ScienceDaily: Drought Research News

Frogs, salamanders and climate change

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

Increasingly erratic rainfall patterns can lead to declines in southeastern frog and salamander populations, but protecting ponds can improve their plight.

U.S. drought falls below 50 percent for first time in 10 months

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:40:40 EDT

The area of the contiguous United States in moderate drought or worse fell below 50 percent for the first time since last June, according to the latest edition of the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Gene responsible for short stature of dwarf pearl millet identified

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:12:12 EDT

Recently, plant geneticists have successfully isolated the gene that creates dwarfed varieties of pearl millet. It is the first time a gene controlling an important agronomic trait has been isolated in the pearl millet genome.

Elevated carbon dioxide in atmosphere trims wheat, sorghum moisture needs

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:44:44 EDT

Agronomy researchers found that elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere have an upside -- a reduced need for moisture in some important crops.

In triplicate, genes make maize tolerant to toxic soil

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:33:33 EDT

Rendering some of the world’s toxic soils far less unfriendly, researchers are learning to grow stress-tolerant crops on formerly non-farmable land.

Increase in heavy rainfalls over past 60 years in upper Midwest, US

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:23:23 EDT

Heavy rains have become more frequent in the upper Midwest over the past 60 years, according to a new stud. The trend appears to hold true even with the current drought plaguing the region, the study's main author says.

Monarch butterflies numbers down again

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:24:24 EDT

Bad news again for the Monarch butterfly: Drought conditions and historic wildfires the past few years continue to decrease their numbers as they wing across Texas this spring. Worse news: milkweed plants – the only kind they need to survive – are also not in plentiful supply.

Monsoon failure key to long droughts in Southwest

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:11:11 EDT

Long-term droughts in the Southwestern North America often mean failure of both summer and winter rains, according to new tree-ring research. For the severe, multi-decadal droughts that occurred from 1539 to 2008, both winter and summer rains were sparse year after year. The finding contradicts the commonly held belief that a dry winter rainy season is generally followed by a wet monsoon season, and vice versa.

Microbes team up to boost plants' stress tolerance

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:43:43 EST

While most farmers consider viruses and fungi potential threats to their crops, these microbes can help wild plants adapt to extreme conditions, according to a virologist.

Tree-ring data show history, pattern to droughts

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:30:30 EST

Researchers used more than 1,400 climate-sensitive tree-ring chronologies from multiple tree species across North America to reconstruct the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), a widely used soil moisture index.

NASA satellites find freshwater losses in Middle East

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:11:11 EST

A new study using data from a pair of gravity-measuring NASA satellites finds that large parts of the arid Middle East region lost freshwater reserves rapidly during the past decade.

Tree die-off triggered by hotter temperatures

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:50:50 EST

Scientists have determined that the recent widespread die-off of Colorado trembling aspen trees is a direct result of decreased precipitation exacerbated by high summer temperatures. The die-off, triggered by the drought from 2000-2003, is estimated to have affected up to 17 percent of Colorado aspen forests.

2012 warmest and second most extreme year on record for the contiguous United States

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:07:07 EST

In 2012, the contiguous United States (CONUS) average annual temperature of 55.3°F was 3.2°F above the 20th century average, and was the warmest year in the 1895-2012 period of record for the nation. The 2012 annual temperature was 1.0°F warmer than the previous record warm year of 1998.

U.S. water supply not as threatened as believed, study finds

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:40:40 EST

A research study adds a new twist to previous studies of the nation's water supplies. The study finds that when infrastructure is included in the mix (reservoirs, dams, etc.), water vulnerability is less of a threat than previously believed.

Understanding the historical probability of drought

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:22:22 EST

Researchers are using soil water deficits to create a "calendar" of seasonal drought patterns.

Plant water demands shift with water availability

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:32:32 EST

Plants can adapt to extreme shifts in water availability, such as drought and flooding, but their ability to withstand these extreme patterns will be tested by future climate change, according to a new study.

New insights on drought predictions in East Africa

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 14:53:53 EST

New research helps explain the mechanisms at work behind historical patterns of aridity in Eastern Africa over many decades -- findings that may help improve future predictions of drought and food security in the region.

