Posts

Summer soil moisture increased in 57 percent of the continental United States between 2011 and 2020. Photo: Carl Wycoff CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 GenericCarl Wycoff CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic

Soil moisture rises despite climate change

,
Precipitation, not temperature, explains soil moisture trends, a Harvard University study has found. It is critical to improve forecasts of long-term changes in rainfall in response to climate change
In the 21st century, the share of China's grasslands subject to severe and moderate desertification fell from 52 percent to 37 percent. Photo: neverdance CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unportedneverdance CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported

A new index details the decline of desertification in China

,
In the 21st century, the share of China's grasslands experiencing severe and moderate desertification has dropped from 52 percent to 37 percent. This is revealed in a new survey by the Beijing Academy of Sciences
Simulations indicate that compound droughts will be more frequent in the future due to climate change Photo: Sreyasvalsan CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 InternationalSreyasvalsan CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Drought limits carbon uptake more than expected

,
A Chinese study challenges methods for detecting compound drought events affecting vegetation. The impact of these events is likely to increase in the future
In the Amazon, rising temperatures would have played a larger role in determining drought than the El Niño oscillation. Image: Robert Stone Google Earth Detail - Amazon Basin CC BY-ND 2.0 DEED Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 GenericRobert Stone Google Earth Detail - Amazon Basin CC BY-ND 2.0 DEED Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic

Climate change is behind record drought in the Amazon Basin

,
Without climate change, the Amazon Basin would not have experienced the exceptional agricultural drought that has affected the area around the region's main river, an international study finds
Irrigation absorbs 88 percent of all fresh water consumed on a global scale. Photo: USDA PDM 1.0 DEED Public Domain Mark 1.0 UniversalUSDA PDM 1.0 DEED Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal

Optimizing crop combinations can alleviate water shortages

,
A study highlights how water scarcity can be solved in the U.S. six major river basins. Shifting to less water-intensive crops that still provide adequate incomes for farmers is crucial
Every year sand and dust storms bring 250 Great Pyramids of Giza into the atmosphere ©UN Photo/Blagoje Grujic ©UN Photo/Blagoje Grujic

Growing sandstorms. 25% are human-related

,
UNCCD: The problem of sand and dust storms is exacerbated by poor land and water management, drought and climate change. Choosing the correct agricultural practices can stem them
A spreader unloads crushed metabasalt rock on a fallowed corn field in the Central Valley. Photo: Amy Quinton/ UC Davis, for media useAmy Quinton/ UC Davis, for media use

Crushed volcanic rock helps soil capture carbon

,
A new study highlights the effectiveness of rock dust in aiding the process. Even under severe drought conditions
Soil temperature investigations have previously faced a lack of reliable data. Photo: Kris Lord CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 GenericPhoto: Kris Lord CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic

Climate change intensifies extreme heat in the soil

,
According to a German study, extreme heat events occur more frequently in the soil than in the air. Germany, France, Italy and central Europe are the most affected areas
Some soil bacteria can be particularly resilient during drought. Photo: PantheraLeo1359531 CC BY 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 InternationalPantheraLeo1359531 CC BY 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International

Some soil bacteria will adapt to climate change

,
An Austrian study highlighted the behavior of soil bacteria during drought. "Simulating future climate conditions actually resulted in more bacteria remaining active despite drought," the authors explain
Drought alert. Water shortages could increase significantly, particularly in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. Photo: Roberto AI CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 GenericRoberto AI CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic

Europe will be facing drought more often

,
The Commission has made available a database and a continental atlas of drought risk. A study of past data reveals negative predictions: the phenomenon will occur more often in the future