Current Climate Variability Research Articles

Regional Ecological Management Strategy of Nature’s Contribution to People (NCPs) on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Balancing human needs with nature’s contributions is essential for sustainable development. The nature’s contribution to people (NCPs) framework helps identify ecosystem benefits; however, few studies have applied it to conservation priorities on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Here, we first proposed an assessment method on the supply and demand of the critical NCPs, including habitat maintenance (NCP1), climate regulation (NCP4), and water quantity regulation (NCP6), and assessed NCPs from 2000 to 2020. Then, we evaluated the importance and vulnerability of NCPs based on the NCP scores and multiple stressors, which refer to current and future socioeconomic and climatic factors and inter-annual variability. Finally, we identified the ecological priority conservation areas of NCPs by comprehensively considering the importance and vulnerability. The results revealed that the following: (1) the supply and demand of three NCPs across the QTP showed similar spatial distributions, with higher values in the southeast and lower in the northwest, whereas NCP4 and NCP6 showed increasing trends over time; (2) the importance of NCPs was higher in the eastern and western parts of the QTP, while the vulnerability of NCPs was greater in the central and northwest areas, with NCP1 and NCP4 recording much higher vulnerability scores (0.94 and 0.90, respectively) compared to NCP6 (0.14); and (3) based on the importance and vulnerability of NCPs, the priority conservation areas were primarily in the eastern QTP (13.68%), covering the Yangtze and Lancang basins, with key maintenance areas focused in the southwest, underscoring a significant ecological conservation emphasis in the eastern region from both supply and demand perspectives. These insights into the NCPs’ ecological conservation support regional coordination and ecological management to enhance human well-being.

Spatial and climatic drivers of β‐diversity in assemblages of angiosperm genera across the world

Abstract β‐diversity quantifies the change in taxonomic and phylogenetic composition between areas. It can be partitioned into two additive components (turnover and nestedness). Geographic distance, which reflects dispersal limitation, and climatic distance, which reflects environmental filtering, are major drivers of β‐diversity, but few studies have assessed their relative importance to β‐diversity at a global scale. Here, we investigate the relationship of β‐diversity of angiosperm genera in regional floras worldwide to climatic conditions within regions and to geographic and climatic distances between regions. We found that (1) current climate has a stronger effect on phylogenetic turnover than does Quaternary climate change; (2) of the current climate variables examined, mean annual temperature is the strongest driver of phylogenetic turnover, followed by precipitation seasonality; (3) regions with high precipitation seasonality have high phylogenetic β‐diversity and phylogenetic turnover; and (4) at a global scale, the variation in phylogenetic turnover explained jointly by geographic and climatic distances is, on average, much larger than that explained uniquely by either distance, but that geographic distance explains more variation in phylogenetic turnover than climatic distance. Synthesis. These results reveal the synergistic role of geographic isolation and climatic filtering in determining the composition of floras worldwide, with less influence of Quaternary climate changes.

Prediction of the potential distribution of a raspberry (Rubus idaeus) in China based on MaxEnt model

Rubus idaeus is a pivotal cultivated species of raspberry known for its attractive color, distinct flavor, and numerous health benefits. It can be used in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, agriculture and food industries not only as fresh but also as a processed product. Nowadays due to climatic changes, genetic diversity of cultivars has decreased dramatically. However, until now, the status of wild R. idaeus resources in China have not been exploited. In this study, we investigated the resources of wild R. idaeus in China to secure its future potential and sustainability. The MaxEnt model was used to predict R. idaeus suitable habitats and spatial distribution patterns for current and future climate scenarios, based on wild domestic geographic distribution data, current and future climate variables, and topographic variables. The results showed that, mean temperature of the coldest quarter (bio11), precipitation of the coldest quarter (bio19), precipitation of the warmest quarter (bio18), and temperature seasonality (bio4) were crucial factors affecting the distribution of R. idaeus. Presently, the suitable habitats were mainly distributed in the north of China including Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang. According to our results, in 2050s, the total suitable habitat area of R. idaeus will increase under SSP1-2.6 and then will be decreased with climate change, while in the 2090s, the total suitable habitat area will continue to decrease. From the present to the 2090s, the centroid distribution of R. idaeus in China will shift towards the east and the species will always be present in Inner Mongolia. Our results provide wild resource information and theoretical reference for the protection and rational utilization of R. idaeus.

