Aridification
Long-term process of a region becoming increasingly arid
Aridification is the process of a region becoming increasingly arid, or dry. It refers to long term change,[1] rather than seasonal variation.
It is often measured as the reduction of average soil moisture content. It can be caused by reduced precipitation, increased evaporation, lowering of water tables, and changes in ground cover acting individually or in combination. Its major consequences include reduced agricultural production, soil degradation, ecosystem changes and decreased water catchment runoff.[2]
Some researchers have found that the Colorado River basin and other parts of western North America are currently undergoing aridification.[3][4]
See also
- Arid
- Aridity index
- Central Arid Zone Research Institute
- Arid Forest Research Institute
- Desert
- Desertification
- Global warming
- Groundwater
- Soil moisture
- Water balance
- Water content
- Water cycle
References
- ^ Heidari, Hadi; Arabi, Mazdak; Warziniack, Travis; Kao, Shih-Chieh (2020). "Assessing Shifts in Regional Hydroclimatic Conditions of U.S. River Basins in Response to Climate Change over the 21st Century". Earth's Future. 8 (10): e2020EF001657. Bibcode:2020EaFut...801657H. doi:10.1029/2020EF001657. ISSN 2328-4277.
- ^ "GLASOD Classification of Soil Degradation" (PDF). United Nations ESCAP. February 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Erickson, Jim (May 19, 2020). "But it's a dry heat: Climate change and the aridification of North America". University of Michigan. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
- ^ Overpeck, Jonathan T.; Udall, Bradley (2020). "Climate change and the aridification of North America". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117 (22): 11856–11858. Bibcode:2020PNAS..11711856O. doi:10.1073/pnas.2006323117. PMC 7275756. PMID 32430321. S2CID 218758593.
- v
- t
- e
Deforestation and desertification
- Afforestation
- Arid Lands Information Network
- Biochar
- Conservation grazing
- Desert greening
- Ecoforestry
- Ecological engineering
- Farmer-managed regeneration
- Flexible Mechanisms
- Great Green Wall (Africa)
- Great Green Wall (China)
- Managed intensive rotational grazing
- Oasification
- Reforestation
- United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification