Warming and agriculture

[Old Rocks]

Global warming - impact of climate change on global agriculture

Of the seven major regions with a high or moderate suitability index (Figure 1), we can see that:

1) The central U.S. will likely experience a modest decrease, particularly in the Great Plains,
2) Mexico and Central America will likely experience a significant decrease. This decline in precipitation is a feature of all global climate models. Because of the magnitude of this impact on our neighbors to the south, our U.S. national policy makers should monitor climate change over this region through the coming years.
3) Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina might see an increase in rainfall that likely will be beneficial,
4) Southern and eastern Europe likely will see a substantial decrease,
5) Central Africa likely will see an increase and southern Africa a decrease,
6) India probably will experience an increase.
7) China and East Asia will probably experience an increase. However, the likelihood of extreme increases in precipitation in these areas may be detrimental to agricultural production.
8) Australia is projected to see an increase in the east and a decrease in the west. Regions with a long history of cereal production, such as Australia, are already facing new challenges (Reuters, 2008). Six continuous years of drought have reduced Australia’s rice crop by 98 percent and has shut down processing plants (Bradsher, 2008).

 

[Bill Angel]

Anyone care to comment on the assertion that climate change is making Siberia agriculturally more productive?
This assertion was made in an anecdotal manner by the author Susan Richards in her book "Lost and Found in Russia, Lives in a Post Soviet Landscape", published in 2009

 

[AdvancingTime]

Any big shift or change will cause problems and disruptions in the production of food. We all saw and heard about hurricane Sandy, in addition to flooding the subway system of New York and halting financial trading Sandy may of even tilted the Presidential election. If Sandy had indeed made a difference in the election outcome one might say Sandy has had the impact of also altering our future.

While we are becoming more use to these uncommon "weather occurrences", it is possible that we should be viewing them as a warning of worse yet to come. In our fast moving world some stories that should be noted often are overlooked and ignored. The article linked below explores how these events are occurring more often and effect us in way we never considered.

http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2012/11/under-reported-weather-events.html

 

[AdvancingTime]

In response to Bill Angel's comment; The assertion would seem logical that some of the cooler regions would see their growing season increase. One of the reasons I feel comfortable and choose to live in the Midwest is that we are somewhat insulated from some of the problems other parts of the country are having such as droughts or coastal flooding.