A new study shows that future ecosystem functioning will increasingly depend on water availability. Using recent simulations from climate models, an international team of scientists found several “hot spot regions” where increasing water limitation strongly affects ecosystems. These include Central Europe, the Amazon, and western Russia. Pinpointing such regions is essential: …
Continue readingCategory: Research
Global tree restoration will change water availability
Tree restoration is an effective way to store atmospheric carbon and mitigate climate change. Many initiatives exist to increase global tree cover. However, the effects of these initiatives on water resources are still poorly understood. Locally, tree restoration will enhance evaporation. But impacts on precipitation reach far beyond country or …
Continue readingDrought makes heatwaves hotter, but less deadly
During heatwaves, there is no rain and the soil dries out. This further enhances the rising of heatwave temperatures. But remarkably, desiccated soils also have an advantage: they reduce air humidity and make a heatwave less deadly to humans. Heatwaves and droughts are causing acute excess mortality and damage to …
Continue readingReducing drought by changing the surface water system
Experiences from recent droughts show that elevated sandy areas in the southern and eastern Netherlands are vulnerable to drought (see e.g. Buitink et al., 2020). Transporting water to these areas is difficult due to their elevation and distance to river systems. In addition, the use of surface water for functions …
Continue reading