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Deserts,may change significantly in response to global warming. Modest climatic stimuli may cause vegetation, hydrology and geomorphology to switch speedily from one state to another. Changes in vegetation cover, associated with a decline in soil moisture availability, will increase the risk of soil erosion by wind, may accelerate dust storm activity and cause sand dunes to be reactivated. Large changes in runoff will also occur, leading to marked changes in the nature of river channels. Closed depressions are also sensitive to climate change, and so lake levels may be greatly altered. Finally, and coastlines will be subjected to sea level change that will lead to transformations in the nature of such environments as deltas, estuaries and sabkhas.