Asymmetric effects of hydroclimate extremes on eastern US tree growth: Implications on current demographic shifts and climate variability.

Forests around the world are experiencing changes due to climate variability and human land use. How these changes interact and influence the vulnerability of forests are not well understood. In the eastern United States, well-documented anthropogenic disturbances and land-use decisions, such as logging and fire suppression, have influenced forest species assemblages, leading to a demographic shift from forests dominated by xeric species to those dominated by mesic species. Contemporarily, the climate has changed and is expected to continue to warm and produce higher evaporative demand, imposing stronger drought stress on forest communities. Here, we use an extensive network of tree-ring records from common hardwood species across ~100 sites and ~1300 trees in the eastern United States to examine the magnitude of growth response to both wet and dry climate extremes. We find that growth reductions during drought exceed the positive growth response to pluvials. Mesic species such as Liriodendron tulipifera and Acer saccharum, which are becoming more dominant, are more sensitive to drought than more xeric species, such as oaks (Quercus) and hickory (Carya), especially at moderate and extreme drought intensities. Although more extreme droughts produce a larger annual growth reduction, mild droughts resulted in the largest cumulative growth decreases due to their higher frequency. When using global climate model projections, all scenarios show drought frequency increasing substantially (3-9 times more likely) by 2100. Thus, the ongoing demographic shift toward more mesic species in the eastern United States combined with drier conditions results in larger drought-induced growth declines, suggesting that drought will have an even larger impact on aboveground carbon uptake in the future in the eastern United States.

Controls on Oxygen Variability and Depletion in the Patuxent River Estuary

Oxygen depletion in coastal waters is increasing globally due primarily to eutrophication and warming. Hypoxia responses to nutrient loading and climate change have been extensively studied in large systems like the Chesapeake Bay and the Baltic Sea, while fewer studies have investigated smaller, shallower hypoxic zones. Thus, an improved understanding of the interactions of eutrophication and warming on hypoxia expansion (or reduction) in the wide variety of different estuarine environments is needed. We examined interannual controls on oxygen depletion in the Patuxent River estuary, a eutrophic sub-estuary of Chesapeake Bay where seasonal hypoxia develops annually. We conducted a spatial and temporal analysis of dissolved oxygen (DO) trends, timing, and several metrics of depletion over a long-term record (1985–2021). We found an internally generated hypoxic zone that initiates in the middle estuary, spreading upstream and downstream as the summer progresses, and that hypoxic volume days (HVD) have been increasing (0.11 per year, p = 0.03) over the record despite reduced watershed nitrogen loads and stable phosphorus loads. River flow and temperature have been increasing and are major drivers of increased HVD, with river flow explaining 40% of the interannual variation in HVD (temperature has increased 0.03 and 0.06 °C per year in summer and fall, respectively). Apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) is increasing in bottom waters in the fall, consistent with increasing trends of both water temperature and stratification strength. HVD was negatively related (r2 = 0.34, slope = −0.59*HVD) to the biomass of benthic invertebrates in the middle region of the estuary, suggesting that benthic forage for higher trophic levels will be limited by sustained hypoxia. These results indicate that current and future climate variability plays an important role in regulating oxygen depletion in the Patuxent River estuary, which reinforces the need to factor climate change into strategies for the restoration and management of estuaries.

Vulnerability to Climate Change and Communal Conflicts: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa and South/South-East Asia

This paper examines the influence of climate change vulnerability on the likelihood and severity of communal violence, with a particular emphasis on delineating large-scale regional patterns. Specifically, the analysis centres on Sub-Saharan Africa and South/South-East Asia – both regions being predominantly characterised by rain-fed agriculture and climate-sensitive economic activities – spanning the years 1995 to 2021. Relying on the ND-GAIN Vulnerability Index as a multidimensional measure for propensity of societies to be negatively impacted by climate change, we found robust evidence that greater vulnerability is conducive to a higher likelihood and severity of communal violence in Sub-Saharan Africa. On the other hand, in South/South-East Asia, results suggest that current climate variability, measured as rainfall deviations within the period, exerts a greater effect on communal violence outbreak than overall vulnerability to climate change. In both regions, greater access to productive means is significantly associated to the reduction of communal violence.

