{"id":25574,"date":"2022-09-21T10:18:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T09:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=25574"},"modified":"2022-09-21T10:18:23","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T09:18:23","slug":"exploring-long-term-effects-drought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/exploring-long-term-effects-drought\/25574\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring the long-term effects of drought"},"content":{"rendered":"
Extreme hydrological events<\/a> such as droughts are becoming an increasing problem in many parts of the world, affecting human lives and ecosystems. The recent IPCC report<\/a> stated that with ongoing climate change, extreme weather events will be more frequent, and dry periods will increase in intensity.<\/p>\n Michael Bahn, a researcher from the Department of Ecology at the University of Innsbruck, was involved in several studies on the effects of drought on ecosystems. These studies provide insight into the complexity of processes underlying ecosystems\u2019 response to drought and highlight the importance of biodiversity in enabling natural systems to resist drought.<\/p>\n \u201cTo explore how ecosystems are affected by drought, we have installed rainout shelters in grasslands and forests. The aim is to understand how an entire ecosystem with its numerous interactions reacts to drought,\u201d Bahn explained. \u201cBy warming grassland sections with heaters and adding CO2<\/sub>\u00a0to their atmosphere, we can mimic the effects of drought in a future world.\u201d<\/p>\n Warming increases both drought and heat stress, while elevated CO2 <\/sub>levels help plants save water by reducing leaf water loss. Bahn\u2019s experiments suggest that under future climate conditions the effects of drought will be more severe, but recovery from drought will also speed up.<\/p>\n While warming increases both drought and heat stress, elevated CO2<\/sub>\u00a0helps plants save water by reducing leaf water loss. Bahn\u2019s multifactor experiments suggest that under future climate conditions drought impacts will be more severe, but that recovery from drought will also be more rapid.<\/p>\n \u201cWith this experimental approach, we can predict future conditions today. It is like a time machine,\u201d said Bahn.<\/p>\n Studies like these enable scientists to anticipate changes in the environment of ecosystems and how these changes affect climate. This feedback is primarily mediated through greenhouse gases such as CO2<\/sub>\u00a0and nitrous oxide (N2<\/sub>O).<\/p>\n \u201cOur studies show that drought greatly reduces the uptake of CO2\u00a0<\/sub>by ecosystems. At the same time, the rainfall following drought often leads to an increased emission of greenhouse gases. Such \u2018hot moments\u2019 are particularly critical for N2<\/sub>O emissions, especially from fertilised soils,\u201d explained Bahn.<\/p>\n A synthesis study published earlier this year revealed that productivity loss induced by drought can be up to 50% greater than that suggested by experiments. Because of this, models and larger-scale assessments should consider long-term field observations and larger-scale analyses of satellite data. In another recent paper, scientists suggested that as climate change progresses, the mechanisms operating in global drylands could play a developing role in areas that are currently more humid.<\/p>\nPredicting future climate conditions<\/h3>\n