GG231 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Dust Bowl, Ice Core
Document Summary
During the mid 1800s, ireland experienced widespread famine because of the failure of the potato crop, their main food source. This led to a decline in population by 3 million through death and emigration. The situation also had political and social implications as many believed they had been manipulated by england using famine and poverty to evict much of the rural population. The prairie region experienced a long period of high pressure which led to drought and widespread soil erosion. this led to crop failure and malnutrition. It emphasized the poor farming techniques that were used as well as the expansion westward of farms into grasslands during the 20th century. china: 1958-61. This has been identified as one of the largest disasters of the 20th century with the loss of life similar to the world wars. Much of the disaster can be contributed to human decisions. heat waves. On average kill 384 people every year.
