"A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions."
A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, resulting in a shortage of water supply.
Water cycle: The process of water moving through the atmosphere, land, and oceans.
Meteorology: The study of weather and how it impacts the environment.
Climate change: The long-term changes in temperature, precipitation, and other weather patterns that have significant impacts on drought.
Hydrology: The study of water in the Earth system, including its distribution, movement, and quality.
Irrigation: The process of artificially supplying water to crops or plants to ensure their growth and survival during droughts.
Water conservation: The reduction of water usage through the implementation of various methods such as rainwater harvesting and water-efficient fixtures.
Groundwater: The water that is stored in underground reservoirs, which can be a key resource during droughts.
Watershed management: The management and protection of the entire drainage basin or watershed to ensure sustainable use of water resources.
Drought strategies and management: The development of policies and programs to mitigate the impacts of drought, including strategies for water conservation, irrigation, and land management.
Land use and land management: The effective management of land use, soil quality, and vegetation to preserve water resources in drought-prone areas.
Socioeconomic impacts of droughts: The impacts of droughts on communities, agriculture, and economies, including food security and access to water.
Remote sensing: The use of satellite imagery and other technologies to monitor drought conditions and assess their impacts.
Weather forecasting: The prediction of weather patterns, including droughts, to enable preparedness and response planning.
Indigenous and traditional knowledge: The knowledge systems developed by indigenous and local communities to manage and conserve water resources during droughts.
Meteorological Drought: It occurs when the amount of precipitation in an area falls below the average or expected amount for an extended period.
Agricultural Drought: It occurs when the soil moisture content is insufficient to support the growth of crops.
Hydrological Drought: It occurs when surface or groundwater levels are insufficient to maintain water supply for various activities, including agricultural, industrial, and domestic use.
Socioeconomic Drought: It refers to the impacts of a drought on economic activity, such as reduced crop yields or decreased water availability for industrial processes.
Famine Drought: It occurs when a region experiences a prolonged period of drought that causes severe food shortages, resulting in famine and malnutrition.
Ecological Drought: It occurs when the lack of water affects the natural ecosystems, including plants, animals, and aquatic life.
Soil Moisture Drought: It occurs when the soil moisture levels are insufficient amounts to support plant growth and development.
Agricultural Hydrologic Drought: It is a combination of agricultural and hydrologic drought, and it happens when soil moisture levels are insufficient to support the growth of crops.
Meteorological Hydrologic Drought: It is a combination of meteorological and hydrologic drought, and it occurs when precipitation levels are insufficient to maintain surface or groundwater levels.
Groundwater Drought: It occurs when groundwater levels are insufficient to meet water supply demand for households, agriculture, and industries.
"A drought can last for days, months or years."
"Drought often has large impacts on the ecosystems and agriculture of affected regions."
"Drought causes harm to the local economy."
"Annual dry seasons in the tropics significantly increase the chances of a drought developing."
"Periods of heat can significantly worsen drought conditions by hastening evaporation of water vapour."
"Drought is a recurring feature of the climate in most parts of the world, becoming more extreme and less predictable due to climate change."
"There are three kinds of drought effects, environmental, economic and social."
"Environmental effects include the drying of wetlands, more and larger wildfires, loss of biodiversity."
"Economic consequences include disruption of water supplies for municipal economies; lower agricultural, forest, game, and fishing outputs; higher food-production costs; and problems with water supply for the energy sector."
"Social and health costs include the negative effect on the health of people directly exposed to this phenomenon (excessive heat waves), high food costs, stress caused by failed harvests, water scarcity, etc."
"Prolonged droughts have caused mass migrations and humanitarian crisis."
"Many plant species, such as those in the family Cactaceae (or cacti), have drought tolerance adaptations like reduced leaf area and waxy cuticles to enhance their ability to tolerate drought."
"Semi-permanent drought produces arid biomes such as deserts and grasslands."
"Most arid ecosystems have inherently low productivity."
"The most prolonged drought ever in the world in recorded history continues in the Atacama Desert in Chile (400 years)."
"Throughout history, humans have usually viewed droughts as 'disasters' due to the impact on food availability and the rest of society."
"Humans have often tried to explain droughts as either a natural disaster, caused by humans, or the result of supernatural forces."
"Some others survive dry periods as buried seeds."
"Drought causes disruption of water supplies for municipal economies."