysimeters. Two bitumen samples are planned to be emplaced in the facility in 1984. The central caisson provides access to the instrumentation in the individual lysimeters and allows selective sampling of the soil and waste forms. Suction candles (ceramic cups) placed around the waste will be used to periodically collect soil water samples for chemical analysis. Meteorological data, moisture content, and soil temperature are automatically monitored at the facility. Characterization of the soils and waste forms have been partially completed. These data consist of moisture release characteristics, particle size distribution, concentrations and distributions of radionuclides in the waste forms, concentrations of radionuclides in the waste streams, and concentrations of hydrophilic organic species in one of the waste steams. 8 references, 3 figures, 5 tables
A Risk-Based Assessment of Agricultural Water Scarcity Under Climate Change in a Semi-Arid and Snowmelt-Dominated River Basin
Moursi, Hossam
Water scarcity is the major challenge that water managers face in semi-arid areas, especially in regions that depend on agriculture for rural livelihood. Climate change is one of the major stresses that is expected to exacerbate water scarcity problems in semi-arid regions. In this study, a risk-based approach was used to assess the climate change impacts on the risk of agricultural water scarcity in semi-arid and snowmelt-dominated river basins that are dependent on agriculture. The Sevier R...
Performance of fenugreek bioinoculated with Rhizobium meliloti strains under semi-arid condition.
Singh, N K; Patel, D B
Rhizobium meliloti strains were isolated from the fields of S.D. Agricultural University (Gujarat, India) and were maintained in the Congo Red Yeast Extract Mannitol Agar medium. These strains were tested for their effectiveness for fenugreek crop grown under semi-arid condition. Among the six Rhizobium strains, FRS-7 strain showed best plant growth parameters like shoot length, shoot dry weight, shoot total nitrogen, root length, root dry weight, root total nitrogen, seed yield, 1000 grain weight, number of root nodules, and nodules fresh and dry weight. The performance of this strain was better as compared to 20 kgN ha(-1) treatment through urea and was even far better over control plot. Seed yields obtained with FRS-7 during two years were 10.14 and 9.66 q ha(-1); which was about 36.8% and 45.9% high over control. This strain resulted in saving of about 20 kgN ha(-1) accompanied with better crop yield and soil health. Results of the present experiments can be utilized in integrated nutrient management for cultivation of fenugreek in semi-arid areas to provide sustainability to agricultural productivity in such regions. PMID:26930857
Impact of grazing on range plant community components under arid Mediterranean climate in northern Syria
Niane, A.A.
Keywords: Rotational grazing, full protection, continuous grazing species richness, species diversity, soil seed bank, Bayesian methods, Salsola vermiculata, seed longevity, rangeland management, Syria. Rangelands represent 70% of the semi-arid and arid Mediterranean land mass. It is a n
Variation of climatic elements and thermoregulatory responses of goats in the Brazilian semi-arid
João Vinícius Barbosa Roberto
Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the influence of climate elements in different times of day on the thermoregulatory mechanisms of Saanen goats pure and crossbred ¼ saanen+ ¾ Boer, reared in intensive system in semi-arid of Paraiba. Sixteen goats were used, eight females pure Saanen and eight crossbred ¼ Saanen + ¾ Boer, distributed in a DIC in a factorial scheme 2x12 (two races and twelve different times. Evaluated the environmental and physiological parameters in the different times: from 6 to 17 hours. In the environmental parameters is observed that IBGT increase during the day reaching its maximum value (84.16 at 13 hours. After 10 h of ambient temperatures exceeded the ZCT for goats. For TR observed that there was statistical difference between the genetic groups in times of 7, 10 and 16 hours, and the highest means found in the crossbreed and times of 13, 14,15 and 17 hours. For FR, the group of pure saanen and times of 14h showed the highest means. In the TS there was no effect of genetic groups. The variation of environmental temperature influences directly the physiological responses of animals. The group saanen is less tolerant than the crossbred, to semi-arid.
Analysis of Molecular Geochemistry of Soil Organic Matter from 17-year Reciprocal Transplant Experiment in Arid Ecosystem: Simulated Climate Pertubation
Hess, N. J.; Tfaily, M.; Bailey, V. L.; McCue, L. A.
Successful development of chemical profiles that link soil carbon vulnerability and resilience to climate change would greatly facilitate assessment of soil ecosystems response to global climate change. Additionally these signatures could be used to support the design of sustainable agricultural and food/energy crop security practices. We test this possibility using soils obtained from a 17-year reciprocal soil transplant experiment between two elevations in the arid environment of eastern Washington [1]. 30-cm diameter soil cores were reciprocally transplanted between the upper and lower sites. Cores were also transplanted in place to control for disturbance. Extracted subcores were incubated in environmental chambers and measured microbial respiration revealed statically a significant decrease in respiratory response as a function of temperature in cores transferred from low elevation to high elevation. We use ultra high resolution mass spectrometry to identify thousands of organic molecules and changes in geochemistry that would indicate the vulnerability of the soil ecosystem to climate perturbation. In our experiments we used methanol extraction followed by direct injection to 12 T ESI FT-ICR MS to identify about 4000 of individual compounds in about 200 mg soils at sub ppm mass accuracy. Chemical formulae were assigned to approximately 65% of the measured peaks using a modified Kujawinski pipeline and second order Kendrick transformations [2] resulted in approximately 75% assigned peaks. Our preliminary analysis finds that while the bulk C content of soils from the cooler, wetter conditions at the upper elevation is approximately twice that of the warmer, drier conditions at lower elevation, the molecular soil geochemistry is remarkably similar. Detailed analysis reveals subtle differences in the lipid, carbohydrate, and condensed hydrocarbon compositional makeup of the soil. Additionally, of the more than 17,000 individual compounds identified approximately
Assessment of future agricultural conditions in southwestern Africa using fuzzy logic and high-resolution climate model scenarios
Weinzierl, Thomas; Heider, Katharina
Climate change is expected to have a major impact on the arid savanna regions of southwestern Africa, such as the Okavango Basin. Precipitation is a major constraint for agriculture in countries like Namibia and Botswana and assessments of future crop growth conditions are in high demand. This GIS-based approach uses reanalysis data and climate model output for two scenarios and compares them to the precipitation requirements of the five most important crops grown in the region: maize, pearl ...
Deuterium and 18O as indicators of evaporation losses from rice crops in semi-arid climate zones
Rice requires the highest water application rate of any of the major grain crops, with total water demand per unit area of crop at least twice that of maize or wheat. Most of the water used for rice production in semi-arid climates is lost to the atmosphere through the combined effects of evaporation and transpiration. Evaporation leads to substantial enrichment of residual liquid phase water molecules containing heavier isotopes (deuterium and 18O) because of preferential loss to the atmosphere of lighter isotope molecules. In contrast, transpiration leads to little net enrichment of the heavier isotopes in residual waters. This difference between the effects on the stable isotopic composition of surface water of the two loss modes to the atmosphere offers the potential to estimate arid zone evaporation losses independent of transpiration, both in natural waters, such as swamps, and in regional scale irrigation networks. 3 refs, 2 figs
James Zivanomoyo
Full Text Available Impacts of climate change in developing countries remain poorly understood because few studies have successfully analyses the overall impact of climate on developing country economies. Agricultural growth is widely viewed as an effective and most important way to reduce poverty in developing countries which are hardly hit by the adverse effects of climate change (Datt and Ravallion, 1996. Despite this knowledge the main challenge is how to increase agricultural productivity to improve household welfare and increase food security in these changing and challenging climatic conditions. This study used the multinomial logit model to analyse the determinants of farmers' choice of crop variety in the face of climate change. The estimation of the multinomial logit was done by using the sorghum variety options as dependent variable and where farmers grow other crop different from sorghum as the reference state. Results show that the key determinants of choosing crop variety are; the price of existing crop variety, level of education of farmers, the size of the farms, government policies and incentives and credit availability.
Impact of grazing on range plant community components under arid Mediterranean climate in northern Syria
Niane, A.A.
Keywords: Rotational grazing, full protection, continuous grazing species richness, species diversity, soil seed bank, Bayesian methods, Salsola vermiculata, seed longevity, rangeland management, Syria. Rangelands represent 70% of the semi-arid and arid Mediterranean land mass. It is a natural habitat for millions of people whose livelihood depends on animal husbandry. The revolutionary developments in the animal husbandry and veterinary medicines resulted in exponential increases in h...
Simulating the impact of no-till systems on field water fluxes and maize productivity under semi-arid conditions
Mupangwa, W.; Jewitt, G. P. W.
Crop output from the smallholder farming sector in sub-Saharan Africa is trailing population growth leading to widespread household food insecurity. It is therefore imperative that crop production in semi-arid areas be improved in order to meet the food demand of the ever increasing human population. No-till farming practices have the potential to increase crop productivity in smallholder production systems of sub-Saharan Africa, but rarely do because of the constraints experienced by these farmers. One of the most significant of these is the consumption of mulch by livestock. In the absence of long term on-farm assessment of the no-till system under smallholder conditions, simulation modelling is a tool that provides an insight into the potential benefits and can highlight shortcomings of the system under existing soil, climatic and socio-economic conditions. Thus, this study was designed to better understand the long term impact of no-till system without mulch cover on field water fluxes and maize productivity under a highly variable rainfall pattern typical of semi-arid South Africa. The simulated on-farm experiment consisted of two tillage treatments namely oxen-drawn conventional ploughing (CT) and ripping (NT). The APSIM model was applied for a 95 year period after first being calibrated and validated using measured runoff and maize yield data. The predicted results showed significantly higher surface runoff from the conventional system compared to the no-till system. Predicted deep drainage losses were higher from the NT system compared to the CT system regardless of the rainfall pattern. However, the APSIM model predicted 62% of the annual rainfall being lost through soil evaporation from both tillage systems. The predicted yields from the two systems were within 50 kg ha -1 difference in 74% of the years used in the simulation. In only 9% of the years, the model predicted higher grain yield in the NT system compared to the CT system. It is suggested that
Assessment of adaptability of zebu cattle ( Bos indicus) breeds in two different climatic conditions: using cytogenetic techniques on genome integrity
Kumar, Anil; Waiz, Syma Ashraf; Sridhar Goud, T.; Tonk, R. K.; Grewal, Anita; Singh, S. V.; Yadav, B. R.; Upadhyay, R. C.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the genome integrity so as to assess the adaptability of three breeds of indigenous cattle reared under arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan (Bikaner) and Haryana (Karnal) India. The cattle were of homogenous group (same age and sex) of indigenous breeds viz. Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Kankrej. A total of 100 animals were selected for this study from both climatic conditions. The sister chromatid exchanges (SCE's), chromosomal gaps and chromatid breaks were observed in metaphase plates of chromosome preparations obtained from in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The mean number of breaks and gaps in Sahiwal and Tharparkar of semi-arid zone were 8.56 ± 3.16, 6.4 ± 3.39 and 8.72 ± 2.04, 3.52 ± 6.29, respectively. Similarly, the mean number of breaks and gaps in Tharparkar and Kankrej cattle of arid zone were 5.26 ± 1.76, 2.74 ± 1.76 and 5.24 ± 1.84, 2.5 ± 1.26, respectively. The frequency of SCEs in chromosomes was found significantly higher ( P differences ( P different zones, i.e. arid and semi-arid, whereas no significant difference ( P > 0.05) was observed in the same zone. The analysis of frequency of CAs and SCEs revealed significant effects of environmental conditions on the genome integrity of animals, thereby indicating an association with their adaptability.
Productivity and residual benefits of grain legumes to sorghum under semi-arid conditions in southwestern Zimbabwe
Ncube, B.; Twomlow, S.J.; Wijk, van M.T.; Dimes, J.P.; Giller, K.E.
The productivity and residual benefits of four grain legumes to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) grown in rotation were measured under semi-arid conditions over three cropping seasons. Two varieties of each of the grain legumes; cowpea (Vigna unguiculata); groundnut (Arachis hypogaea); pigeon pea (Cajanus
Adaptation to New Climate by an Old Strategy? Modeling Sedentary and Mobile Pastoralism in Semi-Arid Morocco
Korbinian P. Freier
Full Text Available In a modeling study we examine vulnerability of income from mobile (transhumant pastoralism and sedentary pastoralism to reduced mean annual precipitation (MAP and droughts. The study is based on empirical data of a 3410 km2 research region in southern, semi-arid Morocco. The land use decision model integrates a meta-model of the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC simulator to depict perennial and annual forage plant development. It also includes livestock dynamics and forward-looking decision making under uncertain weather. Mobile livestock in the model moves seasonally, sedentary livestock is restricted to pastures around settlements. For a reduction of MAP by 20%, our model shows for different experimental frequencies of droughts a significant decrease of total income from pastoralism by 8%–19% (p < 0.05. Looking separately at the two modes of pastoralism, pronounced income losses of 18%–44% (p < 0.05 show that sedentary pastoralism is much more vulnerable to dryer climate than mobile pastoralism, which is merely affected. Dedicating more pasture area and high quality fodder to mobile pastoralism significantly abates impacts from reduced MAP and droughts on total income by 11% (p < 0.05. Our results indicate that promotion of mobile pastoralism in semi-arid areas is a valuable option to increase resilience against climate change.
Water, land, climate change and agrarian livelihood in an arid region riparian corridor: Rayón, Sonora, Mexico
Lee, R.; Scott, C. A.; Curl, K.; House-Peters, L.; Buechler, S.
Results of recent fieldwork in Rayón, Sonora, Mexico (funded by NSF's "Strengthening Resilience of Arid Region Riparian Corridors") indicate that the coupled natural and human (CNH) system that has persisted since the town's founding in 1626 is being degraded and destabilised by a confluence of social and ecological pressures. System change or loss of key system services and products has important implications for ecological services and human economic activity in the riparian corridor. Less water quantity is the primary factor responsible for driving system degradation and change. Drought caused by climate change is widely perceived by agriculturists as responsible for reduced water quantity in the riparian area. Reductions in water quantity are so severe that the once perennial Rio San Miguel did not run during 2012's summer months for the first time in residents' memory. Ninety-percent of wells are dry. Fields irrigated by surface-water acequias were not planted. Starvation or dehydration has thinned herd sizes. Residents fear they will lose the ability to practice their traditional livelihoods: ranching, farming and cheese production. Drought conditions and resource management in response to climatic change have had a net negative impact on ecological services. Agriculturists have responded to less forage and pasture for cattle by clearing mesquite forests, putting land into production, and increasing water demand. From interviews it appears this process is cyclical: agriculturists widely believe access to more water or an end to the drought are the only ways to improve conditions. Interviews also reveal (a) agriculturists view technology, especially that which is able to improve water-use efficiency, as means to reduce stress in the CNH system and (b) a holistic view that couples natural well-being to human well-being is absent from the majority of respondents' worldviews. Technological and adoption of holistic perceptions are adaptations that may potentially
Impacts of Climate Change and Anthropogenic Activities on the Ecological Restoration of Wetlands in the Arid Regions of China
Haibo Wang
Full Text Available As an important part of the global ecosystem, wetlands and their dynamics greatly influence regional eco-environment systems. To understand the distributions, change processes and temporal-spatial characteristics of the wetlands of the inland river basin in an arid region (Heihe River Basin, HRB, this paper employed multi-source remote sensing data to facilitate multi-temporal monitoring of the HRB wetland using a wetland information extraction method. First, we performed monitoring of these wetlands for the years 2000, 2007, 2011 and 2014; then, we analyzed the variation characteristics of the spatial-temporal dynamics of the wetlands in the HRB over the last 15 years via the landscape dynamic change model and the transformation matrix. In addition, we studied the possible driving mechanisms of these changes. The research results showed that the total area of the HRB wetlands had decreased by 2959.13 hectares in the last 15 years (Since 2000, and the annual average loss was −1.09%. The dynamics characterizing the HRB wetlands generally presented a trend of slow increase after an initial decrease, which can be classified into three stages. From 2000 to 2007, the total wetland area rapidly decreased; from 2007 to 2011, the area slowly decreased; and from 2011 to 2014, the area gradually increased. The dynamic changing processes characterizing the wetland resources were ascribed to a combination of natural processes and human activities. The main driving mechanisms of wetland dynamic changes include climatic conditions, upper reach water inflows, population, water resources, cultivated area, and policy. The findings of this study can served as reference and support for the conservation and management of wetland resources in the HRB.
Water balance of two earthen landfill caps in a semi-arid climate
Khire, M.V. [GeoSyntec Consultants, Boca Raton, FL (United States); Benson, C.H.; Bosscher, P.J. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
Water balance data are presented that were obtained from two earthen cap test sections located in a semi-arid region. The test sections were constructed on a municipal solid waste landfill in East Wenatchee, Washington, USA. One test section represents a traditional resistive barrier, and is constructed with a compacted silty clay barrier 60 cm thick and a vegetated silty clay surface layer 15 cm thick. The other test section represents a capillary barrier and has a sand layer 75 cm thick overlain by a 15-cm-thick vegetated surface layer of silt. Extensive hydrological and meteorological data have been collected since November 1992. Unsaturated hydraulic properties of soils, hydrologic parameters, and vegetation have been extensively characterized. Results of the study show that capillary barriers can be effective caps in semi-arid and arid regions. They are also cheaper to construct and can perform better than traditional resistive barriers.
Incidence of Vector-borne Disease and Climate Change: A Study in Semi-arid Algeria
Blakey, T.; Bounoua, L.
Leishmaniases are among the most important emerging and resurging vector-borne diseases, second only to malaria in terms of the number of affected people. Leishmaniases are endemic in 88 countries worldwide and threaten about 350 million people (WHO, 2007). Since the first reported case of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Saida, Algeria in 1991, 1,275 cases have been recorded (Makhlouf & Houti, 2010) with the vast majority of study-area cases (99%) reported between the years of 2000 and 2009. An investigation of potential climatic indicators for the apparent shift in disease prevalence was conducted by comparing anomalies in the climate data specific to the local pathogen cycle. It was determined that long term climate trends have resulted in conditions that promote the prevalence of ZCL. Increased precipitation have resulted in greater vegetation and promoted host and vector population growth through a trophic cascade. Increased minimum temperatures have lengthened the annual duration of sandfly activity. Short term variations in maximum temperatures, however show a correlation with disease suppression in the subsequent years. These findings indicate a potential to forecast the risk of ZCL infection through models of the trophic cascade and sandfly population growth.
Evaluating the coupling effects of climate aridity and vegetation restoration on soil erosion over the Loess Plateau in China.
Zhang, Baoqing; He, Chansheng; Burnham, Morey; Zhang, Lanhui
In this study, the coupling effects of climate aridity and vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment yield over the Loess Plateau were examined and characterized. To take into consideration the complexity of drought, as well as the varied strengths and weaknesses of different drought measures, two drought indices are selected to identify and evaluate drought variability. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data were obtained to monitor and express spatiotemporal variations in vegetation cover. The results show that most regions of the Loess Plateau experienced increasingly severe droughts over the past 40years, and these regions comprise the major source of the Yellow River sediment. Climatic drying initially occurred in the 1990s, and became statistically significant in 2000s. The increasingly severe droughts could negatively impact surface and groundwater supplies as well as soil water storage, but may also minimize surface runoff yield, which is one of the major causes of soil erosion on the Loess Plateau. Vegetation cover on the Loess Plateau was significantly improved after the implementation of "Grain for Green" project, which were helpful for controlling severe soil erosion. With the impacts of the construction of check dams, terraces and large reservoirs, runoff and sediment yield over the Loess Plateau initially exhibited downward trends between 1970 and 1990. After 1990, with the effects of the climate warming and drying, a second sharp reduction in runoff and sediment yield occurred. The coupling effects of climate aridity and vegetation restoration have led to a third significant decrease in runoff and sediment yield over the Loess Plateau after 2000. PMID:26379259
Wind energy under cold climate conditions
Maribo Pedersen, B.
There is an increasing interest in wind energy production under different climatic conditions, among them cold climate and icing conditions. More and more wind turbines are being installed in cold climates and even adapted technology has been developed for that environment. Various national activities are going on in at least Finland, Canada, Italy, Sweden, etc. and international collaboration has been carried out within the European Union's Non-nuclear energy programme. Wind turbine operation is affected by both the cold temperatures and the formation of ice on the blades and the supporting structure. Cold temperatures can be handled by material selections known in other technical fields but to prevent icing, new techniques have to be - and have been - developed. Icing affects the reliability of anemometers, which concerns both turbine control and resource estimation, and changes the aerodynamics of the blades, which eventually stops the turbine. In addition, occasional icing events can locally affect public safety. The development of applied technology has entered some different paths and different solutions are tried out. As the applications are entering a commercial phase, these is a request to gather the experiences and monitor the reliability in a form that can be utilised by developers, manufactureres, consultants and other tenderers. The Topical Experts Meeting will focus on site classification, operational experiences, modelling and mesurements of ice induced loads and safety aspects. (EHS)
[Spatial variability of surface soil moisture content in depression area of karst region under moist and arid conditions].
