Extensive Drought Research Articles

Multi-scale drought variability over West Africa and the associated large-scale circulation patterns

This study addresses the critical research gap in understanding regional drought dynamics in West Africa (WA) using advanced multivariate wavelet coherence (MWC) techniques, revealing critical insights into the complex interplay between large-scale climate indices and regional drought patterns. Utilizing the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI), we examined drought characteristics across WA from 1950 to 2018. Our analysis revealed significant drying trends across all seasons, with the Arid zone experiencing the most severe and prolonged drought (158 months) from August 1981 to September 1994, affecting 79.77% of the area. The entire WA region faced its most extensive drought during this period, impacting over 60% of the study area. MWC analysis demonstrated enhanced drought predictability when combining climate indices, particularly the Southern Oscillation Index with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, yielding high Average Wavelet Coherence values of 0.52 (SPEI) and 0.53 (scPDSI), with substantial Percentage Area of Significant Coherence of 40.19% and 43.68%, respectively. These findings highlight the crucial role of oceanic-atmospheric interactions in modulating drought conditions across WA. Our results provide valuable insights for improving drought forecasting and management strategies in the region, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches that consider multiple climate indices and their combined effects on drought dynamics.

Rainfall in California: Special Reference to 2023 Rains That Caused Floods

After years of crippling drought, California experienced a barrage of intense atmospheric river storms starting from late 2022 and continuing into early 2023 after so many years of extensive drought. This resulted in extensive flooding across the northern and central parts of the state. Major urban centers like San Francisco and Sacramento saw their wettest January on record, with damage to infrastructure and thousands evacuated in flooded areas. Southern California also saw higher than average rainfall. The extensive rainfall provided much-needed relief from the recent drought, helping to replenish reservoirs and groundwater basins, but also causing lot of catastrophic events due to California’s insufficient flood control infrastructure. Decades of underfunding and lack of coordination have left dams, levees, and urban flood control channels unable to handle increased precipitation, putting communities at risk. Historically, California has experienced periodic droughts, where precipitation falls well below average for multiple seasons or years. Significant droughts were observed in the past century such as in the years 1976–1977, 1987–1992, and 2012–2016. The most recent drought from 2012–2022 ranked as one of the most severe and most prolonged droughts on record in California. Although the 2023 storms helped in recovery from drought conditions, California must bolster its flood control systems and water storage capabilities. The state must prepare for a future where climate change drives intense precipitation alongside more intense droughts. Sustainable infrastructure and coordinated management will be vital for withstanding increased hydrological extremes. This article examines the rainfall extremes of 2023 within the context of California’s drought history and makes recommendations for long-term water security to overcome increased climate variability.

Spatio-temporal assessment of multi-scalar meteorological and hydrological droughts over Bundelkhand, India

Drought, a recurrent natural hazard, significantly impacts agricultural productivity, water resources, and socio-economic development, especially in semi-arid regions like Bundelkhand in India. Here, frequent droughts challenge the livelihoods of its predominantly agrarian population. These challenges, compounded by poverty, land degradation, and resource conflicts, have profound implications for local communities and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Understanding the spatiotemporal conditions of drought is crucial for effective planning and management. This study evaluates meteorological and hydrological drought attributes at a high resolution within the region, using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Streamflow Drought Index (SDI) across a range of temporal scales. Findings indicate moderate droughts are more probable than severe or extreme droughts, with SPI-12 showing up to 20% probability over some grids, implying drought occurrence once in five years. Trend analysis reveals decreasing SPI trends in certain northern districts during monsoon months, suggesting more frequent droughts in vulnerable areas. The study also finds higher drought probabilities with longer SPI durations, highlighting significant temporal and spatial variability. Additionally, the applicability of SDI using GloFAS discharge data is evaluated, offering an alternative in the absence of gauge data. The combined SPI and SDI analysis underscores higher and more extensive drought probabilities for longer periods, emphasizing the need for multi-temporal scale assessment for effective drought management. This study enhances understanding of drought characteristics in the region, aiding policymaking for drought management and supporting evidence-based strategies to achieve SDGs, particularly those related to water security, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

