Violence was widespread in early farming society, study says

Violence and warfare were widespread in many Neolithic communities across Northwest Europe, a period associated with the adoption of farming, new research suggests.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

Violence and warfare were widespread in many Neolithic communities across Northwest Europe, a period associated with the adoption of farming, new research suggests.

Of the skeletal remains of more than 2300 early farmers from 180 sites dating from around 8000 – 4000 years ago to, more than one in ten displayed weapon injuries, bioarchaeologists found.

Contrary to the view that the Neolithic era was marked by peaceful cooperation, the team of international researchers say that in some regions the period from 6000BC to 2000BC may be a high point in conflict and violence with the destruction of entire communities.

The findings also suggest the rise of growing crops and herding animals as a way of life, replacing hunting and gathering, may have laid the foundations for formalised warfare.

Researchers used bioarchaeological techniques to study human skeletal remains from sites in Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain and Sweden.

The team collated the findings to map, for the first time, evidence of violence across Neolithic Northwestern Europe, which has the greatest concentration of excavated Neolithic sites in the world,

The team from the Universities of Edinburgh, Bournemouth and Lund in Sweden, and the OsteoArchaeological Research Centre in Germany examined the remains for evidence of injuries caused predominantly by blunt force to the skull.  

More than ten per cent showed damage potentially caused by frequent blows to the head by blunt instruments or stone axes. Several examples of penetrative injuries, thought to be from arrows, were also found.

Some of the injuries were linked to mass burials, which could suggest the destruction of entire communities, the researchers say.

Dr Linda Fibiger, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of History, Classics and Archaeology, said: “Human bones are the most direct and least biased form of evidence for past hostilities and our abilities to distinguish between fatal injuries as opposed to post-mortem breakage have improved drastically in recent years, in addition to differentiating accidental injuries from weapon based assaults.”

Dr Martin Smith, of Bournemouth University’s Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, said: “The study raises the question to why violence seems to have been so prevalent during this period. The most plausible explanation may be that the economic base of society had changed. With farming came inequality and those who fared less successfully appear at times to have engaged in raiding and collective violence as an alternative strategy for success, with the results now increasingly being recognised archaeologically.”

The study is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper is available here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2209481119

For further information, please contact: Joanne Morrison, Press and PR Office, tel +44 131 651 4266, joanne.morrison@ed.ac.uk

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JOURNAL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI

10.1073/pnas.2209481119 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Conflict, violence, and warfare among early farmers in Northwestern Europe

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

16-Jan-2023

The most effective silicon fertilization strategy to boost olive tree defenses is ascertained

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF CÓRDOBA

 

IMAGE: RESEARCHERS MARÍA BENLLOCH AND RICARDO FERNANDEZ ESCOBAR view more 

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF CÓRDOBA

Despite not being an essential element for plant growth, silicon increases plants’ tolerance of biotic stresses, such as pests and diseases; and abiotic ones, such as drought and salinity. The effects of this element, the second most abundant in the earth's crust, have not been widely studied, in general, and with regard to olive trees  knowledge has been even scarcer.

Faced with this gap in the scientific literature, the Arboriculture group at the University of Cordoba has been a pioneer in verifying the results that the application of this element may have on olive trees, a crop characterized by its low accumulation of silicon.

The team formed by the researchers in the María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence (Department of Agronomy, University of Cordoba; DAUCO) Ricardo Fernández Escobar, María Benlloch and Kelly Nascimiento have published what will be the basis for impending works on olive grove fertilization with silicon, as they have defined the most effective dose, the method of application, and its consequences in terms of silicon absorption, accumulation and distribution in the plant organs of two varieties: Arbequina and Picual.

"We applied different doses and quantified how much enters the plant, the organs it accumulates in," explained researcher María Benlloch. The results show that silicon accumulation in olive trees increased, regardless of the variety, and that it was concentrated in greater proportion in the roots, followed by the leaves.

Although, to varying extents, all plants contain this element, it has been proven that applying an extra dose augments its beneficial effects. In this case, the ideal dose to obtain these benefits, and that  is not harmful to the olive tree, is 20 mg per liter.

As for the method of application, the aptness of the two methods studied - the application of silicon to leaves, and supplying plants with via the soil, through irrigation water - were proven effective. "These results are very promising, because it can be applied to both rainfed and irrigated olive groves; most olive groves are rainfed, and it is very common to apply foliar treatments to them," emphasized Ricardo Fernández Escobar.

