East African food security as influenced by future climate change and land use change at local to regional scales

Climate change impacts food production systems, particularly in locations with large, vulnerable populations. Elevated greenhouse gases (GHG), as well as land cover/land use change (LCLUC), can influence regional climate dynamics. Biophysical factors such as topography, soil type, and seasonal rainfall can strongly affect crop yields. We used a regional climate model derived from the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) to compare the effects of projected future GHG and future LCLUC on spatial variability of crop yields in East Africa. Crop yields were estimated with a process-based simulation model. The results suggest that: (1) GHG-influenced and LCLUC-influenced yield changes are highly heterogeneous across this region; (2) LCLUC effects are significant drivers of yield change; and (3) high spatial variability in yield is indicated for several key agricultural sub-regions of East Africa. Food production risk when considered at the household scale is largely dependent on the occurrence of extremes, so mean yield in some cases may be an incomplete predictor of risk. The broad range of projected crop yields reflects enormous variability in key parameters that underlie regional food security; hence, donor institutions’ strategies and investments might benefit from considering the spatial distribution around mean impacts for a given region. Ultimately, global assessments of food security risk would benefit from including regional and local assessments of climate impacts on food production. This may be less of a consideration in other regions. This study supports the concept that LCLUC is a first-order factor in assessing food production risk.     

On the tropical origin of uncertainties in the global land precipitation response to global warming

Understanding the response of the global hydrological cycle to recent and future anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols is a major challenge for the climate modelling community. Recent climate scenarios produced for the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are analysed here to explore the geographical origin of, and the possible reasons for, uncertainties in the hydrological model response to global warming. Using the twentieth century simulations and the SRES-A2 scenarios from eight different coupled ocean–atmosphere models, it is shown that the main uncertainties originate from the tropics, where even the sign of the zonal mean precipitation change remains uncertain over land. Given the large interannual fluctuations of tropical precipitation, it is then suggested that the El Niño Southern Ocillation (ENSO) variability can be used as a surrogate of climate change to better constrain the model reponse. While the simulated sensitivity of global land precipitation to global mean surface temperature indeed shows a remarkable similarity between the interannual and climate change timescales respectively, the model ability to capture the ENSO-precipitation relationship is not a major constraint on the global hydrological projections. Only the model that exhibits the highest precipitation sensitivity clearly appears as an outlier. Besides deficiencies in the simulation of the ENSO-tropical rainfall teleconnections, the study indicates that uncertainties in the twenty-first century evolution of these teleconnections represent an important contribution to the model spread, thus emphasizing the need for improving the simulation of the tropical Pacific variability to provide more reliable scenarios of the global hydrological cycle. It also suggests that validating the mean present-day climate is not sufficient to assess the reliability of climate projections, and that interannual variability is another suitable and possibly more useful candidate for constraining the model response. Finally, it is shown that uncertainties in precipitation change are, like precipitation itself, very unevenly distributed over the globe, the most vulnerable countries sometimes being those where the anticipated precipitation changes are the most uncertain.     

区域气候模式对温室效应引起的中国地区气候变化的数值模拟

利用基于 ＲｅｇＣＭ２的区域气候模式并单向嵌套澳大利亚 ＣＳＩＲＯ Ｒ２１Ｌ９全球海－气耦合模式，进行了温室气体二氧化碳浓度倍增对中国气候变化影响的数值试验研究。控制试验结果表明：区域模式由于具有较高的分辨率，因而对中国区域地面气温和降水的模拟效果较全球模式有了较大提高；模式对 ２×ＣＯ２敏感性试验结果表明了在 ＣＯ２浓度倍增情况下，由于温室效应，中国区域的地面气温将有明显升高，降水也将呈增加趋势。     

