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Towards identifying areas at climatological risk of desertification using the Köppen-Geiger classification and FAO aridity index

2014; Wiley; Volume: 35; Issue: 9 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/joc.4124

1097-0088

Jonathan Spinoni, J. Vogt, Gustavo Naumann, Hugo Carrão, Paulo Barbosa,

Tree-ring climate responses

International Journal of ClimatologyVolume 35, Issue 9 p. 2210-2222 RESEARCH ARTICLE Towards identifying areas at climatological risk of desertification using the Köppen–Geiger classification and FAO aridity index Jonathan Spinoni, Corresponding Author Jonathan Spinoni European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, Italy Correspondence to: J. Spinoni, European Commission – Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability – Climate Risk Management Unit, TP 124, Via E. Fermi 2749, Ispra, VA I-21027, Italy. E-mail: jonathan.spinoni@jrc.ec.europa.euSearch for more papers by this authorJürgen Vogt, Jürgen Vogt European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this authorGustavo Naumann, Gustavo Naumann European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this authorHugo Carrao, Hugo Carrao European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this authorPaulo Barbosa, Paulo Barbosa European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this author Jonathan Spinoni, Corresponding Author Jonathan Spinoni European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, Italy Correspondence to: J. Spinoni, European Commission – Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability – Climate Risk Management Unit, TP 124, Via E. Fermi 2749, Ispra, VA I-21027, Italy. E-mail: jonathan.spinoni@jrc.ec.europa.euSearch for more papers by this authorJürgen Vogt, Jürgen Vogt European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this authorGustavo Naumann, Gustavo Naumann European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this authorHugo Carrao, Hugo Carrao European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this authorPaulo Barbosa, Paulo Barbosa European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, VA, ItalySearch for more papers by this author First published: 18 August 2014 https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.4124Citations: 91Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat ABSTRACT Over the past decades, a continuous rise in global air temperatures resulted in significant changes in the global hydrological cycle. Regionally increased frequencies of extreme weather events and changes in the regional extent of drylands resulted in new areas at risk of desertification, a complex process driven by socio-economic and climate-related factors. Although desertification is not confined to drylands, they are the most vulnerable to land degradation processes. To investigate possible changes in climate patterns over the past 60 years, we couple the information obtained from the Köppen–Geiger (KG) climate classification and the FAO aridity index (AI), providing an overview of the most evident global changes in climate regimes from 1951–1980 to 1981–2010 and focussing on the modifications of the extent of drylands. KG and AI indicators have been computed on a 0.5° × 0.5° global grid using precipitation data from the Full Data Reanalysis (v6.0) of the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre, and mean temperature and potential evapotranspiration data from the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia (CRUTSv3.20). Both KG and AI show that the arid areas globally increased between 1951–1980 and 1981–2010, but decreased on average in the Americas. North-Eastern Brazil, Southern Argentina, the Sahel, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Mediterranean area, North-Eastern China and Sub-Himalayan India have been identified as areas with a significant increase of drylands extent. An analysis of the scientific literature gives evidence that most of the areas identified are effectively undergoing desertification, thus confirming the validity of AI and KG to highlight the areas under risk of desertification. We also discuss the global decrease of cold areas, the progressive change from continental to temperate climate in Central Europe, the shift from tundra to continental climate in Alaska, Canada and North-Eastern Russia and the widening of the tropical belt. Citing Literature Volume35, Issue9July 2015Pages 2210-2222 RelatedInformation