Climate change impacts on dryland cropping systems in the Central Great Plains,USA

Agricultural systems models are essential tools to assess potential climate change (CC) impacts on crop production and help guide policy decisions. In this study, impacts of projected CC on dryland crop rotations of wheat-fallow (WF), wheat-corn-fallow (WCF), and wheat-corn-millet (WCM) in the U.S. Central Great Plains (Akron, Colorado) were simulated using the CERES V4.0 crop modules in RZWQM2. The CC scenarios for CO₂, temperature and precipitation were based on a synthesis of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007) projections for Colorado. The CC for years 2025, 2050, 2075, and 2100 (CC projection years) were super-imposed on measured baseline climate data for 15–17 years collected during the long-term WF and WCF (1992–2008), and WCM (1994–2008) experiments at the location to provide inter-annual variability. For all the CC projection years, a decline in simulated wheat yield and an increase in actual transpiration were observed, but compared to the baseline these changes were not significant (p > 0.05) in all cases but one. However, corn and proso millet yields in all rotations and projection years declined significantly (p < 0.05), which resulted in decreased transpiration. Overall, the projected negative effects of rising temperatures on crop production dominated over any positive impacts of atmospheric CO₂ increases in these dryland cropping systems. Simulated adaptation via changes in planting dates did not mitigate the yield losses of the crops significantly. However, the no-tillage maintained higher wheat yields than the conventional tillage in the WF rotation to year 2075. Possible effects of historical CO₂ increases during the past century (from 300 to 380 ppm) on crop yields were also simulated using 96 years of measured climate data (1912–2008) at the location. On average the CO₂ increase enhanced wheat yields by about 30%, and millet yields by about 17%, with no significant changes in corn yields.     

Comparisons of xylem sap flow and water vapour flux at the stand level and derivation of canopy conductance for Scots pine

Summary Simultaneous measurements of xylem sap flow and water vapour flux over a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest (Hartheim, Germany), were carried out during the Hartheim Experiment (HartX), an intensive observation campaign of the international programme REKLIP. Sap flow was measured every 30 min using both radial constant heating (Granier, 1985) and two types of Cermak sap flowmeters installed on 24 trees selected to cover a wide range of the diameter classes of the stand (min 8 cm; max 17.5 cm). Available energy was high during the observation period (5.5 to 6.9 mm.day^–1), and daily cumulated sap flow on a ground area basis varied between 2.0 and 2.7 mm day^–1 depending on climate conditions. Maximum hourly values of sap flow reached 0.33 mm h^–1, i.e., 230 W m^–2.Comparisons of sap flow with water vapour flux as measured with two OPEC (One Propeller Eddy Correlation, University of Arizona) systems showed a time lag between the two methods, sap flow lagging about 90 min behind vapour flux. After taking into account this time lag in the sap flow data set, a good agreement was found between both methods: sap flow = 0.745^* vapour flux,r ² = 0.86. The difference between the two estimates was due to understory transpiration.Canopy conductance (g _c ) was calculated from sap flow measurements using the reverse form of Penman-Monteith equation and climatic data measured 4 m above the canopy. Variations ofg _c were well correlated (r ² = 0.85) with global radiation (R) and vapour pressure deficit (vpd). The quantitative expression forg _c =f (R, vpd) was very similar to that previously found with maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) in the forest of Les Landes, South Western France.With 6 Figures     

