Arie S. Issar – författare

It is now widely accepted that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are causing higher global atmospheric temperatures. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty about the likely effects of such a temperature rise on climate, and even more about the impacts of climate change and variability on the world's hydrological regimes and socio-economic systems. Studying the effects of climate variability in the past can give clues as to possible future effects. This volume provides a comprehensive review of the effects of climate variability on hydrological and human systems in the Holocene (the last 10,000 years), in various parts of the world. The book concentrates on the regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea, western and central Europe, China, Japan, West and South Africa and the southwestern USA. This book will be of value to researchers and professionals in hydrology, climatology, geology and historical geography.

Arid and semi-arid regions can be defined as environments in which water is the limit­ ing factor for bio-systems. This means that survival of life in these regions involves a constant struggle to obtain this limited commodity and draw the maximum benefit out of it. However, despite the difficulties for plants, animals, and man to live in, these regions, they are being utilized more and more because of the pressure of world population growth. This is expressed in the expansion of agricultural activities in desert lands as well as by the formation and rapid growth of urban and industrial centers. These trends result in a growing demand for water on the one hand, and the disposal of vast amounts of waste water, as well as other types of refuse, on the other. Meeting the first demand, namely, supplying water to the agricultural communities and urban centers, involves, in many instances, the over-exploitation and misuse of nat­ ural water resources. The surplus of waste water, sometimes highly loaded with toxic compounds, is likely to cause irreversible damage to the environment. The geoscientists and engineers face a challenge on two conflicting fronts. Success on one front, namely, in answering the full demand for water, may lead to an increase in the pollution of the environment by waste water.

This text addresses climate variability and its human impact during the Holocene. The various contributions were presented during the July 1996 Negev University workshop and provide an interdisciplinary, integrative overview. Some chapters document and discuss climate variability and paleo-hydrology using stable isotopes, radiocarbon, pollen and other proxy data. The mechanisms causing climate variability are also discussed. The response of historical human communities to change in climate (temperature and hydrological) is documented for a number of geographical areas and time periods using historical and archaeological data. The paleo-climate and paleo-hydrology results may help us constrain and improve predictive models. The historical record of societal response to climate variability may provide information on the adaptability of societies to future global and climatic change. This text should be of interest to paleo-hydrologists, paleo-climatologists, palynologists, Quaternary geologists, physical geographers, archaeologists, and other scientists interested in climatic change and history.

This book presents an update and revision of the book Water Shall Flow from the Rock - Hydrogeology and Climate in the Lands of the Bible by A. Issar, published by Springer-Verlag in 1990. The enormous quantity and quality of new data added since 1990 called for a thorough update. Another reason for this work is the better understanding achieved since the initial book was published about the role which climate plays in shaping the history of the Lands of the Bible. Albeit the fact that the impact of climate change was touched upon rather widely in the first book, still, without interweaving the new data and understanding, the picture would have remained partial.

The reconstruction of climatic changes in the Upper Quaternary is interesting in light of their impact on man and his environment. This knowledge should be of help in facing the problems that may arise in the future. This text focuses on a new model of climatic changes in the last 6000 years, and their influence on the peoples of the Middle East. It combines results from the natural sciences with historical documents and archaeological findings. It examines biblical events using hydrogeological and paleoclimatic developments.

When the ?rst edition of this book was published in 2004, the following year 2005 has happened to have been the warmest year since 1880, when the ?rst reliable worldwide instrumental records came into existance. Claiming no li- age between the publication of our book and the temperature record, yet this record demonstrates the trend of increase in the global surface temperatures during thepast20years,reinforcedbyevidenceofriseofatmosphere’sand oceans’ temperatures, and increased melting of ice and snow in the arctic and antarctic regions as well as on mountain tops. All these observations are par- leled by the increase in the quantity of heat trapping gases in the atmosphere, causing most probably, the global greenhouse effect. In order to try and predict, what might be the impact of this effect on the on the natural and human environments of the Near East, (Figs. 1–1d) the authors adopted the saying that the past is the key for the future. The practical conclusion of this principle says that the acquiring knowledge of the impact of past climate changes on the nature and human societies, may allow conclusions with regard to future possible impact of climate changes. By correlating proxy data of all types, paleo-sea and lake levels, paleo-hydrology, pollen pro?les, environmental isotopes as well as archaeological and historical documents, the authors tried to collect as much as possible of this knowledge.