Severe climate jeopardizing Amazon forest, study finds

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:17:17 EST

An area of the Amazon rainforest twice the size of California continues to suffer from the effects of a megadrought that began in 2005, finds a new NASA-led study. These results, together with observed recurrences of droughts every few years and associated damage to the forests in southern and western Amazonia in the past decade, suggest these rainforests may be showing the first signs of potential large-scale degradation due to climate change.

2012 was warmest and second most extreme year on record for the contiguous U.S.

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:11:11 EST

According to NOAA scientists, 2012 marked the warmest year on record for the contiguous United States with the year consisting of a record warm spring, second warmest summer, fourth warmest winter and a warmer-than-average autumn. The average temperature for 2012 was 55.3°F, 3.2°F above the 20th century average, and 1.0°F above 1998, the previous warmest year.

Warming climate unlikely to cause extinction of ancient Amazon trees, study finds

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:23:23 EST

New genetic analysis has revealed that many Amazon tree species are likely to survive human-made climate warming in the coming century, contrary to previous findings that temperature increases would cause them to die out.

Violence in Mali threatening survival of endangered elephants

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:32:32 EST

Researchers have revealed the secrets of survival of an endangered population of African elephant in the unforgiving Sahara desert. The elephants have the biggest range in the world, the study showed, but recent violence in Mali may now be putting the animals at risk.

Drought in the Horn of Africa delays migrating birds

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 14:20:20 EST

The catastrophic drought last year in the Horn of Africa affected millions of people but also caused the extremely late arrival into northern Europe of several migratory songbird species, a new study shows. Details of the migration route was revealed by data collected from small back-packs fitted on birds showing that the delay resulted from an extended stay in the Horn of Africa.

Plant stress paints early picture of drought

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:02:02 EST

In July 2012, farmers in the U.S. Midwest and Plains regions watched crops wilt and die after a stretch of unusually low precipitation and high temperatures. Before a lack of rain and record-breaking heat signaled a problem, however, scientists observed another indication of drought in data from NASA and NOAA satellites: plant stress.

Increasing drought stress challenges vulnerable hydraulic system of plants, professor finds

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:42:42 EST

The hydraulic system of trees is so finely-tuned that predicted increases in drought due to climate change may lead to catastrophic failure in many species. A recent paper finds that those systems in plants around the globe are operating at the top of their safety threshold, making forest ecosystems vulnerable to increasing environmental stress.

UK butterfly populations threatened by extreme drought and landscape fragmentation

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 07:30:30 EDT

A new study has found that the sensitivity and recovery of UK butterfly populations to extreme drought is affected by the overall area and degree of fragmentation of key habitat types in the landscape.

Western aspen trees commonly carry extra set of chromosomes

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:41:41 EDT

A large proportion of aspen in the western US sport an extra set of chromosomes in their cells, a phenomenon termed triploidy, according to new research. In some areas of southern Utah and Colorado, over 60 percent of aspen trees are triploid.

Desert farming forms bacterial communities that promote drought resistance

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:41:41 EDT

When there is little water available for plants to grow, their roots form alliances with soil microbes that can promote plant growth even under water-limiting conditions, according to new research.

Ozone affects forest watersheds

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:33:33 EDT

Scientists have found that rising levels of ozone, a greenhouse gas, may amplify the impacts of higher temperatures and reduce streamflow from forests to rivers, streams, and other water bodies. Such effects could potentially reduce water supplies available to support forest ecosystems and people in the southeastern United States.

Dire drought ahead, may lead to massive tree death

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 11:14:14 EDT

New evidence suggests recent droughts could be the new normal. This is especially bad news for America's forests.

Research shows legume trees can fertilize and stabilize maize fields, generate higher yields

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Inserting rows of "fertilizer trees" into maize fields, known as agroforestry, can help farmers across sub-Saharan Africa cope with the impacts of drought and degraded soils, according to a 12-year-long study.

Documented decrease in frequency of Hawaii's northeast trade winds

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:26:26 EDT

Scientists have observed a decrease in the frequency of northeast trade winds and an increase in eastern trade winds over the past nearly four decades, according to a recent study.

Drought, climate change impact salamander survival rates

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:39:39 EDT

On the heels of one the worst U.S. droughts in more than half a century, a new study raises questions about the future of one of the most integral members of stream ecosystems throughout the Southeast – the salamander. Research from Wake Forest University shows how salamanders react to drought, shedding light on the impact of climate change and increased urbanization.

Changes in Atlantic Ocean temperature affects western Amazonia climate

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 08:35:35 EDT

A new paper reveals that changes in the temperature of the Atlantic Ocean quickly translate into climate change in western Amazonia.

Climate change could cripple southwestern U.S. forests: Trees face rising drought stress and mortality as climate warms

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:21:21 EDT

Combine the tree-ring growth record with historical information, climate records, and computer-model projections of future climate trends, and you get a grim picture for the future of trees in the southwestern United States, according to a new study.

Droughts are pushing trees to the limit

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:34:34 EDT

Southwestern droughts made more severe by warming temperatures are pushing plants up against extremely stressful growing conditions, a new study has found, identifying an increasingly water-thirsty atmosphere as a key force that sucks moisture from plants, drying out the region as temperatures rise in the wake of climate change.

Forest mortality and climate change: The big picture

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 15:04:04 EDT

Over the past two decades, extensive forest death triggered by hot and dry climatic conditions has been documented on every continent except Antarctica. Forest mortality due to drought and heat stress is expected to increase due to climate change. Although research has focused on isolated incidents of forest mortality, little is known about the potential effects of widespread forest die-offs.

Salamanders display survival techniques in period of extreme drought

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:27:27 EDT

The stress of drought is acutely felt by aquatic animals such as salamanders. The extreme drought in the southeastern United States in 2007–2008 provided an opportunity to study how salamanders react and survive during such dry conditions. It also gave us clues as to how salamanders and other aquatic organisms may react to global warming.

Surviving drought: Discovery may help protect crops from stressors

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:31:31 EDT

New findings of a key genetic mechanism in plant hormone signaling may help save crops from stress and help address human hunger.

No-till farming helps capture snow and soil water

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:04:04 EDT

A smooth blanket of snow in the winter can help boost dryland crop productivity in the summer, and no-till management is one way to ensure that blanket coverage, according to new research.

Good news from the bad drought: Gulf 'Dead Zone' smallest in years

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:35:35 EDT

The worst drought to hit the United States in at least 50 years does have one benefit: It has created the smallest "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico in years, say researchers.

Forest razing by ancient Maya worsened droughts, says study

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:50:50 EDT

Prolonged drought is thought to have played a role in the collapse of the Classic Maya empire, but a recent study adds a new twist: The Maya may have made the droughts worse by clearing away forests for cities and crops, making a naturally drying climate drier.

Climate and drought lessons from ancient Egypt

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:08:08 EDT

Ancient pollen and charcoal preserved in deeply buried sediments in Egypt's Nile Delta document the region's ancient droughts and fires, including a huge drought 4,200 years ago associated with the demise of Egypt's Old Kingdom, the era known as the pyramid-building time.

Impulsive micromanager microbes help plants adapt, survive

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:09:09 EDT

Soil microbes are impulsive. So much so that they help plants face the challenges of a rapidly changing climate. Biologists have studied how plants and microbes work together to help plants survive the effects of global changes.

USDA: Ongoing drought causes significant crop yield declines

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:06:06 EDT

Corn production will drop 13 percent to a six-year low, the U.S. Agriculture Department said Aug. 10, confirming what many farmers already knew -- they are having a very bad year.

Global water sustainability flows through natural and human challenges

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:16:16 EDT

Water's fate in China mirrors problems across the world: fouled, pushed far from its natural origins, squandered and exploited. Scientists look back at lessons learned in China and management strategies that hold solutions for China -- and across the world.

Diversity keeps grasslands resilient to drought, climate change

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 12:19:19 EDT

Grasslands should come out as the winner with increased periods and intensity of drought predicted in the future.

