climate is a global phenomenon, its adverse effects are more severely experienced
by poor people in developing countries who rely heavily on the natural resource
base for their livelihoods (IFAD 2009).
2 Climate Change
Climate can be described as long-term average weather that is, in part, determined
by the greenhouse effect (IPCC 2007). Climate change refers to the statistical
variations in the properties of the climate system such as changes in global temperatures, precipitation, etc. due to natural or human drivers over a long period. The
greenhouse effect refers to the process where long-wave radiation released from the
Earth’s surface because of the absorption of solar radiation is partially trapped by
greenhouse gas (GHG), thereby warming the lower atmosphere. The greenhouse
effect allows the average surface temperature of the earth to be 14 °C, whereas,
without the greenhouse effect, the global mean surface temperature would be −19 °
C (IPCC 2007). Change in climate is a natural phenomenon, however, after the
industrial revolution the rate of change has accelerated, and in last couple of decades it is found to be alarming. The Summary for Policymakers submitted in 2013
by the IPCC, it is concluded that it is now more certain than ever before that
human-caused climate change is real, and GHG emissions are causing changes to
the planet that could possibly trigger dangerous consequences by the turn of the
century (The Hindu 2013). The increased emissions of anthropogenic
(human-caused) GHG have led to atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide,
methane and nitrous oxide that are unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years
(AR5, IPCC 2014). Climate change could severely change the distribution and
quality of natural resources which may adversely affect the livelihood security of
millions of people worldwide.
3 Heat Stress
Animals are adaptable and can maintain productive performance in a relatively
broad range of environments. Environmental stressors beyond threshold limits for
coping and compensatory mechanisms could compromise health, growth and
productive and reproductive performance of an animal. Intensive selection of dairy
animals for increased production is making these animals susceptible to hot and
humid environments. Selection for milk yield reduces thermoregulatory ability in
the face of heat stress (Berman et al. 1985) and magnifies the seasonal depression in
fertility caused by heat stress (Al-Katanani et al. 1999). Heat stress can be defined
as the sum of forces external to a homeothermic animal that acts to displace body
temperature from the resting state (Yousef 1984). Heat stress occurs when any
combination of environmental factors (temperature, relative humidity, solar
Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for …
521
by poor people in developing countries who rely heavily on the natural resource
base for their livelihoods (IFAD 2009).
2 Climate Change
Climate can be described as long-term average weather that is, in part, determined
by the greenhouse effect (IPCC 2007). Climate change refers to the statistical
variations in the properties of the climate system such as changes in global temperatures, precipitation, etc. due to natural or human drivers over a long period. The
greenhouse effect refers to the process where long-wave radiation released from the
Earth’s surface because of the absorption of solar radiation is partially trapped by
greenhouse gas (GHG), thereby warming the lower atmosphere. The greenhouse
effect allows the average surface temperature of the earth to be 14 °C, whereas,
without the greenhouse effect, the global mean surface temperature would be −19 °
C (IPCC 2007). Change in climate is a natural phenomenon, however, after the
industrial revolution the rate of change has accelerated, and in last couple of decades it is found to be alarming. The Summary for Policymakers submitted in 2013
by the IPCC, it is concluded that it is now more certain than ever before that
human-caused climate change is real, and GHG emissions are causing changes to
the planet that could possibly trigger dangerous consequences by the turn of the
century (The Hindu 2013). The increased emissions of anthropogenic
(human-caused) GHG have led to atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide,
methane and nitrous oxide that are unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years
(AR5, IPCC 2014). Climate change could severely change the distribution and
quality of natural resources which may adversely affect the livelihood security of
millions of people worldwide.
3 Heat Stress
Animals are adaptable and can maintain productive performance in a relatively
broad range of environments. Environmental stressors beyond threshold limits for
coping and compensatory mechanisms could compromise health, growth and
productive and reproductive performance of an animal. Intensive selection of dairy
animals for increased production is making these animals susceptible to hot and
humid environments. Selection for milk yield reduces thermoregulatory ability in
the face of heat stress (Berman et al. 1985) and magnifies the seasonal depression in
fertility caused by heat stress (Al-Katanani et al. 1999). Heat stress can be defined
as the sum of forces external to a homeothermic animal that acts to displace body
temperature from the resting state (Yousef 1984). Heat stress occurs when any
combination of environmental factors (temperature, relative humidity, solar
Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for …
521