 |
|
International team of scientists warns of climate change's impact on global river flow
October 15, 2007A global analysis of the potential effect of climate change on river basins indicates that many rivers impacted by dams or extensive development will require significant management interventions to protect ecosystems and people, according to an article published today in the online version of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
"As a result of damming and development, major rivers worldwide have experienced dramatic changes in flow, reducing their natural ability to adjust to and absorb disturbances," said lead author Dr. Margaret Palmer, Director of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Chesapeake Biological Laboratory. "Given expected changes in global climate and water needs, this could lead to serious problems for both ecosystems and people."
In their analysis, the authors project river discharge under different climate and water withdrawal scenarios and combine this with data on the impact of dams on large river basins. The results are presented in global maps illustrating potential changes in discharge and water stress for dam-impacted and free-flowing basins.
The projections indicate that every populated basin in the world will experience changes in river discharge - some are expected to have large increases in flood flows while other basins will experience water stress such that there is not enough water to meet human needs. For example, by the 2050's, mean annual river discharge is expected to increase by about 20 percent in the Potomac and Hudson River basins but to decrease by about 20 percent in Oregon's Klamath River and California's Sacramento River.
The magnitude of the changes is used to identify basins likely and almost certain to require proactive or reactive management intervention. The study also finds that nearly one billion people live in areas likely to require action and approximately 365 million people live in basins almost certain to require action.
Specific, proactive restoration, rehabilitation, and management actions are recommended to enhance the resilience of riverine ecosystems and minimize impacts. These efforts will minimize risks to ecosystems and people and may be less costly than reactive efforts taken only once problems have arisen. Proactive actions include stormwater and sediment management, channel reconfiguration, dam removal, land acquisition and riparian management.
"This report calls attention to significant risks facing many of the world's major rivers and those people who live near or depend on them for water or food," said Palmer. "Many of these risks could be reduced dramatically if proactive management measures are implemented now. It's now up to the world's political leaders to decide whether or not to step forward and put in place programs designed to minimize the impacts we may see on our ecosystems and people."
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
The projections indicate that every populated basin in the world will experience changes in river discharge - some are expected to have large increases in flood flows while other basins will experience water stress such that there is not enough water to meet human needs. For example, by the 2050's, mean annual river discharge is expected to increase by about 20 percent in the Potomac and Hudson River basins but to decrease by about 20 percent in Oregon's Klamath River and California's Sacramento River.
The magnitude of the changes is used to identify basins likely and almost certain to require proactive or reactive management intervention. The study also finds that nearly one billion people live in areas likely to require action and approximately 365 million people live in basins almost certain to require action.
Specific, proactive restoration, rehabilitation, and management actions are recommended to enhance the resilience of riverine ecosystems and minimize impacts. These efforts will minimize risks to ecosystems and people and may be less costly than reactive efforts taken only once problems have arisen. Proactive actions include stormwater and sediment management, channel reconfiguration, dam removal, land acquisition and riparian management.
"This report calls attention to significant risks facing many of the world's major rivers and those people who live near or depend on them for water or food," said Palmer. "Many of these risks could be reduced dramatically if proactive management measures are implemented now. It's now up to the world's political leaders to decide whether or not to step forward and put in place programs designed to minimize the impacts we may see on our ecosystems and people."
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Climate Change Current Events and Climate Change News RSSSequence matters in droughts and floods
When extremes of drought and flood come in rapid succession, the extent of damage to vegetation may depend in part on the sequence of those events, according to a new study published in The American Naturalist.
Floods to become commonplace by 2080
Flooding like that which devastated the North of England last year is set to become a common event across the UK in the next 75 years, new research has shown.
Sea level rise of 1 meter within 100 years
New research indicates that the ocean could rise in the next 100 years to a meter higher than the current sea level - which is three times higher than predictions from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC.
Tackling climate change with new permits to pollute
A new way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and tackle climate change had been unveiled by leading economists.
Grazing animals help spread plant disease
Researchers have discovered that grazing animals such as deer and rabbits are actually helping to spread plant disease - quadrupling its prevalence in some cases - and encouraging an invasion of annual grasses that threaten more than 20 million acres of native grasslands in California.
4 years after tsunami: Corals stage comeback
A team of scientists from the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has reported a rapid recovery of coral reefs in areas of Indonesia, following the tsunami that devastated coastal regions throughout the Indian Ocean four years ago today.
Study shows competition, not climate change, led to Neanderthal extinction
In a recently conducted study, a multidisciplinary French-American research team with expertise in archaeology, past climates, and ecology reported that Neanderthal extinction was principally a result of competition with Cro-Magnon populations, rather than the consequences of climate change.