Global analysis of forest tipping points leading to changing water cycle dynamics

Forest cover loss is increasing at unprecedented rates, affecting the hydrologic systems of major freshwater-producing regions of the world. However, quantification of the tipping points of forest cover loss before hydrologic changes manifest and their impact in water yield and climatic conditions has remained elusive. In this study, we aim to systematically document the critical thresholds of tree cover loss leading to changing hydrologic functioning within regions that experienced extensive drought, fire, or clear-cutting events spanning different climates during the period from 2001 to 2016. Using the Hydrologic Sensitivity Index based on Budyko’s curve, we analyzed the changes in hydrologic responses to climate variability as landcover changes across the affected forests. Critical thresholds were derived by fitting Richard’s Curve function to the observed relationship between growing sensitive area and tree cover loss. Our analysis reveals decrease in water yields and warming trends during the early stages of tree cover loss in tropical forests (c = 16 %), with negative anomalies observed in rainforests of Central Africa and Maritime Southeast Asia. Boreal forests also show low thresholds (c = 18 %) with a strong tendency toward a warmer climate state and no clear tendency in water yields. Mixed forests show moderate thresholds (c = 25 %) with unclear water yield and climate trends. Conversely, Temperate forests exhibit the most resilience to hydrologic regime shifts with high critical thresholds of tree cover loss (c = 46––54 %), but a rapid alteration once their threshold is surpassed resulting primarily in increased water yields and a shift toward cooler climate conditions. As the potential for additional tree cover loss heightens, due to expected increases in the frequency and intensity of droughts and wildfires, the analyses presented provides a quantitative framework to monitor and assess the impacts of changing forest cover conditions on the water cycle behavior of some of the largest freshwater producing regions of the world.

Application of the Reconstructed Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence by Machine Learning in Agricultural Drought Monitoring of Henan Province, China from 2010 to 2022

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) serves as a proxy indicator for vegetation photosynthesis and can directly reflect the growth status of vegetation. Using SIF for drought monitoring offers greater potential compared to traditional vegetation indices. This study aims to develop and validate a novel approach, the improved Temperature Fluorescence Dryness Index (iTFDI), for more accurate drought monitoring in Henan Province, China. However, the low spatial resolution, data dispersion, and short temporal sequence of SIF data hinder its direct application in drought studies. To overcome these challenges, this study constructs a random forest SIF downscaling model based on the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument SIF (TROPOSIF) and the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. Assuming an unchanging spatial scale relationship, an improved SIF (iSIF) product with a temporal resolution of 500 m over the period March to September, 2010–2022 was obtained for Henan Province. Subsequently, using the retrieved iSIF and the surface temperature difference data, the iTFDI was proposed, based on the assumption that under the same vegetation cover conditions, lower soil moisture and a greater diurnal temperature range of the surface indicate more severe drought. Results showed that: (1) The accuracy of the TROPOSIF downscaling model achieved coefficient of determination (R²), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.847, 0.073 mW m−2 nm−1 sr−1, and 0.096 mW m−2 nm−1 sr−1, respectively. (2) The 2022 iTFDI drought monitoring results indicated favorable soil moisture in Henan Province during March, April, July, and August, while extensive droughts occurred in May, June, and September, accounting for 70.27%, 71.49%, and 43.61%, respectively. The monitored results were consistent with the regional water conditions measured at ground stations. (3) The correlation between the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and iTFDI at five stations was significantly stronger than the correlation with the Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI), with the values −0.631, −0.565, −0.612, −0.653, and −0.453, respectively. (4) The annual Sen’s slope and Mann–Kendall significance test revealed a significant decreasing trend in drought severity in the southern and western regions of Henan Province (6.74% of the total area), while the eastern region showed a significant increasing trend (4.69% of the total area). These results demonstrate that the iTFDI offers a significant advantage over traditional indices, providing a more accurate reflection of regional drought conditions. This enhances the ability to identify drought trends and supports the development of targeted drought management strategies. In conclusion, the iTFDI constructed using the downscaled iSIF data and surface temperature differential data shows great potential for drought monitoring.

