Forgot your password?
Working Group 1
Agroclimatic Indices and Simulation Models.
Agricultural activity is strongly related to climatic variables that are the main causes of the year to year variation of quantity and quality of production. Physiological processes (respiration, photosynthesis, transpiration), as well as growth and development are influenced by the patterns of each climatic variable and their combination diurnally, monthly, seasonally and annually. The direct consequence is differences in the success of cultivation, and profit for the growers.
To determine the relationships between climatic conditions and agricultural systems, several indices and simulation models can be used. In this way information can be obtained concerning the chemical, biological and physical relationships among the system
components. At the same time this knowledge can be applied to manage the system with respect to irrigation, crop protection, harvesting, fertilisation, etc.
Simulation models and indices describe the effect of climate on a specific crop and a specific process (phenological development, growth, damage on production, disease development, water balance). Concerning climatic impacts, the activity of this WG will mainly address the following hazards, directly or indirectly arising from atmospheric conditions: rainfall, flood, frost, drought, hail, heatwave, seasonal shift (length of growing season, budbreak), change in pest and disease, fire, wind and snow. Their evaluation will be done according to the characteristics of each crop in terms of seasonal development, characteristics of production, cultivation methods, etc. General descriptions can also be obtained, such as the number of frost days during the year, total precipitation, length of dry period, etc.
Deliverables
Key deliverables of WG1 will be:
- a review and assessment of agroclimatic indices and simulation models relevant for various European agricultural activities;
- a collection of agroclimatic indices and simulation models and their relationships with specific crop responses;
- the identification of model outputs and index thresholds relevant to evaluate the responses of crops to climate change and variability.
