Environmental and Agricultural Impacts of Water Scarcity and Drought: How to Reconcile Human and Environmental Needs (Core Science Keynote)

Drylands are undergoing changes in vegetation cover and plant community composition in response to shifts in climate conditions and land use dynamics. Changes in vegetation cover and composition can alter the fire regime and the surface energy balance with important potential feedbacks on hydroclimatic conditions. To date, some of the drivers and impacts of shifts in dryland vegetation remain poorly understood. Here I consider some major vegetation changes that are occurring in arid and semiarid landscapes worldwide. I evaluate their impact on hydroclimatic conditions, and investigate the drivers of other major shifts in dryland vegetation in the context of global environmental change and competition for water with agriculture. This seminar will examine the ways water resources may constrain food and energy production and the ability to meet the growing societal needs in dryland regions worldwide.