The use of this element in plant nutrition, as a strategy to help plants against pests, diseases and drought, is also beneficial from the point of view of sustainability, as it would make it possible to forgo other chemical synthesis products that are harmful to the environment.

Taking into account that silicon acts both by stimulating plants’ defenses internally, and by creating a physical layer on the leaf (when it reaches the leaf it forms a kind of gel), protecting it against agents such as fungi and insects, this study also proposes the use of foliar application, with several annual repetitions, to cover all new leaves.

"This study is a starting point paving the way for future research that will allow us to determine the exact benefits of silicon against different types of stress. Right now we are studying it against salinity, water stress and the olive fruit fly," says Fernández Escobar, who recalled that the efficacy of this element has already been demonstrated against Spilocaea oleaginea (olive leaf spot), one of the major aerial diseases affecting olive groves.

Therefore, this work represents a step forward on the road to sustainable nutrition in olive groves based on an element that, for now, growers do not usually include in their fertilization plans.

Nascimento-Silva, K., Benlloch-González, M., & Fernández-Escobar, R. (2022). Silicon Nutrition in Young Olive Plants: Effect of Dose, Application Method, and Cultivar, HortScience, 57(12), 1534-1539. Retrieved Jan 15, 2023, https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16750-22

 

 

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JOURNAL

HortScience

DOI

10.21273/HORTSCI16750-22 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Silicon Nutrition in Young Olive Plants: Effect of Dose, Application Method, and Cultivar

Innocent bystanders of our carbon addiction – future heatwaves threaten animals globally

Peer-Reviewed Publication

BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV

 

IMAGE: THE PERCENTAGE OF SPECIES EXPOSED IN MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION TO EXTREME HEAT EVENTS BY 2099 UNDER TWO WARMING SCENARIOS. THE NUMBER OF SPECIES UNDER EACH SCENARIO IS PROVIDED ON TOP OF EACH BAR (FOR THE RELEVANT GROUP AND SCENARIO). view more 

CREDIT: DR. GOPAL MURALI

SDE BOKER, Tel AVIV, Israel and GENEVA, Switzerland, January 19, 2023 — We live in the age of a climate crisis. As a result, extreme weather events such as heatwaves are becoming more common, longer, and more intense. For example, in 2022, heatwaves reached unprecedented levels, breaking records across many countries and as many as 15,000 people died. Such heatwaves (or extreme thermal events) also have dire effects on wildlife. Most animals are adapted to live in a specific temperature range, and prolonged exposure to extreme heat has already caused mass deaths in many animal species. Nevertheless, no one has examined how future extreme thermal events, which are projected to increase and intensify, will affect animals globally until now.

In a new paper in the journal Nature, a group of researchers led by Dr. Gopal Murali (from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel; currently at University of Arizona, USA) tried to tackle this problem. They used species data for most land-vertebrate species (33,548 species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles) regarding recent exposure to maximum temperatures, to predict the effects of future extreme temperatures by the end of the 21st century. Species’ current distribution ranges and projections of future climates under different emission scenarios were utilized. They found that while thousands of species are likely to be exposed to future heatwaves, the number of exposed species is much higher under high-emissions scenarios, when compared to a scenario that reduces our dependence on fossil fuels.

Dr Murali remarked “By 2099, under the highest greenhouse gas emission scenario, we estimate two in five species of all land-vertebrates will experience extreme thermal events with temperatures beyond their historical levels in at least half their distribution range.”.

He added “We also found that by 2099 in this scenario, 3,773 species, or 11% of total land vertebrates are likely to face extreme thermal events during most of the year.

“However, a low-future emissions scenario greatly reduces animals’ exposure to heat extremes. In this scenario, just 6.1% of all land vertebrates will have most of their ranges exposed to exteme heat events, and none during most of the year.”

Prof. Shai Meiri (from Tel-Aviv University, coauthor of the paper) added, “As with other efforts to map human threats across all land-vertebrates, we show that amphibians and reptiles are much more at risk. This is probably due to their overall smaller distribution ranges – which in our case may prevent them from escaping to regions within their distribution not exposed to extreme temperatures”.

He added, “Interestingly, and as opposed to previous notions, the climate crisis – as manifested by extreme temperature events – is likely to also greatly affect species in the drier regions of the world including deserts, shrublands, and grasslands across North America, Africa, and Australia”.