Evapotranspiration measurement for tall plant canopies: The sweet sorghum case

Summary A methodological study on a tall canopy in a Mediterranean region was carried out in order to identify the most suitable method for measuring the actual evapotranspiration (ET). ET from a sweet sorghum crop was measured by 4 different methods: (i) energy balance/eddy correlation, (ii) energy balance/Bowen ratio, (iii) energy balance/aerodynamic simplified, and (iv) floating lysimeter (ETmeter). In order to compare a very large range of ET values and to reduce experimental errors due to low gradients of air humidity and temperature, the crop was submitted to two soil drying-wetting cycles. To evaluate the main limitations of each method with respect to crop height, crop ET was monitored during the entire vegetative cycle, from stem elongation (crop height 0.85 m, full canopy) to grain filling (when the crop was 2.5 m high). The comparison between the micrometeorological methods (i, ii, and iii) was made on hourly and daily time steps, while the analysis of ETmeter measurements was made on a daily time step only. On an hourly scale: eddy correlation ET was 106% of Bowen ratio ET and simplified aerodynamic ET was 116%, 125% and 135% of Bowen ratio ET with the first sensors are placed at the top of the canopy and the second sensors at 0.7 m, 1.4 m and 2.8 m from the first sensors, respectively. On a daily scale: eddy correlation ET was 102% of Bowen ratio ET, simplified aerodynamic was 114% of Bowen ratio ET and ETmeter ET was 97% of Bowen ratio ET. In the last case the values are very widely spread and the correlation is really not so good. The results show that the Bowen ratio method and the eddy correlation method are in good agreement on daily scales, however, certain precautions, must be taken concerning the eddy correlation method on an hourly scale. The simplified aerodynamic method failed when crop height was > 1.5 m and the ETmeter failed under windy conditions (wind speed > 2.0 m/s) and limited crop water conditions.With 13 Figures     

Penumbral and foliage distribution effects on Pinus sylvestris canopy gas exchange

Summary  Tree canopy water use and foliage net CO₂ uptake (NPP) were simulated for a 31-year-old Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) plantation near Hartheim, in the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany with a mechanistically-based, three-dimensional stand gas-exchange model (STANDFLUX) for a ten-day period during spring 1992. STANDFLUX was formulated to include the effects of penumbra caused by the fine structure of the needles on light distribution within crowns. Good correspondence was found between simulated rates of tree canopy water use when including penumbral effects and eddy-covariance ET and sap flow transpiration measurements. Water use was 8–13% lower and NPP was 10–17% lower in simulations for the ten-day period when penumbral effects were not included. Simulated water use and CO₂ uptake were compared with similar outputs from a simplified layer canopy model (including or not including penumbra) which assumed horizontal homogeneity in canopy structure (GAS FLUX). Our results for the Pinus sylvestris stand indicate that penumbral effects were more important than the degree of model simplification with respect to foliage distribution (three-dimensional vs. layered structure) for estimating stand-level fluxes for these pines. Simulated maximum hourly NPP was similar to rates measured for other Pinus sylvestris stands using other methods. Predicted decreases in tree transpiration due to the modelled response of needle gas exchange to increasing vapour-pressure deficit agreed with measured changes in transpiration, and suggested that stomatal response may have been more important than decreasing soil water availability in controlling water flux to the atmosphere during this period. The overall results of the study demonstrate that current approaches in canopy modelling that separate light into sun versus shade intensities can be effective, but must be applied with caution when attempting to predict long-term water and carbon balances of forests. Received May 1, 1999 Revised November 9, 2000     

Comparative measurement of stem flow and transpiration in cotton

Summary Whole-plant transpiration (T) measurements have many applications, but appropriate methods have remained somewhat elusive. A new method using a constant power heat balance gauge, wherein the xylem mass flow rate is calculated from a balance of heat into and out of a stem, has been shown to provide accurate stem flow measurements. To evaluate the applicability of this promising method to field experiments, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. GP 3774) stem flow measurements were compared withT measured from a weighing lysimeter. Initially to confirm method accuracy, stem flow values were compared in the glasshouse withT values determined by mass measurements of a potted plant. The root mean square error (RMSE) between the daylight losses from both (n = 16) was 8.6% of the mean measuredT values. In the field, hourly stem flow and lysimeterT values were also similar, but there was a large variation in stem flow values among the different plants. To account for differences in plant size between the plants with gauges and all lysimeter plants, stem flow values were adjusted using a stem area ratio factor, which adjusted values, on the average for the season, by 25%. Before adjustment, daylight stem flow totals were consistently greater than lysimeterT values. After adjustment, the means differed by only 9%, and theRMSE was reduced from 129 to 69 g plant^–1 d^–1. The coefficient of variation of daylight stem flow totals increased throughout the season. In the glasshouse, method accuracy was comparable (errors < ± 10%) to what has been previously determined. In the field, determining method accuracy was confounded by plant-to-plant variability and, possibly, by errors, unique to the gauge design used in this study, at high flow rates. Thus, this method can provide accurate flow measurements from individual herbaceous plants and is a valuable technique for many applications.With 7 Figures     

