Skip to main content

Thar Desert: Its Land Management, Livelihoods and Prospects in a Global Warming Scenario

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

This chapter traces the history of human occupation of the Thar Desert and resource use over a 5,000-year period but focuses on the present and future prospects for the lands and its peoples. Climate change trends and future predictions are presented with commentary on government response in the face of impending crises over water availability and growing populations of both people and livestock.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • D.P. Agrawal, R.K. Sood, Ecological features of the Harappan civilization, in Harappan Civilization, A Contemporary Perspective, ed. by G. L. Possehl, (Aris and Phillips Ltd., Warminster, 1982), pp. 223–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous, Status of Ground Water Resources, Rajasthan Ground Water Department (Govt. of Rajasthan, Jodhpur, 2009), p. 14

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous, Demographic and Health Scenario of Rajasthan from an Analytical Perspective, Directorate of Economics and Statistics (Govt. of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 2012.) 236 p

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Balak, J.S. Chauhan, Appraisal of landuse and agriculture in erstwhile Marwar State of Rajputana. Curr. Agric. 37, 29–39 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • B.L. Bhadani, Economic conditions in Pargana Merta, in Some Aspects of Socio-economic History of Rajasthan, ed. by G. L. Dewra, (Rajasthan Sewa Mandir, Jodhpur, 1980), pp. 113–129

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Bhan, The sequence and spread of prehistoric cultures in upper Saraswati basin, in Radiocarbon and India Archeology, ed. by D. P. Aggarwal, A. Ghosh, (TIFR, Bombay, 1973), pp. 252–263

    Google Scholar 

  • L.P. Bharara, W. Khan, V.N. Mathur, Some socio-economic characteristics of the upper Luni Basin in Rajasthan desert. Ann. Arid Zone 23, 313–324 (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  • P.D. Clift, A. Carter, L. Giosan, J. Durcan, G.A.T. Duller, M.G. Macklin, A. Alizai, A.R. Tabrez, M. Danish, S. Van Laningham, D.Q. Fuller, U-Pb zircon dating evidence for a Pleistocene Sarasvati river and capture of the Yamuna river. Geology 40, 211–214 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S.K. Dash, M.A. Kulkarni, U.C. Mohanty, K. Prasad, Changes in the characteristics of rain events in India. J. Geophys. Res. 114, D10109 (2009). doi:10110.11029/12008JD010572

    Google Scholar 

  • R.P. Dhir, Human factor in ecological history in Thar, in Desertification and Development-Dryland Ecology in Social Perspective, ed. by B. Spooner, H. S. Mann, (Academic Press, London, 1982), pp. 311–332

    Google Scholar 

  • R.P. Dhir, Flux in the Indian arid zone, in Desert Ecology, ed. by I. Prakash, (Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur, 1988), pp. 15–36

    Google Scholar 

  • R.P. Dhir, Problem of desertification in arid zone of Rajasthan-a view. Ann. Arid Zone 32, 79–88 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  • R.P. Dhir, Thar Desert in retrospect and prospect. Proc. Indian Natn Sci. Acad. 69A, 167–184 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • Y. Enzel, L.L. Ely, S. Misra, R. Ramesh, R. Amit, B. Lazar, S.N. Rajaguru, V.R. Baker, A. Sandler, High-resolution Holocene environmental changes in the Thar desert, North West India. Science 284, 125–128 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D.Q. Fuller, M. Madella, Issues in Harappan archaeology: retrospect and prospect, in Archaeology in Retrospect. Protohistory Part II, ed. by S. Settar, R. Korisettar, (Manohar Publications, New Delhi, 2001), pp. 317–390

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Giosan P.D. Clift, M.G. Macklin, D.Q. Fuller, D.Q. Fuller, S. Coinstantinescu, J.E. Durcan, T. Stevans, G.A.T. Duller, A.R. Tarbez, K. Gangal, R. Adhikari, A. Alizai, F. Filip, S. Vanlaningham, P.M. Syvitski. Fluvial Landscape of the Harappan Civilization (PNAS, 2012) (www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1112743109)

  • B.N. Goswami, K.V. Ramesh, The expanding Indian Desert: Assessment through weighted epochal trend ensemble. Curr. Sci. 94(4), 476–480 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  • Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-88009-1 (pb: 978-0-521-70596-7) (2007)

  • N.S. Jodha, V.S. Vyas, Conditions of Stability and Growth in Arid Agriculture (Agro-economic Research Centre, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, 1969), p. 21

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Kar, GCM – derived future climate of arid Western India and implications for land degradation. Ann. Arid Zone 51, 147–169 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Kar, P.C. Mohrana, P. Raina, M. Kumar, M.L. Soni, P. Santra, A.S. Ajai Arya, P.S. Dhinwa, Desertification and its control measures, in Trends in Arid Zone Research in India, ed. by A. Kar, B. K. Garg, M. P. Singh, S. Kathju, (Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, 2009), pp. 1–47

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Kumar, Vegetation of the Indian Arid ecosystem, in Desertification Control, ed. by S. Singh, A. Kar, (Agro Botanical Publishers, India, 1997), pp. 71–79

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Lu, G.A. Vechhi, T. Reichler, Expansion of the Hadley cell under global warming. (PDF) Geophys. Res. Lett. 34(6), L06805 (2007). doi:10.1029/2006GL028443. Bibcode:2007GeoRL.3406805L

  • M. Madella, D.Q. Fuller, Palaeocology and Harappan Civilisation of South Asia: reconsideration. Quat. Sci. Rev. 25, 1283–1301 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S.P. Malhotra, Socio-demographic factors of the arid zone, in Desertification and Its Control, ed. by P. L. Jaiswal, (ICAR, New Delhi, 1977), pp. 310–323

    Google Scholar 

  • G.A. Meehl, W.M. Washington, South Asia summer monsoon variability in a model with a doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Science 260, 1101–1104 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • V.N. Misra, Climate, a factor in the rise and fall of the Indus civilisation-evidence from Rajasthan and beyond, in Frontiers of the Indus Civilization, ed. by B. B. Lal, S. P. Gupta, (Books & Books, New Delhi, 1984), pp. 461–489

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Mughal, Recent archaeological research in Cholistan Desert, in Harappan Civilsation – A Contemporary Perspective, ed. by G. L. Possehl, (Arris and Phillips Ltd., Warminister, 1982), pp. 85–96

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Narain, K.D. Sharma, A.S. Rao, D.V. Singh, B.K. Mathur, U.R. Ahuja, Strategy to Combat Drought and Famine in Indian Arid Zone (Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, 2000), p. 65

    Google Scholar 

  • R.P. Pandey, S.L. Meena, R.P. Pandey, M.K. Singhadiya, A review of depleting plants resources, their present status and conservation in Rajasthan. Biol. Forum Int. J. 4, 231–220 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • G.B. Pant, L.S. Hingane, Climatic changes in and around the Rajasthan desert during the 20th century. J. Climatol. 8(4), 391–401 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Poonia, A.S. Rao, Climate change and its impact on Thar Desert ecosystem. J. Agric. Phys. 13(1), 71–79 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Rajendran, A. Kitoh, Indian summer monsoon in future climate projection by super high-resolution global model. Curr. Sci. 95(11), 1560–1569 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  • A.S. Rao, S. Poonia, Climate change impact in on crop water requirement in arid Rajasthan. J. Agrometeorology 13, 17–24 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  • A.S. Rao, M.M. Roy, Weather Variability and Crop Production in Arid Rajasthan, vol 70 (CAZRI, Jodhpur, 2012)

    Google Scholar 

  • L.S. Rathore, S.D. Attri, A.K. Jaswal, State Level Climate Change Trends in India Meteor. Monog. ESSO?IMD/EMRC?02/2013 (India Meteorological Department, New Delhi, 2013), p. 147

    Google Scholar 

  • V.N. Reu, Marwar Rajya ka Itihas (Rajasthan Granthgar, Jodhpur, 1935) (reprinted 1997). p358+Appendices

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Rupa Kumar, A.K. Sahai, K. Krishna Kumar, S.K. Patwardhan, P.K. Mishra, J.V. Revadekar, K. Kamala, G.B. Pant, High-resolution climate change scenarios for India for the 21st century. Curr. Sci. 90(3), 334–345 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Singh, R.J. Wasson, D.P. Agrawal, Vegetation and seasonal climate changes since the last full glacial in the Thar desert, NW India. Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol. 64, 351–358 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C.J. Tod, Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan Vol. I&II (Routledge and Kegan Paul Publishers, London, 1829–32) (reprinted 1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • K.S. Valdiya, The River Saraswati was a Himalayan-born river. Curr. Sci. 104(1), 42–54 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  • R.P. Wright, The Ancient Indus Urbanism, Economy and Society (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2010.) 396 p

    Google Scholar 

  • S.B. Yashpal, R.K. Sood, D.P. Agarwal, Remote sensing of the “lost” Saraswati River. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. Earth Planet. Sci. 89, 317–331 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. P. Dhir .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Dhir, R.P. (2018). Thar Desert: Its Land Management, Livelihoods and Prospects in a Global Warming Scenario. In: Gaur, M., Squires, V. (eds) Climate Variability Impacts on Land Use and Livelihoods in Drylands. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56681-8_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics