Novel forms of drought are emerging globally, due to climate change, shifting teleconnection patterns, expanding human water use, and a history of human influence on the environment that increases the probability of transformational ecological impacts. These costly ecological impacts cascade to human communities, and understanding this changing drought landscape is one of today’s grand challenges. By using a modified horizon-scanning approach that integrated scientists, managers, and decision-makers, we identified the emerging issues in ecological drought that represent key challenges to timely and effective responses. Here we review the themes that most urgently need attention, including novel drought conditions, the potential for transformational drought impacts, and the need for anticipatory drought management. This horizon scan and review provides a roadmap to facilitate the research and management innovations that will support forward-looking, co-developed approaches to reduce the risk of drought to our socio-ecological systems during the 21st century.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Title | Unfamiliar territory: Emerging themes for ecological drought research and management |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.08.019 |
| Authors | Shelley D. Crausbay, Julio L. Betancourt, John Bradford, Jennifer M. Cartwright, William C. Dennison, Jason B. Dunham, Carolyn Armstrong Enquist, Abby G. Frazier, Kimberly R. Hall, Jeremy S. Littell, Charlie H. Luce, Richard Palmer, Aaron R. Ramirez, Imtiaz Rangwala, Laura Thompson, Brianne M. Walsh, Shawn Carter |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | One Earth |
| Index ID | 70219515 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Alaska Climate Science Center; Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center; National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center; National Research Program - Eastern Branch; Southwest Biological Science Center; Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center; Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center |
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John B Bradford
Research Ecologist, Chief, Terrestrial Ecosystems Drylands BranchEmailPhoneJennifer M Cartwright, Ph.D.
Science Coordinator, Southeast CASCEmailPhoneJason B Dunham
Supervisory Research EcologistEmailPhoneCarolyn Enquist, Ph.D.
Deputy Director Exercising the Authority of the Director of the Southwest CASCEmailPhoneJeremy Littell, Ph.D.
Research Ecologist, Alaska CASCEmailPhoneLaura Thompson, Ph.D.
Research Ecologist, National CASCEmailPhoneShawn L Carter, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist, National CASCEmailPhone