A Measurement Based Sensitivity Analysis of the Penman-Monteith Actual Evapotranspiration Model for Crops of Different Height and in Contrasting Water Status

Summary This paper presents a study of the sensibility of the Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration model to climatic (available energy and vapour pressure deficit) and parametric (aerodynamic and canopy resistances, r _a and r _c respectively) factors in a semi-arid climate, for crops in contrasting water status (well irrigated and under water stress) and of different heights. Three experiments were carried out in southern Italy on reference grass (≈ 0.1 m), grain sorghum (≈ 1 m) and sweet sorghum (≈ 3 m). For this analysis the sensitivity coefficients, taken as hourly means, were evaluated during the growth season when the crops completely covered the soil. The relative errors on evapotranspiration were also evaluated for r _a and r _c . The results showed that, for reference grass, available energy and aerodynamic resistance play a major role. For crops under water stress the most important term to evaluate is canopy resistance. For a tall crop, as sweet sorghum, the role of the vapour pressure deficit is fundamental, both when the crop is in good water status and under water stress. Received July 14, 1997 Revised February 5, 1998     

Global Warming and the Summertime Evapotranspiration Regime of the Alpine Region

Changes of the summer evapotranspiration regime under increased levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases are discussed for three Alpine river basins on the basis of a new set of simulations carried out with a high-resolution hydrological model. The climate change signal was inferred from the output of two simulations with a state-of-the-art global climate model (GCM), a reference run valid for 1961–1990 and a time-slice simulation valid for 2071–2100 under forcing from the A2 IPCC emission scenario. In this particular GCM experiment and with respect to the Alpine region summer temperature was found to increase by 3 to 4 ^∘C, whereas precipitation was found to decrease by 10 to 20%. Global radiation and water vapor pressure deficit were found to increase by about 5% and 2 hPa, respectively. On this background, an overall increase of potential evapotranspiration of about 20% relative to the baseline was predicted by the hydrological model, with important variations between but also within individual basins. The results of the hydrological simulations also revealed a reduction in the evapotranspiration efficiency that depends on altitude. Accordingly, actual evapotranspiration was found to increase at high altitudes and to the south of the Alps, but to decrease in low elevation areas of the northern forelands and in the inner-Alpine domain. Such a differentiation does not appear in the GCM scenario, which predicts an overall increase in evapotranspiration over the Alps. This underlines the importance of detailed simulations for the quantitative assessment of the regional impact of climate change on the hydrological cycle.     

Surface exchange of water vapour between an open sphagnum fen and the atmosphere

Water loss by evapotranspiration (ET) is a principal component of the hydrologic cycle in wetlands. Using micrometeorological techniques, we measured ET from a Sphagnum-dominated open fen in northcentral Minnesota (U.S.A.) from May to October in 1991 and 1992. The daily ET rate ranged from 0.2–4.8 mm d^-1 with a growing season average of 3.0 mm d^-1. The evapotranspiration rate of the fen was near the potential rate of open water evaporation when the vascular plants were actively growing and the water table level was within or above the rooting zone. Using a dual-source modification of the Penman-Monteith equation (Massman, 1992), we partitioned the measured ET into evaporation from the non-vascular Sphagnum surfaces and transpiration from vascular plants. The analysis indicated that about two thirds of the water vapour flux to the atmosphere was from evaporation when the Sphagnum surface was wet. Such an evaporative flux was expected because of vertical distribution of vascular plant leaves which had a small leaf area index (0.4–0.7) and intercepted only about 30% of net radiation (R _n ) during the day. The remainder of R _n was thus available for evaporation from Sphagnum. Evaporation significantly decreased as the Sphagnum surface dried out. When the water table was within the rooting zone (0–0.4 m), the vascular plants absorbed Sphagnum-generated sensible heat, which amounted up to one third of their transpiration energy flux. Under these conditions, the total water vapour flux remained near its potential rate owing to the enhanced transpiration from vascular plants. A drop in water table of 0.15–0.2 m below the hollow bottom during vascular plant senescence resulted in ET rates lower than the potential rates by 5–65%.     

Comparison of alfalfa evapotranspiration measured by a weighing lysimeter and a portable chamber

Improving water use efficiency requires the development of satisfactory means to evaluate plant water use in the field. One such method is a portable chamber for measuring crop water use on field plots. The objective of our work was to compare short term alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) evapotranspiration (ET) measured with a portable chamber (CET) with that measured by a weighing lysimeter (LET). Intensive portable chamber measurements were made and microclimate data collected between 0500–2100 h on 2 July 1980 at the meteorological station on the University of Minnesota Campus at St. Paul. The soil was a Waukegan silt loam (fine-silty over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed mesic Typic Hapludoll). Potential evapotranspiration (PET) was calculated using a modified combination equation of van Bavel. Expressed on an hourly basis, there was reasonable agreement between diurnal patterns of CET, LET and PET, although CET was as much as 0.16 mm h⁻¹ lower than LET at 1100 h and as much as 0.09 mm h⁻¹ higher than LET at 1800 h. Daytime ET values between 0500 and 2100 h were 7.97, 7.71 and 7.58 mm for LET, CET and PET, respectively. The reasonable agreement between the CET and LET throughout the day and the daytime ET suggests that the chamber is satisfactory for measurements of crop water use on field plots.     

Climate change in the Paraná state,Brazil: responses to increasing atmospheric CO 2 in reference evapotranspiration

The hydrological variable evapotranspiration (ET) is challenging to estimate because it cannot be measured directly in natural environments (except in small plots). The uncertainties associated with the models used for its prediction have increased under climate change conditions. We studied the influence of stomatal resistance on ET estimates using the Penman-Monteith method as projected by three general circulation models in two emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) for future climates throughout the twenty-first century (2010–2039, 2040–2069, and 2070–2099). We also investigated the probable ET rate changes in relation to the current (30 years average, 1980–2009) climate conditions for the Paraná state in the southern region of Brazil. The results were regionalized to help policymakers assess climate change impacts and design adaptation measures. ET increases of up to 15% were found in future climate conditions, which may lead to a significant increase in the water demand for agricultural crops. However, we believe that plant morphophysiological changes may occur under atmospheric CO2 enrichment conditions and that a possible reduction in stomatal conductance will result in lower ET increases than those obtained with the traditional Penman-Monteith method. When considering future climate scenarios, we propose the equation be adjusted to consider stomatal resistance as a function of CO2 concentrations.     

Potential impact of climate change on durum wheat cropping in Tunisia

The potential effect of climate change on durum wheat in Tunisia is assessed using a simple crop simulation model and a climate projection for the 2071–2100 period, obtained from the Météo-France ARPEGE-Climate atmospheric model run under the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) scenario A1B. In the process-oriented crop model, phenology is estimated through thermal time. Water balance is calculated on a daily basis by means of a simple modelling of actual evapotranspiration involving reference evapotranspiration, crop coefficients and some basic soil characteristics. The impact of crop water deficit on yield is accounted for through the linear crop-water production function developed by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). Two stations are chosen to study the climate change effect. They are representative of the main areas where cereals are grown in Tunisia: Jendouba in the northern region and Kairouan in the central region. In the future scenario, temperature systematically increases, whereas precipitation increases or decreases depending on the location and the period of the year. Mean annual precipitation declines in Jendouba and raises in Kairouan. Under climate change, the water conditions needed for sowing occur earlier and cycle lengths are reduced in both locations. Crop water deficit and the corresponding deficit in crop yield happen to be slightly lower in Kairouan; conversely, they become higher in Jendouba.     

Operational model for direct determination of evapotranspiration for well watered crops in Mediterranean region

Direct calculation of actual evapotranspiration ET_c based on Penman-Monteith type models gives more accurate values than indirect models, which need the determination of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficient. However, the direct models need the measurement of weather variables above the crop, which is limiting and not easily feasible in practice. An operational version of a known ET_c direct model is described and tested. This new version is based on the determination of the weather variables collected in a standard agro-meteorological station. The original and the operational versions of the ET_c model were validated on two crops with contrasting height: soybean (0.8 m) and sweet sorghum (3 m). For soybean, ET_c calculated with the two versions gave results very similar at both hourly and daily scales. For sweet sorghum, ET_c calculated with the operational version is good at daily scale and not as good, although acceptable, at the hourly scale.     

A model for predicting actual evapotranspiration under soil water stress in a Mediterranean region

Summary In this paper a model for estimating actual evapotranspiration is developed and tested for field crops (grain sorghum and sunflower) maintained under water stress conditions. The model is based on the Penman-Monteith formulation of ET in which canopy resistance (r _c) is modeled with respect to the crop water status and local climatological conditions. The model was previously tested on reference grass; in this last case no reference was made to soil water conditions andr _c was modeled only as a function of climatological parameters. Herer _c is expressed as a function of available energy, vapour pressure deficit, aerodynamic resistance and crop water status by means of predawn leaf water potential. Results, obtained with various crop water stress intensities, show that, on a daily scale, calculated ET is 98% and 95% of the measured ET for sorghum and sunflower respectively. The correlation between daily calculated and measured ET is very high (r ² = 0.95 for sorghum andr ² = 0.98 for sunflower). On an hourly scale, the model works very well when the crops were not stressed and during the senescence stage. In case of weak and strong stress the model has to be used with some precautions.With 9 Figures     

Assessing the performance of two models on calculating maize actual evapotranspiration in a semi-humid and drought-prone region of China

The two-step and one-step models for calculating evapotranspiration of maize were evaluated in a semi-humid and drought-prone region of northern China. Data were collected in the summers of 2013 and 2014 to determine relative model accuracy in calculating maize evaopotranspiration. The two-step model predicted daily evaoptranspiration with crop coefficients proposed by FAO and crop coefficient calibrated by local field data; the one-step model predicted daily evapotranspiration with coefficients derived by other researcher and coefficients calibrated by local field data. The predicted daily evapotranspiration in 2013 and 2014 growing seasons with the above two different models was both compared with the observed evapotranspiration with eddy covariance method. Furthermore, evapotranspiration in different growth stages of 2013 and 2014 maize growing seasons was predicted using the models with the local calibrated coefficients. The results indicated that calibration of models was necessary before using them to predict daily evapotranspiration. The model with the calibrated coefficients performed better with higher coefficient of determination and index of agreement and lower mean absolute error and root mean square error than before. And the two-step model better predicted daily evapotranspiration than the one-step model in our experimental field. Nevertheless, as to prediction ET of different growth stages, there still had some uncertainty when predicting evapotranspiration in different year. So the comparisons suggested that model prediction of crop evapotranspiration was practical, but requires calibration and validation with more data. Thus, considerable improvement is needed for these two models to be practical in predicting evapotranspiration for maize and other crops, more field data need to be measured, and an in-depth study still needs to be continued.     

Atmospheric aerosol characterization in 2010 anomalous summer season in the Moscow region

Daily measurements of atmospheric aerosol characteristics were carried out in Dolgoprudny (Moscow region) in June–August 2010. The particle concentrations at 11 size gradations within the range of 0.01–10 μm and the concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei active at water vapor supersaturation of 0.2–1% were determined. It is shown that the long anticyclonic conditions and the burning of forests and peat bogs resulted in the increase in total aerosol concentration in surface air by more than 1.5 times and in concentrations of particles with the diameter of 0.1–1 μm and > 1 μm by 5 and 10 times, respectively. The fire smoke mainly consisted of the particles with the size of 0.1–3 μm. The particles with the size of more than 5 μm were not observed. The recurrent visibility decrease up to hundreds of meters was caused by the increase in the concentration of particles with the diameter of more than 0.32μm in the air. During the smoke blanketing, the concentration of active condensation nuclei in aerosol increased almost by 20 times that created an opportunity for watering of aerosol particles and formation of the acid smog.     