RSM模式对中国东部夏季降水模拟能力的检验

本文利用美国国家环境预报中心NCEP(National Centers for Environmental Prediction)区域谱模式RSM(Regional Spectral Model)对中国东部地区夏季降水进行了为期20 a(1984—2003年)、水平分辨率为30 km的高精度模拟,并对模拟所得降水的气候态、年际变率、逐日变化以及极端事件进行了检验,和对造成降水偏差的大气环流特征进行了分析。结果表明RSM模拟所得夏季降水的空间分布、时间变率,以及降水量值都与实况相近,也基本可以再现夏季降水的年际变率分布情况,但是模拟所得的雨带存在偏南且偏弱的特点。对于逐日降水特征,RSM模拟所得季节内逐日降水变化与实况的走势基本一致,再现了夏季降水主要集中于东部和南部的特点,模拟出了江淮地区6月日降水区随时间北抬的特点。对于极端事件,模拟和实测的夏季不同雨强的天数分布对比表明模拟与实况基本接近,但是模拟的降水日大值中心较实况偏北;极端降水指数的计算结果也表明RSM模拟的极端降水情况与实况基本一致。综上,RSM模式对中国东部地区降水有着较好的模拟能力,可以用于中国东部地区的夏季降水气候特征研究。     

Climate change projections for Greek viticulture as simulated by a regional climate model

Theoretical and Applied Climatology - Viticulture represents an important economic activity for Greek agriculture. Winegrapes are cultivated in many areas covering the whole Greek territory, due to...     

用五层原始方程模式对冬季季风的数值模拟

本文采用过去曾用以研究青藏高原对夏季天气和气候影响的五层局地原始方程模式来模拟冬季季风。试验证明了海陆对季风环流的热力影响冬夏正好是相反的。计算出的在印度洋、非洲和南亚地区的气压场、流场和降水率的分布与实况相当一致,文中对模拟和观测的垂直环流进行了比较,还给出了感热和非绝热加热率的计算结果。     

环太湖地区土地利用变化的局地气候效应

利用WRF模式和1985年、2005年环太湖区域的土地利用资料,模拟了环太湖区域土地利用变化的局地气候效应,并从陆面过程的角度进行了分析。模拟结果显示：城市扩张区域净短波辐射通量增多,地面温度升高,感热通量增大,潜热通量减小。近地面水平风场在城市化地区风速减小,在城市化带方向上形成狭长的动能衰减区域。湖陆风和城市热岛环流增强,城市化地区向上垂直速度增大,积云性降水增多。老城区和郊区下沉运动增强,对流受到抑制,积云性降水减少。层云降水的改变,集中在层云降水的大值区,且多呈带状分布。总降水在城市化区域增强,在老城区和郊区减少,积云性降水占总降水的比值增大。在土地利用没有变化的区域,降水的改变与地表能量通量的改变在空间分布上大致吻合。     

Potential future changes in the characteristics of daily precipitation in Europe simulated by the HIRHAM regional climate model

In this study the potential future changes in various aspects of daily precipitation events over Europe as a consequence of the anticipated future increase in the atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations are investigated. This is done by comparing two 3-member ensembles of simulations with the HIRHAM regional climate model for the period 1961–1990 and 2071–2100, respectively. Daily precipitation events are characterized by their frequency and intensity, and heavy precipitation events are described via 30-year return levels of daily precipitation. Further, extended periods with and without rainfall (wet and dry spells) are studied, considering their frequency and length as well as the average and extreme amounts of precipitation accumulated during wet spells, the latter again described via 30-year return levels. The simulations show marked changes in the characteristics of daily precipitation in Europe due to the anticipated greenhouse warming. In winter, for instance, the frequency of wet days is enhanced over most of the European continent except for the region on the Norwegian west coast and the Mediterranean region. The changes in the intensity and the 30-year return level of daily precipitation are characterized by a similar pattern except for central Europe with a tendency of decreased 30-year return levels and increased precipitation intensity. In summer, on the other hand, the frequency of wet days is decreased over most of Europe except for northern Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea region. In contrast, the precipitation intensity and the 30-year return level of daily precipitation are increased over entire Scandinavia, central and eastern Europe. The changes in the 30-year return level of daily precipitation are generally stronger than the corresponding changes in the precipitation intensity but can have opposite signs in some regions. Also the distribution of wet days is changed in the future. During summer, for instance, both the frequency and the length of dry spells are substantially increased over most of the European continent except for the Iberian Peninsula. The frequency and the length of wet spells, on the other hand, are generally reduced during summer and increased during winter, again, with the exception of the Iberian Peninsula. The future changes in the frequency of wet days in winter are related to a change in the large-scale flow over the North Atlantic and a corresponding shift of the North Atlantic storm track. The reduction in the frequency of wet days in summer is related to a northward extension of the dry subtropical region in the future, with a reduction of the convective activity because of the large-scale sinking motion in the downward branch of the Hadley cell. Because the atmosphere contains more moisture in the warmer future climate, the amount of precipitation associated with individual low-pressure systems or with individual convective events is increased, leading to a general increase in the intensity of individual precipitation events. Only in regions, where all the moisture evaporates from the ground already in spring, the intensity of precipitation events is reduced in summer.     

