Classified precipitation zones, change in zones over time, and precipitation zone transformation trajectory. Maps for each year show the spatial arrangement of precipitation zones (a). Table A shows the climatic zone designation for each region, the area (km2) for each region in each year, the change between 1980 and 2020, and the change in the area of each region during the study period. In Map B, colors represent district designations in 2020 after switching between regions. Graph b shows the change in km2 between areas of precipitation in 1980 to areas of precipitation in 2020. The numbers above the dotted line represent a shift from drier to wetter areas. The numbers below the dotted line represent a shift from wetter to drier regions. The farther the number is from the dotted line, the greater the shift in the number of regions. For each region, its row sum minus its column sum equals the total change (1980-2020) for that region shown in Table A. credit: regional environmental change (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s10113-023-02055-w
New research has been published in regional environmental change showed that as climatic zones shift towards hotter and drier conditions, ecological diversity will decrease, posing a major threat to terrestrial ecosystems with far-reaching social and ecological impacts.
The study, “Change of Climate Zones and Expansion of Tropical and Dry Climate Zones Across Kenya (1980-2020),” was published online on April 5.
The research team analyzed the geographic distribution in Kenya and the ranking of climatic zones between 1980 and 2020. During that time, tropical climate zones expanded from 91 to 93% with more than 13,000 square kilometers shifting from alpine and temperate zones to tropical zones, and arid climatic zones expanded . From 72 to 81%, which is approximately 50,000 km2 Transition from humid and semi-humid to semi-arid to arid regions.
“By better understanding how climate changes occur in an environment like Kenya, we can estimate how food security affects other regions with similar geographic patterns,” said Inbal Chatcham, Ph.D., professor of behavioral sciences and health education. Louis University School of Public Health and Social Justice and Acting Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Taylor Geospatial Institute.
First author is Ted J. Lawrence, a former postdoctoral fellow at the Taylor Geospatial Institute. Shakam is the paper’s first author.
The research team looked at how trends in temperature and precipitation have changed over time and how the geographical distribution and arrangement of climate zones in Kenya have changed because of these trends.
The team focused on Kenya because rain-fed agriculture is central to the country’s economy and is a major food-producing country in the East African region. The findings highlight the urgent need for adaptation strategies that take into account the impacts of changing climatic zones on the food security and livelihoods of millions of people. They also emphasize the importance of developing land use and ecosystem management practices that can help mitigate the impact of climate change and preserve biodiversity.
The data showed that in addition to a 1 °C increase in temperature, there was a decrease in precipitation during the country’s primary rainy season (spring) and an increase in precipitation in the secondary rainy season (autumn).
76,346 square kilometers have shifted from cooler regions to hotter regions, while 1,298 square kilometers have moved from hotter regions to cooler regions. Human-induced climate change significantly alters the spatio-temporal patterns of climatic zones, leading to agricultural land use and ecosystem change. Changes in the climatic zone alter the biological and physical characteristics of the ecosystem, leading to a change in what the ecosystem can support.
The researchers reviewed data from a variety of sources, including:
- Mean monthly and annual temperature and precipitation time series in Kenya between 1975 and 2020, obtained from the Climate Change Knowledge Portal
- Average monthly temperatures and precipitation georeferenced across Kenya at 5 km resolution during 1976-1980, 1996-2000 and 2016-2020 from the TerraClimate dataset
- A digital version of the geo-referenced boundaries of the Kenyan ACZ documented in 1982 and obtained through the IGAD Portal for Climate Prediction and Applications.
Classified temperature zones, change in zones over time, and track of changing temperature zones. Maps for each year show the spatial arrangement of temperature zones (a). Table A shows the designation of the climatic zone for each region, the area (km2) for each region in each year, the change between 1980 and 2020, and the percentage change during the study period. In Map B, colors represent district designations in 2020 after switching between regions. The graph in b shows the change in km2 between temperature regions in 1980 to temperature regions in 2020. The numbers above the dotted line represent a shift from cooler to warmer regions. The numbers below the dotted line represent a shift from warmer to cooler regions. The farther the number is from the dotted line, the greater the shift in the number of regions. For each region, its row sum minus its column sum equals the total change (1980-2020) for that region shown in Table A. credit: regional environmental change (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s10113-023-02055-w
The team assessed average annual and seasonal temperatures and precipitation trends to understand climate change in Kenya between 1975-2020 before creating climate reference maps. The maps represent areas of temperature and precipitation in the 1980’s, 2000’s and 2020’s.
The research found that human-caused climate change in Kenya is similar to global trends, with some regions being more sensitive to the forces of climate change.
As climatic zones shift towards hotter and drier conditions, ecological diversity will decline, posing a major threat to terrestrial ecosystems with far-reaching social and environmental impacts.
The information on climate change and shifting climatic zones in this paper can be used to investigate a variety of environmental questions and assist in efforts to reach the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
more information:
Ted J Lawrence et al., Changing climatic zones and expanding tropical and arid climatic zones across Kenya (1980-2020), regional environmental change (2023). DOI: 10.1007/s10113-023-02055-w
the quote: New study finds shifting climatic zones lead to hotter, drier conditions across Kenya (2023, April 20) Retrieved April 20, 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-04-shifting-climate-regions -hotter-drier. programming language
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