HR: 11:20h
AN: U42B-05    [Abstracts]
TI: Multidisciplinary Investigations of Climate Change in Mexico: Reports from a Collaborative Academic Network
AU: * endfield, g h
EM: georgina.endfield@nottingham.ac.uk
AF: University of Nottingham, School of Geogr4aphy University of Nottingham University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
AB: Unusually severe or prolonged drought ranks among the most devastating of climate changes in Mexico, and has contributed to wildfires, crop failure, livestock death and famine across the country throughout its history and pre- history (Liverman, 1999; Florescano, 1980). Some of these droughts are thought to be associated with the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) - the most prominent signal in inter-annual climate variability in Mexico and the subject of increasing interest following the effects of the severe El Niño of 1997-98 (Magaña et al., 2003). Obtaining detailed records of droughts and gaining a better understanding of how rainfall variability has affected Mexico's populations in the past, and is affecting society today, are essential steps toward designing appropriate drought preparedness, mitigation and relief programmes both in Mexico and other vulnerable regions of the world (ISDR, 2002). This paper reports on the development of Collaborative Academic Network entitled "Multi-disciplinary investigations of climate change in Mexico". The network represents an important research initiative, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, involving individuals from Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States with established reputations for research in complementary methodological approaches to understanding climate change and drought in Mexico. The aim of the network is to draw on internationally recognised expertise in dendroclimatology, palaeolimnology, climate history and modern climatology, with the following objectives: • to improve understanding of the climatic mechanisms that cause drought across Mexico and how these vary spatially; • to identify past, present and future impacts of, and responses to, drought in Mexico; • to develop a more comprehensive understanding of climate change and its impacts across Mexico on a range of time scales. Here I report on the progress of the network so far in its aims to facilitate the integration and development of research at the forefront of Mexican climate change studies.
UR: http:www.nottingham.ac.uk/geography/network-mexico/
DE: 1616 Climate variability (1635, 3305, 3309, 4215, 4513)
DE: 1637 Regional climate change
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2007 Joint Assembly