Drought Research News

September 9, 2016

Climate Change's Effect On Drought More Minor

The Demise of the Maya Civilization

Huge Water Reserve Under California

Sierra Nevada Snowpack Will Take Time to Recover

Latest Headlines

updated 12:57am EDT

Farming Adaptations Needed to Combat Climate Change to Impact Crop Yields in 2050

Sep. 6, 2016 — As the globe continues to spin toward a future with higher temperatures, crop yields will likely decrease if farmers do not ... read more

During Drought, Dry Air Can Stress Plants More Than Dry Soil

Sep. 5, 2016 — Newly published research finds that low relative humidity in the atmosphere is a significant, growing and often under-appreciated cause of plant stress in hot, dry weather ... read more

When It Comes to Climate Change and Stream Flow, Plants Play an Important Role

Aug. 30, 2016 — In California's Sierra Nevada mountains, as more precipitation falls in the form of rain rather than snow, and the snowpack melts earlier in spring, ... read more

Blending Wastewater May Help California Cope With Drought

Aug. 26, 2016 — Researchers have developed an economic model that demonstrates how flexible wastewater treatment processes which blend varying levels of treated effluent can create a water ... read more

Climate Change May Extend Ozone Season in the Southeastern US

Aug. 22, 2016 — Extreme weather conditions associated with climate change may extend the ozone season in the Southeastern United States as drought-stressed trees emit more of the precursor ... read more

Mussel Flexing: Bivalve Save Drought-Stricken Marshes, Research Finds

Aug. 18, 2016 — As coastal ecosystems feel the heat of climate change worldwide, new research shows the humble mussel and marsh grass form an intimate interaction known as mutualism that benefits both partner ... read more

Drought Conditions Slow the Growth of Douglas Fir Trees Across the West

Aug. 8, 2016 — Douglas fir trees are consistently sensitive to drought conditions that occur throughout the species' range in the United States, according to ... read more

Hidden, Local Climate Impacts of Drought-Friendly Vegetation

Aug. 5, 2016 — Scientists determined that if a many Los Angeles property owners switch their lawns to drought-tolerant landscaping, it could increase local temperatures and exacerbate heat waves, and would have ... read more

Early Snowmelt Reduces Forests' Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Uptake, Decreases Streamflow Volume

Aug. 3, 2016 — Earlier, slower snowmelt hinders a subalpine forest's ability to regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide and reduces streamflow, a phenomenon with ... read more

Restoring Prairie and Fighting Wildfire With (Drone Launched) Fire(balls)

Aug. 1, 2016 — One ecologist wants to change the way we think about prescribed burns. The professor says he can harness extreme fire to restore grasslands on the Great Plains -- and he has ... read more

African Countries Are Building A Wall Of Trees To Halt Desertification

Nemo's Garden Off Italy Offers Hope for Seabed Crops

Will California Face Crop Shortages Without Federal Water?

The Rewilding of California Wolf Territory

Detecting Forest Fragility With Satellites

Sep. 5, 2016 — Over the past decades forests in different parts of the world have suffered sudden massive tree mortality. Now an international team of scientists has found a way to spot from satellite images which ... read more

Saving Irrigation Water With Superabsorbent Polymers

Aug. 25, 2016 — Soil conditioners called superabsorbent polymers have the potential to reduce irrigation needs for agricultural crops by storing water and nutrients and then releasing them in drought conditions, ... read more

Global Climate Models Do Not Easily Downscale for Regional Predictions

Aug. 24, 2016 — One size does not always fit all, especially when it comes to global climate models, according to climate researchers who caution users of climate model projections to take into account the increased ... read more

Does Owning a Well Foster Environmental Citizenship? A New Study Provides Evidence

Aug. 22, 2016 — Kansans who own water wells show more awareness of state water policy issues than those who rely on municipal water supplies, according to a study that could have implications for groundwater ... read more

Trees' Surprising Role in the Boreal Water Cycle Quantified

July 21, 2016 — This is the first study to show that deciduous tree water uptake of snowmelt water represents a large but overlooked aspect of the water balance in boreal watersheds. For the boreal forest of Alaska ... read more

Mitigating Floods With an Electronic Brain

July 21, 2016 — A computer model that can “learn” similarly to the human brain could help water resource managers mitigate damage in cases of extreme flooding, according to new ... read more

Groundwater Discharge to Upper Colorado River Basin Varies in Response to Drought

July 20, 2016 — Groundwater discharge that flows into the Upper Colorado River Basin varies in response to drought, which is likely due to aquifer systems that contain relatively young groundwater, according to a ... read more

Developing Highly Drought-Resistant Crops

July 19, 2016 — International research has found how plants, such as rice and wheat, sense and respond to extreme drought stress, in a breakthrough that could lead to the development of next-generation drought-proof ... read more

Managing an Endangered River Across the US-Mexico Border

July 18, 2016 — A new study shows how improving communication and involvement could bring consensus solutions for the embattled Rio Grande/Bravo, which is shared between the USA and ... read more

Climate Experts Help Communities Cope With Impact of the Indian Monsoon

July 14, 2016 — New work by experts to predict the weather in India could help millions of people prepare for the devastating effects of the country's summer ... read more

Crop Roots Enact Austerity Measures During Drought to Bank Water

July 11, 2016 — With a growing world population and a changing climate, understanding how agriculturally important plants respond to drought is crucial. A team has discovered a strategy employed by grasses in ... read more

Drought Stalls Tree Growth and Shuts Down Amazon Carbon Sink, Researchers Find

July 6, 2016 — A recent drought completely shut down the Amazon Basin's carbon sink, by killing trees and slowing their growth, a ground-breaking study has ... read more

Characteristics Improving Bean Resistance to Drought Identified

July 5, 2016 — A combination of characteristics is the key to success for the genetic improvement of beans to make them resistant to droughts, say scientists, whose research can improve crop yield in Central and ... read more

California Droughts Caused Mainly by Changes in Wind, Not Moisture

July 5, 2016 — Droughts in California are mainly controlled by wind, not by the amount of evaporated moisture in the air, new research has found. The research increases the understanding of how the water cycle is ... read more

Radiography of Drought Periods in Spain from the Last 318 Years

June 30, 2016 — The Mediterranean Basin has been witness to increased droughts for at least five decades, but has this always been the case? A research team has been successful in reconstructing, for the first time, ... read more

El Niño Could Drive Intense Season for Amazon Fires

June 29, 2016 — The long-lasting effects of El Niño are projected to cause an intense fire season in the Amazon, according to the 2016 seasonal forecast from ... read more

Better Soil Data Key for Future Food Security

June 21, 2016 — Future food security depends on a variety of factors -- but better soil data could substantially help improve projections of future crop yields, shows new ... read more

Which Animals Will Cope With Climate Change Droughts?

June 21, 2016 — Scientists believe the current rate of climate change is unprecedented in Earth's history and will lead to more and worse droughts in many areas. Now a research team may have found a way to ... read more

Animal Hormone Is Involved in Plant Stress Memory

June 17, 2016 — Regulating melatonin production in plants via drought priming could be a promising approach to enhancing abiotic stress tolerance of crops in future climate scenarios, report ... read more

Functional Traits of Giant Sequoia Crown Leaves Respond to Environmental Threats

June 15, 2016 — As many as 2 billion leaves on a sequoia vie for resources. Established leaves that live for up to 20 years draw water up the tree's trunk and send nutrients down, while the trunk amasses wood ... read more

Monday, September 5, 2016