Comparison of two bias correction methods for precipitation simulated with a regional climate model

This study evaluates the performance of two bias correction techniques—power transformation and gamma distribution adjustment—for Eta regional climate model (RCM) precipitation simulations. For the gamma distribution adjustment, the number of dry days is not taken as a fixed parameter; rather, we propose a new methodology for handling dry days. We consider two cases: the first case is defined as having a greater number of simulated dry days than the observed number, and the second case is defined as the opposite. The present climate period was divided into calibration and validation sets. We evaluate the results of the two bias correction techniques using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov nonparametric test and the sum of the differences between the cumulative distribution curves. These tests show that both correction techniques were effective in reducing errors and consequently improving the reliability of the simulations. However, the gamma distribution correction method proved to be more efficient, particularly in reducing the error in the number of dry days.

     

Simulation of the West African monsoon onset using the HadGEM3-RA regional climate model

The performance of the Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model version 3 regional climate model (HadGEM3-RA) in simulating the West African monsoon (WAM) is investigated. We focus on performance for monsoon onset timing and for rainfall totals over the June–July–August (JJA) season and on the model’s representation of the underlying dynamical processes. Experiments are driven by the ERA-Interim reanalysis and follow the CORDEX experimental protocol. Simulations with the HadGEM3 global model, which shares a common physical formulation with HadGEM3-RA, are used to gain insight into the causes of HadGEM3-RA simulation errors. It is found that HadGEM3-RA simulations of monsoon onset timing are realistic, with an error in mean onset date of two pentads. However, the model has a dry bias over the Sahel during JJA of 15–20 %. Analysis suggests that this is related to errors in the positioning of the Saharan heat low, which is too far south in HadGEM3-RA and associated with an insufficient northward reach of the south-westerly low-level monsoon flow and weaker moisture convergence over the Sahel. Despite these biases HadGEM3-RA’s representation of the general rainfall distribution during the WAM appears superior to that of ERA-Interim when using Global Precipitation Climatology Project or Tropical Rain Measurement Mission data as reference. This suggests that the associated dynamical features seen in HadGEM3-RA can complement the physical picture available from ERA-Interim. This approach is supported by the fact that the global HadGEM3 model generates realistic simulations of the WAM without the benefit of pseudo-observational forcing at the lateral boundaries; suggesting that the physical formulation shared with HadGEM3-RA, is able to represent the driving processes. HadGEM3-RA simulations confirm previous findings that the main rainfall peak near 10°N during June–August is maintained by a region of mid-tropospheric ascent located, latitudinally, between the cores of the African Easterly Jet and Tropical Easterly Jet that intensifies around the time of onset. This region of ascent is weaker and located further south near 5°N in the driving ERA-Interim reanalysis, for reasons that may be related to the coarser resolution or the physics of the underlying model, and this is consistent with a less realistic latitudinal rainfall profile than found in the HadGEM3-RA simulations.     

