WORLD’S OASES THREATENED BY DESERTIFICATION, EVEN AS HUMANS EXPAND THEM

The global dynamics of oasis during the past 25 years are revealed in new research headed by Dongwei Gui from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, underlining their importance to #sustaining life in #arid regions. 

With intentional projects in Asia, the oases grew by 220,149 square kilometers, whereas the loss of 134,300 square kilometers was caused by #desertification, leaving a net growth of 86,500 square kilometers. In China, runoff water consumption and #groundwater pumping were the main human-caused expansion factors. 

However, the threat posed by desertification affects over 34 million people worldwide. It is imperative to manage oasis sustainably, which involves better land use, conservation, and water resource management. International cooperation is necessary to solve water scarcity and ensure long-term sustainability, as climate change exacerbates existing challenges. 

The study highlights the necessity of taking preventative action to safeguard these essential ecosystems and was published in Earth's Future.

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NOTES FOR JOURNALISTS:

This study is published in Earth’s Future, an open-access AGU journal. Neither this press release nor the

study is under embargo. View and download a pdf of the study here.