Zhang, Jiguang; Chen, Hongsong; Su, Yirong; Wu, Jinshui; Zhang, Wei
By the methods of geostatistics, this paper studied the spatial structure and distribution pattern of surface soil (0 - 5 and 5 - 10 cm) moisture content in the depression area of karst region in northwest Guangxi under moist and arid conditions in the forepart of dry season. The results showed that in test area, surface soil moisture content had obvious spatial heterogeneity and anisotropy, presenting a significantly different plaque distribution pattern. Under moist condition, surface soil moisture content had a medium or stronger spatial relativity, with a range of about 33.15 and 15.75 m, respectively, and an obvious trend effect in 0 - 5 cm soil layer. Under arid condition, the spatial relativity was strong, and the spatial scale of resembling plaque had somewhat decrease, with the smallest range being 8.22 m. The moisture content under arid condition had a higher spatial variability, and thus, the sampling strategy should be based on the mean soil moisture content. The significant difference in the spatial variability and distribution pattern of surface soil moisture in test area was mainly due to the effects of physiognomy, soil mean moisture (precipitation), and topography. PMID:17330464
Productivity and residual benefits of grain legumes to sorghum under semi-arid conditions in southwestern Zimbabwe
Ncube, B.; Twomlow, S.J.; Wijk, van, M.J.; Dimes, J.P.; Giller, K.E.
The productivity and residual benefits of four grain legumes to sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) grown in rotation were measured under semi-arid conditions over three cropping seasons. Two varieties of each of the grain legumes; cowpea (Vigna unguiculata); groundnut (Arachis hypogaea); pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan); Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), and sorghum were grown during the first season. The same experiment was implemented three times in different, but adjacent fields that had similar soi...
Evaporative fraction as an indicator of moisture condition and water stress status in semi-arid rangeland ecosystems
Francesco Nutini; Mirco Boschetti; Gabriele Candiani; Stefano Bocchi; Pietro Alessandro Brivio
Rangeland monitoring services require the capability to investigate vegetation condition and to assess biomass production, especially in areas where local livelihood depends on rangeland status. Remote sensing solutions are strongly recommended, where the systematic acquisition of field data is not feasible and does not guarantee properly describing the spatio-temporal dynamics of wide areas. Recent research on semi-arid rangelands has focused its attention on the evaporative fraction (EF), a...
Vulnerability of riparian ecosystems to elevated CO2 and climate change in arid and semiarid western North America
Perry, Laura G.; Andersen, Douglas C.; Reynolds, Lindsay V.; Nelson, S. Mark; Shafroth, Patrick B.
Riparian ecosystems, already greatly altered by water management, land development, and biological invasion, are being further altered by increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations ([CO2]) and climate change, particularly in arid and semiarid (dryland) regions. In this literature review, we (1) summarize expected changes in [CO2], climate, hydrology, and water management in dryland western North America, (2) consider likely effects of those changes on riparian ecosystems, and (3) identify critical knowledge gaps. Temperatures in the region are rising and droughts are becoming more frequent and intense. Warmer temperatures in turn are altering river hydrology: advancing the timing of spring snow melt floods, altering flood magnitudes, and reducing summer and base flows. Direct effects of increased [CO2] and climate change on riparian ecosystems may be similar to effects in uplands, including increased heat and water stress, altered phenology and species geographic distributions, and disrupted trophic and symbiotic interactions. Indirect effects due to climate-driven changes in streamflow, however, may exacerbate the direct effects of warming and increase the relative importance of moisture and fluvial disturbance as drivers of riparian ecosystem response to global change. Together, climate change and climate-driven changes in streamflow are likely to reduce abundance of dominant, native, early-successional tree species, favor herbaceous species and both drought-tolerant and late-successional woody species (including many introduced species), reduce habitat quality for many riparian animals, and slow litter decomposition and nutrient cycling. Climate-driven changes in human water demand and associated water management may intensify these effects. On some regulated rivers, however, reservoir releases could be managed to protect riparian ecosystem. Immediate research priorities include determining riparian species' environmental requirements and monitoring riparian
Effectiveness of indirect evaporative cooling and thermal mass in a hot arid climate
Krueger, Eduardo [Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Tecnologia/Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia Civil, Departamento de Construcao Civil, Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Parana - UTFPR, Av. Sete de Setembro, 3165. Curitiba PR, CEP. 80230-901 (Brazil); Gonzalez Cruz, Eduardo [Instituto de Investigaciones de la Facultad de Arquitectura y Diseno (IFAD), Universidad del Zulia, Nucleo Tecnico de LUZ, Av. Goajira (16) con Calle 67, Maracaibo, CP 4011-A-526 (Venezuela); Givoni, Baruch [Department of Architecture, School of Arts and Architecture, UCLA, Los Angeles CA, USA, and Ben Gurion University (Israel)
In this paper, we compare results of a long-term temperature monitoring in a building with high thermal mass to indoor temperature predictions of a second building that uses an indirect evaporative cooling system as a means of passive cooling (Vivienda Bioclimatica Prototipo -VBP-1), for the climatic conditions of Sde Boqer, Negev region of Israel (local latitude 30 52'N, longitude 34 46'E, approximately 480 m above sea level). The high-mass building was monitored from January through September 2006 and belongs to a student dormitory complex located at the Sde Boqer Campus of Ben-Gurion University. VBP-1 was designed and built in Maracaibo, Venezuela (latitude 10 34'N, longitude 71 44'W, elevation 66 m above sea level) and had its indoor air temperatures, below and above a shaded roof pond, as well as the pond temperature monitored from February to September 2006. Formulas were developed for the VBP-1, based on part of the whole monitoring period, which represent the measured daily indoor maximum, average and minimum temperatures. The formulas were then validated against measurements taken independently in different time periods. The developed formulas were here used for estimating the building's thermal and energy performance at the climate of Sde Boqer, allowing a comparison of two different strategies: indirect evaporative cooling and the use of thermal mass. (author)
Surficial weathering of iron sulfide mine tailings under semi-arid climate
Hayes, Sarah M.; Root, Robert A.; Perdrial, Nicolas; Maier, Raina; Chorover, Jon
Mine wastes introduce anthropogenic weathering profiles to the critical zone that often remain unvegetated for decades after mining cessation. As such, they are vulnerable to wind and water dispersion of particulate matter to adjacent ecosystems and residential communities. In sulfide-rich ore tailings, propagation to depth of the oxidative weathering front controls the depth-variation in speciation of major and trace elements. Despite the prevalence of surficial mine waste deposits in arid r...
Groundwater Diffuse Recharge and its Response to Climate Changes in Semi-Arid Northwestern China
Lin Deng
Full Text Available Understanding the processes and rates of groundwater recharge in arid and semi-arid areas is crucial for utilizing and managing groundwater resources sustainably. We obtained three chloride profiles of the unsaturated-zone in the desert/loess transition zone of northwestern China and reconstructed the groundwater recharge variations over the last 11, 21, and 37 years, respectively, using the generalized chloride mass balance (GCMB method. The average recharge rates were 43.7, 43.5, and 45.1 mm yr-1, respectively, which are similar to those evaluated by the chloride mass balance (CMB or GCMB methods in other semi-arid regions. The results indicate that the annual recharge rates were not in complete linear proportion to the corresponding annual precipitations, although both exhibited descending tendencies on the whole. Comparisons between the daily precipitation aggregate at different intensity and recharge rates reveal that the occurrence of relatively heavy daily precipitation per year may contribute to such nonlinearity between annual precipitation and recharge. The possible influences of vegetation cover alterations following precipitation change cannot be excluded as well. The approximately negative correlation between the average annual recharge and temperature suggests that changes in temperature have had significant influences on recharge.
A Dynamic, Multivariate Sustainability Measure for Robust Analysis of Water Management under Climate and Demand Uncertainty in an Arid Environment
Christian Hunter
Full Text Available Considering water resource scarcity and uncertainty in climate and demand futures, decision-makers require techniques for sustainability analysis in resource management. Through unclear definitions of "sustainability", however, traditional indices for resource evaluation propose options of limited flexibility by adopting static climate and demand scenarios, limiting analysis variables to a particular water-use group and time. This work proposes a robust, multivariate, dynamic sustainability evaluation technique and corresponding performance indicator called Measure of Sustainability (MoS for resource management that is more adapted to withstand future parameter variation. The range of potential future climate and demand scenarios is simulated through a calibrated hydrological model of Copiapó, Chile, a case study example of an arid watershed under extreme natural and anthropogenic water stresses. Comparing MoS and cost rankings of proposed water management schemes, this paper determines that the traditional evaluation method not only underestimates future water deficits, but also espouses solutions without considering uncertainties in supply and demand. Given the uncertainty of the future and the dependence of resources upon climate and market trajectories, the MoS methodology proposes solutions that, while perhaps are not the most optimal, are robust to variations in future parameter values and are thus the best water management options in a stochastic natural world.
Agricultural water supply/demand changes under projected future climate change in the arid region of northwestern China
Guo, Ying; Shen, Yanjun
The water resources in the arid region of northwestern China, which are impacted by climate change, tend to be more unstable, and the environment and ecosystems will suffer from severe water shortage. In this paper, potential future climate trends were predicted based on CMIP5 simulations in this region. The water availability and agricultural water demand under future climate change scenarios were estimated. Impacted by increases in temperature, the irrigation water demand will increase by 4.27-6.15 billion m3 in this region over the next 60 years, compared to the demand of 32.75 billion m3 during 1971-2000. However, the annual runoff will only increase by 4.8-8.5 billion m3, which is equivalent to or even less than the increased irrigation water demand. In fact, the increased demand for industrial, domestic and ecological water were not considered here. Thus, the water supply/demand contradiction will result in more severe water shortages in the future. According to a comparison with simulated irrigation water demand under three adaptation strategy scenarios, we should take effective measures such as improving the efficiency of irrigation water utilization, reducing crop planting areas and adjusting crop planting structures to alleviate the impacts of future climate changes and human activities on the water supply and water use in this region.
Relationship between Arid Climatic Factors and Forest Fires%干旱气候因子与森林火灾
徐明超; 马文婷
Forest fires as a natural disaster,climate changes can directly or indirectly be affected on the forest burning in the fire environment,and thus affecting on fire occurrence and fire behavior.Arid climatic conditions such as temperature,sunlight,evaporation,wind,air humidity,and other weather conditions are closely related to occurrences of forest fires and development.In general,high temperature,drought,less humidity,large winds can easily trigger to forest fires.In the mountains,the valley wind and topographic effects on forest fire spread,the spread of forest fires mainly affected by the valley wind control,with the intermittent addition,the terrain changes to a large extent restricts the spread of fire.Thus,to take advantage of the different periods of weather conditions,mountain wind time and favorable terrain,timely organization of fire fighting and control the spread of fire.There are various types of forest fires,forest fires in some special fire behavior and related elements of the spread of fire development impact are analysis,to find out the forest fire fighting and escape methods and precautions.%森林火灾作为一种自然灾害,气候变化直接或间接影响森林燃烧的火环境,进而对火发生和火行为产生影响.干旱气候条件与森林火灾的发生有密切的关系,气象条件通过气温、日照、蒸发量、风力、空气湿度等影响着森林火灾的发生和发展.一般情况下,气温高、降水少、湿度小、风力大易发生森林火灾.在山区,山谷风和地形影响森林火灾蔓延,森林火灾的蔓延主要受山谷风所控制,具有间歇性,另外地形的变化在很大程度上制约着火势的蔓延.所以,要利用不同时段的气象条件、山风出现的时间及有利地形,及时组织灭火和控制火势蔓延.森林火灾的发生有各种类型,通过对森林火灾中一些特殊火行为及相关元素对火灾发展蔓延影响分析,找出森林火灾扑救与逃生的方法及注意事项.
Short Communication: Rhizosphere bacteria containing ACC-deaminase conferred drought tolerance in wheat grown under semi-arid climate
Masood Ahmad Shakir
Full Text Available Certain rhizobacteria have the potential of lowering endogenous ethylene levels in plants because of their 1- aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC-deaminase activity and promoting root growth. This mechanism is of great agronomic significance under stress environments, which are known to induce accelerated production of ethylene. Thirty rhizobacteria were isolated from rhizosphere of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. growing in the Southern Punjab, a semi-arid region of Pakistan. Rhizobacteria were screened for ACC-deaminase activity and their potential to confer drought tolerance in wheat crop. Results of laboratory study revealed that selected rhizobacteria lowered endogenous ethylene levels in the rhizosphere as measured by Gas Chromatograph. Axenic studies showed that inoculation increased root-shoot length, root-shoot mass and lateral root number of the inoculated plants by 141, 44, 196, 52 and 30%, respectively, over control. Better-developed roots because of inoculation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR helped plants, a better crop stand that enhanced moisture and nutrient feeding volume resulting-in improved growth and yields of wheat crop. Two-year multi-location field trials inferred optimum yields with low delta water in semi-arid climate by PGPR containing ACC-deaminase. The enzyme ACC-deaminase probably lowered harmful ethylene levels which partially eliminated drought stress consequently utilizing soil moisture from lower profiles through proliferated roots.
Ecological opportunity and the evolution of habitat preferences in an arid-zone bird: implications for speciation in a climate-modified landscape
Norman, Janette A.; Les Christidis
Bioclimatic models are widely used to investigate the impacts of climate change on species distributions. Range shifts are expected to occur as species track their current climate niche yet the potential for exploitation of new ecological opportunities that may arise as ecosystems and communities remodel is rarely considered. Here we show that grasswrens of the Amytornis textilis-modestus complex responded to new ecological opportunities in Australia's arid biome through shifts in habitat pre...
Modelling vegetation water-use and groundwater recharge as affected by climate variability in an arid-zone Acacia savanna woodland
Chen, Chao; Eamus, Derek; Cleverly, James; Boulain, Nicolas; Cook, Peter; Zhang, Lu; Cheng, Lei; Yu, Qiang
For efficient and sustainable utilisation of limited groundwater resources, improved understanding of how vegetation water-use responds to climate variation and the corresponding controls on recharge is essential. This study investigated these responses using a modelling approach. The biophysically based model WAVES was calibrated and validated with more than two years of field experimental data conducted in Mulga (Acacia aneura) in arid central Australia. The validated model was then applied to simulate vegetation growth (as changes in overstory and understory leaf area index; LAI), vegetation water-use and groundwater recharge using observed climate data for the period 1981-2012. Due to large inter-annual climatic variability, especially precipitation, simulated annual mean LAI ranged from 0.12 to 0.35 for the overstory and 0.07 to 0.21 for the understory. These variations in simulated LAI resulted in vegetation water-use varying greatly from year-to-year, from 64 to 601 mm pa. Simulated vegetation water-use also showed distinct seasonal patterns. Vegetation dynamics affected by climate variability exerted significant controls on simulated annual recharge, which was greatly reduced to 0-48 mm compared to that (58-672 mm) only affected by climate. Understanding how climate variability and land use/land cover change interactively impact on groundwater recharge significantly improves groundwater resources management in arid and semi-arid regions.
Westerly jet stream and past millennium climate change in Arid Central Asia simulated by COSMO-CLM model
Fallah, Bijan; Sodoudi, Sahar; Cubasch, Ulrich
This study tackles one of the most debated questions around the evolution of Central Asian climate: the "Puzzle" of moisture changes in Arid Central Asia (ACA) throughout the past millennium. A state-of-the-art Regional Climate Model (RCM) is subsequently employed to investigate four different 31-year time slices of extreme dry and wet spells, chosen according to changes in the driving data, in order to analyse the spatio-temporal evolution of the moisture variability in two different climatological epochs: Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA). There is a clear regime behavior and bimodality in the westerly Jet phase space throughout the past millennium in ACA. The results indicate that the regime changes during LIA show a moist ACA and a dry East China. During the MCA, the Kazakhstan region shows a stronger response to the westerly jet equatorward shift than during the LIA. The out-of-phase pattern of moisture changes between India and ACA exists during both the LIA and the MCA. However, the pattern is more pronounced during the LIA.
Visible and Near-IR Reflectance Spectra of Mars Analogue Materials Under Arid Conditions for Interpretation of Martian Surface Mineralogy
Morris, R. V.; Graff, T. G.; Achilles, C. N.; Agresti, D. G.; Ming, D. W.; Golden, D. C.
Visible and near-IR (VNIR) spectra from the hyper-spectral imagers MRO-CRISM and Mars Express OMEGA in martian orbit have signatures from Fe-bearing phases (e.g., olivine, pyroxene, and jarosite), H2O/OH-bearing phases (e.g., smectites and other phyllosilicates, sulfates, and high-SiO2 phases), and carbonate [e.g., 1-5]. Mineralogical assignments of martian spectral features are made on the basis of VNIR spectra acquired in the laboratory under appropriate environmental conditions on samples whose mineralogical composition is known. We report here additional results for our ongoing project [6] to acquire VNIR spectra under arid conditions.
Climate change impact on future water resources availability for a semi-arid area (Ferghana Valley, Central Asia)
Radchenko, Iuliia; Breuer, Lutz; Mannig, Birgit; Frede, Hans-Georg
Considering increasing temperatures and glacier recession during the last decades, it is of high interest to study the climate change impact on water resources availability in semi-arid regions of Central Asia. The Ferghana Valley is surrounded by the Tien-Shan and Pamiro-Alay mountain systems that store big amounts of water in snowpacks and glaciers. In the valley the agricultural activity of local people strongly depends on available water from the Syrdarya River. The river is formed by the confluence of the Naryn and Karadarya Rivers, which are mainly fed by the glacier and snow melt from the Akshiirak and Ferghana ridges of the aforementioned mountain systems. The small upper river basins of the valley also contribute with runoff (~34 %) to the Syrdarya River. These small rivers are mainly fed by precipitation and seasonal snow melt. Thus, because of climate change and glacier decline, it is necessary to investigate the comparative contribution of the small catchments versus two big river basins to the Syrdarya River system, as these small upper catchments could become more important for future water consumption. In this study the conceptual hydrological HBV-light model has been calibrated and validated for the period 1980-1985 over 18 upper catchments that feed the Syrdarya River from the surrounding mountain ridges. Dynamically downscaled climate change scenarios were then applied up to the year 2100 for these basins. The scenarios were generated by means of Global Circulation Model (ECHAM5) and Regional Climate Model (REMO) with a baseline period from 1971 till 2000. We will present modelling results of water resources, the contribution of small rivers to the Syrdarya River and to what extent this contribution is likely to change in the future. Moreover, the results of simulated potential runoff will be used to develop future climate change adaptation strategies regarding socio-economic and environmental sustainable water use.
Climate change mitigation by carbon stock - the case of semi-arid West Africa
Lykke, A. M.; Barfod, A. S.; Tinggaard Svendsen, G.; Greve, M.; Svenning, J.-C.
Semi-arid West Africa has not been integrated into the afforestation/reforestation (AR) carbon market. Most projects implemented under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) have focused on carbon emission reductions from industry and energy consumption, whereas only few (only one in West Africa) have been certified for AR carbon sequestration. A proposed mechanism, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) to be discussed under COP15 aims to reduce emissions by conserving already existing forests. REDD has high potential for carbon stocking at low costs, but focuses primarily on rain forest countries and excludes semi-arid West Africa from the preliminary setup. African savannas have potential to store carbon in the present situation with degrading ecosystems and relatively low revenues from crops and cattle, especially if it is possible to combine carbon stocking with promotion of secondary crops such as food resources and traditional medicines harvested on a sustainable basis. Methods for modelling and mapping of potential carbon biomass are being developed, but are still in a preliminary state. Although economic benefits from the sale of carbon credits are likely to be limited, carbon stocking is an interesting option if additional benefits are considered such as improved food security and protection of biodiversity.
Climate change mitigation by carbon stock - the case of semi-arid West Africa
Semi-arid West Africa has not been integrated into the afforestation/reforestation (AR) carbon market. Most projects implemented under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) have focused on carbon emission reductions from industry and energy consumption, whereas only few (only one in West Africa) have been certified for AR carbon sequestration. A proposed mechanism, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) to be discussed under COP15 aims to reduce emissions by conserving already existing forests. REDD has high potential for carbon stocking at low costs, but focuses primarily on rain forest countries and excludes semi-arid West Africa from the preliminary setup. African savannas have potential to store carbon in the present situation with degrading ecosystems and relatively low revenues from crops and cattle, especially if it is possible to combine carbon stocking with promotion of secondary crops such as food resources and traditional medicines harvested on a sustainable basis. Methods for modelling and mapping of potential carbon biomass are being developed, but are still in a preliminary state. Although economic benefits from the sale of carbon credits are likely to be limited, carbon stocking is an interesting option if additional benefits are considered such as improved food security and protection of biodiversity.
Runoff from soils on marls under semi-arid mediterranean conditions
D. Garnet; Blum, W. E. H.
In semi-arid Mediterranean regions the pressure on natural resources such as water and soil is increasing. In the Maghreb, soil degradation and reservoir sedimentation are serious problems, particularly in catchment areas with a high proportion of marls. As part of an Algerian-German project of scientific-technical cooperation, the runoff from soils on marls was studied, using modern rain simulators. A description of the rainfall experiments is followed by the presentation of a simple and app...
