Transcript Slide 1

National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council
Impacts in the Central U.S.
Agricultural Impacts
• Difficult to pinpoint climate impacts:
climate change occurring along with
improvements in farming techniques
• In general, plants may:
– Grow faster (increasing yields unless it
becomes too warm or crops mature too
early)
– Be affected by carbon dioxide levels
(increased growth for some plants, not for
others)
• Good information about changes and
adaptive practices is essential for farmers
National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council
Impacts in the Central U.S.
Migratory Waterways: Drying Up?
• “Playa lakes” or “Prairie potholes” essential for migrating birds: used
for resting, feeding, and mating
• Climate change, combined with other pressures (irrigation demands,
pollution, etc.), may dry up these important waterways
Image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.