Protea plants help unlock secrets of species 'hotspots'
New species of flowering plants called proteas are exploding onto the scene three times faster in parts of Australia and South Africa than anywhere else in the world, creating exceptional 'hotspots' of species richness, according to new research published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Stronger coastal winds due to climate change may have far-reaching effects
Future increases in wind strength along the California coast may have far-reaching effects, including more intense upwelling of cold water along the coast early in the season and increased fire danger in Southern California, according to researchers at the Climate Change and Impacts Laboratory at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Abrupt Climate Shifts May Come Sooner, Not Later
The United States could suffer the effects of abrupt climate changes within decades-sooner than some previously thought--says a new government report.
More Climate Change Current Events and Climate Change News Articles
 | Financing Education in a Climate of Change (10th Edition) by Vern Brimley, Rulon R. Garfield This classic text on school finance contains the most comprehensive and current information that affects school finance, including historical, economic, technological/mathematical, and legal points of view. This book is both scholarly and engaging, and is practical, easy-to-read and comprehend; appealing to a diverse audience of students, educational leaders, parents, and legislators. School... |
 | The Rough Guide to Climate Change, 2nd Edition by Robert Henson The Rough Guide to Climate Change gives the complete picture of the single biggest issue facing the planet. Cutting a swathe through scientific research and political debate, this completely updated 2nd edition lays out the facts and assesses the options- global and personal- for dealing with the threat of a warming world. The guide looks at the evolution of our atmosphere over the last 4.5... |
 | The Science and Politics of Global Climate Change: A Guide to the Debate by Andrew E. Dessler, Edward A. Parson Climate variability has become the primary environmental concern of the 21st Century. Yet, despite the scientific community's warnings of the imminent dangers of global warming, politicians world-wide have failed to agree on what to do about this potentially devastating environmental problem. This introductory primer informs scientists, policy makers and the general public by clarifying the... |
 | The Atlas of Climate Change: Mapping the World's Greatest Challenge (Atlas Of... (University of California Press)) by Kirstin Dow, Thomas Downing Today's headlines and recent events reflect the gravity of climate change. Heat waves, droughts, and floods are bringing death to vulnerable populations, destroying livelihoods, and driving people from their homes. Rigorous in its science and insightful in its message, this atlas examines the causes of climate change and considers its possible impact on subsistence, water resources, ecosystems,... |
 | Climate Change: What It Means for Us, Our Children, and Our Grandchildren (American and Comparative Environmental Policy) Most of us are familiar with the terms climate change and global warming, but not too many of us understand the science behind them. We don't really understand how climate change will affect us, and for that reason we might not consider it as pressing a concern as, say, housing prices or the quality of local education. This book explains the scientific knowledge about global climate change... |
 | Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy? (Memo to the CEO) by Andrew J. Hoffman, John G. Woody Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. And increasingly, it's become a crucial business issue. How will you and your company respond?In Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy? Andrew Hoffman and John Woody provide concise and reliable advice to help you answer this question. Drawing from their extensive experience working with organizations to address... |
 | Financing Education in a Climate of Change (9th Edition) by Vern Brimley, Rulon R. Garfield This classic resource on school finance contains the most comprehensive and current information that effects school finance, including historical, economic, technological/mathematical, and legal points of view. The writing in this book is both scholarly and engaging, appealing to a diverse audience of students, educational leaders, parents, and legislators. Gives readers a broad overview of... |
 | The Chilling Stars: The New Theory of Climate Change by Henrik Svensmark The authors explain their theory that sub-atomic particles from exploded stars have more effect on the climate than manmade CO2. Their conclusion stems from Svensmark's research which has shown the previously unsuspected role that cosmic rays play in creating clouds. During the last 100 years cosmic rays became scarcer because unusually vigorous action by the Sun batted away many of them. Fewer... |
 | The Ethics of Climate Change: Right and Wrong in a Warming World (Think Now) by James Garvey "Open this book and James Garvey is right there making real sense to you... in a necessary conversation, capturing you to the very end."--Ted Honderich, Grote Professor Emeritus of The Philosophy of Mind & Logic, University College London, UK. James Garvey argues that the ultimate rationale for action on climate change cannot be simply economic, political, scientific or social, though our... |
 | What We Know About Climate Change (Boston Review Books) by Kerry Emanuel The vast majority of scientists agree that human activity has significantly increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere—most dramatically since the 1970s. In February 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that global warming is "unequivocal" and that human-produced carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are chiefly to blame, to a certainty of more than 90 percent. Yet... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |