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Geothermal evidence for deforestation induced warming: Implications for the Climatic impact of land development
Author(s) -
Lewis Trevor J.,
Wang Kelin
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/98gl00181
Subject(s) - deforestation (computer science) , climate change , global warming , environmental science , borehole , geothermal gradient , climatology , agriculture , physical geography , earth science , geology , geography , oceanography , geophysics , computer science , programming language , geotechnical engineering , archaeology
Analyses of temperatures from boreholes in previously forested areas in western Canada disclose sudden increases of one to two degrees in ground surface temperature at the times of deforestation at each site. This is the first clear evidence for deforestation induced warming. These findings suggest that any land development changing climatic parameters such as the amounts of water evaporated from the earth's surface contributes to regional climatic change. A warming of the ground surface over a large area of central Canada, synchronous with the deforestation of southern Ontario and neighbouring regions in the nineteenth century, may be an example of climate change linked to the widespread creation of agricultural lands. Such a warming also affects the surrounding regions