Contribution of Afforestation Practices to Changing Hydrology in Arid and Semi-arid Regions
Xie, X.; Meng, S.; Li, J.
Arid and semi-arid regions are generally susceptible to land degeneration due to limited precipitation and high potential evapotranspiration (ET). Afforestation has been assumed to be a feasible strategy to conserve water and to improve ecological environment. For example, the Northern China, as a typical arid and semi-arid region has experienced large-scale and long-term afforestation practices since the early 1980s. The land cover has been altered to some degree as tree planting with increasing greenness. However, the effectiveness of afforestation might not be as expected due to the interference of climate change. In this study, we attempted to quantify the contribution of afforestation practices to the hydrological system in the Northern China. A macro-scale hydrological model, i.e., the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC), was employed to simulate ET, soil moisture and runoff for the period 1959 - 2009. Fractional simulation scenarios were designed regarding different conditions of land cover and climate changes. The results indicate that the land cover has minor impact on the variability of hydrological variables at regional scale, comparing with the climate change. Particularly, the decreasing precipitation plays a dominant role in shaping the trends of ET, soil moisture and runoff. The findings have significant implications for the implementation of the afforestation practices and for the management of water resources in arid and semi-arid regions.
Predicting the long-term durability of hemp-lime renders in inland and coastal areas using Mediterranean, Tropical and Semi-arid climatic simulations.
Arizzi, Anna; Viles, Heather; Martín-Sanchez, Inés; Cultrone, Giuseppe
Hemp-based composites are eco-friendly building materials as they improve energy efficiency in buildings and entail low waste production and pollutant emissions during their manufacturing process. Nevertheless, the organic nature of hemp enhances the bio-receptivity of the material, with likely negative consequences for its long-term performance in the building. The main purpose of this study was to study the response at macro- and micro-scale of hemp-lime renders subjected to weathering simulations in an environmental cabinet (one year was condensed in twelve days), so as to predict their long-term durability in coastal and inland areas with Mediterranean, Tropical and Semi-arid climates, also in relation with the lime type used. The simulated climatic conditions caused almost unnoticeable mass, volume and colour changes in hemp-lime renders. No efflorescence or physical breakdown was detected in samples subjected to NaCl, because the salt mainly precipitates on the surface of samples and is washed away by the rain. Although there was no visible microbial colonisation, alkaliphilic fungi (mainly Penicillium and Aspergillus) and bacteria (mainly Bacillus and Micrococcus) were isolated in all samples. Microbial growth and diversification were higher under Tropical climate, due to heavier rainfall. The influence of the bacterial activity on the hardening of samples has also been discussed here and related with the formation and stabilisation of vaterite in hemp-lime mixes. This study has demonstrated that hemp-lime renders show good durability towards a wide range of environmental conditions and factors. However, it might be useful to take some specific preventive and maintenance measures to reduce the bio-receptivity of this material, thus ensuring a longer durability on site. PMID:26551276
Inductive analysis about the impact of climate warming on regional geomorphic evolution in arid area
Anayit, Mattohti; Abulizi, Mailiya
Climate change on the surface of earth will produce a chain reaction among so many global natural environmental elements. Namely, all the issues will be affected by the climate change, just like the regional water environment, formation and development of landscape, plants and animals living environment, the survival of microorganisms, the human economic environment and health, and the whole social environment changes at well. But because of slow frequency of climate change and it is volatility change, its influence on other factors and the overall environmental performance is not obvious, and its reflection performs slowly. Using regional weather data, we calculated qualitatively and quantitatively and did analysis the impact of climate warming on Xinjiang (a province of China) geomorphic evolution elements, including the ground weather, erosion rate, collapse change, landslide occurrences changes and impact debris flow, combining the field survey and indoor test methods. Key words: climate change; the geomorphic induction; landscape change in river basin; Xinjiang
Agronomic Importance of First Development of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. Under Semi-arid Conditions: II. Seed Imbibition
A. Oksel
Full Text Available Due to the slowness growth and weakness of the first developments of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L., it could not combated with weeds and easiliy caught up by Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei (Pass Labr. disease. Additionally, due to biotic and abiotic stress factors, esp. at the late sowing, important seed yield losses could be happened. To be able to avoid from them is only possible to accelerate of its first development as possible as. So, one of the best solutions to is to use chemical compounds such as Humic Acid (HA known soil regulator under the semi-arid conditions. With this aim this research was performed in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD with four replications under semi-arid field conditions during (2008/2009 and (2009/2010 in Turkiye. Two cultivars (V1 = Gokce and V2 = Ispanyol and four seed imbibition methods (A0 = 0, A1 = Tap Water, A2 = ½ Tap Water + ½ Humic acid (HA, A3 = Full HA, as w/w and seven yield components Plant Height (PH, Number of Branches per Plant (NBP, Number of Pods per Plant (NPP, First Pod Height (NFP, Number of Seeds per Pod (NSP, Seed Weight per Plant (SWP and 100-Seed weight (HSW were investigated. The PH and FPH were affected the A0, the NBP, NPP and NSP were affected the A2 and the SWP and HSW were given the varied but not clear responses according to varieties for all the parameters in A1. The A0 and A1 were encouraged the germination and top soil of the plant but, the A2 to A3 were encouraged root system's development. It was concluded that the A2 is a promising method which makes the maximum and positive effect to the first development of the chickpea agronomy under the semi-arid conditions.
Agronomic importance of first development of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under semi-arid conditions: II. Seed imbibition.
Ulukan, H; Bayraktar, N; Oksel, A; Gursoy, M; Kocak, N
Due to the slowness growth and weakness of the first developments of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), it could not combated with weeds and easily caught up by Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei (Pass) Labr.) disease. Additionally, due to biotic and abiotic stress factors, esp. at the late sowing, important seed yield losses could be happened. To be able to avoid from them is only possible to accelerate of its first development as possible as. So, one of the best solutions to is to use chemical compounds such as Humic Acid (HA) known soil regulator under the semi-arid conditions. With this aim this research was performed in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications under semi-arid field conditions during (2008/2009) and (2009/2010) in Turkiye. Two cultivars (V1 = Gokce and V2 = Ispanyol) and four seed imbibition methods (A0 = 0, A1 = Tap Water, A2 = 1/2 Tap Water + 1/2 Humic acid (HA), A3 = Full HA, as w/w) and seven yield components Plant Height (PH), Number of Branches per Plant (NBP), Number of Pods per Plant (NPP), First Pod Height (NFP), Number of Seeds per Pod (NSP), Seed Weight per Plant (SWP) and 100-Seed weight (HSW) were investigated. The PH and FPH were affected the A0, the NBP, NPP and NSP were affected the A2 and the SWP and HSW were given the varied but not clear responses according to varieties for all the parameters in A1. The A0 and A1 were encouraged the germination and top soil of the plant but, the A2 to A3 were encouraged root system's development. It was concluded that the A2 is a promising method which makes the maximum and positive effect to the first development of the chickpea agronomy under the semi-arid conditions. PMID:22816177
Large-scale climate patterns and precipitation in an arid endorheic region: linkage and underlying mechanism
Shi, Pengfei; Yang, Tao; Zhang, Ke; Tang, Qiuhong; Yu, Zhongbo; Zhou, Xudong
The interactions between a range of large-scale climate oscillations and their quantitative links with precipitation are basic prerequisites to understand the hydrologic cycle. Restricted by the current limited knowledge on underlying mechanisms, statistical methods (e.g. correlation methods) are often used rather than a physical-based model. However, available correlation methods generally fail to explain the interactions among a wide range of climate oscillations and associated effects on the water cycle. This study presents a new probabilistic analysis approach by means of a state-of-the-art Copula-based joint probability distribution to characterize the aggregated behaviors for large-scale climate patterns and their connections to precipitation. We applied this method to identify the complex connections between climate patterns (westerly circulation (WEC), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)) and seasonal precipitation over a typical endorheic region, the Tarim River Basin in central Asia. Results show that the interactions among multiple climate oscillations are non-uniform in most seasons and phases. Certain joint extreme phases can significantly trigger extremes (flood and drought) owing to the amplification effect among climate oscillations. We further find that the connection is mainly due to the complex effects of climatic and topographical factors.
Influences on the stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in gerbillid rodent teeth in semi-arid and arid environments: Implications for past climate and environmental reconstruction
Jeffrey, Amy; Denys, Christiane; Stoetzel, Emmanuelle; Lee-Thorp, Julia A.
The stable isotope composition of small mammal tissues has the potential to provide detailed information about terrestrial palaeoclimate and environments, because their remains are abundant in palaeontological and archaeological sites, and they have restricted home ranges. Applications to the Quaternary record, however, have been sparse and limited by an acute lack of understanding of small mammal isotope ecology, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments. Here we document the oxygen and carbon isotope composition of Gerbillinae (gerbil) tooth apatite across a rainfall gradient in northwestern Africa, in order to test the relative influences of the 18O/16O in precipitation or moisture availability on gerbil teeth values, the sensitivity of tooth apatite 13C/12C to plant responses to moisture availability, and the influence of developmental period on the isotopic composition of gerbil molars and incisors. The results show that the isotopic composition of molars and incisors from the same individuals differs consistent with the different temporal periods reflected by the teeth; molar teeth are permanently rooted and form around the time of birth, whereas incisors grow continuously. The results indicate that tooth choice is an important consideration for applications as proxy Quaternary records, but also highlights a new potential means to distinguish seasonal contexts. The oxygen isotope composition of gerbil tooth apatite is strongly correlated with mean annual precipitation (MAP) below 600 mm, but above 600 mm the teeth reflect the oxygen isotope composition of local meteoric water instead. Predictably, the carbon isotope composition of the gerbil teeth reflected C3 and C4 dietary inputs, however arid and mesic sites could not be distinguished because of the high variability displayed in the carbon isotope composition of the teeth due to the microhabitat and short temporal period reflected by the gerbil. We show that the oxygen isotope composition of small
Simulation of Water Vapor Ingress into PV-Modules under Different Climatic Conditions
Philip Hülsmann
Full Text Available This work deals with the simulation of water vapor ingress into wafer-based PV-modules for long-term exposure under different climatic conditions. Measured material parameters together with climatic data sets from four test sites (tropic, moderate, alpine, and arid were used to calculate the water concentration inside of the encapsulant between solar cell and glass for a lifetime of 20 years. Two back-sheet materials (PET-based and PA-based combined with EVA as encapsulant were used in respect to their influence on water ingress. The results show faster water ingress for warmer regions, but the highest concentrations were found for the moderate test site. The water ingress was additionally influenced by the used encapsulant and back-sheet combination. In particular the temperature dependency of the mass transfer, which differs from material to material, was the focus of this investigation.
Effect of climate change on the vulnerability of a socio-ecological system in an arid area
Liu, Hai-Long; Willems, Patrick; Bao, An-Ming; Wang, Ling; Chen, Xi
The vulnerability of arid areas threatens ecosystems and human existence. With climate change and increasing human activities, addressing this vulnerability has become an important concern. To support this objective, we present a complex index system to analyze vulnerability at a regional scale with a 1 km × 1 km resolution. Based on the evaluation framework, which includes natural resources, the natural environment and the social economy, the results indicate that an ecosystem in a mountainous area is more vulnerable than it is in a plain. Land desertification will worsen from 2014 to 2099 under the RCP4.5 scenarios and improve slightly under the RCP8.5 and RCP2.6 scenarios, while the suitable land for agriculture increased slightly under the three scenarios. In addition, a regional sensitivity analysis of vulnerability to climate change shows that the improving region and the worsening region will occupy 1.30% and 74.51%, respectively. In view of this, the socio-ecological system will undergo a worsening trend as a whole. Finally, we simplified how to solve the problem of a socio-ecological system in the future. This research method and results would generate new insights with respect to planning for sustainable development and provide a reference for decision-making.
Assessment and analysis of industrial liquid waste and sludge disposal at unlined landfill sites in arid climate
Municipal solid waste disposal sites in arid countries such as Kuwait receive various types of waste materials like sewage sludge, chemical waste and other debris. Large amounts of leachate are expected to be generated due to the improper disposal of industrial wastewater, sewage sludge and chemical wastes with municipal solid waste at landfill sites even though the rainwater is scarce. Almost 95% of all solid waste generated in Kuwait during the last 10 years was dumped in five unlined landfills. The sites accepting liquid waste consist of old sand quarries that do not follow any specific engineering guidelines. With the current practice, contamination of the ground water table is possible due to the close location of the water table beneath the bottom of the waste disposal sites. This study determined the percentage of industrial liquid waste and sludge of the total waste dumped at the landfill sites, analyzed the chemical characteristics of liquid waste stream and contaminated water at disposal sites, and finally evaluated the possible risk posed by the continuous dumping of such wastes at the unlined landfills. Statistical analysis has been performed on the disposal and characterization of industrial wastewater and sludge at five active landfill sites. The chemical analysis shows that all the industrial wastes and sludge have high concentrations of COD, suspended solids, and heavy metals. Results show that from 1993 to 2000, 5.14±1.13 million t of total wastes were disposed per year in all active landfill sites in Kuwait. The share of industrial liquid and sludge waste was 1.85±0.19 million t representing 37.22±6.85% of total waste disposed in all landfill sites. Such wastes contribute to landfill leachate which pollutes groundwater and may enter the food chain causing adverse health effects. Lined evaporation ponds are suggested as an economical and safe solution for industrial wastewater and sludge disposal in the arid climate of Kuwait
Resilience of stocking capacity to changing climate in arid to Mediterranean landscapes
Köchy, Martin; Mathaj, Martin; Jeltsch, Florian; Malkinson, Dan
Small livestock is an important resource for rural human populations in dry climates. How strongly will climate change affect the capacity of the rangeland? We used hierarchical modelling to scale quantitatively the growth of shrubs and annual plants, the main food of sheep and goats, to the landscape extent in the eastern Mediterranean region. Without grazing, productivity increased in a sigmoid way with mean annual precipitation. Grazing reduced productivity more strongly the drier the land...
Assessment of adaptability of zebu cattle ( Bos indicus) breeds in two different climatic conditions: using cytogenetic techniques on genome integrity
Kumar, Anil; Waiz, Syma Ashraf; Sridhar Goud, T.; Tonk, R. K.; Grewal, Anita; Singh, S. V.; Yadav, B. R.; Upadhyay, R. C.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the genome integrity so as to assess the adaptability of three breeds of indigenous cattle reared under arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan (Bikaner) and Haryana (Karnal) India. The cattle were of homogenous group (same age and sex) of indigenous breeds viz. Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Kankrej. A total of 100 animals were selected for this study from both climatic conditions. The sister chromatid exchanges (SCE's), chromosomal gaps and chromatid breaks were observed in metaphase plates of chromosome preparations obtained from in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The mean number of breaks and gaps in Sahiwal and Tharparkar of semi-arid zone were 8.56 ± 3.16, 6.4 ± 3.39 and 8.72 ± 2.04, 3.52 ± 6.29, respectively. Similarly, the mean number of breaks and gaps in Tharparkar and Kankrej cattle of arid zone were 5.26 ± 1.76, 2.74 ± 1.76 and 5.24 ± 1.84, 2.5 ± 1.26, respectively. The frequency of SCEs in chromosomes was found significantly higher ( P 0.05) was observed in the same zone. The analysis of frequency of CAs and SCEs revealed significant effects of environmental conditions on the genome integrity of animals, thereby indicating an association with their adaptability.
Has contemporary climate change played a role in population declines of the lizard Ctenophorus decresii from semi-arid Australia?
Walker, Samantha; Stuart-Fox, Devi; Kearney, Michael R
Whilst contemporary climatic changes are small in magnitude compared to those predicted for the coming decades, they have already been linked to species range shifts and local extinctions. Elucidating the drivers behind species' responses to contemporary climate change will better inform management strategies for vulnerable and pest species alike. A recent proposal to explain worldwide local extinctions in lizards is that increasing maximum temperatures have constrained lizard activity time in the breeding season beyond extinction thresholds. Here we document a significant population decline and potential local extinction at the warm (northern) range margin of the tawny dragon, Ctenophorus decresii, a rock-dwelling lizard from the Flinders Ranges in semi-arid Australia. We developed and tested a biophysical model of tawny dragon thermoregulatory behaviour and drove the model with daily weather data for the period 1990-2009 across the Flinders Ranges. Our results indicate that potential annual activity time has likely increased over this period throughout the historic range, with within-season declines only in the summer months at the northern range limit. However, populations that have declined since 2000 have also likely experienced higher active body temperatures and more stringent retreat-site requirements (deeper crevices) than have regions where the species remains common, during a period of declining rainfall. Our laboratory estimates of thermal preference in this species were insensitive to altered nutritional and hydric state. Thus it is possible that recent population declines are linked to desiccation stress driven by higher body temperatures and declining rainfall. Our study illustrates that simple indices of the impact of climate warming on animals, such as activity restriction, may in fact reflect a variety of potential mechanisms whose ultimate outcome will be contingent on other factors such as water and shelter availability. PMID:26615728
An extended modeling approach to assess climate change impacts on groundwater recharge and adaptation in arid areas
H. Hashemi
Full Text Available The impact of future climate scenarios on surface and groundwater resources was simulated using a modeling approach for an artificial recharge area in arid southern Iran. Future climate data for the periods of 2010–2030 and 2030–2050 were acquired from the Canadian Global Coupled Model (CGCM 3.1 for scenarios A1B, A2, and B1. These scenarios were adapted to the studied region using the delta-change method. The modified version of the HBV model (Qbox was used to simulate runoff in a flash flood prone catchment. The model was calibrated and validated for the period 2002–2011 using daily discharge data. The projected climate variables were used to simulate future runoff. The rainfall–runoff model was then coupled to a calibrated groundwater flow and recharge model (MODFLOW to simulate future recharge and groundwater hydraulic head. The results of the rainfall–runoff modeling showed that under the B1 scenario the number of floods might increase in the area. This in turn calls for a proper management, as this is the only source of fresh water supply in the studied region. The results of the groundwater recharge modeling showed no significant difference between present and future recharge for all scenarios. Owing to that, four abstraction and recharge scenarios were assumed to simulate the groundwater level and recharged water in the studied aquifer. The results showed that the abstraction scenarios have the most substantial effect on the groundwater level and the continuation of current pumping rate would lead to a groundwater decline by 18 m up to 2050.
Effect of meteorologic conditions on total suspended particulate (TSP) levels and elemental concentration of aerosols in a semi-arid zone (Beer-Sheva, Israel)
The total suspended particulate (TSP) levels in Beer-Sheva, situated in a semi-arid area with winds bringing in dust from the surrounding deserts, was measured 41 times between June 1977 and May 1978. The TSP levels are correlated with climatic conditions. High TSP levels (890 +- 250 μg m-3) were found during Sharav conditions and sandstorms (hot, dry weather, typical to this region). Low TSP levels (59 +- 28 μg m-3) were found in the winter following rain. Usual TSP levels were found to be 140 +- 20 μg m-3 occurring during normal weather conditions. The elemental composition of the Beer-Sheva aerosols were determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INNA) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). The concentrations of the following elements Fe, Na, Br, K, Sm, Au, Sb, Ga, La, Yb, Lu, Se, Hg, Cr, Sc, Rb, Co, Ta and Zn were determined by INNA and Ca, Si, S, Ti, Cl, Pb, Fe, V, Ni and Mn by XRF. Their relative abundances were found to depend on the prevailing TSP level. (Auth.)
Evaluation of landfill leachate in arid climate-a case study.
Al-Yaqout, A F; Hamoda, M F
Generation of leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in arid regions has long been neglected on the assumption that minimal leachate could be formed in the absence of precipitation. Therefore, a case study was conducted at two unlined MSW landfills, of different ages, in the state of Kuwait in order to determine the chemical characteristics of leachate and examine the mechanism of leachate formation. Leachate quality data were collected from both active and old (closed) landfills where co-disposal of MSW and other solid and liquid wastes is practiced. The analysis of data confirms that leachates from both landfills are severely contaminated with organics, salts and heavy metals. However, the organic strength of the leachate collected from the old landfill was reduced due to waste decomposition and continuous gas flaring. A significant degree of variability was encountered and factors which may influence leachate quality were identified and discussed. A water balance at the landfill site was assessed and a conceptual model was presented which accounts for leachate generation due to rising water table, capillary water and moisture content of the waste. PMID:12742402
Ecosystem services provided by agricultural terraces in semi-arid climates.
Romero-Díaz, Asunción; Díaz-Pereira, Elvira; Boix-Fayos, Carolina; de Vente, Joris
Since ancient times, agricultural terraces are common features throughout the world, especially on steep slope gradients. Nowadays many terraces have been abandoned or removed and few new terraces are build due to increased mechanisation and intensification of agriculture. However, terraces are amongst the most effective soil conservation practices, reducing the slope gradient and slope length, as well as runoff rate and soil erosion, and without terraces, it would be impossible to cultivate on many hillslopes. Moreover, their scenic interest is undeniable, as in some cases, terraced slopes have even become part of UNESCO World Heritage. In order to highlight the potential benefits, requirements and limitations of terraces, we reviewed different types of sustainable land management practices related to terraces and characterised their implications for provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural ecosystem services. We centred our review on terraces in semi-arid environments worldwide, as were documented in the WOCAT (World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies) database. Our results show that the most important ecosystem services provided by terraces relate to regulation of the on-site and off-site effects of runoff and erosion, and maintenance of soil fertility and vegetation cover. The presence of terraces also favours the provision of food, fiber, and clean water. In short, our results stress the crucial environmental, geomorphological and hydrological functions of terraces that directly relate to improving the quality of life of the people that use them. These results highlight the need for renewed recognition of the value of terraces for society, their preservation and maintenance.
Improving Estimation of Evapotranspiration under Water-Limited Conditions Based on SEBS and MODIS Data in Arid Regions
Chunlin Huang
Full Text Available This study proposes a method for improving the estimation of surface turbulent fluxes in surface energy balance system (SEBS model under water stress conditions using MODIS data. The normalized difference water index (NDWI as an indicator of water stress is integrated into SEBS. To investigate the feasibility of the new approach, the desert-oasis region in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin (HRB is selected as the study area. The proposed model is calibrated with meteorological and flux data over 2008–2011 at the Yingke station and is verified with data from 16 stations of the Heihe Watershed Allied Telemetry Experimental Research (HiWATER project in 2012. The results show that soil moisture significantly affects evapotranspiration (ET under water stress conditions in the study area. Adding the NDWI in SEBS can significantly improve the estimations of surface turbulent fluxes in water-limited regions, especially for spare vegetation cover area. The daily ET maps generated by the new model also show improvements in drylands with low ET values. This study demonstrates that integrating the NDWI into SEBS as an indicator of water stress is an effective way to improve the assessment of the regional ET in semi-arid and arid regions.
Mediterranean semi-arid systems-sensitivity and adaptation
The semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean are sensitive to climate change as they are located. In many cases, between two different systems, the arid system and the Mediterranean sub-humid system. A number of quick response ecogeomorphological variables were monitored along a climatic transect in Israel, running from west to east, covering an annual rainfall range of 700-100mm. The relationships of climatic conditions-available water soil properties overland flow erosion, were investigates. Soil samples were taken from open areas between shrubs and overland flow was monitored in posts of 7, 14 and 21 m in length (3m width). (Author)
The effect of grazing on soil and water losses under arid and mediterranean climates. Implications for desertification
A. Cerdà; Lavée, H.
Two sites, both affected by grazing but under different climatic conditions, were selected in Israel to study the effect of grazing on soil degradation. One site was selected in the Judean Desert, a dry environment (260 mm mean annual rainfall) with a long history of overgrazing and very little vegetative cover. The second site was selected in the Galilee Mountains where the climate is of Mediterranean type (650 mm mean annual rainfall) and the vegetative cover is much greater in spite of the...
A 100-year record of climate change and human activities inferred from the geochemical composition of sediments in Chaiwopu Lake, arid northwest China
Wen Liu
Full Text Available An 81-cm sediment core from Chaiwopu Lake in arid northwest China was analyzed for 137Cs activity and concentrations of major and trace elements. We used these data to discriminate between the influence of climate change and human activities on the geochemical change of the lake sediments over the past century. Elements Al, K, Ba, Ti, V, Fe, Ni, Mn, Li, and Be were mainly from detrital. Ca, Sr, and Mg concentrations were controlled by chemical weathering processes. Na came mainly from salt precipitation caused by a decline in water level. Enrichment factors for Pb and P in recent deposits are large, indicating they were influenced by human activies. Geochemical conditions during the past century can be divided into three stages: i From ca. 1900 to the1950s element concentrations varied widely and frequently. In general, concentrations of typical mobile elements Ca, Sr, and Mg stay relatively high whereas values for other elements remained relatively low. This was interpreted to reflect variable climate under conditions of weak surface erosion intensity. ii From the 1950s to the early 2000s, element concentrations display less variability. The Al, K, Ba, Ti, P, Cr, V, Fe, Ni, Mn, Co, Cu, Li, Zn, Be, Pb, and Na contents were generally higher, whereas contents of Ca, Sr, and Mg were on average lower. This indicates that the regional environment was conducive to surface erosion. Enrichment of trace metals and major elements in the sediment reflects enhanced human activities. iii In the last decade, Pb and P exhibited a great increase, possibly associated with the input from fossil fuel combustion, sewage discharge and non-point-source pollution in the watershed. The lake volume decreased substantially because of groundwater extraction for municipal water, which resulted in a marked increase in salinity and enhanced Na precipitation.
The effect of grazing on soil and water losses under arid and mediterranean climates. Implications for desertification
Cerdà, A.
Full Text Available Two sites, both affected by grazing but under different climatic conditions, were selected in Israel to study the effect of grazing on soil degradation. One site was selected in the Judean Desert, a dry environment (260 mm mean annual rainfall with a long history of overgrazing and very little vegetative cover. The second site was selected in the Galilee Mountains where the climate is of Mediterranean type (650 mm mean annual rainfall and the vegetative cover is much greater in spite of the grazing. Simulated rain experiments were performed in the field and in the laboratory in order to evaluate differences in hydrological and erosional response to rainfall between the two sites. The results show a clear difference between these two ecosystems. In the Judean Desert, where vascular plant cover is sparse, a crust was developed which enhanced overland flow and erosion. In the Mediterranean environment the overland flow and erosion were negligible under shrubs and relatively high at the intershrub corridors. At the hillslope scale a mosaiclike pattern of water and soil contributing and accepting patches was developed. Such a pattern usually protect the hillslope from being eroded. Runoff and erosion rates luere very high in the Judean Desert and negligible in the Galilee Mountains.
[fr] Afin d'étudier l'effet du pâturage sur la dégradation des sols, deux zones de caractéristiques climatiques différentes soumises au pâturage ont été sélectionnées en Israel. L'une de ces zones se trouve située dans le désert de Judée, un milieu très aride (260 mm de précipitation annuelle moyenne avec un couvert végétal peu dense et une longue influence du surpâturage. La deuxième zone se trouve sur les montagnes de Galilée, caractérisées par un climat méditerranéen (650 mm de précipitation annuelle moyenne et un couvert végétal bien plus dense et ce malgré l'influence du pâturage. Afin d'évaluer le comportement hydrologique et �
The earliest well-dated archeological site in the hyper-arid Tarim Basin and its implications for prehistoric human migration and climatic change
Han, WenXia; Yu, LuPeng; Lai, ZhongPing; Madsen, David; Yang, Shengli
The routes and timing of human occupation of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are crucial for understanding the evolution of Tibetan populations and associated paleoclimatic conditions. Many archeological sites have been found in/around the Tarim Basin, on the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Unfortunately, most of these sites are surface sites and cannot be directly dated. Their ages can only be estimated based on imprecise artifact comparisons. We recently found and dated an archeological site on a terrace along the Keriya River. Our ages indicate that the site was occupied at ~ 7.0-7.6 ka, making it the earliest well-dated archeological site yet identified in the Tarim Basin. This suggests that early human foragers migrated into this region prior to ~ 7.0-7.6 ka during the early to mid-Holocene climatic optimum, which may have provided the impetus for populating the region. We hypothesize that the Keriya River, together with the other rivers originating from the TP, may have served as access routes onto the TP for early human foragers. These rivers may also have served as stepping stones for migration further west into the now hyper-arid regions of the Tarim Basin, leading ultimately to the development of the Silk Road.
Wavelet analysis of spring climate characteristics in arid aeolian area of agro-pastoral ecotone in China
Chun-xia ZOU
Full Text Available The unique regional climate characteristics are among the main reasons for the frequent wind-sand activity in arid and cold areas in the agro-pastoral ecotone in Inner Mongolia, China. This paper focuses on the time series of temperature and precipitation in spring when sandstorms often occur in the area. Based on meteorological data for a 46-year period from 1959 to 2004, multi-scale variations and abrupt changes in temperature and precipitation were analyzed with the Mexican hat function (MHF wavelet method, showing the multi-scale variation characteristics of temperature and precipitation, as well as the periods and change points at different time scales. The relationship between temperature and precipitation was obtained using the wavelet analysis method. Obvious staggered features of the variations of spring temperature and precipitation were observed in this agro-pastoral ecotone. The strongest oscillation periods of spring temperature variations were 1 and 22 years, while for precipitation, the strongest oscillation periods of variations were 2, 8, and 22 years. In addition, lower spring temperature corresponded to lower precipitation, whereas higher temperature yielded higher precipitation rate.
Impact of Reforestation on Local Climate and Environment in a Semi-arid Urban Valley, Northwestern China
Xia, D.; Yu, Y.; He, J.
Since 1999 Chinese government has invested more than 800 million Yuan to reforest the southern and the northern mountains surrounding urban Lanzhou - a typical semi-arid city located in a river valley, Northwestern China. Until 2009 obvious land use change occurred, with 69.2% of the reforested area been changed from grasslands, croplands, barren or sparsely vegetated land to closed shrublands and 20.6% been changed from closed shrublands, grasslands, and croplands to forests. This study assesses the impact of these changes on local climate and environment in winter using WRF (Weather Research & Forecasting) model incorporated with high-resolution remotely sensed land cover data for 1999 and 2009 and the FLEXible PARTicle (FLEXPART) dispersion model. Results indicate that the changes in albedo, surface exchange coefficient and surface soil heat conductivity related to the reforestation led to the changes in surface net radiation and the surface energy partitioning, which in turn affected the meteorology fields and enhanced the mountain-valley wind circulation. The amount of air exchanged between the valley and the outside increased after reforestation during the day, with the largest increase of 10 %, while it changed little during the night on winter sunny day with no snow cover. The sensitivity analysis using FLEXPART-WRF model indicates that the reforestation affected the spatial distribution of pollutants and slightly improved the urban air quality in winter. And the greening program of Lanzhou has special reference to other valley urbans.
Event based recharge assessment from soil moisture monitoring sites under a steep Mediterranean - semi-arid climatic gradient
Ries, Fabian; Sauter, Martin; Lange, Jens
The unsaturated soil zone is of fundamental importance for the understanding of temporal and spatial variability of groundwater recharge. This is especially true for the Mediterranean region where a large fraction of long-term groundwater recharge occurs during above-average wet winters. To improve process knowledge, a dense monitoring network consisting of rainfall gauges, meteorological stations and soil moisture plots was installed along a steep climatic gradient in the Jordan Valley region. Ten-minute soil moisture dynamics of two entire years were modelled by Hydrus-1D whose parameters were calibrated with the help of the Shuffled Complex Evolution algorithm. The scrutinized model was applied to four locations with entirely different soil depth and annual rainfall. During high intensity rainfall events, saturation of deep soil layers was observed for several hours. The continuously modelled water balance yielded percolation pulses that depended on rainfall amounts and occurred simultaneously to a cooling of karst groundwater in a nearby groundwater well. Overall, a strong correlation between the magnitude of deep percolation and soil depth was observed. When the model was applied to a 40-year time series of rainfall data, a mean annual percolation fraction of 40% resulted. This value varied by up to 30% between years with similar (average) rainfall but different rainfall distribution. Here the length of dry spells between single recharge events was one important factor. Percolation fraction of exceptional wet years reached up to 69% of rainfall while for very dry years no percolation was modelled at all. A focused view on the unsaturated soil zone in areas with highly variable annual rainfall can provide valuable insights into recharge heterogeneity under Mediterranean and semi-arid climates.
A 25 ky BP record of Himalayan aridity using muscovite and clays as proxy climate indicators
Gujar, A.R.; Chauhan, O.S.
stream_size 18577 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Giornale_Geol_61_115.pdf.txt stream_source_info Giornale_Geol_61_115.pdf.txt Content-Encoding UTF-8 Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 (iiomule di Geologia... regulated by thc climatic varia- bility of the region. Also, accumulation of muscovite and clays in a depositional basin dcpends: ( I ) on the magnitude of supply from the hinterland sources, and (2) prevalent en- vironment of deposition regulatcd by energy...
Community responses to extreme climatic conditions
Frédéric JIGUET, Lluis BROTONS, Vincent DEVICTOR
Full Text Available Species assemblages and natural communities are increasingly impacted by changes in the frequency and severity of extreme climatic events. Here we propose a brief overview of expected and demonstrated direct and indirect impacts of extreme events on animal communities. We show that differential impacts on basic biological parameters of individual species can lead to strong changes in community composition and structure with the potential to considerably modify the functional traits of the community. Sudden disequilibria have even been shown to induce irreversible shifts in marine ecosystems, while cascade effects on various taxonomic groups have been highlighted in Mediterranean forests. Indirect effects of extreme climatic events are expected when event-induced habitat changes (e.g. soil stability, vegetation composition, water flows altered by droughts, floods or hurricanes have differential consequences on species assembled within the communities. Moreover, in increasing the amplitude of trophic mismatches, extreme events are likely to turn many systems into ecological traps under climate change. Finally, we propose a focus on the potential impacts of an extreme heat wave on local assemblages as an empirical case study, analysing monitoring data on breeding birds collected in France. In this example, we show that despite specific populations were differently affected by local temperature anomalies, communities seem to be unaffected by a sudden heat wave. These results suggest that communities are tracking climate change at the highest possible rate [Current Zoology 57 (3: 406–413, 2011].
Community responses to extreme climatic conditions
Frédéric JIGUET; Lluis BROTONS; Vincent DEVICTOR
Species assemblages and natural communities are increasingly impacted by changes in the frequency and severity of extreme climatic events. Here we propose a brief overview of expected and demonstrated direct and indirect impacts of extreme events on animal communities. We show that differential impacts on basic biological parameters of individual species can lead to strong changes in community composition and structure with the potential to considerably modify the functional traits of the community. Sudden disequilibria have even been shown to induce irreversible shifts in marine ecosystems, while cascade effects on various taxonomic groups have been highlighted in Mediterranean forests. Indirect effects of extreme climatic events are expected when event-induced habitat changes (e.g. Soil stability, vegetation composition, water flows altered by droughts, floods or hurricanes) have differential consequences on species assembled within the communities. Moreover, in increasing the amplitude of trophic mismatches, extreme events are likely to turn many systems into ecological traps under climate change. Finally, we propose a focus on the potential impacts of an extreme heat wave on local assemblages as an empirical case study, analysing monitoring data on breeding birds collected in France. In this example, we show that despite specific populations were differently affected by local temperature anomalies, communities seem to be unaffected by a sudden heat wave. These results suggest that communities are tracking climate change at the highest possible rate.
Geochemical and isotopic studies of unsaturated zone moisture and recharge processes in semi-arid conditions
Against the background of recent droughts in the Sahel and the overexploitation of scarce water resources, new and improved techniques for recharge estimation in arid lands are now needed. Results have been obtained from the Butana area of Sudan where rainfall is presently well below 200 mm a-1. Profiles of the unsaturated zone moisture were analysed for solutes and oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δD) isotope ratios to estimate the extent of current recharge. Chloride concentrations were compared with those from rainfall inputs and the ratio used to estimate long term recharge values. Direct recharge proved to be below 1 mm a-1 and the unsaturated zone (25 m approx) contained around 2000 years storage. Isotopic profiles indicated that in some areas discharge from the water table was occurring. Within the Butana region of Sudan, therefore, current recharge rates in interfluve areas are effectively zero. Lateral recharge is however occurring, based on the presence of tritium, from the wadi systems. This forms the only replenishable resource which has been successfully exploited by traditional means, although under stress in the present dry period. The River Nile can be shown from isotopic results to recharge laterally some 10 km; but the deeper resources elsewhere are palaeowaters replenished during Holocene wet periods (6000-8000 BP). 2 refs, 6 figs
Biogeochemical evolution of sulfide ore mine tailings profiles under semi-arid climate
Chorover, J.
Mining represents a principal form of earth surface disturbance in the anthropocene. Weathering reactions that ensue following tailings deposition are strongly affected by climatic forcing and tailings composition, and these also affect the weathering-induced transformations of the associated mineral assemblages and metal(loid) contaminants. The presence or absence of plants and associated microbiota can have a profound influence on these weathering trajectories. We employed field, laboratory and modeling approaches to resolve the impact of (bio)geochemical weathering reactions on the transformation of mine tailings parent materials into soil over the time following mining cessation. Using controlled experiments, we have evaluated the impacts of plants and associated rhizosphere microbiota on these reactions, hydrologic fluxes, and the molecular speciation of mining derived contaminants. Plant establishment is shown to alter site ecohydrology and biogeochemical weathering processes leading to distinctly different weathering products and patterns.
Modeling the Impact of Climate and Population Change Scenarios in a Semi-arid Aquifer
Neff, K.; Mallakpour, I.; Maddock, T.; Meixner, T.
The Upper San Pedro River in Southern Arizona has been modeled using MODFLOW several times, most recently by Goode and Maddock (2000) and Pool and Dickinson (2006). It is the last free-flowing river in Arizona and its riparian area serves as habitat for migrating birds and several endangered native species. Understanding how the river will respond to future climate and population change is critical for the successful management of this resource. In the current model, we improve upon previous models by adding a third season to represent the summer monsoon rains, changing the model domain to include only the basin fill in order to minimize error, and using newer MODFLOW packages such as Streamflow Routing (SFR) to more accurately model the riparian system. GMS is used to produce the initial MODFLOW files. Once the new regional model was developed, we changed inputs to the model in order to observe the effects of changes in regional precipitation and temperature due to climate change, as well as changes in pumping for human use, on the aquifer and river. The challenge of adapting an older model to use new data and technology is valuable because it will improve model performance and provide better information to water resources decision-makers in the basin, who are faced with potential increases in population and thus municipal water demand. The new regional model is also intended to be coupled in the future with a stream network flood routing model to reflect the role of flood-pulse recharge on groundwater and streamflow levels.
Agroclimatic conditions in Europe under climate change
Trnka, Miroslav; Olesen, J. E.; Kersebaum, K. C.; Skjelvag, A. O.; Eitzinger, J.; Seguin, B.; Peltonen-Sainio, P.; Rotter, R.; Iglesias, A.; Orlandini, S.; Dubrovský, Martin; Hlavinka, P.; Balek, J.; Eckersten, H.; Cloppet, E.; Calanca, P.; Vucetic, V.; Nejedlík, P.; Kumar, S.; Lalic, B.; Mestre, A.; Rossi, F.; Kozyra, J.; Alexandrov, V.; Semerádová, D.; Žalud, Z.
Roč. 17, č. 7 (2011), s. 2298-2318. ISSN 1354-1013 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0073 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520; CEZ:AV0Z30420517 Keywords : agroclimatic extremes * agroclimatic index * climate - change impacts * crop production * environmental zones Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 6.862, year: 2011
Spatial distribution and comparison of aridity indices in Extremadura, southwestern Spain
Moral, Francisco J.; Rebollo, Francisco J.; Paniagua, Luis L.; García-Martín, Abelardo; Honorio, Fulgencio
In semi-arid lands with warm climates, aridity is a real hazard, with the threat of desertification because of greater precipitation variability and prolonged droughts. Aridity indices can be used to identify areas prone to desertification. The present study aimed to analyse the spatial distribution of aridity in Extremadura, southwestern Spain, using three indices: the De Martonne aridity index (I DM), the Pinna combinative index (I P), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) aridity index (I F). Temperature, precipitation, and evapotranspiration data from 90 weather stations located throughout Extremadura and 27 along boundaries with at least 30-year length (within the 1980-2011 period) were used to compute each index at each station. The statistical properties of each aridity index were assessed, and later, they were mapped by means of an integrated geographic information system (GIS) and a multivariate geostatistical (regression-kriging) algorithm in which exhaustive secondary information on elevation was incorporated. Annual and seasonal I DM and I F, and annual I P-kriged maps were generated. According to annual I DM, the semi-arid and Mediterranean conditions are predominant in the region, covering about 70 % of the territory, while about 94 % of the areas are classified as dry and semi-dry Mediterranean based on annual I P and about 86 % are classified as semi-arid and dry categories based on annual I F. The most vulnerable to aridity are the natural regions located to the west, the south, and the southeast of Extremadura, especially during summer, when arid conditions are found across the region. Although the three aridity indices were highly correlated, displaying similar spatial patterns, I DM was preferred because it can better discriminate different climate conditions in Extremadura.
Land Cover Land Use change and soil organic carbon under climate variability in the semi-arid West African Sahel (1960-2050)
Dieye, Amadou M.
Land Cover Land Use (LCLU) change affects land surface processes recognized to influence climate change at local, national and global levels. Soil organic carbon is a key component for the functioning of agro-ecosystems and has a direct effect on the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. The capacity to model and project LCLU change is of considerable interest for mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change. A combination of remote sensing analyses, qualitative social survey techniques, and biogeochemical modeling was used to study the relationships between climate change, LCLU change and soil organic carbon in the semi-arid rural zone of Senegal between 1960 and 2050. For this purpose, four research hypotheses were addressed. This research aims to contribute to an understanding of future land cover land use change in the semi-arid West African Sahel with respect to climate variability and human activities. Its findings may provide insights to enable policy makers at local to national levels to formulate environmentally and economically adapted policy decisions. This dissertation research has to date resulted in two published and one submitted paper.
