231437 Geologic background to desertification

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 8:35 AM - 8:55 AM

Nicholas Lancaster, PhD , Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, NV
        
Desert regions are being impacted by a rapidly-growing and increasingly urban population, which is dependent on scarce surface and groundwater. The importance of water to human and natural systems in deserts makes them very sensitive to those changes in climate that affect the amount, type, timing, and effectiveness of precipitation. Geologic information on the extent and magnitude of climate change on decadal to millennia timescales allows assessment of: (1) the contribution of natural and anthropogenic factors to desertification; (2) the major physical processes of desertification, and (3) the possible nature and effects of future climate changes in order to plan for effective and sustainable mitigation of and adaptation to climate change by the inhabitants of these regions.

Learning Areas:
Environmental health sciences

Learning Objectives:
Assess impact of climate change on drylands and its human impact Demonstrate that climate change has and will continue to have significant impacts on dryland environments and peoples

Keywords: Climate Change, Water

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have over 30 years of research experience in desert geomorphology and aeolian processes research
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4019.0: Climate change: Drylands, mineral dust, and human welfare