http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/drought/ Drought news and research. Learn about past droughts and predictions for drought. en-us Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:05:01 EST Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/earth_climate/drought/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215155300.htm Based on more than 25 years of data, ecologists looked at how droughts and heat waves affect grass growth during different months of the year. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215155300.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143003.htm More than one in three counties in the US could face a "high" or "extreme" risk of water shortages due to climate change by the middle of the 21st century, according to a new study. The report concluded seven in 10 of the more than 3,100 counties could face "some" risk of shortages of fresh water. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143003.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129151054.htm The earth beneath our feet plays an important role in carbon storage – a key factor in climate change – and new research shows that in times of drought some types of soil perform better than others. Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129151054.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091101.htm The upsurge in droughts is one of the main consequences of climate change, and affects crops in particular. However, a biologist has confirmed that in the case of barley at least, climate change itself is providing it with a self-defense mechanisms to tackle a lack of water. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091101.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104153735.htm A recent analysis suggests that climate change predicted for the United States will boost demand for imported drought- and heat-tolerant landscaping plants from Africa and the Middle East. This greatly increases the risk that a new wave of invasives will overrun native ecosystems in the way kudzu, Oriental bittersweet and purple loosestrife have in the past, members of the international team say. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104153735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219152520.htm When a plant encounters drought, it does its best to cope with this stress by activating a set of protein molecules called receptors. Plant cell biologists have discovered how to rewire this cellular machinery to heighten the plants' stress response -- a finding that can be used to engineer crops to give them a better shot at surviving and displaying increased yield under drought conditions. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219152520.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212153127.htm Over the past 10 years, the death of forest trees due to drought and increased temperatures has been documented on all continents except Antarctica. This can in turn drive global warming by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by trees and by releasing carbon locked up in their wood. New research offers evidence for the physiological mechanism governing tree death in a drought. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212153127.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205181917.htm As parts of Central America and the US Southwest endure some of the worst droughts to hit those areas in decades, scientists have unearthed new evidence about ancient dry spells that suggest the future could bring even more serious water shortages. Three researchers have presented new findings about the past and future of drought. Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111205181917.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130171100.htm The record-breaking drought in Texas that has fueled wildfires, decimated crops and forced cattle sales has also reduced levels of groundwater in much of the state to the lowest levels seen in more than 60 years, according to new national maps. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130171100.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111106151505.htm A new study has revealed a previously unknown multi-decade drought period in the second century A.D. The findings give evidence that extended periods of aridity have occurred at intervals throughout our past. Almost 900 years ago, in the mid-12th century, the southwestern U.S. was in the middle of a multi-decade megadrought. It was the most recent extended period of severe drought known for this region. But it was not the first. The second century A.D. saw an extended dry period of more than 100 years characterized by a multi-decade drought lasting nearly 50 years, according to the study. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 15:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111106151505.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111028115342.htm Wintertime droughts are increasingly common in the Mediterranean region, and human-caused climate change is partly responsible, according to a new analysis. In the last 20 years, 10 of the driest 12 winters have taken place in the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111028115342.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013135252.htm An eight-year study has concluded that increasingly frequent and severe drought, dropping water tables and dried-up springs have pushed some aquatic desert ecosystems into "catastrophic regime change," from which many species will not recover. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013135252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915102909.htm Restoring and preserving dryland forests and planting more trees to provide food, fodder and fertilizer on small farms are critical steps toward preventing the recurrence of the famine now threatening millions of people in the Horn of Africa, according to forestry experts. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915102909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110910134446.htm The blistering heat experienced by the United States during August, as well as the June through August months, marks the second warmest summer on record, according to scientists. The persistent heat, combined with below-average precipitation across the southern U.S. during August and the three summer months, continued a record-breaking drought across the region. Sat, 10 Sep 2011 13:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110910134446.