Fallowed Fields Are Fueling California’s Dust Problem

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By Andrew Chapman, Eos/AGU. 

Excerpt: California produces more than a third of the vegetables and three quarters of the fruits and nuts in the United States. But water constraints are leaving more and more fields unplanted, or “fallowed,” particularly in the state’s famed farming hub, the Central Valley. In a study published in Communications Earth and Environment, researchers showed that these fallowed agricultural lands are producing a different problem: dust storms, which can cause road accidents and health problems and can have far-reaching environmental impacts. Using remote sensing methods, the team found that 88% of anthropogenic dust events in the state, such as dust storms, come from fallowed farmland. California’s frequent droughts could mean a rise in fallowed farmland.... 

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How will China impact the future of climate change? You might be surprised

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