An unforgettable event: a qualitative study of the 1997–98 El Niño in northern Peru

During the 1997–98 El Niño, Tumbes, Peru received 16 times the annual average rainfall. This study explores how Tumbes residents perceived the impact of the El Niño event on basic necessities, transport, health care, jobs and migration. Forty‐five individuals from five rural communities, some of which were isolated from the rest of Tumbes during the event, participated in five focus groups; six of these individuals constructed nutrition diaries. When asked about events in the past 20 years, participants identified the 1997–98 El Niño as a major negative event. The El Niño disaster situation induced a decrease in access to transport and health care and the rise in infectious diseases was swiftly contained. Residents needed more time to rebuild housing; recover agriculture, livestock and income stability; and return to eating sufficient animal protein. Although large‐scale assistance minimized effects of the disaster, residents needed more support. Residents' perspectives on their risk of flooding should be considered in generating effective assistance policies and programmes.     

Non-linear ecological processes, fires, environmental heterogeneity and shrub invasion in northwestern Patagonia

The emergent behaviors of nature are not only the sum of interactions among ecosystem parts but also depend on the organization of these interactions. Fire, climate and vegetation patterns produce non-linear fire propagation across the landscape. Environmental heterogeneity, like outcrop presence and hare density, increases landscape patchiness and makes possible the occupation of fire refuges by plants, like Fabiana imbricata shrubs. We monitored shrub recruitment and cover during nine postfire years in northwestern Patagonia grasslands and we studied the long-term population dynamics under different environmental conditions through a matrix model, exploring different fire frequencies and spring precipitation regimes. Both, the field monitoring and the model seem to confirm the relationships between shrub invasion and fire. The climate change forecast predicts an increase in the frequency of El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomena that could causes more coupled fires—rainy springs in northwestern Patagonia, and consequently, more recruitment windows for shrubs, like F. imbricata. The matrix model also indicates that this scenario would be the most favourable for shrub invasion. Our results contribute to the knowledge of the ecosystem properties and processes, providing useful information to improve the grasslands sustainable use.     

洪泽湖流域洪涝灾害演变趋势及其与El Nio事件关系

为分析洪泽湖流域洪涝灾害在千年尺度序列上的演变趋势,采用统计历史洪涝记录的方法,分析了气候变化背景下洪涝灾害的响应过程,探讨了洪泽湖流域洪涝灾害同El Nio事件的关系。结果表明：近1 000 a来洪泽湖流域洪涝灾害的频度总体是趋于上升的,这种变化趋势同气候变化的趋势是一致的。研究结果显示：公元1000~1400年洪涝记录偏少,同我国东部地区尤其是中世纪暖期出现的一次200 a以上的干旱化过程有较好的对应性。1400~1800年是洪泽湖流域洪涝的多发期,这一事实同我国东部1550~1850年小冰期期间总体偏湿的环境特征相一致。分析洪涝灾害变化同El Nio事件对应性关系表明：在El Nio事件年及其次年是洪泽湖流域洪涝的多发年份。这可能是由于El Nio事件通过改变西太平洋副高的强度与位置,以及大气环流形势而引起的降水异常所致。了解洪泽湖流域洪涝的演变趋势及其同El Nio的关系对于长期防灾减灾策略具有重要的参考意义。     

ENSO与云南蒋家沟泥石流灾害发生的关系

通过分析近40年来出现的ENSO事件对云南东川蒋家沟泥石流活动的影响可知,El Ni(~n)o与LaNi(~n)a对其的影响正好相反,且El Ni(~n)o的影响大于La Ni(~n)a的影响.El Ni(~n)o年,泥石流年发生频次、径流量和输沙量偏少的概率均较大,泥石流活动减弱的倾向明显;La Ni(~n)a年,虽有一定的对应关系,但不如El Ni(~n)o年明显,且影响更复杂一些,总的来说,泥石流年发生频次、径流量和输沙量偏多或持平的概率较大.     

El Niño‐Southern Oscillation,rainfall variability and sustainable agricultural development in the Ho Municipality,Ghana

El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which occurs in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, has been identified to have significant influence on rainfall variability throughout the world, especially in the tropics. Such variability in rainfall has implications for agrarian economies, such as that in Ghana. This study therefore sought to demonstrate the effect of ENSO‐induced variability in annual and seasonal rainfall on the development of sustainable agriculture in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. Using 61 years of monthly rainfall data (1955–2015) for the Ho Municipality and ENSO indices, this study showed that 15% of the variability in total annual rainfall is explained by the ENSO phenomena. Mean annual rainfall and rainfall in the major rainy season decreased for El Niño years, in addition to a more variable rainfall compared to that received in La Niña years. The major growing season was observed to be longer in La Niña years and shorter in El Niño years. This means that the potential for crop cultivation will be severely hampered in an El Niño year. Farmers within the municipality are therefore encouraged to harness other complementary water sources for farming activities and also employ water management strategies during El Niño years.     

厄尔尼诺事件与黑龙江省低温洪涝灾害的影响及其预报

在研究厄尔尼诺（拉尼娜）事件对黑龙江省低温洪涝灾害的影响中,提出了一种表征厄尔尼诺现象的IEN指数,并根据IEN指数谱分析结果给出了厄尔尼诺（拉尼娜）事件的统计预测方法。对1997年强厄尔尼诺和1998年拉尼娜事件的实际预报效果表明,该方法是可行的,在区域和省级短期气候预测中可以发挥重要的作用。     

陕西关中近40年春季旱涝分析

对关中近４０ａ６站３～４月降水量进行了标准旱涝等级分析和谐波分析，得出风调雨顺年份少，旱涝年份多，有２～３ａ及２０ａ的显著周期。研究发现埃尔尼诺、太阳黑子相对数、西太平洋副高综合指数与旱涝变化规律有很好的对应关系，并有很高的相关系数。     

WATER EXCHANGES: TOOLS TO BEAT EL NIÑO CLIMATE VARIABILITY IN IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE1

ABSTRACT: Using a case study of the Yakima River Valley in Washington State, this paper shows that relatively simple tools can be used to forecast the impact of the El Niño phenomenon on water supplies to irrigated agriculture, that this information could be used to estimate the significantly shifted probability distribution of water shortages in irrigated agriculture during El Niño episodes, and that these shifted probabilities can be used to estimate the value of exchanges of water between crops to relieve some of the adverse consequences of such shortages under western water law. Further, recently devised water‐trading tools, while not completely free under western water law to respond to forecasted El Niño episodes (ocean circulation patterns), are currently being employed during declared drought to reduce the devastating effects of water shortages in junior water districts on high valued perennial crops. Additional institutional flexibility is needed to take full advantage of climate forecasting, but even current tools clearly could prove useful in controlling the effects of climate variability in irrigated agriculture. Analysis shows the significant benefit of temporarily transferring or renting water rights from low‐value to high‐value crops, based on El Niño forecasts.     

森林火灾重灾时段对太阳活动,厄尔尼诺,南方涛动异常的响应

本文根据天地生相互作用原理,研究了黑龙江近40多年来森林火灾灾情年际变化规律,发现森林火灾重灾时段(年)与太阳活动谷年及其次年基本同步,与ENSO密切相关;三者是形成“重灾时段”的重大天地生原因。