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907122209.htm A return of La Nina, which historically delivers dry conditions, is increasingly likely, according to scientists. Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110907122209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823115210.htm As hunger spreads among more than 12 million people in the Horn of Africa, a new study of the response to Kenya's last devastating drought, in 2008-2009, finds that investments aimed at increasing the mobility of livestock herders -- a way of life often viewed as "backward" despite being the most economical and productive use of Kenya's drylands -- could be the key to averting future food crises in arid lands. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823115210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823104918.htm Summer drought limits the positive effects of carbon dioxide and heat on plant growth in future climate. Although the rain this summer has been pouring down over Denmark, most scientists agree that global temperature increases will intensify periods with summer drought already in 2075. Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110823104918.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801120236.htm Northeast Africa continues to reel from the effects of the worst drought to strike the region in decades. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801120236.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801094735.htm The percent of contiguous US land area experiencing the worst form of drought reached the highest levels in the history of the US Drought Monitor in July, officials said. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801094735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175415.htm The first screening of the American ancestors of soybeans for tolerance to ozone and other stresses had an eye-opening result: The world superstars of stress resistance hailed from a little village in far northern Sweden, called Fiskeby. Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110729175415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725123701.htm Contrary to expectations, researchers have discovered that the conifers of the Pacific Northwest, some of the tallest trees in the world, face their greatest water stress during the region's eternally wet winters, not the dog days of August when weeks can pass without rain. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725123701.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713142042.htm Rice -- which provides nearly half the daily calories for the world's population -- could become adapted to climate change and some catastrophic events by colonizing its seeds or plants with the spores of tiny naturally occurring fungi, new research shows. Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713142042.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711164557.htm When it comes to how they respond to the environment, trees may not be that different from humans. Recent studies showed that even genetically identical human twins can have a different chance of getting a disease. This is because each twin has distinct personal experiences through their lifetime. According to new research, it turns out that the same is likely true for forest trees as well. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711164557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628151641.htm Some areas of the southern United States are suffering from the longest dry spell since 1887, and a new study shows that could prove problematic for aquatic organisms. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628151641.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110624182311.htm As billion-dollar agricultural losses continue to mount in the withering Texas heat, scientists in Corpus Christi are taking a closer look at why some cotton varieties do better than others in drought conditions. Fri, 24 Jun 2011 18:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110624182311.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110621101323.htm In the Sahel, the frequency of storms increases when soil moisture varies over a few kilometers. Such contrasts cause air circulation between dry and humid areas, contributing to the development of storms. For the first time, these contrasts have been studied on a small scale. The new data that should help researchers to address the issue of drought in the Sahel. Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110621101323.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110605132427.htm Moisture and heat fluctuations from the land surface to the atmosphere form a critical nexus between surface hydrology and atmospheric processes, especially those relevant to rainfall. While current theory has suggested that soil moisture has had a positive impact on precipitation, there have been very few large-scale observations of this. Now, a team of researchers has demonstrated that evaporation from the land surface is able to modify summertime rainfall east of the Mississippi and in the monsoonal region in the southern U.S. and Mexico. Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110605132427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511092405.htm Researchers have unveiled a mechanism that can be used to develop crop varieties resistant to mild droughts. It turns out that under non-lethal stress conditions, plants inhibit growth more than necessary. Shutting down this response opens new opportunities for yield improvement. Wed, 11 May 2011 09:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511092405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509065642.htm Research on how genes are expressed has resulted in plants that can survive drought, high salt concentrations, and infections. This opens the possibility of forestry in harsh climates. The plants produce more leaves than usual, which means that they can yield more food per plant, according to researchers in Sweden. Mon, 09 May 2011 06:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509065642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110414131851.htm Forests and other terrestrial ecosystems in the lower 48 states can sequester up to 40 percent of the nation's fossil fuel carbon emissions, a larger amount than previously estimated -- unless a drought or other major disturbance occurs, new research shows. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110414131851.