Unveiling morphophysiological and metabolic adaptive strategies of the CAM epiphytic bromeliad Acanthostachys pitcairnioides to drought

Ongoing climate changes are expected to intensify drought periods in tropical regions, directly impacting epiphytic bromeliads that depend on intermittent water availability. This study aimed to elucidate if Acanthostachys pitcairnioides, an epiphytic bromeliad of Atlantic Forest, tolerates extended drought periods and the potential strategies involved in its tolerance and recovery capacity. We suppressed irrigation for 42 days, rehydrated plants for four days, and evaluated leaf water status, and photochemical, metabolic, and anatomical changes. During the initial 28 days of drought, translocation of water from hydrenchyma to chlorenchyma, higher chlorophyll content, and accumulation of abscisic and salicylic acid and antioxidants contributed to maintaining the cell turgor and functionality of photosynthetic apparatus. At 42 days, a significant reduction in leaf water content to 45.5% was accompanied by a 2.5-fold increase in non-photochemical quenching and enhanced levels of carotenoids, anthocyanins, osmoregulators (proline, myo-inositol, and trehalose), and phytohormones (abscisic acid and jasmonates). After rewatering, water storage in the hydrenchyma and almost all pigments, hormones, and metabolites were restored to pre-stress conditions. Leaf succulence, carbohydrate and organic acid accumulation, and carbon isotope data (δ13C−14.5‰) provide evidence of induction of CAM metabolism by water limitation in A. pitcairnioides. Our findings indicate the prevalence of water accumulation strategy during the first half of the drought stress. At the end of the drought period, the complete depletion of water from the hydrenchyma favored the osmotic adjustment. Considering this set of tolerance strategies and the rapid recovery after rehydration, A. pitcairnioides can successfully withstand environments with restricted water availability.

Current expansions in the Brazilian timber market

The attractive financial returns from timberland investments in Brazil, particularly fast-growth tree plantations like pine and eucalyptus, have attracted multiple investors over the last decade. Among the countries with a competitive Pulp and Paper Industry (PPI), pulp and paper investors have expanded substantially in Brazil with new mills and planted areas. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of the dynamics of the Brazilian pulp and paper industry forest sector in the past decade. We described the current macroeconomic and political environment in Brazil and the expansion of mills and timberland in Brazil. Brazil is, clearly, among the selective countries where a substantial expansion of the forest sector is possible. The regions like Mato Grosso do Sul have impressive scales of productivity and expansion. Other areas, like the states of Maranhão, Piaui, Tocantins and Bahia present potential to expand forest plantation, however, they are limited by weather constraints (extensive drought and fire seasons). Even well-known markets, like the South region of Brazil, have has opportunities to expansion subject to higher land prices. Brazil’s attractiveness for timberland investments is underscored by robust economic indicators and extensive natural resources. Yet, navigating the complexities of its political landscape remains a critical consideration for potential investors looking to capitalize on the country’s promising forestry sector.

Temporal beta diversity and plant metacommunity structure dynamics over a 43-year period in an inter-tropical mexican arid region

Understanding the dynamics of metacommunity structure and temporal beta diversity is vital for comprehending ecological dynamics at local and regional scales; it is essential to evaluate impacts of factors such as climate change, dispersal, and biotic interactions. We examined changes in the composition and abundance of 199 perennial plant species in the semiarid Zapotitlán Valley, Mexico, over a 43-year period. We studied three local community types, scrubland, cardonal, and tetechera, with surveys conducted in 1980, 2003, 2018, and 2023. Shifts in species composition and abundance over time were analysed using the Temporal Beta Diversity Index distinguishing between species gains or losses. We investigated the metacommunity structure elements—coherence, turnover, and boundary clumping—in each survey. We observed pronounced temporal changes in species’ composition and abundance across all community types. These temporal changes stem from the losses and gains in species and individuals. Notably, 2023 showed significant losses in species occurrence and abundance, potentially attributable to an extended drought likely exacerbated by climate change. Surprisingly, the metacommunity structure remained Clementsian throughout our study, emphasising the stability of the cardonal in maintaining distinctions between local community types. This suggests that the metacommunity spatial structure is resistant to changes in local community compositions.

