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Droughts
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- 1Give examples of characteristics of arid environments.An average rainfall of between 100mm and 300 mm.
Natural vegetation is sparse – grasses, small scrubs and trees. A short growing season of about 75 days. - 2Do areas suffering from drought have to be in arid environments?No – they can be in arid regions but don’t have to be.
- 3What is the main characteristic of an area suffering from drought?A gradual reduction in the amount of available water supply
- 4By contrast, a characteristic of arid environments is the fact that there is always only a small amount of rainfall and, therefore, water available for human use. Why is there low precipitation in arid areas?They are located in regions which normally have high pressure. This is where dry air descends towards the ground, such as where Hadley and Ferrel cells meet. As the air is dry, clouds are unlikely to form.
- 5What is it about the development of droughts which make them so dangerous?It is the gradual nature of droughts which makes them so dangerous. It is also the fact that its occurrence is unpredictable and, to some extent, unexpected.
- 6What is the meteorological causes of drought?When there is a prolonged period of below-average precipitation there is a natural shortage of available water; this is then called a drought.
- 7What is the hydrological cause of drought?When a decrease in precipitation reduces the amount of water in rivers, reservoirs, lakes and ground water.
- 8How can agriculture cause a drought?Farmers could use irrigation to start growing crops that require more water than is available; if the irrigation source dries up then the plants will die. This can then impact livestock too.
- 9How can building a dam cause a drought?If a dam is constructed on a large river it can produce electricity and plenty of water for the area close to the dam. However, places further downstream may suffer from drought because they will be receiving a reduced flow of water.
- 10How can deforestation cause a drought?Removing trees results in less carbon dioxide being absorbed from the atmosphere, which in turn will lead to an increase in the greenhouse effect. This will cause climate change, which could result in some areas becoming hotter and drier.
Large tropical rainforests create their own weather systems. Deforestation for timber, fuel and to create farmland could reduce precipitation in the area due to less water being added to the atmosphere through transpiration. - 11Explain why global circulation makes some areas so arid.The air rises at the Equator causing thunderstorms and a loss of moisture. The drier air then moves towards the mid latitudes. When it reaches approximately 30ᵒN and 30ᵒS the dry air descends (sinks) and warms. Many of the world’s arid areas are found at or near these latitudes because of this air circulation pattern.
- 12However, the climate regions are not fixed. Explain why the arid regions of the world are changing.Studies have found that global winds are shifting: it is thought that the jet streams have moved towards the poles, and the tropical belt has widened by several degrees latitude since the late 1970s.
This means that the arid areas of the world are changing. Areas that once received more rainfall are now receiving less, increasing their risk of drought. For example, the Upper Colorado River Basin in the USA has received far less rainfall over the years than what was considered normal, resulting in it experiencing drought. - 13Give some social impacts of drought.Ill- health among the population caused by low supply or poor quality of water.
Food prices increase as farm production decreases, putting the poorest at risk of malnutrition.
Migration as people move away from affected areas, but doing so without adequate supplies for the journey. - 14Give some economic impacts of drought.Industries, such as farming and forestry, unable to support jobs, leading to mass unemployment.
Water companies have to spend large amounts of money on new supplies and pipe systems, leading to higher bills for customers. - 15Give some environmental impacts of drought.Wild animals suffer from a loss of water.
Habitats, particularly river habitats, are damaged or lost.
Soil becomes dry and cracked, so it no longer supports plants. - 16When was there a drought in Namibia?2013
- 17What type of country is Namibia?Developing
- 18What impacts of drought were there on the people in Namibia?Harvest yielded 42% less than in 2012, which meant severe food shortages.
One in three people were at risk from malnutrition due to reduced availability of food (crops had failed and livestock had died).
People left their homes to search for water as there was none in their villages as the wells had dried up - 19What impacts of drought were there on the environment of Namibia?Large areas of Namibia are changing from Savannah grasslands to desert due to the lack of rainfall. Only drought-resistant plants can survive in these conditions but the Namibian farmers’ cattle cannot graze on them.
- 20How did individuals respond to the drought in Namibia?Farmers were forced to sell their livestock as they knew they wouldn’t survive so wouldn’t be useful to them. They also needed the money due to failed crops.