Dr. Takuya Iwamura (from University of Geneva, another co-author of the paper) stressed “Our results based on daily temperature prediction show that substantial greenhouse gas emissions cuts will still enable us to minimize the effects of global warming on species survival. Following the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting average global warming to 1.5oC by the end of the century will greatly prevent thousands of species from being exposed to dangerous levels of extreme heat conditions”.

Prof. Uri Roll (from Ben-Gurion University, coauthor of the paper) delineates the important implications of this study for biodiversity conservation, “We need to start considering the impacts of extreme heat events when making conservation and land management decisions. The biodiversity crisis is upon us and many species may go extinct due to various human actions. If unchecked, climate change may soon become a final nail in their coffin. The time to act is now.”

The research was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (Grant no. 406/19).

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JOURNAL

Nature

DOI

10.1038/s41586-022-05606-z 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Future temperature extremes threaten land vertebrates

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

18-Jan-2023

Researchers find a “kernel of truth” in the urgent fight against tar spot of corn

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

 

IMAGE: FIRST AUTHOR MATTHEW HELM IN A FIELD OF CORN view more 

CREDIT: MATTHEW HELM

Although discovered in the United States only seven years ago, tar spot has wreaked havoc on corn yield—resulting in an estimated 1.2-billion-dollar loss in 2021 alone. The miscreant behind this devastating plant disease, Phyllachora maydis, is an emergent fungal pathogen whose biology remains obscure. This lack of understanding significantly limits disease management strategies, and no corn germplasm is completely resistant to the pathogen.

Consequently, Dr. Matthew Helm, a Research Molecular Biologist with the Crop Production and Pest Control Research Unit in the USDA-ARS and early career scientists from Purdue University conducted a study to better understand how P. maydis infects corn. Their research, newly published in Phytopathology, is the first publication to characterize this pathogen on a molecular level.

While most fungal pathogens inject plant cells with specialized molecules to suppress host immune responses, the authors investigated whether P. maydis also utilizes this method—in addition to which plant organelles the molecules target. Their data confirms that the tar spot pathogen does encode these virulence molecules and that some of them localize to specific subcellular compartments within the plant cell, including the nucleus and chloroplasts.

The exciting novelty of this study is important, as no other entity has investigated which plant organelles are targeted by pathogen-injected proteins from P. maydis, to the knowledge of Corresponding and First Author Helm. This research will likely impact molecular plant pathology and its subdisciplines significantly. Helm comments, “Arguably, plant pathologists are only beginning to understand how plant pathogens cause disease on a molecular and genetic level, especially for pathogens that have recently emerged. Our work not only advances our understanding of the biology of this fungal pathogen, but also contributes to our overall understanding of the interaction between plants and microbes.”

This study provides the kernel for understanding how this plant disease infects corn—sowing the fields for further studies, increased disease control strategies, and for food security protection worldwide.

For additional details, read Candidate Effector Proteins from the Maize Tar Spot Pathogen Phyllachora maydis Localize to Diverse Plant Cell Compartments published in Vol. 112, No. 12 December 2022 of Phytopathology.

 

Follow Matthew Helm on social media:

Twitter @mattdhelm19

LinkedIn

 

Follow us on Twitter @PhytopathologyJ and visit https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/journal/phyto to learn more.

 

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JOURNAL

Phytopathology

DOI

10.1094/PHYTO-05-22-0181-R 

ARTICLE TITLE

Candidate Effector Proteins from the Maize Tar Spot Pathogen Phyllachora maydis Localize to Diverse Plant Cell Compartments

All in the mind – decoding brainwaves to identify the music we are listening to

A new technique for monitoring brain waves can identify the music someone is listening to.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX

 

IMAGE: DR IAN DALY INJECTING CONDUCTIVE GEL INTO AN EEG CAP view more 

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX

A new technique for monitoring brain waves can identify the music someone is listening to.

Researchers at the University of Essex hope the project could lead to helping people with severe communication disabilities such as locked-in syndrome or stroke sufferers by decoding language signals within their brains through non-invasive techniques.

Dr Ian Daly, from Essex’s School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering who led the research, said: “This method has many potential applications. We have shown we can decode music, which suggests that we may, one day, be able to decode language from the brain.”

Essex scientists wanted to find a less invasive way of decoding acoustic information from signals in the brain to identify and reconstruct a piece of music someone was listening to.

Whilst there have been successful previous studies monitoring and reconstructing acoustic information from brain waves, many have used more invasive methods such as electrocortiography (ECoG) - which involves placing electrodes inside the skull to monitor the actual surface of the brain.

The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, used a combination of two non-invasive methods - fMRI, which measures blood flow through the entire brain, and electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures what is happening in the brain in real time - to monitor a person’s brain activity whilst listening to a piece of music. Using a deep learning neural network model, the data was translated to reconstruct and identify the piece of music.

Music is a complex acoustic signal, sharing many similarities with natural language, so the model could potentially be adapted to translate speech. The eventual goal of this strand of research would be to translate thought, which could offer an important aid in the future for people who struggle to communicate, such as those with locked-in syndrome.

Dr Daly added: “One application is brain-computer interfacing (BCI), which provides a communication channel directly between the brain and a computer. Obviously, this is a long way off but eventually we hope that if we can successfully decode language, we can use this to build communication aids, which is another important step towards the ultimate aim of BCI research and could, one day, provide a lifeline for people with severe communication disabilities.”

The research involved the re-use of fMRI and EEG data collected, originally, as part of a previous project at the University of Reading from participants listening to a series of 40-second pieces of simple piano music from a set of 36 pieces which differed in tempo, pitch harmony and rhythm. Using these combined data sets, the model was able to accurately identify the piece of music with a success rate of 71.8%.

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JOURNAL

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-022-27361-x 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Neural decoding of music from the EEG

Listener influence in music charts gave rise to genre-crossing artists

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

ITHACA, N.Y. – New Cornell University research shows how the rise of consumers’ influence changed the tune of contemporary country music and led to the creation of more songs that span multiple genres. 

Yuan Shi, assistant professor in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, traces the shift to changes in Billboard magazine’s chart rankings.

“When Billboard charts gave more weight to consumer voice and reflected the market more accurately, they actually changed the market,” said Shi, author of “A Change of Tune: The Democratization of Market Mediation and Crossover Production in the U.S. Commercial Music Industry,” which published in Administrative Science Quarterly.

“The consumption-driven ranking rewarded crossover products because consumers are more open to crossover music than radio stations are,” Shi said.

For decades, radio stations had the power to make or break artists by determining which – and how frequently – songs were played. Billboard magazine’s chart rankings reflected this power, listing top songs based on radio play. However, in 2012, Billboard changed its formula for many music genres to take into account consumption, such as digital downloads, when calculating which songs top the charts.

Country music was one of the genres affected. After the Billboard change, traditional gatekeepers in the country music market – radio stations – lost power, while consumers gained it. This democratization led directly to the success and growth of crossover music: songs that meshed country with elements from other genres, such as pop, hip-hop and rock.

While country crossover artists existed long before this change – think Shania Twain and Garth Brooks – Billboard’s chart updates resulted in a dramatic uptick in this trend.

Using machine learning algorithms to analyze the sonic features of tens of thousands of song recordings, Shi discovered that the new chart inspired artists and their record labels to strategically broaden their audiences by targeting the most lucrative genres. This quickly led to the dominating success of Taylor Swift, Maren Morris, Lil Naz X, Walker Hayes and many other artists whose sound and style depart from traditional country. Rising consumer power altered not just how success is defined in this market, but also which products are now offered.

Shi’s research suggests businesses use caution in the face of new technologies that elevate consumers’ voices. For businesses that create experience goods – such as movies, music, food and lodging – creating crossover products could lead to future growth, while preserving traditional boundaries might ensure the survival of existing products.

“It is clear that in many corners of our society, there is a growing divide between traditional gatekeepers and general consumers,” Shi said. “As new technologies and platforms dilute gatekeepers’ influence and empower consumers, it is more important than ever to appreciate the difference between the two.”

For additional information, see this Cornell Chronicle story.

-30-

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JOURNAL

Administrative Science Quarterly

DOI

10.1177/00018392221143779 

ARTICLE TITLE

A change of tune: The democratization of market mediation and crossover production in the U.S. commercial music industry

USC researchers find music education 

benefits youth wellbeing as California 

looks to boost arts in school

Results highlight areas for state legislators and school leaders to consider as they expand music education programs across California

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

 

IMAGE: MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE VIRTUAL MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC ENRICHMENT (VMSME), AN EXTRACURRICULAR MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE FENDER PLAY FOUNDATION. (PHOTO/FENDER PLAY FOUNDATION) view more 

CREDIT: FENDER PLAY FOUNDATION

The latest USC research on the impact of music education shows that for adolescents, the benefits appear to extend beyond a surge in neural connections in their brains. It actually boosts their wellbeing.  

The study published Wednesday by the journal Frontiers In Psychology comes just weeks after voters statewide approved Prop. 28 to increase funding for arts and music education in California public schools.  

A USC Thornton School of Music researcher said the results are especially meaningful amid a nationwide mental health crisis. 

“We know that the pandemic has taken a toll on student mental health. The many narratives of learning loss that have emerged since the start of the pandemic paint a grim picture of what some call a ‘lost generation’,” said Beatriz Ilari, an associate professor of music education at the USC Thornton School of Music and corresponding author of the study. "Music might be an activity to help students develop skills and competencies, work out their emotions, engage in identity work and strengthen connections to the school and community.” 

The work was supported by grants including one from the Fender Play Foundation, a nonprofit organization that places instruments in the hands of youth who aspire to play and reap the powerful benefits of music education. 

Evidence of those benefits continues to mount, although many states and school districts have reduced the amount of class time, faculty and curriculum dedicated to the arts amid budget crunches and changes in curriculum standards.  

Ilari contributed to prior studies, including a longitudinal one by the USC Brain and Creativity Institute, that demonstrated children who learn a musical instrument have enhanced cognitive function. Other research also has shown music education contributes to improved creativity and confidence, better mental health and emotional stability, and student performance, according to a paper published last year by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Greater hope for the future

For the study, researchers examined the impact of music on “positive youth development,” a measure of the strengths of adolescents and their potential to contribute to society developed by scholars from Tufts University. Researchers also included measures for school connectedness and hopeful future expectations.  

The researchers administered anonymous, online surveys to 120 students from 52 Los Angeles Unified School District middle schools. The survey questions covered the key domains of positive youth development including competence and confidence. Past research shows that adolescents who manifest these attributes are more likely to make positive contributions to society and less likely to engage in risky behaviors later in life.  

Ilari and her fellow researchers, including USC Thornton alumna Eun Cho, found many positive effects. They found that students who started music education before age 8 were more hopeful about the future, and younger students receiving musical training scored higher in key measures of positive youth development. 

The research team also found that younger students scored higher in key development measures than their older peers. Sixth-grade students, for example, scored higher for overall positive youth development than – eighth-graders, and scored higher in the confidence domain than both seventh and eighth-graders. Seventh-grade students also scored higher in overall positive youth development than eighth-graders.  

In completing the study’s survey questions, students were invited to choose from multiple gender categories beyond the usual binary gender options, including “non-binary” and “prefer not to answer,” to identify themselves. Non-binary students scored lower in overall positive youth development and connection than girls. They also scored lower in confidence and connection than boys. 

“Given the high levels of depression and suicide ideation among LGBTQ+ and non-gender conforming students, it is crucial that research examining adolescent well-being move beyond the gender binary,” Ilari said. “In addition to filling critical gaps in the existing literature, results from our study can be used to inform the development of programs and policy for all young people.” 

The study included students of diverse backgrounds. However, students participating in a virtual music education program primarily came from poor neighborhoods, indicating disparities in access to formal music education. 

In addition, the study explored students’ engagement in different music programs, including the Virtual Middle School Music Enrichment (VMSME), a tuition-free, extracurricular program that focuses on popular music education and virtual learning. The program is available through a school district partnership with the Fender Play Foundation. Researchers found that students participating in multiple forms of music education and for longer periods of time scored higher in measures for competence and hopeful future expectations. Some participants in these groups were also enrolled in private lessons and/or playing in small ensembles that offer more individual attention than large group classes. In contrast, students in the extracurricular VMSME program came from low-income neighborhoods and participated in fewer extracurricular activities.  

“By expanding access to instruments and music classes for students from low socioeconomic areas – a population that is often left out of school music programs – VMSME contributed to the democratization of music education,” Ilari said. “Throughout the pandemic, students in public schools, especially in urban areas, were disproportionately impacted by the lockdowns that deprived them of physical and social contact with peers. VMSME brought together students from different neighborhoods and at a time when forming peer groups is essential to social identity development.” 

More research is needed to better understand disparities in access to formal music education, Ilari said, but she said programs that give student agency in their learning and allow them to engage with peers from other schools, like VMSME, have the potential to promote learning and wellbeing.

