(Footprints of Climate Variability on Plant Diversity)
by Shah Fahad (Editor), Muhammad Adnan (Editor), Shah Saud (Editor), Lixiao Nie (Editor)
The
global population is projected to increase by 3.3 billion from 6.7
billion in 2008 to 10 billion in 2100. As a result, soil degradation and
desertification are growing due to the increasing demand for food,
feed, fiber, and fuel on finite soil resources. The problem of global
food insecurity may be further worsened by the threat of global warming.
Climate change is showing its impacts in terms of increasing
temperatures, variable rainfall, and an increase in climate-related
extremes such as floods, droughts, cyclones, sea-level rise, salinity,
and soil erosion. The agriculture sector is the most sensitive to
climate change because the climate of a region/country determines the
nature and characteristics of vegetation and crops. Increase in the mean
seasonal temperature and decrease in effective precipitation can reduce
the duration of many crops, may lead to outbreaks of pests and
diseases, and hence reduce final yield ultimately affecting the food
security of the country. Despite the positive impact of CO2
fertilization, the net productivity may decrease because of an increase
in respiration rate, drought stress, and nutrient deficiency. For
example, for every 75 ppm increase in CO2 concentration, rice yields
will increase by 0.5 t/ha, but the yield will decrease by 0.6 t/ha for
every 1°C increase in temperature. The global agricultural productivity
is expected to decrease from 3% to 16% by 2080. The estimated decrease
in agricultural productivity in the developing countries is 10%–25% in
the 2080s, where average air temperature is already near or above crop
tolerance levels. This book is intended to serve as a stimulating
collection that will contribute to debate and reflection on the
sustainable future of agriculture and food production in the face of
global change.
Features:
- This
book brings together a multidimensional group of international scholars
exploring the ethical dimensions of climate change and ecosystem.
- New strategies have been pointed out in this book for better sustainable development.
- This
book has been designed to provide a good overview of major challenges
facing policymakers, researchers, and ultimately humankind in dealing
with climate change.
- This
book summarizes the diverse features of vulnerability, adaptation, and
amelioration of climate change in respect to plants, crops, soil, and
microbes for the sustainability of the agricultural sector, and,
ultimately, food security for the future.
- This
book provides a state-of-the-art description of the physiological,
biochemical, and molecular status of the understanding of abiotic stress
in plants.