Genetic and Genomic Pathways to Improved Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yields: A Review

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a fundamental crop essential for both human and animal consumption. Addressing the challenge of enhancing wheat yield involves sophisticated applications of molecular genetics and genomic techniques. This review synthesizes current research identifying and characterizing pivotal genes that impact traits such as grain size, number, and weight, critical factors influencing overall yield. Key genes including TaSPL17, ABP7, TaGNI, TaCKX6, TaGS5, TaDA1, WAPO1, TaRht1, TaTGW-7A, TaGW2, TaGS5-3A, TaSus2-2A, TaSus2-2B, TaSus1-7A, and TaSus1-7B are examined for their roles in these traits. The review also explores genes responsive to environmental changes, which are increasingly significant under current climate variability. Multi-trait regulatory genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that contribute to these traits are discussed, highlighting their dual influences on grain size and yield. Furthermore, the paper underscores the utility of emerging technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9, Case13, and multi-omics approaches. These innovations are instrumental for future discoveries and are poised to revolutionize wheat breeding by enabling precise genetic enhancements. Facing unprecedented challenges from climate change, the identification and utilization of these candidates is crucial. This review aims to be a comprehensive resource for researchers, providing an integrative understanding of complex traits in wheat and proposing new avenues for research and crop improvement strategies.

The trends and spatiotemporal variability of temperature and rainfall in Hulbarag district, Silte Zone, Ethiopia

Ethiopia gets its agricultural water primarily from rainfall. This study was intended to investigate current climate variability and trends across space and time. Daily gridded temperature and rainfall data from 1993 to 2022 in the Hulbarag district, Silte Zone of Ethiopia was obtained from the Ethiopian National Metrological Institute and the Climate Hazard Group Infrared Precipitation with Station. The trends and variability of temperature and rainfall were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall trend test, Sen's slope, coefficient of variation, precipitation concentration index, and rainfall anomaly index. The results indicated that annual, spring, and summer rainfall revealed statistically significant decreasing trends at Hulbarag and Sankura stations, with the magnitude of −13.4, −11.6, and −10.6 mm per year and −6.8, −3.6 and −10.9 mm per year respectively. Conversely, autumn and winter season rainfall showed statistically significant increasing trends at Hulbarag and Sankura stations, with the magnitude of 5.1 and 5.5mm per year and 3.4 and 1.84mm per year consecutively. Between 43 % and 47 % of the observation periods had negative anomalies. The average yearly temperature, average yearly minimum temperature, and average yearly maximum temperatures at Sankura and Fonko stations all displayed statistically significant increasing trends, with a magnitude of 0.091 °C, 0.009 °C and 0.051 °C per year and 0.03 °C,0.01 °C and 0.0022 °C per year successively. It is advisable to develop a farming system that is climate-resilient by improving the adaptive capacity of wheat and maize-growing farmers by expanding the availability of early maturing seeds, changing crop calendars, and enhancing proactive and credible climate information services.

Projected wind and solar energy potential in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East in 2050

The ongoing energy transition from conventional fuels to renewable energy sources (RES) has given nations the potential to achieve levels of energy self-sufficiency previously thought unattainable. RES in the form of utility-scale solar and wind energy are currently the leading alternatives to fossil-fuel generation. Precise location siting that factors in efficiency limitations related to current and future climate variables is essential for enabling the green energy transition envisioned for 2050. In this context, understanding and mapping the intermittency of RES provides insights to energy system operators for their seamless integration into the grid. The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region has the potential to harness vast amounts of RES. The scarcity of observations from weather station networks and the lack of private sector incentives for transitioning to RES mean that relevant, supporting weather and climate studies have been limited. This study employs the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-CHEM) to estimate the RES technical potential of EMME countries and map the hourly generation profiles per source and country, simulated for the reference year 2015 and considering future conditions. The findings indicate that by 2050, seven countries within the region could transform into net energy exporters, while the remaining nine might remain reliant on energy imports or fossil fuels. Egypt emerges as a “powerhouse”, potentially enjoying a potential surplus energy generation of 76 GW per hour, whereas the United Arab Emirates may face an annual deficit of 955 TWh. Further, we derived the hourly generation profiles for wind and solar during different seasons. Four dominant patterns were identified. We find a complementary relationship for six countries, and for four countries, a substitute relationship between solar and wind energy generation. Greece stands out with a near-constant wind energy source, which would facilitate its integration into the national grid.

