Assessing the impacts of climate variability - a study of institutional archival data spanning 1700-1947 (British Colonial Period) pertaining to semi-arid tracts of peninsular India

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranjini Ray ◽  
Atreyee Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Adaptive Strategies ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Enso Events ◽  
Tree Ring Data ◽  
British Colonial ◽  
Climate Disasters ◽  
Semi Arid

<p>Climate disasters such as droughts and floods are becoming very important in 21<sup>st</sup> century India especially in the semi-arid tracts of rain-shadow regions of peninsular India – stretching from Maharashtra in the west to Tamil Nadu in the south. The role of climate variability in these climate disasters and the climate forcings working behind these needs a special attention. Here we present new data, pertaining to climate disasters, impacts and adaptive strategies, from a review of 60 volumes of archival institutional documents from the British Colonial Period pertaining to administration of districts of peninsular India. The documents span ~ 220 years (1729-1947 AD) and encompass the two phases of the British colonial period, the Company period (before 1858) and the Crown period (1858-1947) respectively. We found archival institutional documents to be excellent archives for reconstructing a chronology of climate disasters, studying the effects of these disasters and assessing the efficacy of adaptive strategies and policies at local scales, often at the level of districts (<30 kms). Vivid accounts describe impacts of climate disasters e.g crop failure, price hike, farmer migration, riot, starvation, epidemic diseases, death during droughts, and colossal destruction, migration and death due to heavy rainfall (and associated floods). Farmers being the most affected group. In 19<sup>th</sup> century famines due to droughts continued to occur every 5-10 years if the rainfall fell below 14% of the average annual rainfall, consistent with decadal and sub-decadal modes of rainfall variability. This data is comparable with the tree ring data found in this area. Climate variability is to some extent at par with ENSO events but land atmosphere interaction especially due to anthropogenic activities such as deforestation can be a major climate forcing that acted in this area. During the Crown period protective measures were very similar even though governance changed. But British government had to change their policies when sudden huge fall in rainfall occurred in 1876 and 1899 causing major famines (Great Famine 1876-1877, Indian Famine1899-1900). Formation of Famine Codes and Famine Commissions (1880-1901) after these two major famines made situation better, changes were done in grass root level. We see no major famine caused by droughts in peninsular India after that.</p>

Forecasting the impacts of climate variability: lessons from the rainfed corn market in Ceará, Brazil

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
ARIASTER B. CHIMELI ◽  
FRANCISCO DE ASSIS DE SOUZA FILHO ◽  
MARCOS COSTA HOLANDA ◽  
FRANCIS CARLO PETTERINI
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Arid Zone ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
The World ◽  
Forecast Models ◽  
Climatic Impacts ◽  
Semi Arid

ABSTRACTA number of studies show that climatic shocks have significant economic impacts in several regions of the world, especially in, but not limited to, developing economies. In this paper we focus on a drought-related indicator of well-being and emergency spending in the Brazilian semi-arid zone – rainfed corn market – and estimate aggregate behavioral and forecast models for this market conditional on local climate determinants. We find encouraging evidence that our approach can help policy makers buy time to help them prepare for drought mitigating actions. The analysis is applicable to economies elsewhere in the world and climatic impacts other than those caused by droughts.

scholarly journals CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND CHANGE: FARMER PERCEPTIONS AND UNDERSTANDING OF INTRA-SEASONAL VARIABILITY IN RAINFALL AND ASSOCIATED RISK IN SEMI-ARID KENYA

2011 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. C. RAO ◽  
W. G. NDEGWA ◽  
K. KIZITO ◽  
A. OYOO
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Probabilistic Nature ◽  
Semi Arid

SUMMARYThis study examines farmers’ perceptions of short- and long-term variability in climate, their ability to discern trends in climate and how the perceived trends converge with actual weather observations in five districts of Eastern Province in Kenya where the climate is semi-arid with high intra- and inter-annual variability in rainfall. Field surveys to elicit farmers’ perceptions about climate variability and change were conducted in Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Mwingi and Mutomo districts. Long-term rainfall records from five meteorological stations within a 10 km radius from the survey locations were obtained from the Kenya Meteorological Department and were analysed to compare with farmers’ observations. Farmers’ responses indicate that they are well aware of the general climate in their location, its variability, the probabilistic nature of the variability and the impacts of this variability on crop production. However, their ability to synthesize the knowledge they have gained from their observations and discern long-term trends in the probabilistic distribution of seasonal conditions is more subjective, mainly due to the compounding interactions between climate and other factors such as soil fertility, soil water and land use change that determine the climate's overall influence on crop productivity. There is a general tendency among the farmers to give greater weight to negative impacts leading to higher risk perception. In relation to long-term changes in the climate, farmer observations in our study that rainfall patterns are changing corroborated well with reported perceptions from other places across the African continent but were not supported by the observed trends in rainfall data from the five study locations. The main implication of our findings is the need to be aware of and account for the risk during the development and promotion of technologies involving significant investments by smallholder farmers and exercise caution in interpreting farmers’ perceptions about long-term climate variability and change.

scholarly journals NATURAL PLANT SPECIES INVENTORY OF THE IMPORTANT PLANT AREAS IN ARABIAN PENINSULA: BANI OMAR, TAIZ GOVERNORATE, REPUBLIC OF YEMEN

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-150
Author(s):  
Abdul Wali Ahmed Al-Khulaidi ◽  
Abdul Habib Al-Qadasi ◽  
Othman Saad Saeed Al-Hawshabi
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Arabian Peninsula ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Salvadora Persica ◽  
Natural Plant ◽  
Vegetation Communities ◽  
Ecological Zones ◽  
Average Annual Rainfall ◽  
Semi Arid

The study area is located on the South western mountains of Republic of Yemen, It is characterized by arid and semi-arid climate with high temperatures and low average annual rainfall. The aims of this study are to explore the natural plant species of one of the Important Plant areas of Arabian Peninsula and to evaluate the chance to be a protected area. 61 sample sites covering the whole ecological zones haven been conducted. 135 plant species are found, in which 3 plant species were endemic, 7 near endemic, 29 regional endemic. The study revealed also three vegetation communities with 7 vegetation associations (vegetation types). Vegetation dominated by Ficus cordata, F. sycomorus, Salvadora persica Tamarix aphylla and Ziziphus spina-christi were found on main wadis. Vegetation communities dominated by Acacia asak, Anisotes trisulcus, Jatropha variegate and Zygocarpum yemenense were found on rocky slopes and stony plateau.

scholarly journals Aboveground Biomass Stockpile of Trees in Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary, Peninsular India

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 755-763
Author(s):  
M. Nagaraj M. Nagaraj ◽  
M. Udayakumar
Keyword(s):  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Dry Forests ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Tree Inventory ◽  
Individual Trees

A forest tree inventory study was conducted in Vallanadu Black buck sanctuary, Tuticorin. The current study was conducted to assess tree density, species richness, basal area (BA) and aboveground biomass (AGB) stockpile. The study area has been classified as Southern Thorn Forest (SFT). One hundred square plots (total area 1 ha), each 10m × 10m (100 m2 each) laid randomly across study area. All live trees with ≥5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) measured at 137 cm above the ground. As the whole, 1335 individual trees ≥5cm DBH recorded. A total number of 18 species recorded from 14 genera and 11 families in study area. The family Mimosaceae has maximum number of species (7 species) followed by Rhamnaceae (2 species), while 9 families had just single species’ each. The total basal area recorded was 22.046 m2 ha-1, while, the mean wood density (WD) of trees estimated as 0.70±0.093 g cm-3. Total amount of 50.065 Mg ha-1 present in STF. The contribution of different species in terms of total AGB varied significantly. Commiphora berryi stocked 45.13% (22.588 Mg ha-1) of AGB followed by A. planifrons (23.31%, 11.669 Mg ha-1), A. mellifera (7.233%, 3.621 Mg ha-1), whereas remaining 15 species collectively stocked 24.327% (12.187 Mg ha-1) AGB. The STF had a large number of trees compared to some dry forests within Tamil Nadu. Southern Thorn Forest endowed with a moderate number of trees species. Aboveground biomass stockpile of trees is comparable with the range recorded from Indian dry forests. The study area experiences lesser mean annual rainfall and >6 months dry season. Further, endowed with short-bole and smaller leaved trees, hence stocked a relatively lesser AGB in trees.

Accumulation of soil carbon under zero tillage cropping and perennial vegetation on the Liverpool Plains, eastern Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 273 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Young ◽  
B. Wilson ◽  
S. Harden ◽  
A. Bernardi
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Accumulation Rates ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Perennial Vegetation ◽  
Semi Arid

