Friday, April 13, 2018

A major climate boundary in the central U.S. has shifted 140 miles due to global warming

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY Published 2:25 p.m. ET April 13, 2018 | Updated 3:26 p.m. ET April 13, 2018

A boundary that divides the humid eastern U.S. and the dry western Plains appears to have shifted 140 miles to the east over the past century due to global warming, new research suggests.

Scientists say it will almost certainly continue shifting in coming decades, expanding the arid climate of the western Plains into what we think of as the Midwest. The implications for farming could be huge.
The boundary line was first identified in 1878 by the American geologist and explorer John Wesley Powell. At that time, it was at 100 degrees west longitude, also known as the 100th meridian. 

“Powell talked eloquently about the 100th meridian, and this concept of a boundary line has stayed with us down to the current day,” said Richard Seager, a climate scientist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Seager is the lead author of two new studies about the shifting climate boundary.

Running south to north, the 100th meridian cuts through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas. It's considered the beginning of the Great Plains, a windswept, largely treeless expanse that covers large parts of 10 states and occupies one-fifth of the nation's land area. Yet its population is less than Georgia's.

Both population and development are sparse west of the 100th meridian, where farms are larger and primarily depend on arid-resistant crops like wheat, the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies said. To the more humid east, more people and infrastructure exist. Farms are smaller and a large portion of the harvested crop is moisture-loving corn.

Now, due to shifting patterns in precipitation, wind and temperature since the 1870s — due to man-made climate change — the boundary between the dry West and the wetter East has shifted to roughly 98 degrees west longitude, the 98th meridian. 

For instance, in Texas, the boundary has moved approximately from Abilene to Fort Worth.

According to Columbia University’s Earth Institute, Seager predicts that as the line continues to move farther East, farms will have to consolidate and become larger to remain viable.

 A rare wow for me..A North American Climate Boundary Has Shifted 140 Miles East Due to Global Warming..https://e360.yale.edu/digest/a-north-american-climate-boundary-has-shifted-140-miles-east-due-to-global-warming …
And unless farmers are able to adapt, such as by using irrigation, they will need to consider growing wheat or another more suitable crop than corn.

"Large expanses of cropland may fail altogether, and have to be converted to western-style grazing range. Water supplies could become a problem for urban areas,” the Earth Institute said.
Crusader Jenny , Nanook & Mika

2 comments:

  1. Hi Crusader
    140 miles is huge. The future looks rather dry for the USA. It appears to be happening in Canada too according to your diagram. I guess we better get used to eating cactus.
    Truthfully, it is something we should be very concerned about. It will contribute to the food shortage in a couple of centuries. Thank you for teaching me something new. Good job.
    Love Aunt Jeannie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi aunt Jeannie ,
    It seems that everything affects climate change in one way or another , food shortage has begun , it will only get worse that is why everyone needs to take a hard look and take a stand .
    I learned something new from this post , here's hoping others will also learn something , we are taught that we will make many mistakes we are to learn from them , not to make the same mistakes .Thank you
    Love you Jenny

    Aunt Jeannie , my friend's mother teach at Man's school she told me what her mama told her daddy what happen when mama talk with Man's teacher , Carrie had me laughing when her daddy said Man's teacher did not want to tangle with that crazy creole when it's about her children . Carrie made me laugh until my stomach hurt . If you want me to tell you what Carrie said Mrs. Jarvis told her mama I will tell you in the secret place?
    Love you much Jenny

    ReplyDelete