Assessment of climate change impacts on watershed in cold-arid region: an integrated multi-GCM-based stochastic weather generator and stepwise cluster analysis method
Zhuang, X. W.; Li, Y. P.; Huang, G. H.; Liu, J.
An integrated multi-GCM-based stochastic weather generator and stepwise cluster analysis (MGCM-SWG-SCA) method is developed, through incorporating multiple global climate models (MGCM), stochastic weather generator (SWG), and stepwise-clustered hydrological model (SCHM) within a general framework. MGCM-SWG-SCA can investigate uncertainties of projected climate changes as well as create watershed-scale climate projections from large-scale variables. It can also assess climate change impacts on hydrological processes and capture nonlinear relationship between input variables and outputs in watershed systems. MGCM-SWG-SCA is then applied to the Kaidu watershed with cold-arid characteristics in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of northwest China, for demonstrating its efficiency. Results reveal that the variability of streamflow is mainly affected by (1) temperature change during spring, (2) precipitation change during winter, and (3) both temperature and precipitation changes in summer and autumn. Results also disclose that: (1) the projected minimum and maximum temperatures and precipitation from MGCM change with seasons in different ways; (2) various climate change projections can reproduce the seasonal variability of watershed-scale climate series; (3) SCHM can simulate daily streamflow with a satisfactory degree, and a significant increasing trend of streamflow is indicated from future (2015-2035) to validation (2006-2011) periods; (4) the streamflow can vary under different climate change projections. The findings can be explained that, for the Kaidu watershed located in the cold-arid region, glacier melt is mainly related to temperature changes and precipitation changes can directly cause the variability of streamflow.
Assessment of climate change impacts on watershed in cold-arid region: an integrated multi-GCM-based stochastic weather generator and stepwise cluster analysis method
Zhuang, X. W.; Li, Y. P.; Huang, G. H.; Liu, J.
An integrated multi-GCM-based stochastic weather generator and stepwise cluster analysis (MGCM-SWG-SCA) method is developed, through incorporating multiple global climate models (MGCM), stochastic weather generator (SWG), and stepwise-clustered hydrological model (SCHM) within a general framework. MGCM-SWG-SCA can investigate uncertainties of projected climate changes as well as create watershed-scale climate projections from large-scale variables. It can also assess climate change impacts on hydrological processes and capture nonlinear relationship between input variables and outputs in watershed systems. MGCM-SWG-SCA is then applied to the Kaidu watershed with cold-arid characteristics in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of northwest China, for demonstrating its efficiency. Results reveal that the variability of streamflow is mainly affected by (1) temperature change during spring, (2) precipitation change during winter, and (3) both temperature and precipitation changes in summer and autumn. Results also disclose that: (1) the projected minimum and maximum temperatures and precipitation from MGCM change with seasons in different ways; (2) various climate change projections can reproduce the seasonal variability of watershed-scale climate series; (3) SCHM can simulate daily streamflow with a satisfactory degree, and a significant increasing trend of streamflow is indicated from future (2015-2035) to validation (2006-2011) periods; (4) the streamflow can vary under different climate change projections. The findings can be explained that, for the Kaidu watershed located in the cold-arid region, glacier melt is mainly related to temperature changes and precipitation changes can directly cause the variability of streamflow.
Re-use of wastewater for a sustainable forest production and climate change mitigation under arid environments
Maria Cristina Monteverdi
Full Text Available 800x600 Over the last decades biotic and abiotic constrains together with human actions are determining a substantial environmental pressure, particularly in dry lands as the south of the Mediterranean region. From very long time, indeed, simultaneous drivers such as demographic growth, climate change and socio-economic factors are weakening the previous homeostasis between human needs and natural resources on the regional scale.Resulting pressures are determining environmental degradation and increase of desertification risk for the arid and semiarid lands. Water quality and availability are both crucial points limiting people well-being and livelihoods in the same context. Scarcity of fresh water and heavy and mismanaged production of wastewater are the main factors affecting water resources. Increasing pollution of soil and ground waters reduces the possibility of sustainable development of local communities with relevant social consequences. The FAO's supporting program in north Africa aims to: a develop new and cheaper phytotechnologies (e.g. constructed wetland system; innovative treatment system for reuse of waste water for fertigation; b treat wastewater for water quality protection; c promote land recovery by means of sustainable multipurpose forestry; d adopt bioengineering interventions to stop slopes erosion and protect urban, and semi-urban infrastructures; e create pilot demonstrative areas to test multi-purpose sustainable agroforestry systems. Within this frame, an integrated approach was designed to promote innovative sustainable water management and multipurpose forestry, in order to mitigate the effects of climate change, promote land recovery, and improve the livelihoods of local population. The present paper aims to provide an overview of the FAO project GCP/RAB/013/ITA. Particularly, two pilot studies are shown and discussed. Normal 0 14 false false false IT X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions
Tropical Warm Semi-Arid Regions Expanding Over Temperate Latitudes In The Projected 21st Century
Rajaud, A.; de Noblet, N. I.
Two billion people today live in drylands, where extreme climatic conditions prevail, and natural resources are limited. Drylands are expected to expand under several scenarios of climatic change. However, relevant adaptation strategies need to account for the aridity level: it conditions the equilibrium tree-cover density, ranging from deserts (hyper-arid) to dense savannas (sub-humid). Here we focus on the evolution of climatically defined warm semi-arid areas, where low-tree density covers can be maintained. We study the global repartition of these regions in the future and the bioclimatic shifts involved. We adopted a bioclimatological approach based on the Köppen climate classification. The warm semi-arid class is characterized by mean annual temperatures over 18°C and a rainfall-limitation criterion. A multi-model ensemble of CMIP5 projections for three representative concentration pathways was selected to analyze future conditions. The classification was first applied to the start, middle and end of the 20th and 21st centuries, in order to localize past and future warm semi-arid regions. Then, time-series for the classification were built to characterize trends and variability in the evolution of those regions. According to the CRU datasets, global expansion of the warm semi-arid area has already started (~+13%), following the global warming trend since the 1900s. This will continue according to all projections, most significantly so outside the tropical belt. Under the "business as usual" scenario, the global warm semi-arid area will increase by 30% and expand 12° poleward in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the multi-model mean. Drying drives the conversion from equatorial sub-humid conditions. Beyond 30° of latitude, cold semi-arid conditions become warm semi-arid through warming, and temperate conditions through combined warming and drying processes. Those various transitions may have drastic but also very distinct ecological and sociological
A coupled Bayesian and fault tree methodology to assess future groundwater conditions in light of climate change
J. J. Huang
Full Text Available Maintaining acceptable groundwater levels, particularly in arid areas, while protecting ecosystems, are key measures against desertification. Due to complicated hydrological processes and their inherent uncertainties, investigations of groundwater recharge conditions are challenging, particularly in arid areas under climate changing conditions. To assist planning to protect against desertification, a fault tree methodology, in conjunction with fuzzy logic and Bayesian data mining, are applied to Minqin Oasis, a highly vulnerable regime in northern China. A set of risk factors is employed within the fault tree framework, with fuzzy logic translating qualitative risk data into probabilities. Bayesian data mining is used to quantify the contribution of each risk factor to the final aggregated risk. The implications of both historical and future climate trends are employed for temperature, precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET to assess water table changes under various future scenarios. The findings indicate that water table levels will continue to drop at the rate of 0.6 m yr−1 in the future when climatic effects alone are considered, if agricultural and industrial production capacity remain at 2004 levels.
Effects of Maghnian bentonite on physical properties of sandy soils under semi-arid Mediterranean climate.
Benkhelifa, M; Belkhodja, M; Daoud, Y; Tessier, D
This research has for object to study the influence of clay addition, i.e., Maghnian bentonite, like deposit clay, in the physical properties of sandy materials from Mostaganem plateau (North-West Algeria) submitted to salinity and sodicity. The first result was to show that the clay content changes drastically the physical properties of clay-sand mixtures. Important differences were observed as a function of the sand particle size distribution. At given clay content, the saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (HCs) was lower when the sand size was small and spread. For the coarse sand the salinity was maintained, even for high clay contents, a significant hydraulic conductivity. One of the main characteristics of Maghnia clay is the presence of calcium carbonates in the natural material. In comparison to that of Mostaganem clay of other deposit, it appears less sensitive to sodicity. An important aspect is the initial state of the clay when used in addition to sands, i.e., disturbance, conditions of preparation of sand clay mixtures and presence of associated components such as carbonates. Maghnia clay appeared to be adapted to the improvement of sandy soils, not because its mineralogical characteristics, but for its natural cationic form and obviously the presence of calcite in it. PMID:18819588
Impact of the use of a hybrid turbine inlet air cooling system in arid climates
Graphical abstract: Cooling the air entering the compressor section of a gas turbine is a proven method of increasing turbine power output, especially during peak summer demand, and it is increasingly being used in powerplants worldwide. Two turbine inlet air cooling (TIAC) systems are widely used: evaporative cooling and mechanical chilling. In this work, the prospects of using a hybrid turbine inlet air cooling (TIAC) system are investigated. The hybrid system consists of mechanical chilling followed by evaporative cooling. Such a system is capable of achieving a significant reduction in inlet air temperature that satisfies desired power output levels, while consuming less power than conventional mechanical chilling and less water than conventional evaporative cooling, thus combining the benefits of both approaches. Two hybrid system configurations are studied. In the first configuration, the first stage of the system uses water-cooled chillers that are coupled with dry coolers such that the condenser cooling water remains in a closed loop. In the second configuration, the first stage of the system uses water-cooled chillers but with conventional cooling towers. An assessment of the performance and economics of those two configurations is made by comparing them to conventional mechanical chilling and using realistic data. It was found that the TIAC systems are capable of boosting the power output of the gas turbine by 10% or more (of the power output of the ISO conditions). The cost operation analysis shows clearly the hybrid TIAC method with wet cooling has the advantage over the other methods and It would be profitable to install it in the new gas turbine power plants. The figure below shows a comparison of the water consumption for the three different cases. - Highlights: • New hybrid system for the turbine inlet air cooling is studied. • Hybrid system of mechanical chilling followed by evaporative cooling is used. • Hybrid turbine inlet air cooling
Modeling groundwater quality in an arid agricultural environment in the face of an uncertain climate: the case of Mewat District, India
Weber, M. C.; Ward, A. S.; Muste, M.
The salinization of groundwater resources is a widespread problem in arid agricultural environments. In Mewat District (Haryana, India), groundwater salinity has rendered much of the accessible supply unfit for human consumption or agriculture. Historically, this closed basin retained fresh pockets of water at the foothills of the Aravalli Hills, where monsoonal precipitation runoff from the mountains was recharged through infiltration or facilitated by man-made structures. To date, an increasing number of pumps supply the region with fresh water for consumption and agriculture leading to shrinking the freshwater zone at an accelerated pace. The potential for increased human consumption corroborated with the effects of climate change bring uncertainty about the future of water security for the Mewat communities, most of them critically bound to the existence of local water. This study addresses the sustainability of the freshwater supply under a range of land interventions and climate scenarios, using a 2-D groundwater flow and transport model. Our results quantify potential futures for this arid, groundwater-dependent location, using numerical groundwater modeling to quantify interactions between human water use, infrastructure, and climate. Outcomes of this modeling study will inform an NGO active in the area on sustainable management of groundwater resources.
Future Risks of Pest Species under Changing Climatic Conditions.
Biber-Freudenberger, Lisa; Ziemacki, Jasmin; Tonnang, Henri E Z; Borgemeister, Christian
Most agricultural pests are poikilothermic species expected to respond to climate change. Currently, they are a tremendous burden because of the high losses they inflict on crops and livestock. Smallholder farmers in developing countries of Africa are likely to suffer more under these changes than farmers in the developed world because more severe climatic changes are projected in these areas. African countries further have a lower ability to cope with impacts of climate change through the lack of suitable adapted management strategies and financial constraints. In this study we are predicting current and future habitat suitability under changing climatic conditions for Tuta absoluta, Ceratitis cosyra, and Bactrocera invadens, three important insect pests that are common across some parts of Africa and responsible for immense agricultural losses. We use presence records from different sources and bioclimatic variables to predict their habitat suitability using the maximum entropy modelling approach. We find that habitat suitability for B. invadens, C. cosyra and T. absoluta is partially increasing across the continent, especially in those areas already overlapping with or close to most suitable sites under current climate conditions. Assuming a habitat suitability at three different threshold levels we assessed where each species is likely to be present under future climatic conditions and if this is likely to have an impact on productive agricultural areas. Our results can be used by African policy makers, extensionists and farmers for agricultural adaptation measures to cope with the impacts of climate change. PMID:27054718
Concentrations and Fractionation of Carbon, Iron, Sulfur, Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Mangrove Sediments Along an Intertidal Gradient (Semi-Arid Climate, New Caledonia)
Jonathan Deborde; Cyril Marchand; Nathalie Molnar; Luc Della Patrona; Tarik Meziane
In mangrove ecosystems, strong reciprocal interactions exist between plant and substrate. Under semi-arid climate, Rhizophora spp. are usually predominant, colonizing the seashore, and Avicennia marina develops at the edge of salt-flats, which is the highest zone in the intertidal range. Along this zonation, distribution and speciation of C, Fe, S, N, and P in sediments and pore-waters were investigated. From the land-side to the sea-side of the mangrove, sediments were characterized by I/ in...
Local facilitation, bistability and transitions in arid ecosystems
Kefi, S.; Rietkerk, M.; Baalen, van M.; Loreau, M.
Arid ecosystems are liable to undergo sudden discontinuous transitions from a vegetated to a desert state as a result of human pressure and climate change. A predictive framework about the conditions under which such transitions occur is lacking. Here, we derive and analyze a general model describin
Groundwater prospecting, drilling and well construction in hard rocks in semi-arid regions: an overview
Chambel, António
In semi-arid and arid areas rock weathering is normally much less deep that in rainy areas. So, rocks tend to be more near the topographic surface. These climatic conditions also generate much less vegetation, which in all the cases clearly favours a direct observation of rock condition, fracturing or weathering. By other side, aquifers in hard rocks present specificities in relation to water presence and movement that implies a different approach when dealing with groundwater prospecting....
Innovative Air Conditioning and Climate Control
Graf, John
NASA needed to develop a desiccant wheel based humidity removal system to enable the long term testing of the Orion CO2 scrubber on the International Space Station. In the course of developing that system, we learned three things that are relevant to energy efficient air conditioning of office towers. NASA developed a conceptual design for a humidity removal system for an office tower environment. We are looking for interested partners to prototype and field test this concept.
Low Energy Air Conditioning for Hot Climates
Almutairi, Hamad Hhn
Fossil fuels are the major sources of electrical power generation in the world. Among all fossil fuels, oil is considered as the most sought-after fuel. The burden on countries that provide subsidized electricity produced from oil-fired power plants is noteworthy. Kuwait is a notable example of these countries. Electricity in Kuwait is heavily consumed by residential air conditioning, which comprises 60% of the total electricity generated at peak times on a hot summer day. From this perspecti...
To enhance the cooling comfort condition in home by water spray upon the roof in hot arid region experimental work
Fossil fuel shortages have been in recent years a critical problem in the world and are likely to be continued. A major part of consumed energy nowadays is used to thermally control building environment where solar radiation has a major contribution, specially in Iraq and other hot arid region where most of the day in the year are sunny. Baghdad, which is considered a typical place with this extreme climate, is chosen, in this study. This work deals with the possibility of the reducing energy consumption in building by blocking or eliminate the effect of direct solar radiation in summer season which the cooling is dominate in Iraq. It is especially important to minimize the effect of solar radiation incident upon the roof surface, which is focusing about it in this study. The roof surface most exposed to solar radiation and most of the solar gain absorbed by roof is transmitted down to the inside space. In this study built a system which spry water upon the external surface consist of net work piping system, control valves, spry nozzles, thermocouples sensor and digital temperature indicators. The study has been done in order to reduce the cooling load in living room. Reducing the heat transfer through the roof by using water spry roof system (WSRS) in Iraq's houses which reduced the heat transmission to the inside space about 96%. The result of this study shows good indication to use this method, to reduce the energy transmission. i./e. the energy transmission to inside living space through roof is about 4% only.(Author)
Recycling of quartz-poor/lithic-rich foreland-basin sediments in arid climate (Euphrates-Tigris-Karun river system)
Garzanti, Eduardo; Juboury, Ali Ismail Al; Zoleikhaei, Yousef; Vermeesch, Pieter; Hamzah Abdulhussein Jotheri, Jaafar; Akkoca, Dicle Bal; Allen, Mark; Andò, Sergio; Limonta, Mara; Padoan, Marta; Resentini, Alberto; Vezzoli, Giovanni
In this detailed petrological analysis of a large source-to-sink sediment-routing system (catchment area > 1 million km2) we document its several peculiarities, and illustrate a rich petrographic and heavy-mineral dataset integrated by bulk-sediment geochemistry and detrital-zircon U-Pb geochronological data that widens the spectrum of compositions generally assumed as paradigmatic for orogenic settings. We test traditional versus upgraded sedimentary-petrology models in the endeavor to derive a more refined conceptual model of reference, in order to enhance the power of provenance analysis but also to define its limitations and understand which secret of nature is likely to remain beyond reach in our efforts to reconstruct orogenic landscapes of the past. Sands derived from the Zagros-Southeast Anatolian fold-thrust belt contain an abundance of lithic grains derived not only first-cycle from carbonates, cherts, mudrocks, arc volcanics, and obducted mantle serpentinites representing the exposed shallow structural level of the orogen, but also recycled from Neogene molassic strata exposed in the foothills. Quartz, K-feldspar and mica are equally scarce in first-cycle and recycled sediments. This quartz-poor petrographic signature, characterizing the broad undissected tectonic domain of the Anatolia-Iranian plateau, is markedly distinct from that of sands shed by highly elevated and dissected collision orogens of the same mountain system such as the Himalaya or the Alps. Arid climate in the region allows full preservation of chemically unstable grains including carbonate and mafic/ultramafic rock fragments even through more than a single sedimentary cycle. Also, it reduces transport capacity of fluvial systems, which dump most of their load in Mesopotamian marshlands upstream of the Arabian/Persian Gulf allochemical carbonate factory. Quartz-poor orogenic sediments from the Zagros-Southeast Anatolian range mix with quartz-rich recycled sands ultimately derived from
The Sand Seas of northern China: Important sinks and sources of global sediment fluxes and their changing roles during different climate conditions of Late Quaternary
Yang, X.
Although the occurrence of aeolian sands in sedimentary sequences has been widely used as indicators of desert formation or proxies of desert climate, one should be aware that accumulation of aeolian sands does occur along river channels, in lake shores not necessarily associated with arid environment. Our ongoing geomorphological and paleoenvironmental studies in the deserts of northern China reconfirm that formation of sand seas is dependent on not only erodibility (arising from bare surface due to aridity) and wind power but more importantly sand availability related to sediment cycles under interactions between fluvial, lacustrine and aeolian processes. Here we present our ongoing geomorphological and paleoclimatic research on the Late Quaternary landscape and climatic changes in the Taklamkan Desert of northwestern China, the largest sand sea of China in arid zone, and in the Hunshandake Sandy Land at the east part of the Asian mid-latitude desert belt under semiarid climate. We find out that the occurrence of tall sand dunes in the over 300,000 km2 large Taklamakan Sand Sea is closely related to the sites of intensive fluvial sedimentation and convergence zone of surface winds. In the case of Hunshandake, the dunes (although much smaller) mainly occur along the shorelines of the former lake basins, and sediment sources are generally limited because of open hydrological systems in the south and east portions of this desert. The sedimentological and geomorphological records suggest that the climate has changed between arid and less-arid conditions in both of these deserts during Late Quaternary. Under wetter conditions the Taklamakan acts as an important sink of sediments brought by rivers with headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau and Tianshan, while under more arid conditions it acts as an important global sediment source whose dust is transported not only to East Asia and Pacific but also to Greenland ice via westerlies. The Hunshandake has the same pattern of
Impact of treated wastewater reuse and floods on water quality and fish health within a water reservoir in an arid climate.
Zaibel, Inbal; Zilberg, Dina; Groisman, Ludmila; Arnon, Shai
Treated wastewater (TWW) reuse for agricultural irrigation is a well-established approach to coping with water shortages in semi-arid and arid environments. Recently, additional uses of TWW have emerged, including streamflow augmentation and aquatic ecosystem restoration. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the water quality and fish health, in an artificial reservoir located in an arid climate (the Yeruham Reservoir, Israel), which regularly receives TWW and sporadic winter floods. The temporal distribution of water levels, nutrients and organic micropollutants (OMPs) were measured during the years 2013-2014. OMPs were also measured in sediment and fish tissues. Finally, the status of fish health was evaluated by histopathology. Water levels and quality were mainly influenced by seasonal processes such as floods and evaporation, and not by the discharge of TWW. Out of 16 tested OMPs, estrone, carbamazepine, diclofenac and bezafibrate were found in the reservoir water, but mostly at concentrations below the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) for fish. Concentrations of PCBs and dioxins in fish muscle and liver were much lower than the EU maximal permitted concentrations, and similar to concentrations that were found in food fish in Israel and Europe. In the histopathological analysis, there were no evident tissue abnormalities, and low to moderate infection levels of fish parasites were recorded. The results from the Yeruham Reservoir demonstrated a unique model for the mixture effect between TWW reuse and natural floods to support a unique stable and thriving ecosystem in a water reservoir located in an arid region. This type of reservoir can be widely used for recreation, education, and the social and economic development of a rural environment, such as has occurred in the Yeruham region. PMID:27065446
Assessment of adaptability of zebu cattle (Bos indicus) breeds in two different climatic conditions: using cytogenetic techniques on genome integrity.
Kumar, Anil; Waiz, Syma Ashraf; Sridhar Goud, T; Tonk, R K; Grewal, Anita; Singh, S V; Yadav, B R; Upadhyay, R C
The aim of this study was to evaluate the genome integrity so as to assess the adaptability of three breeds of indigenous cattle reared under arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan (Bikaner) and Haryana (Karnal) India. The cattle were of homogenous group (same age and sex) of indigenous breeds viz. Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Kankrej. A total of 100 animals were selected for this study from both climatic conditions. The sister chromatid exchanges (SCE's), chromosomal gaps and chromatid breaks were observed in metaphase plates of chromosome preparations obtained from in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The mean number of breaks and gaps in Sahiwal and Tharparkar of semi-arid zone were 8.56 ± 3.16, 6.4 ± 3.39 and 8.72 ± 2.04, 3.52 ± 6.29, respectively. Similarly, the mean number of breaks and gaps in Tharparkar and Kankrej cattle of arid zone were 5.26 ± 1.76, 2.74 ± 1.76 and 5.24 ± 1.84, 2.5 ± 1.26, respectively. The frequency of SCEs in chromosomes was found significantly higher (P P P > 0.05) was observed in the same zone. The analysis of frequency of CAs and SCEs revealed significant effects of environmental conditions on the genome integrity of animals, thereby indicating an association with their adaptability. PMID:26476524
Comparison of SVAT models for simulating and optimizing deficit irrigation systems in arid and semi-arid countries under climate variability
Kloss, Sebastian; Schuetze, Niels; Schmitz, Gerd H.
The strong competition for fresh water in order to fulfill the increased demand for food worldwide has led to a renewed interest in techniques to improve water use efficiency (WUE) such as controlled deficit irrigation. Furthermore, as the implementation of crop models into complex decision support systems becomes more and more common, it is imperative to reliably predict the WUE as ratio of water consumption and yield. The objective of this paper is the assessment of the problems the crop models - such as FAO-33, DAISY, and APSIM in this study - face when maximizing the WUE. We applied these crop models for calculating the risk in yield reduction in view of different sources of uncertainty (e.g. climate) employing a stochastic framework for decision support for the planning of water supply in irrigation. The stochastic framework consists of: (i) a weather generator for simulating regional impacts of climate change; (ii) a new tailor-made evolutionary optimization algorithm for optimal irrigation scheduling with limited water supply; and (iii) the above mentioned models for simulating water transport and crop growth in a sound manner. The results present stochastic crop water production functions (SCWPF) for different crops which can be used as basic tools for assessing the impact of climate variability on the risk for the potential yield. Case studies from India, Oman, Malawi, and France are presented to assess the differences in modeling water stress and yield response for the different crop models.
Estrus synchronization and fixed-time artificial insemination in sheep under field conditions of a semi-arid tropical region.
De, Kalyan; Kumar, Davendra; Sethi, Debabrata; Gulyani, Rajiv; Naqvi, Syed Mohammed Khursheed
A study was conducted to assess the success of estrus synchronization and fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) in sheep under field conditions of a semi-arid tropical region. A total of 471 ewes belonging to 17 farmers of four villages in Tonk district of Rajasthan (Jelmiya, Dhani Jaisinghpura, Tantiya and Bheepur) were synchronized for estrus during the years 2011 and 2012. Synchronization of estrus was done by AVIKESIL-S, cost-effective intra-vaginal sponges developed by the Institute and eCG protocol. The sponges were kept in situ in the vagina for 12 days and 200 IU eCG (Folligon, Intervet) was administered intramuscularly at the time of sponge withdrawal on the 12th day. Fixed-time cervical insemination was performed twice in ewes exhibiting estrus (restlessness, shaking of tail, slightly swollen vulva, moist and reddish cervical external os), 48 and 56 h after sponge removal, using liquid chilled semen of Patanwadi/Malpura rams containing 100 million sperm per dose. The estrus response recorded was 79.4 % (374/471) and lambing rate was 60.42 % (226/374). It may be concluded from the encouraging results of the present study that FTAI can be used effectively to take advantage of both the genetic improvement and economic benefit that can be realized by the use of estrus synchronization in conjunction with artificial insemination (AI). PMID:25475009
Changes in alpine plant growth under future climate conditions
A. Rammig
Full Text Available Alpine shrub- and grasslands are shaped by extreme climatic conditions such as a long-lasting snow cover and a short vegetation period. Such ecosystems are expected to be highly sensitive to global environmental change. Prolonged growing seasons and shifts in temperature and precipitation are likely to affect plant phenology and growth. In a unique experiment, climatology and plant growth was monitored for almost a decade at 17 snow meteorological stations in different alpine regions along the Swiss Alps. Regression analyses revealed highly significant correlations between mean air temperature in May/June and snow melt out, onset of plant growth, and plant height. These correlations were used to project plant growth phenology for future climate conditions based on the gridded output of a set of regional climate models runs. Melt out and onset of growth were projected to occur on average 17 days earlier by the end of the century than in the control period from 1971–2000 under the future climate conditions of the low resolution climate model ensemble. Plant height and biomass production were expected to increase by 77% and 45%, respectively. The earlier melt out and onset of growth will probably cause a considerable shift towards higher growing plants and thus increased biomass. Our results represent the first quantitative and spatially explicit estimates of climate change impacts on future growing season length and the respective productivity of alpine plant communities in the Swiss Alps.
Effect Of Climatic Conditions On Durability
Ibrahem M. Al Kiki
Full Text Available Durability is one of the most important subjects in the soil stabilization. Since there is no specifications concerned the durability of lime stabilized soils, several factors were selected to show their effects on the durability, namely: wetting, drying, freezing, thawing and slaking.The effect of each one of the above factors as well as the combined effect of two or more factors, were studied on the volume change and soil strength and weight loss of soil samples stabilized with optimum lime content except the slaking test at which soil samples stabilized with different lime content.Tests results showed that the higher the lime content the lower the slaking effect, also its found the soil strength decreased when the period of immersion or freezing increased. The strength of the lime stabilized soils decreased when subjected to the cycles of wetting and drying or to the cycles freezing and thawing. However, the combined effect of wetting, drying, freezing and thawing has a pronounced effect on reduction of the lime stabilized clayey soil. The worst condition recorded when lime stabilized soil undergo to freezing then drying then wetting which should be avoided in the field
A remote sensing approach for estimating the location and rate of urban irrigation in semi-arid climates
Johnson, Tyler D.; Belitz, Kenneth
Urban irrigation is an important component of the hydrologic cycle in many areas of the arid and semiarid western United States. This paper describes a new approach that uses readily available datasets to estimate the location and rate of urban irrigation. The approach provides a repeatable methodology at 1/3 km2 resolution across a large urbanized area (500 km2). For this study, Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery, air photos, climatic records, and a land-use map were used to: (1) identify the fraction of irrigated landscaping in urban areas, and (2) estimate the monthly rate of irrigation being applied to those areas. The area chosen for this study was the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. Identifying irrigated areas involved the use of 29 satellite images, air photos, and a land-use map. The fraction of a pixel that consists of irrigated landscaping (Firr) was estimated using a linear-mixture model of two land-cover endmembers (selected pixels within a satellite image that represent a targeted land-cover). The two endmembers were impervious and fully-irrigated landscaping. In the San Fernando Valley, we used airport buildings, runways, and pavement to represent the impervious endmember; golf courses and parks were used to represent the fully irrigated endmember. The average Firr using all 29 satellite scenes was 44%. Firr calculated from hand-digitizing using air photos for 13 randomly selected single-family-residential neighborhoods showed similar results (42%). Estimating the rate of irrigation required identification of a third endmember: areas that consisted of urban vegetation but were not irrigated. This "nonirrigated" endmember was used to compute a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) surplus, defined as the difference between the NDVI signals of the irrigated and nonirrigated endmembers. The NDVI signals from irrigated areas remains relatively constant throughout the year, whereas the signal from nonirrigated areas rises and
Assessment of the influence of climate condition on a migration rate of the 90Sr in the unsaturated zone in the Kirov and Sverdlovsk Region, Russia
Kurinova, Natalia; Dediulina, Ekaterina
In this research, the transport of 90Sr with unsaturated flow in the same geological section (0.5 m top soil, from 0.5 to 6.0 m sand) was taken under consideration in two regions: Kirov and Sverdlovsk Region, Russia. The modeling schematization assumed that the nuclide polluted top soil to the depth of 0.2 m and from this point are transported with infiltration of precipitation during 100 year. The modeling were conducted in Hydrus 1D. The climate classification based on the Budyko aridity index (Budyko 1958) was used to define climate differences between regions. According this classification climate in both are temperate continental but the biggest differences is in the wetting degree. The Kirov region has the aridity index about 0.70; there is overwatering conditions, which means that average annual precipitation exceeds the potential evapotranspiration. The Sverdlovsk region has the aridity index about 1.04; there is the optimal watering conditions. The results of modeling of the 90Sr migration process showed the transport dynamic dependence on wetting degree. At the end of the 100-year period, the 90Sr reached the depth of 1.3 m in Kirov region and 1.0 m in Sverdlovsk.
Rainfed agriculture in a semi-arid tropical climate. Aspects of land- and water management for red soils in India
Huibers, F.P.
Rainfed agriculture is defined as the production of field crops that completely depend on the local precipitation for their water supply. Although in the semi-arid tropics the mean annual precipitation might seem to be sufficient to grow (adapted) crops, its variability over the years and its errati
Future Water Management in the South Platte River Basin: Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing, Population, Agriculture, and Climate Change in a Semi-Arid Region.
Walker, E. L.; Hogue, T. S.; Anderson, A. M.; Read, L.
In semi-arid basins across the world, the gap between water supply and demand is growing due to climate change, population growth, and shifts in agriculture and unconventional energy development. Water conservation efforts among residential and industrial water users, recycling and reuse techniques and innovative regulatory frameworks for water management strive to mitigate this gap, however, the extent of these strategies are often difficult to quantify and not included in modeling water allocations. Decision support systems (DSS) are purposeful for supporting water managers in making informed decisions when competing demands create the need to optimize water allocation between sectors. One region of particular interest is the semi-arid region of the South Platte River basin in northeastern Colorado, where anthropogenic and climatic effects are expected to increase the gap between water supply and demand in the near future. Specifically, water use in the South Platte is impacted by several high-intensity activities, including unconventional energy development, i.e. hydraulic fracturing, and large withdrawals for agriculture; these demands are in addition to a projected population increase of 100% by 2050. The current work describes the development of a DSS for the South Platte River basin, using the Water Evaluation and Planning system software (WEAP) to explore scenarios of how variation in future water use in the energy, agriculture, and municipal sectors will impact water allocation decisions. Detailed data collected on oil and gas water use in the Niobrara shale play will be utilized to predict future sector use. We also employ downscaled climate projections for the region to quantify the potential range of water availability in the basin under each scenario, and observe whether or not, and to what extent, climate may impact management decisions at the basin level.
Analysis of soil moisture condition under different land uses in the arid region of Horqin sandy land, northern China
Niu, C. Y.; Musa, A.; Liu, Y.
Land use plays an important role in controlling spatial and temporal variations of soil moisture by influencing infiltration rates, runoff and evapotranspiration, which is important to crop growth and vegetation restoration in semiarid environments, such as Horqin sandy land in north China. However, few studies have been conducted comparing differences of dynamics of soil water conditions and the responses of soil to infiltration under different land use types in semiarid area. Five different land use types were selected to analyze soil moisture variations in relation to land use patterns during the growing season of 2 years. Results showed that soil moisture condition was affected by different land uses in semi-arid sandy soils. The higher soil moisture content among different land uses was exhibited by the grassland, followed by cropland, poplar land, inter-dunes and shrub land. The temporal variations of soil moisture in different land uses were not always consistent with the rainfall due to the dry sequence. Moreover, soil water at the surface, in the root zone and at the deep soil layer indicated statistical differences for different types of land cover. Meanwhile, temporal variations of soil moisture profile changed with precipitation. However, in the deep soil layer, there was a clear lag in response to precipitation. In addition, seasonal variations of profile soil moisture were classified into two types: increasing and waving types. And the stable soil water layer was at 80-120 cm. Furthermore, the infiltration depth exhibited a positive correlation with precipitation under all land uses. This study provided an insight into the implications for land and agricultural water management in this area.
Analysis of soil moisture condition under different land uses in arid region of Horqin Sandy Land, northern China
Niu, C.; Musa, A.; Liu, Y.
Land use plays an important role in controlling spatial and temporal variations of soil moisture by influencing infiltration rates, runoff, and evapotranspiration, which is substantive meaning to crop growth and vegetation restoration in semiarid environments, such as the Horqin Sandy Land in north China. However, few studies have been conducted comparing differences of dynamics of soil water conditions and the responses of soil water to precipitation infiltration under different land use types in this semiarid region. Five different land use types were selected to analyze soil moisture variations in relation to land use patterns during the growing season of two years. Results showed that soil moisture condition was affected by different land uses in semi-arid sandy land. The order of soil moisture (from high to low) among different land uses was grassland, cropland, poplar land, inter-dunes and shrub land. The temporal variations of soil moisture in different land uses were not always consistent with the rainfall due to the dry sequence. Moreover, soil water in surface, root zone and deep soil layer indicated statistical difference for different land covers. Meanwhile, temporal variations of soil moisture profile changed with precipitation. However, in deep soil layer, there was a clear lag in response to precipitation. In addition, seasonal variations of profile soil moisture were classified into two types: increasing and waving types. And the stable soil water layer was at 80-120 cm. Furthermore, the infiltration depth exhibited a positive correlation with precipitation under all land uses. This study provided an insight into the implications for land and agricultural water management in this area.
Groundwater dating with radiocarbon: application to an aquifer under semi-arid conditions in the south of Morocco (Guelmime).
Bouhlassa, S; Aiachi, A
Radiocarbon dating is based on measuring the loss of the parent radionuclide (14C) in a given sample. This assumes two key features of the system. The first is that the initial concentration of the parent is known and has remained constant in the past. The second is that the system is closed to subsequent gains or losses of the parent, except through radioactive decay. But, the reaction and evolution of the carbonate system strongly dilute the initial 14C activity in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The result is an artificial "aging" of groundwater by dilution of 14C. Unravelling the relevant processes and distinguishing 14C decay from 14C dilution is an engaging geochemical problem. Several attempts to overcome these problems have been made during the past 30 years and a number of possible correction procedures have been presented by different authors. Environmental isotopes study (13C, 14C) from the aquifers of the Guelmime under semi-arid conditions provides new information on recharge zones, mixing zones and the circulation routes of water. The combination of logP(CO2), the saturation index of dolomite and calcite, HCO3, delta13C, 14C and pH along flow paths can provide an indication of open- and closed-system conditions in the Oumlaachar and Seyyad sub-basins. This approach of geochemical analysis, when combined with correction procedures, allows us to understand age and recharge in the Guelmime aquifer. 14C groundwater ages range from modern to about 2700 years in this aquifer, and indicate recharge values of 0.55-15 mm/yr. PMID:11999164
Groundwater dating with radiocarbon: application to an aquifer under semi-arid conditions in the south of Morocco (Guelmime)
Radiocarbon dating is based on measuring the loss of the parent radionuclide (14C) in a given sample. This assumes two key features of the system. The first is that the initial concentration of the parent is known and has remained constant in the past. The second is that the system is closed to subsequent gains or losses of the parent, except through radioactive decay. But, the reaction and evolution of the carbonate system strongly dilute the initial 14C activity in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The result is an artificial 'aging' of groundwater by dilution of 14C. Unravelling the relevant processes and distinguishing 14C decay from 14C dilution is an engaging geochemical problem. Several attempts to overcome these problems have been made during the past 30 years and a number of possible correction procedures have been presented by different authors. Environmental isotopes study (13C, 14C) from the aquifers of the Guelmime under semi-arid conditions provides new information on recharge zones, mixing zones and the circulation routes of water. The combination of logPCO2, the saturation index of dolomite and calcite, HCO3-, δ13C, 14C and pH along flow paths can provide an indication of open- and closed-system conditions in the Oumlaachar and Seyyad sub-basins. This approach of geochemical analysis, when combined with correction procedures, allows us to understand age and recharge in the Guelmime aquifer. 14C groundwater ages range from modern to about 2700 years in this aquifer, and indicate recharge values of 0.55-15 mm/yr
Effect of diet supplementation on growth and reproduction in camels under arid range conditions
Abdouli H.
Full Text Available Eighteen pregnant dromedary females (Camelus dromedarius were used to determine the effect of concentrate supplement on growth and reproductive performances in peri-partum period. The females were divided into supplemented (n = 9; S and unsupplemented (n = 9; C experimental groups. All animals grazed, with one mature male, 7 to 8 hours per day on salty pasture rangelands. During night, they were kept in pen, where each female of group S received 4 kg per day of concentrate supplement during the last 3 months of gestation and 5 kg per day during the first 3 months post-partum. During the last 90 days of gestation daily body weight gain (DBG was at least tenfold more important in group S than in group C (775 g vs. 72 g respectively. Supplementation affected birth weight of offspring (30.3 kg vs. 23.4 kg and its DBG (806 g vs. 430 g in group S and group C respectively. During the post-partum period, females in group S gained in weight (116 g per day whereas females in group C lost more than 200 g per day. The mean post-partum interval to the first heat and the percentage of females in heat were 29.5 day and 44.4/ vs. 41.2 day and 71.4/ for the C and S groups, respectively. We conclude that under range conditions, dietary supplementation of dromedary during late pregnancy stage and post-partum period improves productive and reproductive parameters.
Capability of multiple selection criteria to evaluate contrasting spring wheat germplasms under arid conditions
Selection criteria that would evaluate a large number of germplasm in a rapid and non-destructive manner would be considered advantageous in plant breeding programs. Trade-off between traditional and non-destructive screening criteria in evaluating 90 wheat accessions under water shortage was tested using multivariate statistical techniques. Only three irrigations during the growing cycle of germplasm were applied with the amount of water totalling 2550 m /sup 3/ ha /sup -1/. Sequential path analysis identified one traditional trait (grain weight per plant) and two non-destructive traits (leaf area index and stomatal conductance) as important first-order traits that influenced final grain yield. The three traits, taken together, explained 96.8 percentage of the total variation in grain yield. Total dry weight per plant, green leaf area per plant, harvest index, grain number per plant, leaf water content and canopy temperature were identified as important second-order traits that influenced grain yield. Although canopy temperature was ranked as a second-order trait, it explained 64.4 percentage of the total variation in stomatal conductance. Approximately 78.0 percentage of the total variation in grain weight or leaf area index was explained by the leaf water content (66.2 percentage) and total dry weight (11.5 percentage). The 90 examined spring wheat germplasms were grouped into five clusters based on all agro-physiological traits using the centroid linkage method. The tested wheat germplasm that produce high grain yield under water shortage were characterised by good performance of certain rapid, easy and non-destructive physiological traits such as high leaf area index, high stomatal conductance and low canopy temperature. Therefore, these three traits could be used in combination as quick and easy screening criteria to select suitable genotypes for water-limiting conditions. (author)
Can calcretes be used to date pedogenic processes in soil profiles under semi arid climate ? An example from U-Th isochrons in calcretes from South India.
