EarthwEEk: a diary of thE planEt

PrE- dust bowl?

A study finds thAt dust levels Are rising in the AmeriCAn GreAt PlAins BeCAuse of fArming prACtiCes And ClimAte trends thAt sCientists sAy Are reminisCent of the leAd- up to the 1930s Dust Bowl period. The University of UtAh reseArChers find thAt the Amount of dust hAs risen up to 5% per yeAr, whiCh CoinCides with the expAnsion of CroplAnd And seAsonAl Crop CyCles. The sCientists suggest fArming prACtiCes Could Be exposing more soil to wind erosion, AlBeit muCh less thAn with the meChAniCAl plows in the 1920s. This led to the Dust Bowl After severe drought.

7.5