Climate and climate change in western canada as simulated by the Canadian regional climate model

Abstract

A þrst climate simulation performed with the novel Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM) is presented. The CRCM is based on fully elastic non‐hydrostatic þeld equations, which are solved with an efþcient semi‐implicit semi‐Lagrangian (SISL) marching algorithm, and on the parametrization package of subgrid‐scale physical effects of the second‐generation Canadian Global Climate Model (GCMII). Two 5‐year integrations of the CRCM nested with GCMII simulated data as lateral boundary conditions are made for conditions corresponding to current and doubled CO₂ scenarios. For these simulations the CRCM used a grid size of 45 km on a polar‐stereographic projection, 20 scaled‐height levels and a time step of 15 min; the nesting GCMII has a spectral truncation of T32, 10 hybrid‐pressure levels and a time step of 20 min. These simulations serve to document: (1) the suitability of the SISL numerical scheme for regional climate modelling, (2) the use of GCMII physics at much higher resolution than in the nesting model, (3) the ability of the CRCM to add realistic regional‐scale climate information to global model simulations, and (4) the climate of the CRCM compared to that of GCMII under two greenhouse gases (GHG) scenarios.     

Precipitation sensitivity to regional SST in a regional climate simulation during the West African monsoon for two dry years

The influence on precipitation of regional sea surface temperature (SST) during a drought period of the West African monsoon is determined, using a regional climate model (RCM). The results from three simulations of two realistic dry years are compared. The first two experiments are initialised and nested respectively in 1983 and 1984 reanalysis data sets. The third experiment is a hybrid simulation of 1983 which is the same as the first experiment except that the SST field is the 1984 SST. Precipitation from the RCM is compared with several precipitation data sets and, as in observations, the RCM reasonably simulates the West African monsoon (seasonal cycle and monsoon sub-period) for the two different years. In particular, the model reproduces stage by stage the motion of the monsoon band well: installation phase, high rain period with abrupt northward shift of the rain band, and the retreat southward phase. Interannual variability and wet or dry tendencies are also represented. The most significant effect of SST is shown by the hybrid simulation, when the regional SST appears as a major factor in the seasonal and interannual monsoon precipitation regime over the African continent (up to 12°N) although this influence is modulated both by the surface conditions (soil and vegetation) and by the reanalysis flow introduced at the lateral boundaries. Dynamically, a warmer SST leads to a decrease in the magnitude of the African Easterly Jet and an increase in northward equivalent water content transport (from equator to 12°N).     

On correcting precipitation as simulated by the regional climate model COSMO-CLM with daily rain gauge observations

Precipitation amounts simulated by the regional climate model COSMO-CLM are compared with observations from rain gauges at German precipitation stations for the period 1960–2000. The model overestimates precipitation by about 26 %. This bias is accompanied with a shift of the frequency distribution of rain intensities. The model overestimation varies regionally. A correction function is derived which adjusts rain intensities at every model grid point to the observations.     

Seasonal forecasts for regional onset of the West African monsoon

The West African monsoon has over the years proven difficult to represent in global coupled models. The current operational seasonal forecasting system of the UK Met Office (GloSea4) has a good representation of monsoon rainfall over West Africa. It reproduces the various stages of the monsoon: a coastal phase in May and June, followed by onset of the Sahelian phase in July when rainfall maxima shift northward of 10N until September; and a secondary coastal rainfall maximum in October. We explore the dynamics of monsoon onset in GloSea4 and compare it to reanalyses. An important difference is the change in the Saharan heat low around the time of Sahelian onset. In Glosea4 the deepening heat low introduces moisture convergence across an east-west Sahelian band, whereas in the reanalyses such an east-west organisation of moisture does not occur and moisture is transported northwards to the Sahara. Lack of observations in the southern Sahara makes it difficult to verify this process in GloSea4 and also suggests that reanalyses may not be strongly constrained by station observations in an area key to Sahelian onset. Timing of monsoon onset has socio-economic importance for many countries in West Africa and we explore onset predictability in GloSea4. We use tercile categories to calculate probabilities for onset occurring before, near and after average in four different onset indicators. Glosea4 has modest skill at 2–3 months’ lead time, with ROC scores of 0.6–0.8. Similar skill is seen in hindcasts with models from the ENSEMBLES project, even in models with large rainfall biases over the Sahel. Forecast skill derives from tropical SST in June and many models capture at least the influence of the tropical Atlantic. This suggests that long-range skill for onset could be present in other seasonal forecasting systems in spite of mean rainfall biases.     