Climatic and management‐related drivers of endemic European spruce bark beetle populations in boreal forests

Abstract Climate change is already reducing carbon sequestration in Central European forests dramatically through extensive droughts and bark beetle outbreaks. Further warming may threaten the enormous carbon reservoirs in the boreal forests in northern Europe unless disturbance risks can be reduced by adaptive forest management. The European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) is a major natural disturbance agent in spruce‐dominated forests and can overwhelm the defences of healthy trees through pheromone‐coordinated mass‐attacks. We used an extensive dataset of bark beetle trap counts to quantify how climatic and management‐related factors influence bark beetle population sizes in boreal forests. Trap data were collected during a period without outbreaks and can thus identify mechanisms that drive populations towards outbreak thresholds. The most significant predictors of bark beetle population size were the volume of mature spruce, the extent of newly exposed clearcut edges, temperature and soil moisture. For clearcut edge, temperature and soil moisture, a 3‐year time lag produced the best model fit. We demonstrate how a model incorporating the most significant predictors, with a time lag, can be a useful management tool by allowing spatial prediction of future beetle population sizes. Synthesis and Applications: Some of the population drivers identified here, i,e., spruce volume and clearcut edges, can be targeted by adaptive management measures to reduce the risk of future bark beetle outbreaks. Implementing such measures may help preserve future carbon sequestration of European boreal forests.

Analisis Dampak Perubahan Iklim dan Pola Angin Pada Lingkungan Global

Climate change and wind patterns have become the focus of global attention due to their damaging impacts on the environment and ecosystems around the world. This study aims to analyze the impacts of climate change, including global temperature rise and changes in extreme weather patterns, and their implications for changes in global wind patterns. The data analysis method is based on a literature study on the interaction between climate change and wind patterns, including their effects on natural cycles and environmental sustainability. The results show that climate change induced by human activities, such as increased greenhouse gas emissions, has led to an increase in global average temperatures. This has resulted in drastic changes to wind patterns in many parts of the world, including an increase in extreme weather events such as tropical storms, floods and extensive droughts. These impacts damage terrestrial and marine ecosystems, disrupt the balance of nature, and threaten the sustainability of natural resources. The effects of climate change and wind patterns are not only limited to environmental aspects, but also affect the economic sector and human well-being. With the increasing risk of natural disasters and environmental damage, mitigation and adaptation efforts need to be enhanced through the implementation of sustainable policies, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and development of environmentally friendly technologies. Increasing global awareness of the importance of collective action to address climate change and wind patterns is key to securing the future of the global environment and ecosystem sustainability.

Enhancing individual tree mortality mapping: The impact of models, data modalities, and classification taxonomy

Tree mortality is rapidly increasing as a result of more frequent and extensive droughts and forest fires across the globe. The increasing pace and scale of disturbance and resulting mortality necessitates the study of tree mortality at the scale at which it occurs (individual trees) to develop effective management strategies. Achieving this objective requires high-resolution aerial or satellite remote sensing data supported by field validation and efficient modeling. However, the optimal remote sensing data modalities and models for mapping overstory tree mortality remain uncertain and there is a lack of benchmark datasets for reproducible research, comparison, and model improvement. In this research, we propose a framework to generate tree mortality maps at the scale of individual trees and a labeled benchmark dataset using open-source high-resolution remote sensing data. Our benchmark dataset consists of over 15,000 image crops that have been manually labeled via multi-annotator majority for live, dead, mixed, and other classes in National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) RGB, NEON hyperspectral, and National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) RGBNIR imagery. Specifically, we present a multi-class classification framework that categorizes lidar-derived tree segments as live, dead, mixed, or other. We compared the performance of different machine learning models, remote sensing data modalities and their associated spatial resolution, spectral depth, and orthorectification using our benchmark dataset. Among various models, we found Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models outperformed all other models with the highest accuracies and F1 scores across all data modalities. Similarly, among remote sensing data modalities, NEON RGB data at 0.1 m resolution performed best due to its high spatial resolution and high quality orthorectification. The overall accuracy of 87.27% with a macro F1 score of 0.76 was achieved using the RGB data with the CNN model. Our framework can be applied to any forest ecosystem in which lidar and raster imagery are available. We applied the framework using the best performing model and data modality to produce an individual tree mortality map over the Teakettle Experimental Forest in the southern Sierra Nevada. The framework and high-resolution mortality map can be valuable resources for forest managers and provide an invaluable basis for studying potential mortality drivers of dominant trees, forest inventory, selective logging, fire disturbance, and succession modeling.

Addressing Security Risk Caused by Climate Change Across Nations: The Role of Non-State Policy Actors

Climate change is projected to produce a lesser amount of expectable rainfall patterns, coupled with extensive droughts intermixed with fleeting but torrential rainfall which has implications on food security risks. The paper examines the role of Non-State Actors (NSAs), specifically, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in climate change governance and how they address food security risks thereof. The study addresses this objective by placing a special emphasis on the modus operandi of NGOs in helping smallholder farmers navigate through their farming cycle successfully in the Northern belt of Ghana. The study adopts the content analysis and critical stage review of extant literature and other datasets. The study observes that NGOs help smallholder farmers to build their resilience against the ravages of climate change using a more comprehensive approach along the entire value chain of the farming cycle before, during, and after the crop planting exercises.

Spatiotemporal variability of dust storm source susceptibility during wet and dry periods: The Tigris-Euphrates River Basin

This study develops a framework for spatiotemporal modeling of dust storm source susceptibility in a critical case study, the Tigris-Euphrates River Basin, as a significant source of dust storms in the Middle East. The study period was divided into four periods, 2000–2004 (hydrological dry year), 2005–2007 (hydrological wet year), 2008–2012 (hydrological dry year), and 2013–2021 (hydrological wet year) representing hydrological conditions in the study area. Initially, visual interpretations of true color composites of the MODIS satellite images were conducted to spot dust storm sources in the studied periods. Topographical, hydrological, soil texture, and vegetation health datasets were prepared to model dust storm source susceptibility in each period. The random forest algorithm was implemented on the four study periods’ datasets. For each period, 70% of dust and non-dust storm sources and conditioning factors were used for training the models. The models were then validated using the validation datasets (remaining 30%), and the importance of the variables was determined for each study period. In the 2008–2012 period, experiencing an extensive drought in the region, a higher number of dust storm sources were detected, and 383 locations (pixels) in the area were considered highly susceptible to dust storm sources. In all study periods, as well as in the ensemble model (integrating the results of four study periods into one overall model), high susceptibility to dust storms was detected in areas where lakes and marshlands had dried up due to climate factors, inappropriate water management strategies, and land use policies. The results also depicted that elevation, wind speed, precipitation, vegetation coverage, slope degree, distance from rivers, and soil texture had high impacts on the susceptibility of land to be a dust storm source.

Low discharge intensifies nitrogen retention in rivers – A case study in the Elbe River

Eutrophication due to excessive nutrient inputs is a major threat to coastal ecosystems worldwide, causing harmful algae blooms, seagrass loss and hypoxia. Decisions to combat eutrophication in the North Sea were made in the 1980s. Despite significant improvements during recent decades, high nitrogen loads and resulting eutrophication problems remain. In this study, long-term changes in nitrogen inputs to the Elbe Estuary (Germany) were characterized based on nitrogen data provided by the Elbe River Basin Community from 1985 to 2019. Additionally, surface water samples were taken at the weir separating the river from the estuary from 2011 to 2021 to characterize dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations and nitrate stable isotope composition. The findings suggest a close coupling of river discharge with the riverine nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen loads decreased disproportionately with decreasing discharge. This decrease is due to intensified nitrogen retention in the Elbe catchment, which can double nitrogen retention compared to average discharge conditions. Phytoplankton growth was enhanced by long residence times and high light availability at low water levels. This suggests that the recent decreases in nitrogen loads in the Elbe River were not only a result of management measures in the catchment but were also amplified by a recent long-lasting drought in the catchment. Based on projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, more frequent and extensive droughts are anticipated, which may lead to future seasonal shifts to nitrate limitation in the lower Elbe River.