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JOURNAL

Frontiers in Psychology

DOI

10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1056542 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Musical participation and positive youth development in middle school

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

18-Jan-2023

A changing flood recipe for Las Vegas

A new study shows that urbanization and climate change are changing the strength and seasonality of flooding in the Las Vegas region

Peer-Reviewed Publication

DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Las Vegas - (January 18, 2023) - Las Vegas, with its rapid urbanization and desert landscape, is highly vulnerable to flooding. For this reason, flood managers have built an extensive system of drainage ditches and detention basins to protect the public. Now, a new study shows how intentional engineering and urban development are interacting with climate change to alter the timing and intensity of flood risk.

In a study published Jan. 6 in The Journal of Hydrometeorology, researchers from DRI, the Clark County Regional Flood Control District, the University of Wisconsin- Madison, and Guangdong University of Technology examine Las Vegas’ changing flood regime. Their results show that flood intensity has increased since the mid-20th century, with an abrupt shift occurring in the mid-1990s. Climate change has also shifted flood seasonality, with the storms and their resultant floods now occurring more frequently in winter, in contrast with the historically stronger summer monsoon season.  

“When I looked at the data for annual flood peaks, I could see that something is changing,” said Guo Yu, Ph.D., lead author on the new study and hydrologist at DRI. “I wanted to understand the reason for this change as well as the physical mechanisms driving it, because that will help water managers and the public understand whether such a change will continue in the future, given climate and land use changes here.”

Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing metropolitan regions in the country. In 1950, fewer than 35 thousand people resided in the region; by 2020, that number grew to 2.6 million. Like many cities in the arid Southwest, development centers on the valley floor and spreads up into the natural topography of the surrounding mountains. As concrete and pavement replace more porous desert soils, the risk of flooding in human communities rises – catastrophic floods have caused fatalities as recently as 2022. To mitigate this risk, the Clark County Regional Flood Control District constructed a complex series of storm drains and culverts to capture and direct the flow of water away from populated areas and toward Lake Mead.

Over the same period, climate change has led to shifts in seasonal rainfall patterns. The Southwest has two distinct flood seasons: winter floods produced by atmospheric rivers and summer floods linked to the North American monsoon. Since 1950, daily rainfall amounts have increased in winter and decreased in the summer months.

“Historically, people in Las Vegas haven’t paid as much attention to winter floods as to summer floods,” Yu said. “But our research shows that there will be more frequent winter floods happening because of climate change. This is because the warmer sea surface temperatures on the Pacific coast will cause more atmospheric rivers, like what we’re seeing this January in California. And when these are positioned to bypass the Sierra Nevada mountains, they will very likely hit Las Vegas and cause severe winter rainfall and floods.” 

The new research demonstrates an overall picture of shifting intensity and seasonality of floods in Las Vegas. The study authors are continuing to refine their understanding of flood risk in the region with an upcoming study, currently under review, that examines changing rainfall patterns in more detail.

“A lot of research focuses on a single driver – either land use or climate – but in Las Vegas, our study shows that both are changing and interacting with each other,” said Yu.

 

More information:

The full study, The Nonstationary Flood Hydrology of an Urbanizing Arid Watershed, is available from The Journal of Hydrometeorology: https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM-D-22-0117.1

 

Study authors include: DRI researchers Guo Yu, Julianne Miller, Benjamin J. Hatchett, and Markus Berli; as well as Daniel B. Wright (University of Wisconsin, Madison); Craig McDougall (Clark County Regional Flood Control District); and Zhihua Zhu (Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, China).

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About DRI

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is a recognized world leader in basic and applied environmental research. Committed to scientific excellence and integrity, DRI faculty, students who work alongside them, and staff have developed scientific knowledge and innovative technologies in research projects around the globe. Since 1959, DRI’s research has advanced scientific knowledge on topics ranging from humans’ impact on the environment to the environment’s impact on humans. DRI’s impactful science and inspiring solutions support Nevada’s diverse economy, provide science-based educational opportunities, and inform policymakers, business leaders, and community members. With campuses in Las Vegas and Reno, DRI serves as the non-profit research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education. For more information, please visit www.dri.edu.

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JOURNAL

Journal of Hydrometeorology

DOI

10.1175/JHM-D-22-0117.1 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

News article

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

The Nonstationary Flood Hydrology of an Urbanizing Arid Watershed