Durand, Nicolas; Hamelin, Bruno; Deschamps, Deschamps; Gunnel, Yanni; Curmi, Pierre
Pedogenic carbonates, such as calcretes, have often been questioned as possible markers of the pedogenetic evolution of soil profiles under semi-arid climate. However, providing precise chronological constraints on their formation is a perequisite to determine the climatic and paleo-environmental conditions prevailing during and after their formation, and to improve our understanding of the physical and chemical conditions that promoted their development and preservation. On the other hand, these authigenic calcium carbonate precipitates provide us with an interesting test of the U-Th radioactive disequilibrium dating method, the reliability of which has been demonstrated extensively in aragonitic marine formations, and calcitic continental speleothems, but remain much more questionable in highly porous and chemically complex media such as soil profiles. In this study, we combined U-Th systematics with detailed micromorphologic observations of calcretes from South India, investigated at different spatial scales, from the landscape to the soil profile, down to the micro-fabrics of the samples. The U-Th analyses were performed by Thermo-Ionization Mass Spectrometry. Since calcretes are impure carbonates, mixed with various amounts of parent rock and weathered minerals, all ages had to be computed using the isochron technique to correct for the detrital component. This method involves the extraction of several coeval subsamples from a single soil horizon and their U-Th analyses after total dissolution (TDS method). The isochron age is derived from the slope of the mixing line between the pure authigenic carbonate and the detrital phase, and the precision established statistically using the probability of fit and weighted mean deviations (MSWD). Our results show that each set of samples taken from decimetric blocks is characterized by a well defined isochron line, clearly distinct from each other in the 3D Osmond diagram (232Th/238U; 230Th/238U ; 234U/238U). The
Predicting Weather Conditions and Climate for Mars Expeditions
Read, P. L.; Lewis, S. R.; Bingham, S. J.; Newman, C. E.
Weather and climatic conditions are among the most important factors to be taken into account when planning expeditions to remote and challenging locations on Earth. This is likely to be equally the case for expedition planners on Mars, where conditions (in terms of extremes of temperature, etc.) can be at least as daunting as back on Earth. With the success of recent unmanned missions to Mars, such as NASA's Mars Pathfinder, Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Odyssey, there is now a great deal of information available on the range of environ- mental conditions on Mars, from the tropics to the CO2 ice-covered polar caps. This has been further supple- mented by the development of advanced numerical models of the Martian atmosphere, allowing detailed and accurate simulations and predictions of the weather and climate across the planet. This report discusses the main weather and climate variables which future Martian human expedition planners will need to take into account. The range of conditions likely to be encountered at a variety of typical locations on Mars is then considered, with reference to predictions from the ESA Mars Climate Database.
Modelling climate change impacts on stream habitat conditions
Boegh, Eva; Conallin, John; Karthikeyan, Matheswaran;
, climate impacts on stream ecological conditions were quantified by combining a heat and mass stream flow with a habitat suitability modelling approach. Habitat suitability indices were developed for stream velocity, water depth, water temperature and substrate. Generally, water depth was found...
Transferability of SWAT model parameters for flow simulations under changed climatic conditions
Zhu, Q.; Zhang, X.; Ma, C.; Xu, Y.
Hydrological models are widely employed for climate change impact assessment. Parameters calibration is a step of great importance in using hydrological models to simulate flows. In most studies, parameters estimated from observations are assumed to remain valid for future climate conditions. However, this might not be true due to non-stationarity. In this study, SWAT model is used to evaluate the transferability of parameters for flow simulations under changed climatic conditions. The model is set up in Quzhou catchment, one sub-basin of Qiantang River Basin in East China. After a preliminary sensitivity analysis, ten parameters are selected as sensitive ones and used in the calibration. Based on the aridity index and flows, three sub-periods are selected from the period (1961-2006): wet sub-period (1992-1995), intermediate sub-period (1965-1968) and dry sub-period (2003-2006). These three sub-periods are calibrated separately via SUFI-2 method, which results in three different sets of parameters. A regional climate model PRECIS (Providing REgional Climates for Impacts Studies) is used to downscale the global climate model (HadCM3) outputs. The downscaled precipitation and temperature are put into SWAT model to simulate future flows in the future period (2011-2040). The three sets of parameters are employed separately to simulate future flows. The results show that in the calibration the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficients of 1000 simulations which are larger than 0.6 in wet, intermediate and dry sub-periods are more than 77.3%, 97% and 71.7% respectively. By comparing the ranges of those three sets parameters, it is found that three parameters about soil are very different from each other, which are available water capacity of the soil layer, saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil depth. From the uncertainty range (95PPU) of future flow simulations, it is known that flows simulated by the wet set of parameters are similar to those by the intermediate set of parameters
Short Communication: Rhizosphere bacteria containing ACC-deaminase conferred drought tolerance in wheat grown under semi-arid climate
Masood Ahmad Shakir; Asghari Bano; and Muhammad Arshad
Certain rhizobacteria have the potential of lowering endogenous ethylene levels in plants because of their 1- aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC)-deaminase activity and promoting root growth. This mechanism is of great agronomic significance under stress environments, which are known to induce accelerated production of ethylene. Thirty rhizobacteria were isolated from rhizosphere of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growing in the Southern Punjab, a semi-arid region of Pakistan. Rhizobacteria we...
Shade shelters increase survival and photosynthetic performance of oak transplants at abandoned fields in semi-arid climates
Claudia González-Salvatierra; Ernesto Iván Badano; Joel Flores; Juan Pablo Rodas
Forest restorations conducted in semiarid,seasonally dry climates must deal with the intense drought stress that affects tree seedlings during the dry season.Although this water deficit is the most commonly invoked source of mortality for seedlings,several other environmental factors may also preclude survival of transplants.For instance,it has been widely reported that excessive light reduces the efficiency of the photosynthetic apparatus,hence decreasing plant survival,but most seedling transplants in deforested areas are conducted under these light conditions.This study is focused in determining whether excessive light affects the photosynthetic performance and survival of Quercus coccolobifolia,a Mexican oak species,when their seedlings are transplanted in semiarid deforested areas.Further,this study tests the possibility of using artificial shade shelters to improve the ecophysiological performance and survival of seedlings.Oak seedlings were transplanted under full sunlight conditions and beneath artificial shade shelters of two different colors:white and black.To reduce water stress,and hence isolate the effects of light treatments,a drip irrigation system was implemented at each experimental plot.Seedling survival was monitored weekly for 128 days and photosynthetic performance was assessed by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence at three opportunities during the experiment.Sun-exposed seedlings showed lower photosynthetic performance and survival rates than those beneath shelters of both colors.These results suggest that sunlight damage can reduce seedling survival when they are transplanted in exposed sites,and that shade shelters can improve the success of forest restoration programs in semiarid climates.
Temperature profile in apricot tree canopies under the soil and climate conditions of the Romanian Black Sea Coast
Paltineanu, Cristian; Septar, Leinar; Chitu, Emil
The paper describes the temperature profiles determined by thermal imagery in apricot tree canopies under the semi-arid conditions of the Black Sea Coast in a chernozem of Dobrogea Region, Romania. The study analyzes the thermal vertical profile of apricot orchards for three representative cultivars during summertime. Measurements were done when the soil water content (SWC) was at field capacity (FC) within the rooting depth, after intense sprinkler irrigation applications. Canopy temperature was measured during clear sky days at three heights for both sides of the apricot trees, sunlit (south), and shaded (north). For the SWC studied, i.e., FC, canopy height did not induce a significant difference between the temperature of apricot tree leaves (Tc) and the ambient air temperature (Ta) within the entire vertical tree profile, and temperature measurements by thermal imagery can therefore be taken at any height on the tree crown leaves. Differences between sunlit and shaded sides of the canopy were significant. Because of these differences for Tc-Ta among the apricot tree cultivars studied, lower base lines (LBLs) should be determined for each cultivar separately. The use of thermal imagery technique under the conditions of semi-arid coastal areas with low range of vapor pressure deficit could be useful in irrigation scheduling of apricot trees. The paper discusses the implications of the data obtained in the experiment under the conditions of the coastal area of the Black Sea, Romania, and neighboring countries with similar climate, such as Bulgaria and Turkey.
Window of Opportunity: The Climatic Conditions of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 1806.
Knapp, Paul A.
Lewis and Clark's entry into to the American West in search of an inland Northwest Passage is considered among the greatest expeditions in American history. The Corps of Discovery were also lucky as their travels west of the 100th meridian occurred during a "window" of generally favorable climatic conditions. Use of reconstructed summer Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) values from 1700 1978 indicate that drought frequency at locations along the Lewis and Clark trail ranged from 4 to 12 yr and that the probability of encountering a drought either on the outbound or return trip approached 50% at some locations. Exact date comparisons of meteorological conditions during periods of extended encampment (i.e., 1 5 months) between 1804 06 with long-term records of nearby weather stations indicate that the Corps of Discovery avoided drought and traveled during a cooler and/or substantially wetter period than historical averages. Examination of reconstructed Southern Oscillation index (SOI) and Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) values suggest wetter conditions prevailed in 1804 06 because of the co-occurrence of La Niña conditions during a cold PDO phase. Although the Corps of Discovery suffered hardships because of the wetter conditions, they avoided the more serious consequences of severe droughts that occurred in 1800 and 1808. Drought conditions along the semiarid and arid portions of the trail would have reduced forage yield for the game that were their principal source of food and increased their chances for starvation. Additionally, lower streamflow conditions along their principal navigation routes would have required greater effort and time to haul their supplies to the Continental Divide, perhaps delaying their expedition by a year.
Performance of desiccant air conditioning system with geothermal energy under different climatic conditions
Highlights: • The performance of the hybrid air conditioning system is studied. • The influence of important operating parameters are estimated. • The ventilation, makeup and mix cycles are investigated at different climate. • The highest COP of the hybrid air conditioning system is 1.03. • The hybrid system provides a human thermal comfort at different climates. - Abstract: Energy saving still and continue a major seek in our life, due to the continuous increase in energy consumptions. So, a desiccant air conditioning system with geothermal energy is conducted in the current study. The thermal analysis of air conditioning system with its different components desiccant wheel, solar collector, heat exchanger, ground heat exchanger and water spray evaporative cooler is presented. Three different air conditioning cycles are simulated in the current study for different zones like: hot-dry zone, warm-dry zone, hot-humid zone and the warm-humid zone. The results show that the desiccant air conditioning system successfully provides a better thermal comfort condition in different climates. This hybrid system significantly decreases the supplied air temperature from 12.7 to 21.7 °C at different climate zones. When ωin,air and TReg increasing, COP decreases and the ventilation cycle provides the better COP. The highest COP value of the desiccant air conditioning system is about 1.03 while the lowest value is about 0.15. The SHR of makeup cycle is higher than that ventilation cycle at warm and hot-humid zone and vice versa at warm and hot-dry zone. The highest SHR value of the desiccant air conditioning system is about 0.99 while the lowest value is about 0.2. The Tsup,air, ωsup,air, COP and SHR isolines may easily be used for pre-evaluating of various cooling cycles in different climates. The hybrid system provides a human thermal comfort at different climates
Unlocking the biogeochemical black box: What drives microbial response to climate forcing in semi-arid soils?
Moravec, B. G.; McLain, J. E.; Lohse, K. A.
Microbial mediated cycling of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and their loss from soils are closely linked to soil moisture and temperature. Yet, it is unclear how microbial communities will respond to climatic forcing (namely increased inter-annual precipitation variability and severe drought) and to what extent parent material controls these responses. We used Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and C utilization assays to determine the relative abundance and diversity of microbial populations during pre-, mid- and post-monsoon time intervals at four sites along a steep elevation gradient (temperature and precipitation range of >10°C and >50 cm, respectively) in the Santa Catalina Mountains, AZ. Contrasting parent materials (schist and granite) were paired at elevations. RT-PCR results showed large increases of bacterial and fungal biomarkers at high elevations with the onset of precipitation (pre- to mid- monsoon conditions) (as much as 824%). In contrast, bacteria biomarkers did not change at low elevation granite site as a result of the onset of precipitation whereas fungal biomarkers increased by 177% at this site. Both bacteria and fungal biomarkers increased substantially at low elevation schist sites with the onset of precipitation. Finally, C utilization assays indicated that high elevation sites had a relatively high diversity of C utilization compared to low elevation soils. We hypothesize that increased bacterial and fungal abundance in low elevation schist-derived soils relative to granite soils after the onset of monsoon rains may be a function of soil texture, with higher clay content in schist soils leading to higher soil moisture availability. Alternatively, differences in microbial responses may be due to higher C availability in schist soils compared to granite soils. Higher C utilization diversity as well as similar bacteria and fungal biomarker responses found at high elevation sites (both granite and schist soils) in response to
Potential soil organic carbon stocks in semi arid areas under climate change scenarios: an application of CarboSOIL model in northern Egypt
Muñoz-Rojas, Miriam; Abd-Elmabod, Sameh K.; Jordán, Antonio; Zavala, Lorena M.; Anaya-Romero, Maria; De la Rosa, Diego
1. INTRODUCTION Climate change is predicted to have a large impact on semi arid areas which are often degraded and vulnerable to environmental changes (Muñoz-Rojas et al., 2012a; 2012b; 2013). However, these areas might play a key role in mitigation of climate change effects through sequestration of carbon in soils (United Nations, 2011). At the same time, increasing organic carbon in these environments could be beneficial for soil erosion control, soil fertility and, ultimately, food production (Lal, 2004). Several approaches have been carried out to evaluate climate change impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, but soil carbon models are amongst the most effective tools to assess C stocks, dynamics and distribution and to predict trends under climate change scenarios (Jones et al., 2005 ). CarboSOIL is an empirical model based on regression techniques and developed to predict SOC contents at standard soil depths of 0 to 25, 25 to 50 and 50-75 cm (Muñoz-Rojas et al., 2013). CarboSOIL model has been designed as a GIS-integrated tool and is a new component of the agroecological decision support system for land evaluation MicroLEIS DSS (De la Rosa et al., 2004). 2. GENERAL METHODS In this research, CarboSOIL was applied in El-Fayoum depression, a semi arid region located in northern Egypt with a large potential for agriculture (Abd-Elmabod et al, 2012). The model was applied in a total of six soil-units classified according the USDA Soil Taxonomy system within the orders Entisols and Aridisols under different climate climate change scenarios. Global climate models based on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (Agrawala at al., 2004) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) were applied to predict short-, medium- and long-term trends (2030, 2050 and 2100) of SOC dynamics and sequestration at different soil depths (0-25, 25-50 and 50-75) and land use types (irrigated areas, olive groves, wheat, cotton and other annual
The net effect of abiotic conditions and biotic interactions in a semi-arid ecosystem NE Spain: implications for the management and restoration.
Pueyo, Yolanda; Arroyo, Antonio I.; Saiz, Hugo; Alados, Concepción L.
Degradation in arid and semiarid lands can be irreversible without human intervention, due to a positive plant-soil feedback where the loss of vegetation cover leads to soil degradation, which in turn hampers plant establishment. Human intervention in restoration actions usually involves the amendment of the degraded abiotic conditions, revegetation of bare areas, or both. However, abiotic amelioration is often expensive and too intrusive, and revegetation is not successful in many cases. Biotic interactions between plants, and more specifically facilitation by a "nurse" plant, have been proposed as a new via to take profit of improved abiotic conditions without intervention, and to increase the success rate of revegetation actions. But "nurse" plants can also interfere with others (i.e. by competition for resources or the release of allelopathic compounds), and the net balance between facilitation and interference could depend on plant types involved. We present recent observational and experimental studies performed in the semiarid ecosystems of the Middle Ebro Valley (NE Spain) about the role of abiotic conditions and biotic interactions in the productivity, dynamics and diversity of plant communities under different stress conditions (aridity and grazing). We found that all plant types studied (shrubs and perennial grasses) improved abiotic conditions (soil temperature and water availability for plants) with respect to open areas. However, only some shrubs (mainly Salsola vermiculata) had a positive net balance in the biotic interactions between plants, while other shrubs (Artemisia herba-alba) and perennial grasses (Lygeum spartum) showed interference with other plants. Moreover, the net balance between facilitation and interference among plants in the community shifted from competitive to neutral or from neutral to facilitative with increasing aridity. Grazing status did not strongly change the net biotic interactions between plants. Our results suggest that
Physiological response of autumn planted sugarcane to soil moisture depletion and planting geometry on different soils under arid conditions
A field experiment was conducted on autumn planted sugarcane cv. HSF 240 at two locations, i.e., Research Area at Rakh Bibi Campus Gomal University, Dara Ismail Khan on Silty clay soil and Main Line Lower Land Reclamation Research Station, Chak No 37 TDA (Thal Development Authority) Bhakkar, Pakistan on sandy loam soil during 2003-04 and 2004-05. The experiment was laid out according to a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with a split plot arrangement having four replications. There were four available soil moisture depletion levels (ASMDL) including ASMDL1 -20%, ASMDL2 -40%, ASMDL3 - 60% and ASMDL4 -80%, which were kept in main plots and four planting patterns viz. G/sub 1/-60 cm, G2 -75 cm spaced single row planting patterns and G3 -30/90, G/sub 4/ -30/120 cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern, assigned to the sub plots having net subplot size of 24 m/sup 2/. Analysis of pooled data of both locations showed that Leaf area index (LAI), Leaf area duration (LAD), Crop growth rate (CGR) and Net assimilation rate (NAR) were significantly affected by ASMDL and were maximum at 40% ASMD level followed by 60%, 20% and the minimum at 80% ASMD level during both years. Whereas LAD, CGR and NAR were also significantly affected and were maximum in 30/90cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern followed by 75 cm and 60cm and minimum in 30/120cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern during both years. Treatments interactive effects of ASMD levels and planting patterns on LAD, CGR and NAR were significantly different except LAI and were maximum in 40% ASMDL x 30/90cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern and minimum in 80% ASMDL x 30/120 cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern during both years. Therefore it was concluded that under arid conditions on Silty clay and sandy loam soils sugar cane crop gave best physiological performance by irrigation at 40% ASMD level and sowing in 30/90 cm spaced paired row strip planting pattern. (author)
Trends and responses to global change of China's arid regions
Weixi YANG
Ⅰ analyzed and elaborated the trends in and responses to global change in arid regions of China, from the perspective of nine variables, i.e., temperature, precipitation, river runoff, melting glaciers, water level of lakes, wind power and evaporation, vegetation, oases, and desertification. The climate and hydrology data Ⅰ citedrepresent many years of observations. Ⅰ conclude that, since the 1980s, the climate in arid regions of China has clearly changed with rising temperatures and precipitation in most areas. Wind power and the number of galestorm days have continuously decreased, which resulted in an improvement of humid conditions and increases in river discharge and water levels of lakes. Simultaneously, vegetation also has improved and the process of deserti-fication has essentially been arrested. Although there are some unfavorable developments, such as decreased river flows or flow interruptions and downstream oases have suffered from degradation, these incidental cases should not distract our attention from the generally favorable trends during the middle and late 20th century. These discordant phenomena are not consequences of climate change but rather of unsuitable human activities. Despitea substantial increase in precipitation, the level of the original precipitation was so small that any increase in precipitation was still small. As a result, none of the fundamental conditions such as a scarcity of water resources and precipitation nor the landscape of drought-ridden deserts in the arid regions will change. The vulnerability of the eco-environmental system in the arid regions will not change fundamentally either in the near future.
Optimal Contracting for Cattle Feeding: An Assessment of Climatic Conditions
Rahman, Shaikh Mahfuzur
A unique approach using a biophysical growth model from the animal science literature is used to examine optimal contract cattle feeding behavior under alternative climatic conditions. The examination of incentives and outcomes in an unusually comprehensive contract parameter and behavioral space is made possible by combining simulated feedlot and carcass performance of a large set of cattle with public price and weather data. The model uniquely fits typical risk aversion levels and rationali...
Global flood risks under changing climate and socioeconomic conditions
Sperna Weiland, Frederiek; Ward, Philip; Bouwman, Arno; Ligtvoet, Willem; van Beek, Rens; Winsemius, Hessel
Worldwide major flood events result in both economic losses and large numbers of casualties. Recent global scale studies indicate that in many regions of the world discharge extremes are likely to increase under changing climate conditions. However, few studies have so far examined how these changes in climate conditions may affect flood risk (defined here as the probability of a flood multiplied by the consequences). In the current study we investigate the impacts of changing climate and socioeconomic conditions on flood extents and depths, and also assess the potential impacts on flood risk. The study is conducted on a global scale, thereby indicating in which regions of the world flood risk is likely to change most. To assess global food risk under changing conditions, we combined socio-economic data from the Integrated Model to Assess the Global Environment (IMAGE) framework of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) with high resolution maps of inundation depth (1 km). To this end, projections from a number of GCMs were bias-corrected and used to force the global hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB which simulates (amongst other variables) global maps with daily flood volumes on a 0.5 degree resolution. These time series were used to derive flood volume maps for multiple return periods, which were downscaled to inundation depth maps at 1 km resolution using a 1 km resolution DEM. Finally, these high resolution flood maps were combined with spatial datasets on future GDP and population density from the IMAGE model. Results are presented on both the global scale and at the country level. We believe that the obtained flood extend and flood risk maps can assist development agencies in planning climate adaptation investments that aim to reduce flood risks.
Variable climatic conditions dominate recent phytoplankton dynamics in Chesapeake Bay
Harding, Lawrence W., Jr.; Mallonee, Michael E.; Perry, Elgin S.; Miller, W. David; Adolf, Jason E.; Gallegos, Charles L.; Paerl, Hans W.