Determination of Optimal Plant Density of Adapted Maize Varieties in the Low and Mid-altitude Ecologies of Tanzania

Purpose: The objective of this study is to validate the commonly recommended plant density in the target zone to maximize maize production and productivity. The commonly recommended plant density is 44,444 plants/ha for decades. However, there is no recent study done to validate this practice if it optimizes productivity under current climate and soil fertility variability. A blanket recommendation has been used for decades without validation for optimum productivity that farmer can realize. 
 Methodology: The factorial experiment was used with the total of 18 treatment combinations in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications according to Gomez, A and Gomez, K (1983). The open pollinated varieties (OPV) commonly grown by small scale farmers were planted in three different plant densities of 44,444, 53,333 and 66,666 plants per hector with inter and intra row spacings of 0.75mx0.3m, 0.75mx0.25m and 0.75mx0.2m respectively. Field management was done as usual following the recommended agronomic practices.
 Findings: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done using GENSTAT (9th edition) statistical programme software and presented in a tabular form. The results indicated no significant difference in all parameters analysed except for 50% anthesis days (AD) and 50% Silking days (SD) both at 0.1% levels. The overall site mean for grain yield was found to be 6.43t/ha, 7.31t/ha and 6.11t/ha for the plant density of 44,444plants/ha, 53,333plants/ha and 66,666plants/ha respectively. Therefore, based on these findings the optimum plant density was found to be 53,333/ha unlike the commonly used plant density of 44,444 plants/ha.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study contributes to existing experience and practice commonly recommended by extension officers in many parts of the country without performing a site-specific study to determine the optimum spacing for particular environment. This, study also open up an avenue for further research to validate various research technologies. Plant population, in addition to plant height, maturity class, and row spacings, affects the geometry of plant spacing and leaf distribution. All these factors may affect light and CO2 penetration in the canopy, as well as water use rate (Tharp, B and Kells, J, 2001)

Effects of climate and environmental heterogeneity on the phylogenetic structure of regional angiosperm floras worldwide

The tendency of species to retain ancestral ecological distributions (phylogenetic niche conservatism) is thought to influence which species from a species pool can persist in a particular environment. Thus, investigating the relationships between measures of phylogenetic structure and environmental variables at a global scale can help understand the variation in species richness and phylogenetic structure in biological assemblages across the world. Here, we analyze a comprehensive data set including 341,846 species in 391 angiosperm floras worldwide to explore the relationships between measures of phylogenetic structure and environmental variables for angiosperms in regional floras across the world and for each of individual continental (biogeographic) regions. We find that the global phylogenetic structure of angiosperms shows clear and meaningful relationships with environmental factors. Current climatic variables have the highest predictive power, especially on phylogenetic metrics reflecting recent evolutionary relationships that are also related to current environmental heterogeneity, presumably because this favors plant speciation in various ways. We also find evidence that past climatic conditions, and particularly refugial conditions, play an important role in determining the phylogenetic structure of regional floras. The relationships between environmental conditions and phylogenetic metrics differ between continents, reflecting the different evolutionary histories of their floras.

Effect of water quality parameters and climatic influences on reproductive phenology of Macrognathus pancalus in wetland ecosystem: recommending a long-term management approach and conservation policy.

