Researchers have discovered a key gene controlling how leaves close their surface pores, leading to improved understanding of plant responses to climate. This finding has significant implications for crop breeding and studying evolutionary responses to drought.
A severe drought in Asia has pushed millions of people below the poverty line, but researchers are developing new technologies to help farmers adapt. New rice varieties and irrigation management strategies can improve crop yields and reduce water usage.
A new study links drought in southern Africa to the warming of the Indian Ocean, contradicting earlier research that connected it to the Sahelian region. The analysis suggests a late 20th-century cooling of the North Atlantic Ocean was key to Sahelian drought, with recent warming leading to increased rainfall in the area.
Researchers from Columbia University and NASA used sediment layers to uncover a 500-year drought from 800 A.D. to 1300 A.D., as well as the effects of the Little Ice Age and European settlers' agricultural practices on the area's climate. The study found increased erosion, saltier water, and changes in vegetation during these periods.
A new NCAR study reveals that rising temperatures are the primary cause of expanding droughts globally. The research found that almost half of the change in dry conditions since the 1970s is due to warming rather than decreased rainfall or snowfall.
Researchers from UGA found that Georgia's recent drought, combined with an opportunistic parasite, led to the decline in blue crab numbers. The study reveals that the delicate balance of saltwater and freshwater in coastal estuaries is disrupted during droughts, creating a favorable environment for the parasite to thrive.
A team of UCR researchers led by Daniel R. Gallie found that reducing ethylene production through ACC synthase increases drought tolerance in corn plants. The study suggests a promising approach to help farmers adapt to changing environmental conditions.
Researchers have created a North American Drought Atlas CD-ROM, mapping year-by-year occurrences of droughts over the last 2005 years. The atlas provides essential paleoclimate data with applications to science, policy, education, and history.
A multi-species herbivore outbreak occurred in Panama following an El Niño drought, causing moth larvae to devour 250% more leaf material than usual. The short-lived event was brought under control quickly by natural predators and diseases, but highlights the potential impact of climate change on forest ecosystems.
A historical study found that elevated aridity in the western US may be a natural response to climate warming. The study revealed a 400-year-long period of epic drought during the Medieval Warm Period (A.D. 900-1300), which could lead to increased aridity if temperatures continue to rise.
The Lewis and Clark expedition successfully traversed the new frontier due to a favorable climatic window that allowed for abundant food sources. If they had traveled during an intense drought, their journey might have been significantly impacted, potentially altering the course of U.S. expansion into the West.
Researchers found that under drought conditions, tropical forests and desert ecosystems have similar maximum rain-use efficiency, a measure of total plant growth per unit of precipitation. This discovery indicates an upper limit to ecosystem productivity, which may impact climate change scenarios.
Researchers develop new methods to assess carbon uptake in Western mountain forests, which are affected by drought. By combining airborne data with ground-based measurements, scientists can better understand natural processes involved in forest-air carbon exchange.
By decreasing the enzyme dehydroascorbate reductase, UC Riverside researchers have improved drought tolerance in plants, enabling them to conserve water resources and survive droughts. This discovery is highly valuable for U.S. and world agriculture, particularly in areas with erratic rainfall.
Scientists have determined for the first time how drought conditions can be quantified over large forest areas in the Amazon rainforest from space. Using a combination of ground-based and space-based tools, they found that satellite imaging can measure the physiology of the rainforest canopy with high accuracy.
A study using modern-era satellite data found that a combination of cooler tropical Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and warmer Atlantic Ocean temperatures led to the US dust bowl drought from 1931 to 1939. This created shifts in weather patterns and reduced moisture supply, resulting in severe dry conditions.
A study by USGS researchers associates drought patterns in the US with multi-decade variations in North Pacific and North Atlantic sea surface temperatures. The research found that positive AMO (warm North Atlantic) and negative PDO (cool North Pacific) are linked to large-scale droughts, affecting regional weather patterns.
Native C4 plants faced disastrous consequences during prolonged severe droughts in the middle Holocene, contrary to expectations. Weedy C3 plants adapted well due to their ability to exploit limited water resources, highlighting a key difference between C3 and C4 plant responses.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that previous year's drought is the main driver of high mosquito populations in wetlands. This discovery has implications for predicting and controlling diseases like West Nile virus and malaria, which are spread by mosquitoes.
The presentation highlights the impacts of major water restrictions and efforts toward community communication during severe droughts. Researchers explore the management of freshwater inflow criteria for affected regions, examining vulnerability to aquatic resources and allocation of water resources in South Africa.
Researchers have identified a system in a mutant arabidopsis that signals cells to pause during stressful situations, allowing plants to regulate themselves and adjust before growth resumes. This discovery may lead to breeding plants with improved stress handling techniques and enhanced drought tolerance.
Research finds African dust particles act as kernels for precipitation in low clouds, but suppress rainfall in high clouds. The study also suggests a link between increased dust levels and drought conditions.
Scientists identify enzyme in plants that triggers S1P production, a molecule involved in regulating cell proliferation and death. The discovery sheds light on plant's ability to withstand drought and may lead to development of crop varieties with higher yields and greater resistance.
Researchers at Purdue University have identified a gene that controls the production of plants' outermost protective coating. By manipulating this gene, they may be able to create crops with increased drought resistance. The study found that altering the gene's expression can result in thicker or more rigid cuticles, reducing water los...
A study found a previously unknown abrupt shift in climatic conditions around AD 700 in the Canadian prairies and 500 years later in US prairies. Persistent changes in jet stream shape and storm tracks are believed to cause such patterns.
A research team at Rockefeller University has discovered a novel protein, AFP, that regulates early growth arrest in young plants. This development provides insights into how plants naturally tolerate drought and stress, with potential applications in creating drought-resistant crops.
Researchers predict that El Niño could lead to increased precipitation in the Southwest, alleviating water shortages and reducing wildfire danger. The region has been experiencing severe drought conditions, with reservoirs struggling to meet demand.
Researchers found that soil geology plays a significant role in the Congo River Basin's response to drought. The basin's varied geology, including ferruginous cuirassed peneplain, sandy soils, and porous aquifers, affects discharge reduction rates during droughts.
A study by Julie Etterson found that native prairie plants like the partridge pea may not adapt quickly enough to changing climate conditions. The plants' evolutionary responses to drought and heat are unlikely to keep pace with the predicted rate of climate change, threatening their survival.
A new study suggests that climate change, particularly drought, plays a key role in shaping plant communities. The research found that grasslands thrive in dry conditions, while trees and shrubs prefer wetter environments. This challenges the long-held assumption that CO2 levels are the primary driver of vegetation changes.
Researchers analyzed ancient sediments to shed light on ancient drought cycles and their potential link to future aridity. The study found well-defined 80- to 100-year cycles of alternately arid and humid conditions in the region.
Scientists have found that sea surface temperatures in Atlantic, Pacific, and Western Pacific oceans significantly impact rainfall patterns in the Amazon. Sea surface temperatures play a crucial role in predicting drought or floods in the region.
Researchers used a computer climate model to find that vegetation interactions significantly drive the Sahel region's drought. The study suggests that natural vegetation causes enhanced drying, leading to cooler climates and reduced rainfall.
Scientists create a new 'drought map' using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite data to identify areas hardest hit by the drought. The map compares current surface temperature measurements to average temperatures over the last 10 years, showing whether an area has a normal, low, medium or high drought index.
Researchers at Penn State found a correlation between jet stream strength and precipitation in the Sahel region, which has been experiencing drought since the 1970s. The Tropical Easterly Jet was mostly weaker during dry periods, while the African Easterly Jet showed slightly stronger patterns in very dry years.
A computer model predicts reliably the severity and timing of drought episodes six months in advance, helping farmers choose drought-tolerant crops and minimizing economic losses. The researchers also highlight the need to maintain adequate river levels to prevent barge traffic disruptions and ensure water supply.
Studies found that tree species' moisture preference doesn't always correlate with their growth rate during droughts. Researchers used tree rings to analyze the energy stored in trunks, revealing inconsistencies between leaf physiology and radial growth.
Researchers have identified the precise mechanism by which marine algae produce DMSP, a compound that helps clouds form in the atmosphere. This discovery could lead to genetically engineered crops with improved drought, freeze, and salt tolerance, potentially regulating global climate.
The NCAR research program is testing a new cloud-seeding technique using pyrotechnic flares to enhance rainfall in drought-stricken Coahuila, Mexico. The technique has shown promising results in South Africa and Arizona, but its effectiveness remains uncertain.
Biologists at Cornell and Washington universities have genetically engineered rice plants to resist some of the most destructive insects as well as salt and drought damage. The technology will be given to developing countries under a Rockefeller Foundation grant.