A dampened land use change climate response towards the tropics

In climate simulations we find a pronounced meridional (equator to pole) gradient of climate response to land cover change. Climate response approaches zero in the tropics, and increases towards the poles. The meridional gradient in climate response to land cover change results from damping feedbacks in the tropics, rather than from polar amplification. The main cause for the damping in the tropics is the decrease in cloud cover after deforestation, resulting in increased incoming radiation at the surface and a lower planetary albedo, both counteracting the increase in surface albedo with deforestation. In our simulations, deforestation was also associated with a decrease in sensible heat flux but not a clear signal in evaporation. Meridional differences in climate response have implications for attribution of observed climate change, as well as for climate change mitigation strategies.     

The Statistical Significance Test of Regional Climate Change Caused by Land Use and Land Cover Variation in West China

The West Development Policy being implemented in China is causing significant land use and land cover （LULC） changes in West China. With the up-to-date satellite database of the Global Land Cover Characteristics Database （GLCCD） that characterizes the lower boundary conditions, the regional climate model RIEMS-TEA is used to simulate possible impacts of the significant LULC variation. The model was run for five continuous three-month periods from 1 June to 1 September of 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997, and the results of the five groups are examined by means of a student t-test to identify the statistical significance of regional climate variation. The main results are： （1） The regional climate is affected by the LULC variation because the equilibrium of water and heat transfer in the air-vegetation interface is changed. （2） The integrated impact of the LULC variation on regional climate is not only limited to West China where the LULC varies, but also to some areas in the model domain where the LULC does not vary at all. （3） The East Asian monsoon system and its vertical structure are adjusted by the large scale LULC variation in western China, where the consequences are the enhancement of the westward water vapor transfer from the east oast and the relevant increase of wet-hydrostatic energy in the middle-upper atmospheric layers. （4） The ecological engineering in West China affects significantly the regional climate in Northwest China, North China and the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River; there are obvious effects in South, Northeast, and Southwest China, but minor effects in Tibet.     

The change in the East Asian summer monsoon simulated by the MIROC3.2 high-resolution coupled model under global warming scenarios

In order to investigate changes in the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) under the global warming, the MIROC3.2 (hires) coupled general circulation model (CGCM) developed by the Center for Climate System Research is utilized. The outputs of MIROC3.2 (hires) model have been analyzed using two scenarios; the 20th Century Climate in Coupled Models (20C3M) scenario and the Special Reports for Emissions Scenarios A1B (SRES A1B). Eight Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) models are also analyzed to compare model performances. It is shown that the simulation skill of MIROC3.2 (hires) for the EASM is relatively superior to these IPCC CGCMs. It has been found that the intensified rain band and the extended duration of the EASM are anticipated with MIROC3.2 (hires) under the global warming in well accordance with previous studies. Especially, the precipitation due to the cumulus convection is predicted to increase more significantly than the precipitation by the large-scale condensation. Due to the increased land-sea thermal contrast in summer under the global warming, water vapor fluxes in the lower troposphere are enhanced. Consequently, the convective instability may be strengthened and thus it leads to the increase of precipitation by cumulus convection. Moreover, the upper tropospheric circulations associated with the EU pattern would lead to the larger interannual variability of precipitation over the EASM region in the future warm climate. In addition, it is found that the relationship between the sea surface temperature over the tropical Pacific Ocean in the wintertime and the summer rainfall over the East Asia may be weakened, suggesting that the predictability of the EASM might become more difficult under the global warming.