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412121314.htm Just as monarch butterflies depend on circadian cues to begin their annual migration, so do plants to survive freezing temperatures. All living things -- humans, animals, plants, microbes -- are influenced by circadian rhythms, which are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Researchers have now discovered that the circadian clock provides key input required for plants to attain maximum freezing tolerance. Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110412121314.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329150453.htm A new study has revealed widespread reductions in the greenness of the forests in the vast Amazon basin in South America caused by the record-breaking drought of 2010. Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110329150453.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110302121716.htm Sensitive to drought due to its high water requirement, rice is particularly vulnerable to how global climate change is altering the frequency and magnitude of floods and droughts. Now plant scientists have made a discovery that can greatly benefit rice growers and consumers everywhere. The researchers have demonstrated in the lab and greenhouse that rice that is flood tolerant is also better able to recover from a drought. Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110302121716.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110222122725.htm Researchers extracted a 6,000-year climate record from a Washington state lake showing that the American Pacific Northwest could not only be in for longer dry seasons, but also is unlikely to see a period as wet as the 20th century any time soon and will likely suffer severe water shortages. Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110222122725.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110221101319.htm Climate change is already having an effect on the safety of the world's food supplies and unless action is taken it's only going to get worse, a group of experts has warned. Mon, 21 Feb 2011 10:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110221101319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110203141820.htm New research shows that the 2010 Amazon drought may have been even more devastating to the region's rainforests than the unusual 2005 drought, which was previously billed as a one-in-100 year event. Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110203141820.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110203124816.htm A new, detailed record of rainfall fluctuations in ancient Mexico that spans more than twelve centuries promises to improve our understanding of the role drought played in the rise and fall of pre-Hispanic civilizations. Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110203124816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110128113426.htm The increased frequency of drought observed in eastern Africa over the last 20 years is likely to continue as long as global temperatures continue to rise, according to new research. This poses increased risk to the estimated 17.5 million people in the Greater Horn of Africa who currently face potential food shortages. Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110128113426.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110122105606.htm While wet and snowy weather has dominated the western U.S., persistent drought conditions are likely to linger in the Southern Plains and Southeast through mid to late spring, according to NOAA's National Weather Service. La Niña has kept storms and most of their precipitation in the north, leaving the South drier than normal. Sat, 22 Jan 2011 10:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110122105606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111141347.htm Researchers have found a genetic mutation that allows a plant to better endure drought without losing biomass, a discovery that could reduce the amount of water required for growing plants and help plants survive and thrive in adverse conditions. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111141347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101229124335.htm Growing plants on rooftops is an old concept that has evolved from simple sod roofing to lightweight "extensive green roofs". Researchers have evaluated the influence of substrate type and depth on establishment of five common green roof plants. A standout performer was saxifrage pink, which had an attractive appearance and persistent flowering habit, making it an excellent choice as a green roof plant. Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:43:43 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101229124335.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101213151405.htm A 60-year drought like that of the 12th Century could be in our future. An unprecedented combination of heat plus decades of drought could be in store for the Southwest sometime this century, suggests new research. By figuring out when and for how long drought and warm temperatures coincided in the past, the team identified plausible worst-case scenarios for the future. Such scenarios can help water and other resource managers plan for the future, the team wrote. Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101213151405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101123121117.htm Researchers recently re-sequenced and compared six elite inbred corn lines, including the parents of the most productive commercial hybrids in China and found entire genes that were missing from one line to another. Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101123121117.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101115153039.htm A new species of carnivorous pitcher plant has been found in Cambodia's remote Cardamom Mountains. The discovery of Nepenthes holdenii is an indicator of both the stunning diversity and lack of research in the forests of the Cardamom Mountains. Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101115153039.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101112141332.htm Catastrophic drought is on the near-term horizon for the capital city of Bolivia, according to new research into the historical ecology of the Andes. If temperatures rise more than 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius (3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit) above those of modern times, parts of Peru and Bolivia will become a desert-like setting. Fri, 12 Nov 2010 14:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101112141332.