Vocabulary. Fig. 3 World map of future water vulnerabilities

Fig. 3 World map of future water vulnerabilities.

Indirectly due to climate change, regions reliant on groundwater sources might also experience problems, as water for recharging aquifers dwindles. Additionally, many aquifers are being mined for water at an unsustainable rate. A decline in water resources could create waves of instability in both natural and human systems, impacting agriculture and food security, ecosystems and biodiversity, human health, settlements and infrastructure, the economy, sanitation, and of course the water supply.

In addition to effects on natural systems, like increased run-off or soil erosion, climate change will stress food security in the human system. Agricultural productivity is very sensitive to seasonal heat, and sub-tropical areas are expected to receive much less precipitation. As extremes become the norm by the next century - which has a greater than 90% chance of occurring in the sub-tropics and tropics, vulnerable communities will be hard pressed to achieve or maintain food security. Because climate change affects regions disproportionately, the average temperature during growing season will likely exceed the historic extremes in semi-arid regions like the Sahel.

The task of protecting and improving human health becomes increasingly unwieldy as ranges for vectors that carry diseases like malaria and dengue fever extend further in latitude and altitude to regions that were previously protected by their cold winter conditions. The intensity and seasonality of vector-borne disease outbreaks are projected to change as well.

glaciers – ледники

extinction – уничтожение

latitude – широта

altitude – высота над уровнем моря

pine beetle – лубоед-стригун

devastating effects – разрушающее воздействие

brunt – сила удара, основная тяжесть

exacerbate – обострять, усиливать, ожесточать

natural hazard – опасность связанная с природными условиями, стихийное бедствие, опасное природное явление

aquifer – водонасосный слой и горизонт

dwindle – истощаться, вырождаться

unwieldy – неподъемный, неуклюжий, громоздкий

dengue fever – лихорадка денге

pathogen – болезнетворный организм

vector-borne disease – трансмиссивная болезнь

outbreaks – вспышка, начало

Read the text and answer the following questions:

1. What are climate-related impacts on land can you think of?

2. What natural phenomena are less influenced by people?

3. What are the predictions about future water resources?

4. What does usually experience regions where glaciers and annual snowmelt are the primary source for surface waters?

5. What are the consequences of declining in water resources?

6. How does climate change influence on agriculture?

Дата добавления: 2014-11-06