An Observational Study of Wind-Induced Waving of Plants

The motions of individual plants and the turbulence statistics of surface winds measured near the top of a canopy are obtained over a wheat field and a rush field. Two typical cases of motions of individual plants are presented. The displacements of the ear of wheat (the plant height is 1.0 m) showed a natural oscillation in wind speeds of 1.6 m s⁻¹ measured at a height of 30 cm over a wheat canopy, while displacements of the stem of a rush plant were closely related to the fluctuations of surface winds in wind speeds of 1.7 m s⁻¹ measured at the top of the rush plant. The power spectra of displacements of a rush plant seem to support the negative seven-third power hypothesis proposed by Inoue. The frequency responses of displacements of plants to fluctuations of the instantaneous momentum flux are also presented.     

Direct evaporation from soil under a row crop canopy

A simplified measurement of the soil evaporation (E) component of evapotranspiration (ET) is needed to obtain independent measurements of transpiration (T) and to evaluate the effects of E and T on ET. Our objective in this study was to evaluate the use of small lysimeters placed under a crop canopy to measure the E component. Lysimeters were constructed of rigid PVC pipe sections, 20.3 cm in diameter and 20, 10, or 5 cm long. Water loss from the lysimeters was recorded daily. The water content of the soil surrounding the lysimeters was measured gravimetrically from composite 1-cm-increment cores sampled daily. The results reported are for two drying cycles of 16 and 13 days in July 1975 and 1976. In order for the lysimeters to behave as the surrounding soil, the water content of the lysimeters must be higher than the soil outside to compensate for changes under the natural conditions due to plant uptake, drainage and upward flow. Since the lysimeters depend on a set of compensating factors to directly measure E, estimates of E from them should be used with caution. A better use of the lysimeters would be to establish a relationship between lysimeter E and the surface soil water content and then use surface water content measurements to infer E.     

低温、干旱并发对玉米苗期生理过程的影响

该文从低温与干旱并发的角度出发, 探讨其对玉米苗期生理过程、生长发育过程产生的影响。通过2004年人工模拟试验, 定量研究了低温、干旱及低温、干旱并发对玉米苗期生理过程、生长发育的影响。研究结果表明:低温对光合作用速率、蒸腾速率均为负效应, 在土壤相对湿度适宜时, 温度由20 ℃降到16 ℃, 光合作用速率下降22.4%, 蒸腾速率下降44.0%。干旱对光合作用速率、蒸腾速率也是负效应, 在温度适宜, 土壤相对湿度由80%降至50%时, 光合作用速率下降11.5%;土壤相对湿度由60%降至50%时, 蒸腾速率下降2.7%。低温、干旱并发的影响远大于低温、干旱单因子的影响, 温度由20 ℃降至16 ℃, 土壤相对湿度由80%降至50%时, 光合作用速率下降32.1%, 蒸腾速率下降52.7%。     

Ozone Concentrations in Rural Regions of the Yangtze Delta in China

Elevated concentrations of ozone have been observed at six non-urban, surface monitoring sites in the Yangtze Delta of China during a 16-month field experiment carried out in 1999 and 2000 as part of the joint Chinese-American China-MAP Project (the Yangtze Delta of china as an Evolving Metro-Agro-Plex). The average daytime (0900–1600 h) ozone levels for the monitoring period at sites ranged from 35 to 47 ppbv (parts per billion by volume) and the mean ozone levels from 26 to 35 ppbv. Observed data show seasonal variation obviously, with highest mixing ratios of ozone in May. Average daytime ozone levels in May at sites were between 60 and 79 ppbv. High ozone concentrations were most prevalent during the late spring. Frequency counts of hourly mean ozone concentration over 60 ppbv and 40 ppbv appeared peak values of 22–39% and 42–74% in May at sites. Even higher daytime ozone levels were observed during two regional episodes, in which average daytime (0900–1600 h) ozone concentrations during 10 May and 23 May 2000 were 68 to 81 ppbv, during Oct. 18 and Oct. 28, 1999 were 59 to 67 ppbv at sites. Peak value of ozone mixing ratio appearing in late spring, instead of in summer, was attributed to summer monsoon. Backward trajectories showed that ozone episodes associated with meteorological conditions. Also many high ozone levels associated with high CO levels and high CO to NO _x ratios, which suggests a contribution from sources of emission involving incomplete combustion.