July 2012 marked hottest month on record for contiguous U.S.; Drought expands to cover nearly 63 percent of the Lower 48

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:50:50 EDT

According to NOAA scientists, the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during July was 77.6°F, 3.3°F above the 20th century average, marking the hottest July and the hottest month on record for the nation. The previous warmest July for the nation was July 1936 when the average U.S. temperature was 77.4°F. The warm July temperatures contributed to a record-warm first seven months of the year and the warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since recordkeeping began in 1895.

Rapid assessment of plant drought tolerance possible with new method

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:53:53 EDT

Life scientists have discovered a new method to quickly assess plants' drought tolerance that works for many diverse species growing around the world.

Chronic 2000-04 drought, worst in 800 years, may be the 'new normal'

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:21:21 EDT

The chronic drought that hit western North America from 2000 to 2004 left dying forests and depleted river basins in its wake and was the strongest in 800 years, but those conditions will become the "new normal" for most of the coming century, scientists conclude in a new report. Such climatic extremes, they say, have increased as a result of global warming.

Droughts threaten Bornean rainforests

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:42:42 EDT

At 130 million years old, the rainforests of Southeast Asia are the oldest in the world and home to thousands of plant and animal species, some endemic to these forests. The rainforests also play important roles in modulating regional rainfall as well in the global carbon cycle.

Tropical cyclones' role in ending drought in Southeast US charted

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 11:14:14 EDT

Scientists have studied a 58-year history of tropical cyclones and their role in ending drought in the Southeast.

Drought monitor shows record-breaking expanse of drought across United States

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 19:41:41 EDT

More of the United States is in moderate drought or worse than at any other time in the 12-year history of the U.S. Drought Monitor, officials have said.

Dying trees in Southwest set stage for erosion, water loss in Colorado River

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:22:22 EDT

New research concludes that a one-two punch of drought and mountain pine beetle attacks are the primary forces that have killed more than 2.5 million acres of pinyon pine and juniper trees in the American Southwest during the past 15 years, setting the stage for further ecological disruption -- including more water loss in the Colorado River basin.

NASA satellites see wildfires across Colorado

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:38:38 EDT

NASA's Aqua satellite captured a natural-color image of Colorado wildfires raging on June 23, 2012.

The downstream consequences of depleting groundwater

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:32:32 EDT

A new report identifies improvements to groundwater management from the Western United States to Australia.

U.S. experienced second warmest May, warmest spring on record, NOAA reports

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 18:57:57 EDT

According to NOAA scientists, the average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during May was 64.3°F, 3.3°F above the long-term average, making it the second warmest May on record. The month's high temperatures also contributed to the warmest spring, warmest year-to-date, and warmest 12-month period the nation has experienced since recordkeeping began in 1895.

Sierra Nevada 200-year megadroughts confirmed

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:06:06 EDT

The culmination of a comprehensive high-tech assessment of Fallen Leaf Lake -- a small moraine-bound lake at the south end of the Lake Tahoe Basin -- shows that stands of pre-Medieval trees in the lake suggest the region experienced severe drought at least every 650 to 1,150 years during the mid- and late-Holocene period.

Groundwater depletion in semiarid regions of Texas and California threatens US food security

Mon, 28 May 2012 15:48:48 EDT

The US's food supply may be vulnerable to rapid groundwater depletion from irrigated agriculture, according to a new study. The study paints the highest resolution picture yet of how groundwater depletion varies across space and time in California's Central Valley and the High Plains of the central U.S.

Poor spring rain projected in Africa

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:18:18 EDT

Spring rains in the eastern Horn of Africa are projected to begin late this year and be substantially lower than normal. From March to May, the rains are expected to total only 60 to 85 percentage of the average rainfall in this region. This is a significant deterioration compared to earlier forecasts.

Which plants will survive droughts, climate change?

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:18:18 EDT

Biologists aim to predict which plant species will escape extinction from climate change. Droughts are worsening around the world, which poses a great challenge to plants in gardens and forests. Scientists have debated for more than a century how to predict which species are most vulnerable.