The study conducted an investigation into the reproductive biology of M. pancalus and assessed the influence of water quality parameters and environmental factors on the spawning pattern within the Gajner Beel ecosystem in Bangladesh. A total of 1218 individuals of M. pancalus (46.39% males and 53.61% females) were collected monthly from the Gajner Beel during January to December 2018 using various fishing gears. The total length (TL) of each individual was measured using digital slide calipers, and the whole body weight (BW) was measured using an electronic balance. Fulton's conditions factor (KF) showed significant differences between males and females. The calculated Lm were 11.11 cm, 11.30 cm, and 11.10 cm based on maximum length, gonadosomatic index (GSI), and the logistic model. The spawning season extended from May through August, with June and July being peak months. The average total fecundity was 1495.52 ± 840.24, with a range of 370 to 4069. During peak spawning season, the average temperature and rainfall were 27°C and 370 mm, respectively. Rainfall, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, and pH all had a significant (p < 0.01) positive effect whereas temperature and TDS all had a significant (p > 0.01) negative effect on GSI. Annual air temperature in the study area increased by 0.053 °C/year, with a regression coefficient value (r2 = 0.1695), while annual mean rainfall decreased by 5.97mm/year (r2 = 0.076). This research will contribute to the development of conservation and management approaches of Mastacembelidae fish in relation to current climate variability in sub-tropical waters.

The effectiveness of species distribution models in predicting local abundance depends on model grain size.

The use of species distribution models (SDMs) to predict local abundance has been often proposed and contested. We tested whether SDMs at different spatiotemporal resolutions may predict the local density of 14 bird species of open/semi-open habitats. SDMs were built at 1 ha and 1 km, and with long-term versus a mix of current and long-term climatic variables. The estimated environmental suitability was used to predict local abundance obtained by means of 275 linear transects. We tested SDM ability to predict abundance for all sampled sites versus occurrence sites, using N-mixture models to account for imperfect detection. Then, we related the R2 of N-mixture models to SDM traits. Fine-grain SDMs appeared generally more robust than large-grain ones. Considering the all-transects models, for all species environmental suitability displayed a positive and highly significant effect at all the four combinations of spatial and temporal grains. When focusing only on occurrence transects, at the 1 km grain only one species showed a significant and positive effect. At the 1 ha grain, 62% of species models showed (over both climatic sets) a significant or nearly significant positive effect of environmental suitability on abundance. Grain was the only factor significantly affecting the model's explanatory power: 1 km grain led to lower amounts of variation explained by models. Our work re-opens the debate about predicting abundance using SDM-derived suitability, emphasizing the importance of grains and of spatiotemporal resolution more in general. The incorporation of local variables into SDMs at fine grains is key to predict local abundance. SDMs worked out at really fine grains, approaching the average size of territory or home range of target species, are needed to predict local abundance effectively. This may result from the fact that each single cell may represent a potential territory/home range, and hence a higher suitability over a given area means that more potential territories occur there.

Characterization of salt wedge intrusion process in a geographically complex microtidal deltaic estuarine system

Deltas are strategic systems of high ecological and economic importance since they provide various environmental resources and fertile alluvial soils. Different types of hydrodynamic processes occur in deltas, including saline intrusion. We implemented a three-dimensional numerical modeling system using the EFDC + Explorer Modeling System to analyze the characteristics of saline intrusion in the Sinú River delta, Colombia. We configured the model with field data from two measurement campaigns in February and November 2021, dry and wet seasons, respectively, and with secondary information. Several climatic conditions to cover a wide range of variability in the main forcing factors were simulated, specifically river discharge and tides: (1) without the influence of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climatic phenomena; (2) under critically low conditions of flow discharge; and (3) with sea level rise forecasts. The model was calibrated using in-situ water velocity data and salinity profiles. We obtained Index of Agreement (d) values between 0.67 and 0.99 for salinity and higher than 0.9 for water velocity. The numerical simulation provides valuable information about this stratified salt wedge system's dynamic nature, mainly due to changes in river discharge. The simulation demonstrated that river discharges above 319 m3/s were sufficient to prevent salt wedge intrusion, which are typical values registered annually between May and November. The scenarios under critical low discharge conditions and sea level rise projections showed a maximum reach of the salt wedge intrusion of 7.40 km. The model proved efficient in evaluating the saline intrusion process in the Sinú River delta, obtaining practical results that describe the dynamics of this process. It was shown that by simulating physical processes, such as salinity stratification, numerical models provide useful information on how these estuarine systems respond to different environmental stress factors associated with current climate variability, such as long drought periods or El Niño South Oscilation (ENSO), since salinity gradients play an important role in deltas' aquatic life, since they influence the distribution of phytoplankton, which is a key player for primary productivity.