РОЛЬ ИЗМЕНЕНИЙ АТМОСФЕРНОЙ ЦИРКУЛЯЦИИ В УВЕЛИЧЕНИИ ПОВТОРЯЕМОСТИ ЛЕТНИХ ЗАСУХ НА ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЙ ЧАСТИ РОССИИ

According to the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), most extensive summer droughts in European Russia south of 55°N in 1950-2021 were observed during the extremely negative phases of the Eastern Atlantic/Western Russia (EAWR) and West Pacific (WP) atmospheric circulation patterns characterized by abnormal high atmospheric pressure and an increased frequency of the number of days with atmospheric blocking over European Russia. It is shown that the frequency of droughts in the study area in the years of the negative phases of both circulation indices and their extremes in the summer months as compared to other years was higher by five droughts per decade in the Volga and Central Chernozem regions and by three droughts per decade in the northwestern Caspian region. A statistically significant correlation was found between the EAWR in summer and the multidecadal variability of sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic. It was revealed that the increase in the drought frequency in the study area in recent decades has been caused by the restructuring of atmospheric circulation in the Euro-Atlantic sector accompanying the transition of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) to a positive phase. An increase in the stability of the EAWR and WP atmospheric circulation patterns was observed, as well as a related significant increase in the frequency of extensive droughts in the study area in 2010-2021. They were accompanied by the weakening of zonal atmospheric circulation in the Northern Hemisphere, the combination of the positive AMO phase and the effects of anthropogenic warming on the atmospheric circulation in the

Water use strategy determines the effectiveness of internal water storage for trees growing in biofilters subject to repeated droughts

Impervious surfaces create large volumes of stormwater which degrades receiving waterways. Incorporating trees into biofilters can increase evapotranspiration and therefore reduce stormwater runoff. Tree species with i) high water use, ii) drought tolerance and iii) rapid and full recovery after drought have been suggested for biofilters to maximise runoff reduction while minimising drought stress. Moisture availability fluctuates greatly in biofilter substrates and trees growing in biofilters will likely experience multiple, extended drought events that increase trade-offs between these traits. Providing an internal water storage has the potential to reduce tree drought stress and increase evapotranspiration. Two urban tree species (Agonis flexuosa and Callistemon viminalis) were grown in plastic drums with biofilter profiles. Three irrigation treatments were used: well-watered, drought with an internal water storage and drought without an internal water storage. Transpiration, leaf water potential and biomass were measured to determine the effect of biofilter internal water storage and repeated drought events on tree water use, drought stress and growth. Biofilter internal water storage improved water use and reduced drought stress for A. flexuosa, whereas C. viminalis reduced leaf loss but saw no change in water use or drought stress. A. flexuosa with biofilter internal water storage was able to recover transpiration to well-watered levels after repeated droughts, while C. viminalis experienced reduced recovery ability. It is recommended all biofilters planted with trees should have internal water storage. In systems with lower moisture availability a species with more stomatal control, such as A. flexuosa, is recommended. If selecting a species with less stomatal control, such as C. viminalis, the internal water storage volume needs to be increased to avoid drought stress.

Decreasing Richness and Biomass During a Flood Pulse Observed in a Southeastern US Coastal Floodplain Following a Multi-Year, Supra-Seasonal Drought

Floodplains of the southeastern United States exhibit high biological abundance and diversity, maintained by periodic inundation from seasonal flooding. To examine the relationship between invertebrate community composition and seasonal flooding following periods of drought, we quantified aquatic macroinvertebrate communities monthly in an inundated floodplain during the annual flood pulse (December-April) in two years: one following a multi-year drought and one during a larger than average flood. We predicted that floodplain communities would differ in richness, biomass, and community composition between years and that differences would be driven by the annual flood pulse and organic matter availability. We collected macroinvertebrates from a floodplain of the Altamaha River, a free-flowing 6th order river in the Coastal Plain region of the southeastern US. With invertebrates identified to genus, we estimated richness, abundance, biomass, community composition, and proportions of functional feeding group abundance. Richness was generally higher in the drought year but decreased throughout the flood pulse, while during the flood year richness was lower and increased over time. Biomass decreased throughout the flood pulse following the drought year and increased during the flood year. There was high overlap in invertebrate community composition based on abundance data during both years of the study with collector gatherers being the most abundant functional feeding group. Our study provides insight to the response of aquatic communities to an extended drought and subsequent return to normal flow in a lower river wetland.

