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The Shift to Sands
Scientists have devised a way to forecast the sudden and irreversible collapse of arid ecosystems
©Robert Bremec/istock.comKéfi, S. et al. 2007. Spatial vegetation patterns and imminent desertification in Mediterranean arid ecosystems. Nature 449(7159):213-217.
Six thousand years ago, the Sahara was as green as any verdant field. Then the weather changed, so to speak, and it became nothing but sand. And for the 2 billion people who live in the arid regions of the world, that shift is important, no matter how old. The specter of climatic upheaval has them worried that it could happen again.
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