Potential Impacts: Wind Erosion Risk and Climate Sensitivity

Wind erosion risk for unprotected soils in areas sensitive to climatic change is shown on this map. The regions that would have the highest sensitivity to a warming climate are likely to occur in the southern and central Prairies and in the southernmost part of Ontario. This risk of wind erosion is based on the nature of local climate and vegetation. Areas with dryer, warmer climates and with sparse vegetation cover are more vulnerable to wind erosion. The levels of climate sensitivity were derived by comparing present and future ecoclimatic regions of Canada, based on the assumption of a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations over pre-industrial levels.