Birds of forest ecosystems of Southern Baikal in the conditions of modern climate warming: Dynamics of population density and structure in summer

On the basis of long-term works (2010-2022), the materials of studying the influence of climate warming on the bird population of forest ecosystems in the summer period are presented. The main indicators of the bird population were studied: population density and species composition. The dynamics of these indicators of the bird population structure and the features of their structure depending on the level of climate change on the ascending branch of the heat-dry phase of the centuries-old climate cycle, close to completion, are considered. The intensity of bird eviction is associated with the localization of very severe, prolonged and extensive droughts. It is the intensity of evictions that determines the new species composition of birds of the studied territories. They are characterized by very low numbers and therefore there is no clear link between the population density of birds and their species richness. At the same time, the general tendency to preserve this pattern (with an increase in the number of species, the population density of birds increases) is noted in some of their main categories. The obtained materials allow us to find out the peculiarities of the dynamics of the biodiversity of birds in Eastern Siberia during periods of severe climatic anomalies. Such materials are extremely important, as they allow us to find out the real role of natural and climatic factors in the evolution of natural ecosystems and the maintenance of the overall biodiversity of large zoogeographic regions of the Earth.

Impact of water reuse on agricultural practices and human health

Climate change is altering the habits of the population. Extensive drought periods and overuse of potable water led to significant water shortages in many different places. Therefore, new water sources are necessary for usage in applications where the microbiological and chemical water quality demands are less stringent, as for agriculture. In this study, we planted, germinated, and grew vegetables/fruits (cherry tomato, lettuce, and carrot) using three types of potential waters for irrigation: secondary-treated wastewater, chlorine-treated wastewater, and green wall-treated greywater, to observe potential health risks of foodstuff consumption. In this study the waters and crops were analyzed for three taxonomic groups: bacteria, enteric viruses, and protozoa. Enteric viruses, human Norovirus I (hNoVGI) and Enterovirus (EntV), were detected in tomato and carrots irrigated with secondary-treated and chlorine-treated wastewater, in concentrations as high as 2.63 log genome units (GU)/g. On the other hand, Aichi viruses were detected in lettuce. Bacteria and protozoa remained undetected in all fresh produce although being detected in both types of wastewaters. Fresh produce irrigated with green wall-treated greywater were free from the chosen pathogens. This suggests that green wall-treated greywater may be a valuable option for crop irrigation, directly impacting the cities of the future vision, and the circular and green economy concepts. On the other hand, this work demonstrates that further advancement is still necessary to improve reclaimed water to the point where it no longer constitutes risk of foodborne diseases and to human health.

Economic Potentials and Use Dynamics of Sorghum Food System in Ethiopia: Its Implications to Resolve Food Deficit

Agriculture continues to be vital to Africa’s future in both spatial and temporal contexts. Nonetheless, the sector keeps on confronting production challenges as a result of frequent and extended droughts, and these necessitate the use of drought-resistant crops such as sorghum. This review initiates one of the most common food grains grown in the poorest countries and the most food-insecure regions of the nation. We used deductive logical reasoning to develop a comprehensive scientific understanding of the crop that can be used to inform future research and policies. Various exclusion and inclusion criteria were used to filter the most prominent findings. Sorghum has the highest utility for its climatic adaptability and has grown for multiple purposes: From staple to industrial outcomes, its economic, social value, and health outcomes, and for animal silage. It is a gluten-free crop, has high nutritive value, and is preferred by healthy consumers. It is among the top five cereal crops worldwide in both production and acreage. This has necessitated the development of coping measures, such as the cultivation of drought-tolerant crops suitable for the affected areas. Therefore, this crop is used to ensure productivity, food security, and availability of food when other crops fail and food deficit and famine are affected in the region. This will contribute to the ongoing discussion on how to better inform private and public sector policy and investments in Ethiopia to increase sorghum and other drought-tolerant crop production, transform agriculture, improve nutrition, and food systems, and end hunger, food insecurity, and poverty.