Long-Term Spatio-Temporal Variability of Climate in the Shekhawati Region of Rajasthan, India (1981–2025): Implications for Dryland Ecosystems and Biodiversity

DOI: 10.22161/ijeab.114.28

Abstract:
The Shekhawati region of north-eastern Rajasthan is a dryland ecosystem. It has high temperatures, uneven rainfall and substantial climatic fluctuations create challenging environmental conditions for natural vegetation and biodiversity. This study assessed long-term changes in key climatic variables, including minimum, mean and maximum temperature, annual rainfall, relative humidity and wind speed, across Churu, Sikar and Jhunjhunu districts over the period 1981–2025. Temporal patterns were examined using decadal averages, descriptive statistical measures and linear regression analysis to identify the direction and magnitude of climatic change. The analysis revealed an overall warming pattern across the three districts, although the magnitude of change varied spatially. Churu generally experienced higher temperatures, with a long-term annual mean temperature of 26.77 °C, followed by Jhunjhunu (26.18 °C) and Sikar (26.05 °C). Rainfall remained highly variable from year to year; nevertheless, a positive long-term trend was observed in all three districts. The estimated annual rates of increase were 3.714 mm year⁻¹ for Churu, 5.028 mm year⁻¹ for Sikar and 4.533 mm year⁻¹ for Jhunjhunu, and the regression analyses indicated significant temporal relationships. Relative humidity also showed a clear upward tendency, particularly in Churu, where the regression model explained 54.7% of the observed variation (R² = 0.547). The annual wind speed was observed in range from 2.0–2.5 m s⁻¹ in Churu, 2.1–2.5 m s⁻¹ in Sikar, and 1.9–2.4 m s⁻¹ in Jhunjhunu. The district-level climatic trends provide an important baseline for evaluating climate-related changes in biodiversity and for developing appropriate conservation and ecosystem-management strategies in the semi-arid landscapes of the Shekhawati region.

Keywords:
climate variability, climate change, Shekhawati, Rajasthan.

Article Info:
Received: 07 Jul 2026; Received in revised form: 30 Jul 2026; Accepted: 03 Aug 2026; Available online: 10 Aug 2026

Cite this Article: