A new global map of aridity has been created, providing high-resolution data on the dryness of individual regions. This information is particularly important for agriculture. Climate change is causing increased heat and drought in many countries, including Germany, and previously non-arid areas in Central Europe are now suffering from the effects of drought and decreasing rainfall. The aridity index is used to measure the dryness of a region, calculated from annual rainfall and the evapotranspiration of soils and plants. This index is not only important for climate research, but also for agriculture and sustainable development.
Robert Zomer from the Kunming Institute of Botany, in cooperation with European scientists, has created a new global database of aridity and evapotranspiration (AI_PET). The researchers used aridity indexes from 1970 to 2020 as reference data, as well as current climate models and new insights into climate interactions, air currents, and changes in rainfall. The higher resolution of the new map allows for a more precise examination of aridity down to a square kilometer. This is particularly useful for mapping climate-related environmental risks and predicting the water needs of a region.
Antonio Trabucco emphasizes that the database and its source code are robust tools that can help us meet the challenges of rapidly changing aridity. By publishing the source code of their analysis, the basis of their calculations can be directly integrated into local and specific applications. This new map of aridity is a valuable resource for understanding the effects of climate change and for developing strategies to mitigate its impact on agriculture and the environment.
