Climate change, impacts and vulnerability in Europe ... - MemoFin.fr

Climate impacts on environmental systemsMap 3.22Estimated number of days for wind erosion-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°Erosion by wind,1961–1990Number of erosive daysper year< 0.2560°0.25–0.500.5–11–250°> 2No erosionOutside coverage50°40°40°0 500 1000 1500 km0°10°20°30°40°© 2012 JRC, European CommissionNote:Calculations are based on wind velocity and soil texture.While the overall patterns of erosion are generally sound, the validation of erosion data can be challenging. The datapresented are currently being validated through comparisons with national datasets and expert judgement. In this sense,zooming in on a specific locality can give the impression of a situation that differs from reality.Source: European Soil Database v2.0 (soil), PRUDENCE (prudence.dmi.dk) (climate), Corine Land Cover 2000 (land cover).ProjectionsSoil erosion rates and extent are expected toreflect changing patterns of land-use and climatechange. Variations in rainfall patterns and intensity(see Section 2.2.5), and in storm frequency andintensity may affect erosion risk either directly,through the physical displacement of soil particles,or indirectly, through removing protective plantcover. However, reliable quantitative projections arecurrently not available.Drier regions are likely to be more susceptible towind erosion than wetter regions. In this context itis interesting to compare Map 3.22 and Map 3.24.The apparent inability of ecosystems to recover fromrepeated drought may result in increased risk ofwind erosion.Climate change, impacts and vulnerability in Europe 2012153