Sensitivity of the Colorado plateau to change: climate, ecosystems, and society

摘要: The Colorado Plateau is located in the interior, dry end of two moisture trajectories coming from opposite directions, which have made this region a target for unusual climate fluctuations. A multidecadal drought event some 850 years ago may eliminated maize cultivation by first human settlers Plateau, Fremont and Anasazi people, contributed to abandonment their settlements. Even today, ranching farming are vulnerable struggle persist. recent use primarily as rangeland has less tolerant due unprecedented levels surface disturbances that destroy biological crusts, reduce soil carbon nitrogen stocks, increase rates erosion. most 2002 demonstrated vulnerability its currently depleted state associated costs local economies. New predictions southwestern United States include possibility long-term shift warmer, more arid conditions, punctuated megadroughts not seen since medieval times. It remains be whether present-day extractive industries, aided external subsidies, can persist regime apparently exceeded adaptive capacities Plateau’s prehistoric agriculturalists.