Forest herb species with similar European geographic ranges may respond differently to climate change

Many phenological studies have shown that spring geophytes are very sensitive to climate change, responding by shifting flowering and fruiting dates. However, there is a gap in knowledge about climatic drivers of their distributions and range shifts under climate change. Here we aimed to estimate climate niche shifts for four widely distributed and common geophytes of the nemoral zone of Europe (Anemone nemorosa, Anemone ranunculoides, Convallaria majalis and Maianthemum bifolium) and to assess the threat level under various climate change scenarios. Using MaxEnt species distribution models and future climate change scenarios we found that the precipitation of the warmest quarter was the most important factor shaping their ranges. All species studied will experience more loss in the 2061–2080 period than in 2041–2060, and under more pessimistic scenarios. M. bifolium will experience the highest loss, followed by A. nemorosa, A. ranunculoides, and the smallest for C. majalis. A. ranunculoides will gain the most, while M. bifolium will have the smallest potential range expansion. Studied species may respond differently to climate change despite similar current distributions and climatic variables affecting their potential distribution. Even slight differences in climatic niches could reduce the overlap of future ranges compared to present. We expect that due to high dependence on the warmest quarter precipitation, summer droughts in the future may be particularly severe for species that prefer moist soils. The lack of adaptation to long-distance migration and limited availability of appropriate soils may limit their migration and lead to a decline in biodiversity and changes in European forests.

Making decisions about agroecological innovations: perspectives from members of farmers’ organizations in Burkina Faso

ABSTRACTThere is a growing promotion of agroecological techniques in many Sub-Saharan African countries as a response to the current climatic variability challenges. In the case of Burkina Faso, a number of studies have mentioned the role of Farmers’ Organizations (FOs) in the promotion of agroecological techniques. Although previous studies have highlighted the role of FOs in agroecology, more detailed studies on the effectiveness of their intermediation activities and especially those focusing on the way the FOs influence farmers’ agroecological innovations decisions are still scarce. This study addresses this gap by providing the answer to the question of what drives farmers’ decisions to implement agroecological innovations and how their FOs influence these decisions. The results show that the implementation of agroecological innovations varies, with some farmers using many and others few of the innovations promoted by their respective FOs. Farmers’ implementation of these innovations is largely influenced by the actions of their FOs on at least one of the three drivers of individual motivation or innovation behavior (Vroom 1964): instrumentality, valence, and expectancy. Finally, the study calls for policy actors to increase funding support to FOs for widening their continuous provision of agroecology development activities.

Lagrangian Characterization of Surface Transport From the Equatorial Atlantic to the Caribbean Sea Using Climatological Lagrangian Coherent Structures and Self‐Organizing Maps

AbstractThis study presents an assessment of the transport of suspended material by surface ocean currents, which have a critical role in determining the connectivity and distribution of living and non‐living material. Lagrangian experiments reveal pathways from the Equatorial Atlantic to 10 strategic regions within the Caribbean Sea, determined by considering the space‐time variability of climatological Lagrangian Coherent Structures, which act as recurrent attracting pathways and transport barriers. Due to windage or Stokes drift, wind forcing is a significant factor in determining the spatial locations where particles cluster and the time needed to reach the Caribbean from the Equatorial Atlantic. Pathways shift westward within the Caribbean and take less time to arrive with increasing wind influence. Depending on the wind effect, the particles show higher confluence in different areas of the Caribbean. A case study is presented for the Mexican Caribbean nearshore area, isolated from ocean‐current trajectories. Here, wind weakens the transport barrier responsible for this isolation and causes particle confluence toward that region. Spatial patterns of the Eulerian velocity identified through Self‐Organizing Maps, with time dependence given by their best matching units, can reproduce the characteristic Lagrangian patterns of surface current climate variability. Our study demonstrates the application of tools from dynamical systems and unsupervised neural networks to understand Lagrangian patterns and identify the processes that drive them. These findings improve our understanding of transport mechanisms of suspended material by surface ocean currents in the Western Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea, which is essential for managing and conserving marine ecosystems.