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101110212919.htm The ability of some plants to self-fertilize has its advantages, especially in areas where there aren't many pollinating insects. But new research suggests that self-fertilization may not always be an evolutionary advantage in and of itself. Rather, it sometimes may evolve because it is linked to physiological traits that help plants deal with seasonal drought. Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101110212919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101022072152.htm The Pacific Northwest should brace for a colder and wetter than average winter, while most of the South and Southeast will be warmer and drier than average through February 2011, according to the annual Winter Outlook released by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. A moderate to strong La Niña will be the dominant climate factor influencing weather across most of the U.S. this winter. Fri, 22 Oct 2010 07:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101022072152.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101019121922.htm The United States and many other heavily populated countries face a growing threat of severe and prolonged drought. The analysis concludes that warming temperatures associated with climate change will likely create increasingly dry conditions across much of the globe in the next 30 years, possibly reaching a scale in some regions by the end of the century that has rarely, if ever, been observed in modern times. Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101019121922.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101014144233.htm Rivers and streams supply the lifeblood of ecosystems across the globe, providing water for drinking and irrigation for humans as well as a wide array of life forms in rivers and streams from single-celled organisms all the way up to the fish humans eat. But humans and nature itself are making it tough on rivers to continue in their central role to support fish species, according to new research. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101014144233.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101014083125.htm Crop specialists in Kenya and Uganda have laid the groundwork for confined field trials to commence later this year for new varieties of maize genetically modified to survive recurrent droughts that threaten over 300 million Africans for whom maize is life. Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101014083125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007092817.htm Large-scale crop failures like the one that caused the recent Russian wheat crisis are likely to become more common under climate change due to an increased frequency of extreme weather events, a new study shows. Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007092817.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101001144201.htm The combination of La Nina with two less commonly known ocean conditions tends to result in drought in the upper reaches of the Colorado River, finds a new study. The three conditions are expected to converge this winter. Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101001144201.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100928171559.htm New findings could lead to environmentally-friendly sprays that help plants survive drought and other stresses in harsh environments to combat global food shortages. Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100928171559.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100920151811.htm Successful mechanical harvesting of perennial fruit crops requires efficient, economical harvesting systems that do not reduce trees' production life or diminish fruit quality. Researchers have published a new study that determined if winter drought stress could successfully delay flowering and fruit development of immature 'Valencia' sweet oranges to avoid young fruit loss during late-season mechanical harvesting. Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100920151811.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825151630.htm A team of scientists has used the tools of structural biology to understand how a synthetic chemical mimics abscisic acid (ABA), a key stress hormone that helps plants cope with adverse environmental conditions such as drought. Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825151630.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100823152305.htm In a study that promises to fill in the fine details of the plant world's blueprint for surviving drought, a team of researchers has identified in living plants the set of proteins that help them withstand water stress. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100823152305.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100820101504.htm Global plant productivity that once was on the rise with warming temperatures and a lengthened growing season is now on the decline because of regional drought, according to a new study of NASA satellite data. Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100820101504.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100802151311.htm Recent research surrounding the impact of drought in the Amazon has provided contradictory findings as to how tropical forests react to a drier and warmer climate. A new study examines the response of Amazon forests to variations in climate conditions, specifically considering how those changes may influence forest productivity. These findings provide possible context for why previous studies have offered varying conclusions. Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100802151311.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708171345.htm As the mercury rises outdoors, it's a fitting time to consider the effects of summertime droughts and global warming on ecosystems. Complex interactions among temperature, water cycling, and plant communities create a tangled web of questions that need to be answered as we face a rapidly changing climate. Researchers recently tackled one aspect of the challenging question of how climate change can impact plant communities that obtain water from fog. Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100708171345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100625101145.htm Prominent climate experts are calling for a "no-regrets" strategy for planning for a hotter and drier western North America. Their advice: use water conservatively and continue developing ways to harness energy from the sun, wind and Earth. Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100625101145.htm