East Africa Climate, People & Savanna Ecology

Dynamic Interactions among People, Livestock, & Savanna Ecosystems under Climate Change

Welcome to the Dynamic Interactions among People, Livestock, and Savanna Ecosystems under Climate Change project. The overall objective of this project is to examine the dynamics between coupled human-biophysical systems in savannas under climate change. Climate change is affecting savanna ecosystems which directly impact livestock and crop production, and peoples' livelihoods. The study area encompasses the savanna areas of Kenya and Tanzania. Researchers are using multiple methods and information sources in this project to identify the interactions in the coupled human-biophysical system. Our interdisciplinary team has expertise in spatial and temporal analysis, longterm field research on the impact of climate and other environmental changes on society in East Africa, and the use of existing datasets and models including a regional climate model calibrated for the region.

The team is composed of climatologists, experts in land use/cover change, remote sensing, meteorology, geographic information systems, and ecology.

Our collaborating institutions include Michigan State University, the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, Ohio University, Virginia Tech University, The University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, and the National Science Foundation.

Funding for the project: Dynamic Interactions among People, Livestock, and Savanna Ecosystems under Climate Change, Award No. BCS/CNH 0709671, is from the National Science Foundation Biocomplexity of Coupled Human and Natural Systems Program.

This project is a follow up to An Integrated Analysis of Regional Land-Climate Interactions, BE/CNH Award No. 0308420, from the National Science Foundation Biocomplexity of Coupled Human and Natural Systems Program and the Michigan State University Foundation, and can be accessed at http://www.clip.msu.edu/


Events

African Studies Center celebrates 50th Anniversary
October 19, 5:00 p.m.
International Center Lobby, MSU
Eaclipse featured in the "Pamodzi" exhibition.

Climate Change Summit 2010 for Teachers of Grades 8-12
August 24, 8:00-3:00 p.m.
Wayne RESA Arthurs Auditorium, Wayne, MI
Learn about climate change and its impact on global/regional/local scales, and tools you can use to study climate change in the classroom.

Eaclipse Project Writing Workshop
July 10-14, 2010
Mto wa Mbu, Tanzania

Environmental Journalism Workshop, Michigan State University
July 7-9, 2010, Arusha, Tanzania
"Climate Change in East Africa"
Journalists from Kenya and Tanzania obtain training on covering climate change from Eaclipse scientists and Knight Center journalism professors.

Association of American Geographers 2010 Annual Meeting, Washington D.C.

Modeling Climate Impacts Paper Session:
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
5:40 p.m. “A new strategy for modeling time series data with structural change”
Matthew Williams (Virginia Tech), Nicolle Goble (Virginia Tech), Dong-Yun Kim (Virginia Tech)

Topics in Water Resources III Paper Session:
Thursday, April 15, 2010
5:40 p.m. “A Change Point Analysis of Drought Frequency in East Africa”
Han Chao (Virginia Tech), Dong-Yun Kim (Virginia Tech)

East Africa Climate-Land Interaction Project in Savanna Ecosystems (EACLIPSE) Paper Session:
Friday, April 16, 2010, 8:00-9:40 a.m.

8:00 a.m. "Dynamic Interactions among People, Livestock, and Savanna Ecosystems under Climate Change: The East Africa Climate-Land Interaction Project in Savanna Ecosystems (EACLIPSE)"
Jeffrey Andresen (MSU)

8:20 a.m. “Historical and projected changes in East African meteorological drought”
Nathan Moore (MSU), Dong-Yun Kim (Virginia Tech), Jeffrey Andresen (MSU), Sarah Hession (MSU)

8:40 a.m. “Assessing Savanna Ecosystem Changes with Remote Sensing in East Africa”
Jiaguo Qi (MSU), Chuan Qin (MSU), Gopal Alagarswamy (MSU), Joseph Ogutu (ILRI), Mohammad Said (ILRI), Simon Mugatha (ILRI), Simon Mwansasu (ILRI), Pauline Noah (ILRI), Joseph Maitima (ILRI), Pius Yanda (UDAR)

9:00 a.m. “People and Livestock in the Changing Landscape and Climate of the East African Savannas”
Jennifer Olson (MSU)

9:20 a.m. “Savanna Vegetation Changes as Influenced by Climate and Human Interventions in East Africa”
Gopal Alagarswamy (MSU), Chuan Qin (MSU), Jiaguo Qi (MSU), Jeffrey Andresen (MSU), Jennifer Olson (MSU), Nathan Moore (MSU)

Spatial Analysis and Modeling for Bio and Ecological Studies Paper Session:
Saturday, April 17, 2010
2:40 p.m. “Prediction in Data-Scarce Environments: Introducing New and Improved Spatially Explicit Methods”
Sarah L Hession (MSU)

Michigan Science Teachers Association 57th Annual Conference
Saturday, March 6, 2010, 8:00-8:45 a.m
Lansing Radisson Hotel and Lansing Center, MI.
"Climate Change in East Africa, an MSU Project"
Speakers: Barbara Naess, Dwight Sieggreen

International Climate Change Research Forum
Friday, February 12, 12:00-2:00 p.m., 303 International Center, MSU
Speakers: Jennifer Olson(MSU), Jiaguo Qi (MSU), Jinhua Zhao (MSU), David Skole (MSU)

The Global Initiative Forum for Future Teachers (GIFT) February 11, 6:00-8:00 p.m., 252 Erickson Hall, MSU
"Incorporating a Global Perspective into K-12 Science and Social Studies Teaching: The Tanzanian Partnership Curriculum Development Project"
Speakers: Barbara Naess (Honey Creek Community Schools), Dwight Sieggreen (Northville Public Schools)

Images from Study Sites

Our research team conducted field work in Tanzania and Kenya and provided photographs and videos of some of the study areas. Click on the link to view the photographs and videos.

Research Area

study map Click on the map to view the entire study region.
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Copyright © 2007-2010 Michigan State University Board of Trustees.

For more information about the project e-mail: eaclipse@msu.edu
Last updated on August 20, 2010