Water use, soil water balance and soil salinization risks of Mediterranean tree orchards in southern Portugal under current climate variability: Issues for salinity control and irrigation management

Water use, soil water balance and soil salinization risks of Mediterranean tree orchards in southern Portugal under current climate variability: Issues for salinity control and irrigation management

Drought Vulnerability and Impacts of Climate Change on Pastoralist and Their Adaptation Measures in Southern Ethiopia: A Comprehensive Review

Drought is a complicated natural hazard has far-reaching social and Environment impacts. In Ethiopia’s diverse agro-ecological zones, drought remains severe challenge and problem. Pastoralists on the southern on the Ethiopia Kenya-Somalia border endured extreme suffering, including the loss of more than 75% of their cattle and huge migration out of drought–stricken areas. Drought has greatest immediate effects of on pastoralists, including depletion of water resources, rising deforestation, crop failure, and an increase in food price, ill health, livestock output losses and death, and a decline in livestock prices in the Borana Zone. Ethiopian pastoral system is almost all rain-fed livestock production system, which is becoming more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and variability. Current climate variability is already imposing significant challenges by preventing the struggle to reduce poverty and sustainable efforts. The review was showed in southern Ethiopia to understand the drought vulnerability and impacts of climate change and variability on pastoral community and their adaptation strategies. Moreover, based on the drought classification, seven annual droughts occurred in the reviewed area from 1986-2018. While their perception of declining annual rainfall are not supported by actual records. More over the result indicated that the significant increment of maximum and minimum temperature, high inter annual and seasonal rainfall variability have caused effects on their livestock’s wellbeing. The prominent adaptation strategies by the pastoralist are area enclosure herd mobility supplementary feeding livestock destocking. Nevertheless, the adaptation strategies are not practiced in full capacity constrained by different socio economic and institutional factors. Therefore, it is important to provide training and improved livestock’s which drought tolerant. Drought and impacts of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures depending on geography and livestock system may improve the study’s trajectory in the future if further review is done. Also, intervention is needed to address water shortage and up scaling water harvesting technology to conserve water during drought season in the study area.

Revisiting the agro-climatic zones of Ghana: A re-classification in conformity with climate change and variability

The Ghana Meteorological Agency delineated Ghana’s geographical space into four agro-climatic zones namely the north, transition, forest and coastal zones. Since the demarcation in the 1960s, previous studies have rarely provided a more dis-aggregated agro-climatic zone map in tandem with contemporary climate change and variability. The continued use of this age-old classified zones is a disservice to the public. In this study, therefore, we evaluated the existing agro-climatic zone map of Ghana and reconstructed it to a more appropriate and dis-aggregated map that reflect current climate change and variability impact. This was achieved by quantifying the contrast in rainfall and temperature amount over a 30 year period for different climate windows and mapped out areas with similar rainfall and temperature regimes. Our findings revealed significant changes in the existing agro-climatic zones especially in terms of number, the boundary size and geographical orientation of the zones. The newly proposed map consist of five distinctive climate zones namely: the Sudan Savannah, Guinea Savannah, Transition, Forest and Coastal zones. The Sudan and Guinea Savannah zones showed a southerly expansion. The transition zone shriveled in size as the Guinea Savannah zone took over most of it, notably in the southeast. The forest zone shrank in size with a northwest shift while the coastal belt grew to encompass the whole coast of Ghana. These changes are strong evidence of climate change and possible food production changes. These findings are useful to agriculture sector in planning their activities, the health sector in predicting specific diseases caused by changes in weather and climate, Ghana Meteorological Agency for weather forecasting purposes, and the National Disaster Management in identifying disaster prone zones.