Variable climatic conditions strongly influence phytoplankton dynamics in estuaries globally. Our study area is Chesapeake Bay, a highly productive ecosystem providing natural resources, transportation, and recreation for nearly 16 million people inhabiting a 165,000-km2 watershed. Since World War II, nutrient over-enrichment has led to multiple ecosystem impairments caused by increased phytoplankton biomass as chlorophyll-a (chl-a). Doubled nitrogen (N) loadings from 1945–1980 led to increased chl-a, reduced water clarity, and low dissolved oxygen (DO), while decreased N loadings from 1981–2012 suggest modest improvement. The recent 30+ years are characterized by high inter-annual variability of chl-a, coinciding with irregular dry and wet periods, complicating the detection of long-term trends. Here, we synthesize time-series data for historical and recent N loadings (TN, NO2 + NO3), chl-a, floral composition, and net primary productivity (NPP) to distinguish secular changes caused by nutrient over-enrichment from spatio-temporal variability imposed by climatic conditions. Wet years showed higher chl-a, higher diatom abundance, and increased NPP, while dry years showed lower chl-a, lower diatom abundance, and decreased NPP. Our findings support a conceptual model wherein variable climatic conditions dominate recent phytoplankton dynamics against a backdrop of nutrient over-enrichment, emphasizing the need to separate these effects to gauge progress toward improving water quality in estuaries.
The transferability of hydrological models under nonstationary climatic conditions
C. Z. Li
Full Text Available This paper investigates issues involved in calibrating hydrological models against observed data when the aim of the modelling is to predict future runoff under different climatic conditions. To achieve this objective, we tested two hydrological models, DWBM and SIMHYD, using data from 30 unimpaired catchments in Australia which had at least 60 yr of daily precipitation, potential evapotranspiration (PET, and streamflow data. Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE, modified index of agreement (d1 and water balance error (WBE were used as performance criteria. We used a differential split-sample test to split up the data into 120 sub-periods and 4 different climatic sub-periods in order to assess how well the calibrated model could be transferred different periods. For each catchment, the models were calibrated for one sub-period and validated on the other three. Monte Carlo simulation was used to explore parameter stability compared to historic climatic variability. The chi-square test was used to measure the relationship between the distribution of the parameters and hydroclimatic variability. The results showed that the performance of the two hydrological models differed and depended on the model calibration. We found that if a hydrological model is set up to simulate runoff for a wet climate scenario then it should be calibrated on a wet segment of the historic record, and similarly a dry segment should be used for a dry climate scenario. The Monte Carlo simulation provides an effective and pragmatic approach to explore uncertainty and equifinality in hydrological model parameters. Some parameters of the hydrological models are shown to be significantly more sensitive to the choice of calibration periods. Our findings support the idea that when using conceptual hydrological models to assess future climate change impacts, a differential split-sample test and Monte Carlo simulation should be used to quantify uncertainties due to
Evaluation of an extreme-condition-inverse calibration remote sensing model for mapping energy balance fluxes in arid riparian areas
Hong, S.-H.; Hendrickx, J. M. H.; Kleissl, J.; Allen, R.G.; W. G. M. Bastiaanssen; R. L. Scott; A. L. Steinwand
Accurate information on the distribution of the surface energy balance components in arid riparian areas is needed for sustainable management of water resources as well as for a better understanding of water and heat exchange processes between the land surface and the atmosphere. Since the spatial and temporal distributions of these fluxes over large areas are difficult to determine from ground measurements alone, their prediction from remote sensing data is ...
Agricultural pests under future climate conditions: downscaling of regional climate scenarios with a stochastic weather generator
Hirschi, M.; Stöckli, S.; Dubrovsky, M.; Spirig, C.; Rotach, M. W.; Calanca, P.; Samietz, J.
As a consequence of current and projected climate change in temperate regions of Europe, agricultural pests and diseases are expected to occur more frequently and possibly to extend to previously unaffected regions. Given their economic and ecological relevance, detailed forecasting tools for various pests have been developed, which model the infestation depending on actual weather conditions. Assessing the future risk of pest-related damages therefore requires future weather data at high temporal and spatial resolution. In particular, pest forecast models are often not based on screen temperature and precipitation alone (i.e., the most generally projected climate variables), but might require input variables such as soil temperature, in-canopy net radiation or leaf wetness. Here, we use a stochastic weather and a re-sampling procedure for producing site-specific hourly weather data from regional climate change scenarios for 2050 in Switzerland. The climate change scenarios were derived from multi-model projections and provide probabilistic information on future regional changes in temperature and precipitation. Hourly temperature, precipitation and radiation data were produced by first generating daily weather data for these climate scenarios and then using a nearest neighbor re-sampling approach for creating realistic diurnal cycles. These hourly weather time series were then used for modeling important phases in the lifecycle of codling moth, the major insect pest in apple orchards worldwide. First results indicate a shift in the occurrence and duration of phases relevant for pest disease control for projected as compared to current climate (e.g. the flight of the codling moth starts about ten days earlier in future climate), continuing an already observed trend towards more favorable conditions for this insect during the last 20 years.
Climate Twins - a tool to explore future climate impacts by assessing real world conditions: Exploration principles, underlying data, similarity conditions and uncertainty ranges
Loibl, Wolfgang; Peters-Anders, Jan; Züger, Johann
To achieve public awareness and thorough understanding about expected climate changes and their future implications, ways have to be found to communicate model outputs to the public in a scientifically sound and easily understandable way. The newly developed Climate Twins tool tries to fulfil these requirements via an intuitively usable web application, which compares spatial patterns of current climate with future climate patterns, derived from regional climate model results. To get a picture of the implications of future climate in an area of interest, users may click on a certain location within an interactive map with underlying future climate information. A second map depicts the matching Climate Twin areas according to current climate conditions. In this way scientific output can be communicated to the public which allows for experiencing climate change through comparison with well-known real world conditions. To identify climatic coincidence seems to be a simple exercise, but the accuracy and applicability of the similarity identification depends very much on the selection of climate indicators, similarity conditions and uncertainty ranges. Too many indicators representing various climate characteristics and too narrow uncertainty ranges will judge little or no area as regions with similar climate, while too little indicators and too wide uncertainty ranges will address too large regions as those with similar climate which may not be correct. Similarity cannot be just explored by comparing mean values or by calculating correlation coefficients. As climate change triggers an alteration of various indicators, like maxima, minima, variation magnitude, frequency of extreme events etc., the identification of appropriate similarity conditions is a crucial question to be solved. For Climate Twins identification, it is necessary to find a right balance of indicators, similarity conditions and uncertainty ranges, unless the results will be too vague conducting a
Vadose zone lag time and potential 21st century climate change effects on spatially distributed groundwater recharge in the semi-arid Nebraska Sand Hills
Rossman, N. R.; Zlotnik, V. A.; Rowe, C. M.; Szilagyi, J.
Deep drainage of water below plant root zones (potential groundwater recharge) will become groundwater recharge (GR) after a delay (or lag time) in which soil moisture traverses the vadose zone before reaching the water table. Depending on the thickness of the vadose zone, the magnitude of deep drainage, and soil hydraulic properties, lag times will vary broadly, exceeding decades to centuries in semi-arid and arid environments. Yet, studies of future climate change impacts to GR have typically avoided focusing on impacts beyond 100 years and often neglect to consider lag effects caused by the vadose zone. We investigate the effects of vadose zone lag time and potential 21st century climate change on the spatial distribution and timing of GR throughout the semi-arid Nebraska Sand Hills (NSH) region (∼50,000 km2). We propose a simple and rapid quantitative approach for assessment of the groundwater system response time to changes in climate. Understanding of such effects is needed for groundwater modeling, analysis of climate change impacts on groundwater, and the effective management and sustainability of future water resources. Lag time estimates are made using the pressure-based vertical velocity of soil moisture changes, equivalent to a kinematic wave approximation of Richards' equation. The underlying assumptions (unit hydraulic gradient and relatively slow changes in climate) are supported by observations in the High Plains aquifer region, encompassing the NSH. The analysis relies on four sources of input data, including: Spatially distributed high resolution (1.1-km) GR rates (as the difference in 2000-2009 mean precipitation and evapotranspiration-estimated using a novel MODIS-based approach); thickness of the vadose zone-based on 30-m digital elevation models of the land surface and water table elevations; statistically downscaled estimates of future (2010-2099) potential GR rates from two hydroclimate model projections (WRCP CMIP3) with opposing GR
Causes of early Holocene desertification in arid central Asia
Jin, Liya [Lanzhou University, Key Laboratory of Western China' s Environmental System, Lanzhou, Gansu (China); University of Kiel, Institute of Geosciences, Kiel (Germany); Chen, Fahu [Lanzhou University, Key Laboratory of Western China' s Environmental System, Lanzhou, Gansu (China); Morrill, Carrie [University of Colorado, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, CO (United States); NOAA' s National Climatic Data Center, Paleoclimatology Branch, Boulder, CO (United States); Otto-Bliesner, Bette L.; Rosenbloom, Nan [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Climate and Global Dynamics Division, Boulder, CO (United States)
Paleoclimate records of effective moisture (precipitation minus evaporation, or P-E) show a dry (low effective moisture) period in mid-latitude arid/semi-arid central Asia during the early Holocene (11,000-8,000 years ago) relative to the middle and late Holocene, in contrast to evidence for greater-than-present precipitation at the same time in the south and east Asian monsoonal areas. To investigate the spatial differences in climate response over mid-latitude central Asia and monsoonal Asia we conducted a series of simulations with the Community Climate System Model version 3 coupled climate model for the early, middle and late Holocene. The simulations test the climatic impact of all important forcings for the early Holocene, including changes in orbital parameters, the presence of the remnant Laurentide ice sheet and deglacial freshening of the North Atlantic. Model results clearly show the early Holocene patterns indicated by proxy records, including both the decreased effective moisture in arid central Asia, which occurs in the model primarily during the winter months, and the increase in summer monsoon precipitation in south and east Asia. The model results suggest that dry conditions in the early Holocene in central Asia are closely related to decreased water vapor advection due to reduced westerly wind speed and less evaporation upstream from the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas in boreal winter. As an extra forcing to the early Holocene climate system, the Laurentide ice sheet and meltwater fluxes have a substantial cooling effect over high latitudes, especially just over and downstream of the ice sheets, but contribute only to a small degree to the early Holocene aridity in central Asia. Instead, most of the effective moisture signal can be explained by orbital forcing decreasing the early Holocene latitudinal temperature gradient and wintertime surface temperature. We find little evidence for regional subsidence related to a stronger summer Asian
Diverging Responses of Tropical Andean Biomes under Future Climate Conditions
Tovar, Carolina; Arnillas, Carlos Alberto; Cuesta, Francisco; Buytaert, Wouter
Observations and projections for mountain regions show a strong tendency towards upslope displacement of their biomes under future climate conditions. Because of their climatic and topographic heterogeneity, a more complex response is expected for biodiversity hotspots such as tropical mountain regions. This study analyzes potential changes in the distribution of biomes in the Tropical Andes and identifies target areas for conservation. Biome distribution models were developed using logistic regressions. These models were then coupled to an ensemble of 8 global climate models to project future distribution of the Andean biomes and their uncertainties. We analysed projected changes in extent and elevational range and identified regions most prone to change. Our results show a heterogeneous response to climate change. Although the wetter biomes exhibit an upslope displacement of both the upper and the lower boundaries as expected, most dry biomes tend to show downslope expansion. Despite important losses being projected for several biomes, projections suggest that between 74.8% and 83.1% of the current total Tropical Andes will remain stable, depending on the emission scenario and time horizon. Between 3.3% and 7.6% of the study area is projected to change, mostly towards an increase in vertical structure. For the remaining area (13.1%–17.4%), there is no agreement between model projections. These results challenge the common believe that climate change will lead to an upslope displacement of biome boundaries in mountain regions. Instead, our models project diverging responses, including downslope expansion and large areas projected to remain stable. Lastly, a significant part of the area expected to change is already affected by land use changes, which has important implications for management. This, and the inclusion of a comprehensive uncertainty analysis, will help to inform conservation strategies in the Tropical Andes, and to guide similar assessments for
Agronomic Importance of First Development of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Under Semi-arid Conditions: I. Effect of Powder Humic Acid
N. Bayraktar; Ulukan, H; N. Kocak
Due to slow growth and weakness of the first development of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) plant could not combatted with weeds and easily get caught up by Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei (Pass) Labr.) disease; esp. under the late sowing and semi-arid conditions, due to effect of biotic and abiotic stress factors, significant yield losses could be arised. To be able to avoid from them is only possible to accelerate the first development of this crop. So, one of the best solutions is to use ...
Water use efficiency and crop water balance of rainfed wheat in a semi-arid environment: sensitivity of future changes to projected climate changes and soil type
Yang, Yanmin; Liu, De Li; Anwar, Muhuddin Rajin; O'Leary, Garry; Macadam, Ian; Yang, Yonghui
Wheat production is expected to be affected by climate change through changing components of the crop water balance such as rainfall, evapotranspiration (ET), runoff and drainage. We used the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM)-wheat model to simulate the potential impact of climate change on field water balance, ET and water use efficiency (WUE) under the SRES A2 emissions scenario. We ran APSIM with daily climate data statistically downscaled from 18 Global Circulation Models (GCMs). Twelve soil types of varying plant available water holding capacity (PAWC) at six sites across semi-arid southeastern Australia were considered. Biases in the GCM-simulated climate data were bias-corrected against observations for the 1961-1999 baseline period. However, biases in the APSIM output data relative to APSIM simulations forced with climate observations remained. A secondary bias correction was therefore performed on the APSIM outputs. Bias-corrected APSIM outputs for a future period (2021-2040) were compared with APSIM outputs generated using observations for the baseline period to obtain future changes. The results show that effective rainfall was decreased over all sites due to decreased growing season rainfall. ET was decreased through reduced soil evaporation and crop transpiration. There were no significant changes in runoff at any site. The variation in deep drainage between sites was much greater than for runoff, ranging from less than a few millimetres at the drier sites to over 100 mm at the wetter. However, in general, the averaged drainage over different soil types were not significantly different between the baseline (1961-1999) and future period of 2021-2040 ( P > 0.05). For the wetter sites, the variations in the future changes in drainage and runoff between the 18 GCMs were larger than those of the drier sites. At the dry sites, the variation in drainage decreased as PAWC increased. Overall, water use efficiency based on transpiration (WUE
Sources and transport of algae and nutrients in a Californian river in a semi-arid climate
Ohte, N.; Dahlgren, R.A.; Silva, S.R.; Kendall, C.; Kratzer, C.R.; Doctor, D.H.
1. To elucidate factors contributing to dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion in the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel in the lower San Joaquin River, spatial and temporal changes in algae and nutrient concentrations were investigated in relation to flow regime under the semiarid climate conditions. 2. Chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration and loads indicated that most algal biomass was generated by in-stream growth in the main stem of the river. The addition of algae from tributaries and drains was small (c.15% of total chl-a load), even though high concentrations of chl-a were measured in some source waters. 3. Nitrate and soluble-reactive phosphorus (SRP) were available in excess as a nutrient source for algae. Although nitrate and SRP from upstream tributaries contributed (16.9% of total nitrate load and 10.8% of total SRP load), nutrients derived from agriculture and other sources in the middle and lower river reaches were mostly responsible (20.2% for nitrate and 48.0% for SRP) for maintaining high nitrate and SRP concentrations in the main stem. 4. A reduction in nutrient discharge would attenuate the algal blooms that accelerate DO depletion in the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel. The N : P ratio, in the main stem suggests that SRP reduction would be a more viable option for algae reduction than nitrogen reduction. 5. Very high algal growth rates in the main stem suggest that reducing the algal seed source in upstream areas would also be an effective strategy. ?? 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Simulating the hydrological response of a closed catchment-lake system to recent climate and land-use changes in semi-arid Mediterranean environment
Niedda, Marcello; Pirastru, Mario; Castellini, Mirko; Giadrossich, Filippo
Lake water levels are sensitive sentinels of changes in the climate and landscape of the broader lake catchment. This means that lakes can be useful for quantifying the effects of these changes on the water yield of a catchment. This study presents a water balance model of a closed catchment-lake system in the semi-arid Mediterranean climate over the last 85 years, with the objective to understand the influence of precipitation change and the conversion from Mediterranean maquis to pasture. Deforestation alters the balance between evapotranspiration and canopy interception, and causes the rapid decay of soil hydrological properties, thus changing the mechanisms of runoff generation. The overall impact of these changes on the water yield has been evaluated for the catchment of the lake. A physically based rainfall-runoff model, combined with the energy budget method for estimating lake evaporation, were used for the lake water balance model. The calibration was carried out with the continuous measurements taken during the period 2008-2013. The reliability was evaluated with the historical lake levels between 1929 and 2008. Simulation errors were small despite the high sensitivity of the water balance model to precipitation, which in the historical period was that of a non-local station. The simulation results show that the balance was influenced by a combination of climate and land-use changes. The 23% decrease in precipitation observed in the last 50-years has resulted in a 72% decrease in average streamflow. The contemporaneous deforestation in 18% of the catchment area resulted in a 13% decrease in streamflow. The main mechanism of runoff generation under the maquis cover was saturated subsurface-flow. At hillslope scale this can eliminate the surface runoff, giving the impression that the water yield is lower than that of deforested hillslopes. However, at the basin scale the effect can also be reversed. The reduction in soil hydraulic conductivity and porosity
Response of Groundwater to Climate Change under Extreme Climate Conditions in North China Plain
Ying Zhang; Jincui Wang; Jihong Jing; Jichao Sun
The North China Plain (NCP) is one of the water shortage areas of China. Lack of water resources restricted the economic and social development of North China area and resulted in deterio-ration of ecosystem and natural environment. Influenced by the climate change and human activities, the water circulation of NCP was largely changed and the crisis of water resources was aggravated. Therefore, it is important to study the features of the extreme climate and the response mechanism of groundwater to climate change. We analyzed the trend of climate change and extreme climate features in the past 60 years based on the monitoring data of meteorological stations. And then the response characteristics of groundwater to climate change were discussed. The average temperature of NCP was in an obviously upward trend. The overall precipitation variation was in a downward trend. The cli-mate change in this area showed a warming-drying trend. The intensity of extreme precipitation dis-played a trend of declining and then increasing from north to south as well as declining from eastern coastal plain to the piedmont plain. Grey correlation degree analysis indicated that groundwater depth had a close relationship with precipitation and human activities in NCP. The response of groundwater level to precipitation differed from the piedmont alluvial-pluvial plain to the coastal plain. The response was more obvious in the coastal plain than the piedmont alluvial-pluvial plain and the middle plain. The precipitation influenced the groundwater depth both directly and indirectly. Under the condition of extreme precipitation, the impact would aggravate, in the forms of rapid or lag raise of groundwater levels.
Using ground- and satellite-based measurements and models to quantify response to multiple disturbances and climate change in South African semi-arid ecosystems
Falge, Eva; Brümmer, Christian; Schmullius, Christiane; Scholes, Robert; Twine, Wayne; Mudau, Azwitamisi; Midgley, Guy; Hickler, Thomas; Bradshaw, Karen; Lück, Wolfgang; Thiel-Clemen, Thomas; du Toit, Justin; Sankaran, Vaith; Kutsch, Werner
Sub-Saharan Africa currently experiences significant changes in shrubland, savanna and mixed woodland ecosystems driving degradation, affecting fire frequency and water availability, and eventually fueling climate change. The project 'Adaptive Resilience of Southern African Ecosystems' (ARS AfricaE) conducts research and develops scenarios of ecosystem development under climate change, for management support in conservation or for planning rural area development. For a network of research clusters along an aridity gradient in South Africa, we measure greenhouse gas exchange, ecosystem structure and eco-physiological properties as affected by land use change at paired sites with natural and altered vegetation. We set up dynamic vegetation models and individual-based models to predict ecosystem dynamics under (post) disturbance managements. We monitor vegetation amount and heterogeneity using remotely sensed images and aerial photography over several decades to examine time series of land cover change. Finally, we investigate livelihood strategies with focus on carbon balance components to develop sustainable management strategies for disturbed ecosystems and land use change. Emphasis is given on validation of estimates obtained from eddy covariance, model approaches and satellite derivations. We envision our methodological approach on a network of research clusters a valuable means to investigate potential linkages to concepts of adaptive resilience.
A model for simulating the response of runoff from the mountainous watersheds of inland river basins in the arid area of northwest China to climatic changes
康尔泗; 程国栋; 蓝永超; 金会军
A model for simulating the response of monthly runoff from the mountainous watersheds to climatic changes is developed.The model is based on the modifications to the HBV runoff model, and therefore represents the characteristics and runoff generation processes of inland river basins in the arid area of northwest China. Taking the mountainous watershed of an inland river, the Heihe River originating from the Qilian Mountains and running through the Hexi Corridor as an example, the monthly runoff changes under different climate scenarios are simulated. The simulation indicates that, during the years from 1994 to 2030, if the annual mean air temperature increases by 0.5℃, and precipitation keeps unchanged, then the runoff of May and October will increase because of the increase of the snow melt runoff, but the runoff of July and August will decrease to some extent because of the increase of evaporation, and as a result, the annual runoff will decrease by 4%. If the precipitation still keeps unchanged, an