When the ?rst edition of this book was published in 2004, the following year 2005 has happened to have been the warmest year since 1880, when the ?rst reliable worldwide instrumental records came into existance. Claiming no li- age between the publication of our book and the temperature record, yet this record demonstrates the trend of increase in the global surface temperatures during thepast20years,reinforcedbyevidenceofriseofatmosphere’sand oceans’ temperatures, and increased melting of ice and snow in the arctic and antarctic regions as well as on mountain tops. All these observations are par- leled by the increase in the quantity of heat trapping gases in the atmosphere, causing most probably, the global greenhouse effect. In order to try and predict, what might be the impact of this effect on the on the natural and human environments of the Near East, (Figs. 1–1d) the authors adopted the saying that the past is the key for the future. The practical conclusion of this principle says that the acquiring knowledge of the impact of past climate changes on the nature and human societies, may allow conclusions with regard to future possible impact of climate changes. By correlating proxy data of all types, paleo-sea and lake levels, paleo-hydrology, pollen pro?les, environmental isotopes as well as archaeological and historical documents, the authors tried to collect as much as possible of this knowledge.

The book is based on the results of the investigations of the authors in the semi-arid and arid regions (ASAR) of the globe. These investigations brought to the conclusion that the warming climate will cause the drying up of the water resources in these regions. In this case the principles of Sustainable Development will not be able to avert forthcoming catastrophes. These conclusions brought to the compilation of the policy of "Progressive Development", emphasising investment in the development of new water resources and changing the natural environments while advancing the local populations on the dimension of knowledge by education.

The book is based on the results of the investigations of the authors in the semi-arid and arid regions (ASAR) of the globe. These investigations brought to the conclusion that the warming climate will cause the drying up of the water resources in these regions. In this case the principles of Sustainable Development will not be able to avert forthcoming catastrophes. These conclusions brought to the compilation of the policy of "Progressive Development", emphasising investment in the development of new water resources and changing the natural environments while advancing the local populations on the dimension of knowledge by education.

Since the beginning of man's existence on Earth, the adequacy of available water has been as important as any other factor for man's survival and prosperity. The volume comprises comprehensive reviews on: Paleoenvironments of arid land, climate-water-man interactions, water resources in the Minoan era, ancient Greek examples of avoiding water shortages, climatic changes in the eastern Mediterranean region since 5000 B.C., climatic evolution in ancient civilizations based on fossil studies, impact of climatic changes on groundwater and Mediterranean wetlands. The book is written for civil and agricultural engineers, hydrologists, geologists, environmental scientists and researchers. It is also useful as a reference to consulting engineers, agriculturists, environmentalists and students.

Arid and semi-arid regions can be defined as environments in which water is the limit­ ing factor for bio-systems. This means that survival of life in these regions involves a constant struggle to obtain this limited commodity and draw the maximum benefit out of it. However, despite the difficulties for plants, animals, and man to live in, these regions, they are being utilized more and more because of the pressure of world population growth. This is expressed in the expansion of agricultural activities in desert lands as well as by the formation and rapid growth of urban and industrial centers. These trends result in a growing demand for water on the one hand, and the disposal of vast amounts of waste water, as well as other types of refuse, on the other. Meeting the first demand, namely, supplying water to the agricultural communities and urban centers, involves, in many instances, the over-exploitation and misuse of nat­ ural water resources. The surplus of waste water, sometimes highly loaded with toxic compounds, is likely to cause irreversible damage to the environment. The geoscientists and engineers face a challenge on two conflicting fronts. Success on one front, namely, in answering the full demand for water, may lead to an increase in the pollution of the environment by waste water.