1. Coupled crop-climate modelling
Tom Osborne
Crops and Climate Group

2. Crops and climate: a coupled system?
The atmosphere influences the growth of crops
temperature,
humidity,
rainfall,
CO2
The land surface influences the state of the atmosphere
CO2
heat,
moisture,
momentum

3. Crops currently occupy 12% of the land surface

4. Added a fully interactive representation of annual crops to HadAM3.
Simulates both the impacts of weather on crop growth and the influence of the changing land surface on the atmosphere.
time
Osborne et al (2007) Development and Assessment of a Coupled Crop-Climate Model Global Change Biology, 13(1)

6. Tropical rain-fed annual crop, e.g. groundnut
Leaf Area Index

7. SE India
Wet
Dry
CI (5,95)
Dry years drier and hotter in GROW cf. FIX

8. “where growing crops influence surface temperature AND
Impact of change in growing season temperature variability, due to interactive crops, on variability of crop yield.
“where growing crops influence surface temperature AND
where surface temperature affects crop growth”

9. Ramankutty et al (2006) asked is the regional climate now more or less suitable for cultivation of crops following land cover change?
Suitability indicators: thermal time & soil moisture availability

10. Source: www.sage.wisc.edu

11. Thanks for your time