People from rural areas migrated to towns in search of work. This put strain on the urban infrastructure. The migrants ended up living in poor conditions in the towns. - 21How did organisations respond to the drought in Namibia?The International Red Cross and Red Crescent asked for US$1.5 million.
The Lutheran Church helped in a number of ways. For example, by providing basic food assistance to vulnerable communities with no access to governmental distribution points, trying to ensure a safe environment and access to clean water. - 22How did the government respond to the drought in Namibia?n May, President Pohamba declared a state of emergency and requested US$1million in international support to avert the crisis.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) gave two options to farmers who do not have enough grazing for their animals: either to sell their livestock while they are still in good condition or a subsidy for the cost of transporting the animals to emergency grazing areas. - 23When was there a drought in California, USA?2014
- 24What type of country is the USA?Developed
- 25What impacts of drought were there on the people in California, USA?Loss of 17,100 jobs in farming. This reduced the standard of living for these people due to lower disposable income (e.g. less money to pay for medical insurance).
The Department of Agriculture predicted that the price of fruit and vegetables would rise by 6%. This would have affected the poorest people the most.
The dry weather meant a better grape harvest and better tasting wines. - 26What impacts of drought were there on the environment of California, USA?Wildfires are becoming a regular occurrence because of the dry and dead wood. Fires of this nature destroy wildlife habitat as well as negatively impact the air quality.
Some rivers and streams are closed to fishing. If water levels continue to drop the water will become warmer and the young salmon will be unable to survive as they require cool running water.
Between 2008 and 2011, parts of the Central Valley subsided more than 60cm. - 27How did individuals respond to the drought in California, USA?People have been asked to use water more sparingly.
Farmers are planting smaller crops because there is not enough water for them to grow. This is likely to reduce the profits they make.
Residents in the Santa Clara Valley have been told to limit watering of lawns to twice a week or face a $500 fine. - 28How did organisations respond to the drought in California, USA?Advanced forecasting models are being developed by NASA to help with the water shortage.
NASA may also be developing new ways to better manage and monitor the state’s water resources. - 29How did the government respond to the drought in California, USA?New mandatory laws forbid restaurants to put water on tables without it being requested. Hotels must also ask guests if they will reuse their linen and towels to save water.
Governor Brown issued a state of emergency. In March he signed drought-relief legislation worth $687million. It included $25.3 million for food and $21million for housing for people such as farmworkers who were out of work. - 30How were the responses of individuals in Namibia and California different?In Namibia farmers were forced to sell their livestock as they knew they wouldn’t survive so wouldn’t be useful to them. This also gave them some additional money which was needed due to failed crops. Farmers in the USA, however, had more money and technology to try to save their crops. For example, they pumped extra water (which cost them money as the government couldn’t fund it all). Some farmers planted smaller crops which needed less water. This reduced their profits but did mean they were less likely to have failed crops.
In Namibia people from rural areas migrated to towns in search of work. This put strain on the urban infrastructure. The migrants ended up living in poor conditions in the towns. However, the response was not so drastic in the USA. For example, residents in the Santa Clara Valley were told to limit watering of lawns to twice a week or face a $500 fine. - 31How were the responses of organisations different in in Namibia and California ?International charities responded far more to the droughts in Namibia due to it being a developing country without the funds to respond effectively. For example, UNICEF appealed for US$7million to support their efforts to respond to the needs of women and children , and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent asked for US$1.5 million.
On the other hand, the USA is a much wealthier country and so has organisations with the technology and money to help reduce the effects of future droughts. For example, advanced forecasting models are being developed by NASA to help with predicting future water shortages. - 32How were the government responses different in Namibia and California?Both governments declared a state of emergency and offered aid. However, due to being a developing country, Namibia requested greater international help. For example, President Pohamba requested US$1million in international support to avert the crisis.
The USA didn’t request international aid. Instead the Governor of California signed drought-relief legislation worth $687million. It included $25.3 million for food and $21million for housing for people such as farm workers who were out of work. - 33Can you think of reasons for the differences in the responses?It’s mainly due to the difference in level of development of the two countries. The US has far more money to help with the recovery and so could deal with the disaster without much help from the international community, whereas Namibia needed more support due to its lack of money.
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- Fichas sobre Droughts, creado por Khadija Rashid el 26/11/2022.
- Creado por
- Khadija Rashid · nov 2022
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- 26 nov 2022
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