Study links rainfall plunge in South Australian regions to climate change, land use

CANBERRA, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A new study has revealed a sharp rainfall plunge across key South Australian agricultural regions over 73 years, linked to interactions between climate change and land-use practices while temperatures rise.

The research, published in Environmetrics, analyzed annual rainfall and temperature data from 1950 to 2023 across 26 Bureau of Meteorology stations in the Murray Mallee (MM) and Upper Eyre Peninsula (UEP), said a statement from Australia's Adelaide University on Tuesday.

Using multiple statistical methods, the research team concluded the rainfall reductions are unlikely to be due to natural variability alone and identified significant change points -- years when rainfall or temperature patterns shifted abruptly -- potentially linked to industrial expansion, urbanization, land-use change and broader climate change influences.

Temperature data from selected stations in both regions showed consistent warming trends, reinforcing concerns about compounding climate pressures on agriculture and water resources, the study said.

The authors warn that declining rainfall and rising temperatures increase evaporation, reduce soil moisture and heighten drought risk for the seasonal rainfall-dependent cropping and livestock production. Enditem