Australian agriculture contributes an estimated 16% of all national greenhouse gas emissions, and considerable attention is now focused on management approaches that reduce net emissions. One area of potential is the modification of cropping practices to increase soil carbon storage. Here, we report short–medium term changes in soil carbon under zero tillage cropping systems and perennial vegetation, both in a replicated field experiment and on nearby farmers’ paddocks, on carbon-depleted Black Vertosols in the upper Liverpool Plains catchment. Soil organic carbon stocks (CS) remained unchanged under both zero tillage long fallow wheat–sorghum rotations and zero tillage continuous winter cereal in a replicated field experiment from 1994 to 2000. There was some evidence of accumulation of CS under intensive (>1 crop/year) zero tillage response cropping. There was significant accumulation of CS (~0.35 Mg/ha.year) under 3 types of perennial pasture, despite removal of aerial biomass with each harvest. Significant accumulation was detected in the 0–0.1, 0.1–0.2, and 0.2–0.4 m depth increments under lucerne and the top 2 increments under mixed pastures of lucerne and phalaris and of C3 and C4 perennial grasses. Average annual rainfall for the period of observations was 772 mm, greater than the 40-year average of 680 mm. A comparison of major attributes of cropping systems and perennial pastures showed no association between aerial biomass production and accumulation rates of CS but a positive correlation between the residence times of established plants and accumulation rates of CS. CS also remained unchanged (1998/2000–07) under zero tillage cropping on nearby farms, irrespective of paddock history before 1998/2000 (zero tillage cropping, traditional cropping, or ~10 years of sown perennial pasture). These results are consistent with previous work in Queensland and central western New South Wales suggesting that the climate (warm, semi-arid temperate, semi-arid subtropical) of much of the inland cropping country in eastern Australia is not conducive to accumulation of soil carbon under continuous cropping, although they do suggest that CS may accumulate under several years of healthy perennial pastures in rotation with zero tillage cropping.

Effects of Genotype and Rainfall on Forage Oats in a Semi-arid Region

1977 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Hadjichristodoulou
Keyword(s):  
Arid Region ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Varietal Response ◽  
Semi Arid Region ◽  
Semi Arid

SUMMARYThere were significant differences in dry matter yield among five forage oat varieties tested at ten environments during 1970–75. The correlation coefficients between annual rainfall and DM yield varied with variety from 0·69 to 0·88, late varieties tending to give higher yields. Lateness, and high varietal response to annual rainfall and improved environmental conditions, can be used as selection criteria in semi-arid regions. Late varieties had higher DM and lower crude protein contents, and forage produced under lower rainfall conditions tended to have more DM and crude protein.

Toward the ‘Ocean of Democracy’?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamas Wells
Keyword(s):  
Colonial Period ◽  
Modern History ◽  
Military Leaders ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Third ◽  
History Of ◽  
British Colonial ◽  
Dominant Narratives

To understand the dominant narratives described in this book, they need to be situated within the context of Myanmar’s modern history and the ways different political actors – whether independence leaders, colonial administrators, military leaders or activists – have narrated that history. This is not an attempt to construct a unitary history of Myanmar, but rather to locate and uncover struggles over the meaning of democracy during these different periods and how they shape contemporary political uses of the word ‘democracy’ amongst the networks of activists and democratic leaders that I studied. The third chapter explores the example of contrasting meanings of democracy between British colonial administrators and the Thakin independence leaders in the late colonial period in Burma.

scholarly journals Hydrogeology of a Complex Aquifer System in Semi-Arid Mountainous Region: The Eastern Upper Guir Basin in the High Atlas (Morocco)

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2849
Author(s):  
Fatima Abdelfadel ◽  
Mohamed Hilali ◽  
Claude Fontaine ◽  
Abderrazak El Albani ◽  
Abderahman Mahboub ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
High Atlas ◽  
Aquifer System ◽  
Water Demands ◽  
Aquifer Systems ◽  
Drastic Increase ◽  
Eastern Border ◽  
Eastern Morocco ◽  
Semi Arid

The eastern part of Morocco, surrounded by the High Atlas chain close to Errachidia, represents a very sensitive area in a semi-arid context. Average annual rainfall does not exceed 300 mm/year. Most of the regional water resources are linked to the aquifer systems in the Atlas area. The study site coincides with the Eastern Upper Guir Basin, one of the main rivers in Eastern Morocco. This basin is located close to the eastern border of the Moroccan High Atlas. The geology of the basin consists mainly of Jurassic and Cretaceous formations. The structure of the basin is strongly affected by the Atlasian tectonics. This results in successive large synclines separated by major W-E faults. The hydrogeological system of the basin is accordingly constituted by sub-basins associated with each syncline and separated by faulted anticlines, whose overlapping faults act as semi-impermeable barriers. This compartmentalization causes the very complex functioning of the whole system. The study undertaken, based on structural, meteorological, hydrogeological, hydrochemical and isotopic data, allowed us to advance significantly in the understanding of this system. The compartments behave as hydrogeological sub-units but remain interdependent on each other. The recharge of the aquifer system is essentially associated with the rains and snowfalls at high altitudes. This is consistent with the stable isotope results. Important development projects are planned in this region, associated with a drastic increase in water demands. Groundwater suitability was assessed using the WHO standards for drinking purposes and the SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) for irrigation. Complementary investigations should be considered to further the results presented here and move towards a quantitative assessment and management of the water resources.

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