Many studies seek to estimate the adverse effects of climate change on crops, but most research assumes that the geographic distribution of crops will remain unchanged in the future.
New research using 40 years of global data, led by Colorado State University, has found that exposure to rising high temperatures has been substantially moderated by the migration of rainfed corn, wheat and rice. Scientists said continued migration, however, may result in significant environmental costs.
The study, “Climate adaptation by crop migration,” is published March 6 in Nature Communications.
“There’s substantial concern about the impacts of climate change on agriculture and how we can adapt to those changes,” said Nathan Mueller, assistant professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at CSU and a senior author on the paper.
Read more at Colorado State University
Image: Nathan Mueller, assistant professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at Colorado State University (Credit: Joe Mendoza/Colorado State University)