Soil and Climate Change
Climate Change Impact on Agriculture
Agriculture is strongly influenced by weather and climate. While farmers are often flexible in dealing with weather and year-to-year variability, there is nevertheless a high degree of adaptation to the local climate in the form of established infrastructure, local farming practice, and individual experience. Climate change poses unprecedented challenges to U.S. agriculture because of the sensitivity of agricultural productivity and costs to changing climate conditions. Climate change has and will impact agricultural productivity in the U.S. through increased mean temperatures, alterations in rainfall patterns, more frequent occurrences of climate extremes (including temperature and precipitation), increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, and altered patterns of pest pressure. This increasing climate volatility will make it more challenging for producers to operate as they face climate-related challenges and natural disasters in addition to an already challenging farm economy but also provide opportunities for improvements.
Crop Response to Changing Climate
As temperatures increase over the next century, shifts may occur in crop production areas because temperatures will no longer occur within the range, or during the critical time period for optimal growth and yield of crops. In the mid-latitude regions (45 to 60°), present temperature zones are projected to increase and extend northwards, especially for cereals and cool season seed crops. Since each of today's latitudinal climate belts is optimal for particular crops, such shifts could strongly affect agricultural and livestock production. Efforts to shift crops in response could be limited by the inability of soil types in the new climate zones to support intensive agriculture as practiced today in the main producer countries. There may be production time lost as producers adapt to this shift in climate change, and another secure food source may be required during this transition stage.
Livestock Response to Changing Climate
Projected increases in daily maximum temperatures and heat waves will lead to further heat stress for livestock. Temperatures beyond the optimal range negatively impact the physiological functions of animals and result in increased intake of water and reduced feed intake. Heat stress also decreases reproductive efficiency. High temperatures associated with drought conditions adversely affect pasture and range conditions and reduce forage crop and grain production, thereby reducing feed availability for livestock. Forage production may be expanded as growing seasons lengthen, but this benefit will depend on water availability. Shifts in plant species in pastures and rangelands, particularly an increase in perennial herbaceous species, will create greater spring water demands.
Pests Response to Climate Change
As is the case with crops and livestock, climate change affects weeds, insect pests, and pathogens. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, coupled with increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, create new conditions that change weed-infestation intensity, insect population levels, the incidence of pathogens, and the geographic distribution of many of these pests. For agriculture, such effects can alter production yields and quality, and may necessitate changes to management practices. These indirect effects may also increase farming costs, as additional inputs may be required to manage the influence of weeds, invasive species, insects, and other pests.
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