Future climate change and arid zone geomorphology - Arid Zone Geomorphology - page 592

levels in the atmosphere) of sea-level rise for centuries to
come and the implication for the delicate balance between
deltaic aggradation and increasing marine inundation in
sabkhas, the effects on groundwater and lakes in arid re-
gions and changes to salinity.
Goudie (2006) has remarked that 'geomorphologists
have yet to devote to this theme [climate change] the
same amount of attention that has been expended by, for
example, life scientists and hydrologists. Remarkably few
scenarios for future geomorphological changes have been
developed. This is a major research priority'. Given that
the discipline is generally well practised in interpreting
the effects of climate change on landscapes, it could be
expected that geomorphologists have much to offer this
important research theme. Elements of the problem of in-
terpreting the impact of projected climate change on ge-
omorphological processes, in arid regions and elsewhere,
are likely to remain intractable for at least two decades,
notably the issue of precipitation simulation in climate
models. The opportunity, urgent as it is, therefore remains
for geomorphologists to develop the tools to quantify the
behaviour of arid zone processes. Until this occurs, pro-
jections will remain largely conjecture and qualitative,
with the exception of the types of examples provided in
this chapter, which at the very least provide hypotheses of
the nature and rates of change that can be evaluated and
enhanced as new data appear.

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