Thats time...

Hello!

I would just like to say thanks for everybody who's been reading and to those that have contributed to making this a great discussion. I hope everybody has enjoyed the blog, learnt something or been forced to think more deeply about the issues surrounding desert environments.

Personally, I have found the experience thoroughly enriching and most enjoyable. The blog took unexpected directions as a result of reader interest, and I certainly learned a great deal about both the process of writing this style of media and regarding the concepts we explored.

Whilst the blog is now closing, I look forward to seeing how environmental science will continue to unfold, how our knowledge extends and how desert environments will be managed and utilised in years to come.

Nearly There

It is coming towards the end of the blog. There has been a great deal of information, discussion and ideas presented over the last few months. As such, I like to summarise the story you have been a part of and invite any questions regarding the materials the blog has covered or even the blog itself.

The blog has tried to incorporate a range of classic papers, illuminate notable further literature, provide videos, interesting case studies, popular news articles, and direct attentions towards critical governing bodies or organisation publications. The over arching aim of this was to offer a mixture of technical and non technical materials and posts in an attempt to make the blog as accessible as possible, encouraging academic readers as well as those keen to learn a little more about some of the key environmental issues influencing modern society.

As I hope has become clear, deserts are a key part of the Earth System and offer challenging problems and opportunities related to climate change, human populations and global systems. Furthermore, I hope I have portrayed the importance of studying desert environments. The blog has touched just some of the key issues revolving around the world’s drylands and I should make it clear that there are many more worthy points of discussion outside of this blog.

The blog first presented hydrological phenomena within the arid regions. From the importance of the monsoonal circulation, to water resources, to the effects of both water on humans and humans on water… many different systems were eluded to. The posts built up to the section finale that explained some of the disastrous consequences disruption of natural regimes can on humans and the environment have with a case study on the Aral Sea.

From desert hydrology I introduced an extremely current and relevant strand of geomorphology and environmental change in dust. We explored what dust was and where it is most commonly found and why with a case study of the Bodélé Depression. From this I highlighted the direction of cutting edge research in the field with studies related to biogeochemical cycling and aerobiology. Once again, it was highly apparent that natural processes could seriously affect human populations, amplifying the importance of further investigation.

Perhaps the punch line of the blog, humans and desert environments, justifiably received most attention. Initially there was consideration of the interconnectedness of humans and desertification. This linkage has been shown to control human evolution, human adaptation and modification of culture, traditions or methods of living. Furthermore it was considered how desertification in monitored, how the desert environments can be strategically utilised by humans and the problems that humans may incur should the environment be mismanaged or over exploited.

The final section of the blog illustrated the potential future for desert environments. Its is clear that in order for such predictions, current technologies and monitoring strategies need to be markedly improved. With this improvement in time, more specific management strategies and policies can be directed towards the safeguarding of beneficial processes and manipulation of problematic occurrences. Most critically, the continued study and research of desert environments will allow significant contributions to be made with regards to an Integrated Earth Systems Model, the present-day holy grail for many scientists. 

The Future of Drylands Continued...

Ok, so back on track now. I just wanted to revisit the idea of using the desert environment to generate electricity. I have provided you with papers and information on the subject and now I have a little video to pass on. As we are coming towards the completion of my deserts blog, and coming to the close having discussed humans in deserts and the future of deserts, I would be particularly interested to hear your thoughts on this key issue that is increasingly considered in the world of renerable and alternative energy provision....

Afghanistan Dust Storm 20th December 2011: NASAs Image of the Day!

Sorry this is a slight diversion from the current theme! Here is a picture I found on NASA's Earth Observatory Website under the image of the day section. Although its not relevant to what i've been talking about in recent weeks its a very interesting image and important for what I have previously discussed on dust.

The accompanying text goes as follows:

"A dense cloud of dust swept across southern Afghanistan and Pakistan on December 20, 2011. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) took this image from the Terra satellite at 10:45 a.m., the dust was largely hemmed in by the Makran and Sulaiman Ranges in Pakistan with only a few wisps reaching south over the Arabian Sea. By the time Aqua MODIS flew over just three hours later, the storm had reached the coast. The dust storm continued on December 21.

The storm is being propelled by strong winds from the north. The winds picked up dust from dry lakebeds in the Hamun wetlands, on the border between Afghanistan and Iran. Concentrated plumes of dust rise from the pale wetlands to become a more diffuse cloud in the south and east. Dry lakebeds and wetlands are among the most common sources of dust in the world.

Dust storms can happen any time of the year in Afghanistan. On average, Afghanistan experiences blowing dust one to two days per month in the winter and six days per month at the height of the summer. Zabon, an Iranian city located near the border in the Hamun wetlands, reports 81 dust storms per year.

Blowing dust poses a hazard to transportation, as low visibility closes roads and airports. This particular storm prevented British Prime Minister David Cameron from visiting a British military base because the runway was closed for low visibility."

The reason for pasting this is to draw your attentions to a couple of sentences in particular that reinforce some of what I have said on dust and some of the more abstract theories with a real world example. From the first paragraph it is clear that the dust storm has travelled a considerable range, increasing its potential to affect a whole host of systems, both environmental and human. The dust in this example was sourced from another dry lake bed and wetlands, not dissimilar from the type of source that contributed the most dust to the system in Africa that I touched upon. Finally, the last paragraph highlights just one of the ways in which can affect human lives and operations....

Apologies for the interjection, I just thought this was a neat example that ties up some of the dust posts.

United Nations Environment Program: Global Desert Outlook

I have found a great website from the United Nations Environment Program that provides a great range of interesting information on desert environments. Many of the topics I have discussed are included such as climate, evolution and global tele-connective properties including dust and biogeochemical cycling. Furthermore, many more features of the drylands are introduced. Biological adaptation, sustainable development and desert research are all mentioned.

In particular, I would like to draw your attention to this section of the website which expands on what I have been discussing recently in terms of humans in deserts, their effects and future change. Chapter 6, 'Scenarios of Change', talks about driving forces or change and scenarios of change for water and land degradation.

Well worth a read!

What future for dryland populations?

I have introduced concepts and provided evidence for climate change in exacerbating desertification and that anthropogenic activities may further enhance the associated environmental changes. With all this in mind, what is the future for desert occupation? Overcultivation, overgrazing, land use changes, unsustainable practices all induce a host of feedbacks including nutrient depletion, reduction of moisture-holding capabilities of soil, mobilisation of sediments etc etc (Mouat, 2008). In turn cultural and societal routines may be impinged through, for example, the exhaustion of food and water resources leading to malnourishment, famine, disease and so on. The effects of environmental change are both varied and extremely serious and may develop on an exponential basis according to those such as Charney, and recovery policies may be difficult to implement.

Critical to the future of dryland populations is our openness to adaptation. Without adaptation humans must migrate or risk death. By adaptation I mean a willingness to develop and utilise coping mechanisms (new technologies, methods etc) and perhaps most importantly, a preparedness to adopt an alternative lifestyle that may not be complicit with previously apparent traditional heritage or cultures. Mouat and Lancaster (2008) highlight the inextricable linkages between environmental security and human security.

One of the main concerns, however, is that not everybody is able to adapt or migrate. Meze-Hausken (2000) provides a table that explains the factors that may influence migration during times of drought:

The tables give great insight in to strategies that may be employed to help societies out of trouble in drylands. Policies should focus on varied and appropriate crop planting, family size and planning issues, water availability, civil unrest and war, and the number of survival strategies they themselves are aware of. It is highly apparent that there is a distinct lack of focused and directed education in these areas. Is education the most appropriate and sustainable dryland population management solution? 

Desertification Risk

I came across two very interesting maps from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS). The first map shows desertification vulnerability. The second shows the risk of human-induced desertification. I felt it was particularly striking, perhaps a little obvious, but still extremely important to recognise how many of the regions most under threat were those of the largest populations! Does this exacerbate perception that humans may be the largest threat to desertification phenomena? The social and cultural 'sub-cycle' to Charney's hypothesis perhaps becomes even more important!