Physics
Scientific paper
Mar 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006georl..3306708l&link_type=abstract
Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 33, Issue 6, CiteID L06708
Physics
23
Biogeosciences: Agricultural Systems, Global Change: Earth System Modeling (1225), Global Change: Land Cover Change
Scientific paper
It is well known that expansion of agriculture into natural ecosystems can have important climatic consequences, but changes occurring within existing croplands also have the potential to effect local and global climate. To better understand the impacts of cropland management practices, we used the NCAR CAM3 general circulation model coupled to a slab-ocean model to simulate climate change under extreme scenarios of irrigation, tillage, and crop productivity. Compared to a control scenario, increases in irrigation and leaf area index and reductions in tillage all have a physical cooling effect by causing increases in planetary albedo. The cooling is most pronounced for irrigation, with simulated local cooling up to ~8°C and global land surface cooling of 1.3°C. Increases in soil albedo through reduced tillage are found to have a global cooling effect (~0.2°C) comparable to the biogeochemical cooling from reported carbon sequestration potentials. By identifying the impacts of extreme scenarios at local and global scales, this study effectively shows the importance of considering different aspects of crop management in the development of climate models, analysis of observed climate trends, and design of policy intended to mitigate climate change.
Bala Govindasamy
Duffy Philip B.
Lobell David B.
No associations
LandOfFree
Biogeophysical impacts of cropland management changes on climate does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Biogeophysical impacts of cropland management changes on climate, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Biogeophysical impacts of cropland management changes on climate will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1137418