Study on the Micrometeorological Characteristics and Energy Balance of Winter Wheat Canopy

[Objective] The micrometeorology features and energy balance of winter wheat canopy were studied.[Method] By means of micrometeorological data of winter wheat canopy at booting stage,heading and flowering stage,filling stage and mature stage and the data from local meteorological station,the temporal and spatial variation law of micrometeorology features of winter wheat canopy were researched,and the daily and seasonal variation of energy balance were further analyzed.[Result] The daily variation of winter wheat canopy temperature and air temperature showed sinusoidal trend,and air temperature changed with height,while temperature was highest at heading and flowering stage.The daily variation of humidity also showed sinusoidal trend,and humidity was highest and saturation deficit was lowest in the middle of canopy,while the maximum humidity appeared at heading and flowering stage.In addition,the daily variation of wind speed in the upper canopy showed single peak trend.There was obvious daily variation and seasonal variation of energy balance in winter wheat field,and the daily variation of net radiation also showed single peak trend,while sensible heat flux was highest at filling stage and lowest at heading and flowering stage,and latent heat flux was highest at heading and flowering stage and lowest at booting stage.[Conclusion] Our study could provide scientific evidence for the study of disaster prevention and mitigation and the improvement of yield and quality of winter wheat.

Comparison of carbon-stock changes, eddycovariance carbon fluxes and model estimates in coastal Douglas-fir stands in British Columbia

Background： The global network of eddy-covariance （EC） flux-towers has improved the understanding of the terrestrial carbon （C） cycle, however, the network has a relatively limited spatial extent compared to forest inventory data and plots. Developing methods to use inventory-based and EC flux measurements together with modeling approaches is necessary evaluate forest C dynamics across broad spatial extents. Methods： Changes in C stock change （AC） were computed based on repeated measurements of forest inventory plots and compared with separate measurements of cumulative net ecosystem productivity （~NEP） over four years （2003 - 2006） for Douglas-fir （Pseudotsuga menzies# var menziesil} dominated regeneration （HDF00）, juvenile （HDF88 and HDF90） and near-rotation （DF49） aged stands （6, 18, 20, 57 years old in 2006, respectively） in coastal British Columbia. AC was determined from forest inventory plot data alone, and in a hybrid approach using inventory data along with litter fall data and published decay equations to determine the change in detrital pools. These AC-based estimates were then compared with Y_NEP measured at an eddy-covariance flux-tower （EC-flux） and modelled by the Carbon Budget Model - Canadian Forest Sector （CBM-CFS3） using historic forest inventory and forest disturbance data. Footprint analysis was used with remote sensing, soils and topography data to evaluate how well the inventory plots represented the range of stand conditions within the area of the flux-tower footprint and to spatially scale the plot data to the area of the EC-flux and model based estimates, Results： The closest convergence among methods was for the juvenile stands while the largest divergences were for the regenerating clearcut, followed by the near-rotation stand. At the regenerating clearcut, footprint weighting of CBM-CFS3 TNEP increased convergence with EC flux Z_NEP, but not for AC. While spatial scaling and footprint weighting did not increase convergence for AC, they did provide confidence that the sample plots represented site conditions as measured by the EC tower. Conclusions： Methods to use inventory and EC flux measurements together with modeling approaches are necessary to understand forest C dynamics across broad spatial extents. Each approach has advantages and limitations that need to be considered for investigations at varying spatial and temporal scales.

Wind Power Potential in Interior Alaska from a Micrometeorological Perspective

The wind power potential in Interior Alaska is evaluated from a micrometeorological perspective. Based on the local balance equation of momentum and the equation of continuity we derive the local balance equation of kinetic energy for macroscopic and turbulent systems, and in a further step, Bernoulli’s equation and integral equations that customarily serve as the key equations in momentum theory and blade-element analysis, where the Lanchester-Betz-Joukowsky limit, Glauert’s optimum actuator disk, and the results of the blade-element analysis by Okulov and Sorensen are exemplarily illustrated. The wind power potential at three different sites in Interior Alaska (Delta Junction, Eva Creek, and Poker Flat) is assessed by considering the results of wind field predictions for the winter period from October 1, 2008, to April 1, 2009 provided by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to avoid time-consuming and expensive tall-tower observations in Interior Alaska which is characterized by a relatively low degree of infrastructure outside of the city of Fairbanks. To predict the average power output we use the Weibull distributions derived from the predicted wind fields for these three different sites and the power curves of five different propeller-type wind turbines with rated powers ranging from 2 MW to 2.5 MW. These power curves are represented by general logistic functions. The predicted power capacity for the Eva Creek site is compared with that of the Eva Creek wind farm established in 2012. The results of our predictions for the winter period 2008/2009 are nearly 20 percent lower than those of the Eva Creek wind farm for the period from January to September 2013.

Bowen Ratio Energy Balance Measurement of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Fluxes of No-Till and Conventional Tillage Agriculture in Lesotho

Global food demand requires that soils be used intensively for agriculture, but how these soils are managed greatly impacts soil fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2). Soil management practices can cause carbon to be either sequestered or emitted, with corresponding uncertain influence on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The situation is further complicated by the lack of CO2 flux measurements for African subsistence farms. For widespread application in remote areas, a simple experimental methodology is desired. As a first step, the present study investigated the use of Bowen Ratio Energy Balance (BREB) instrumentation to measure the energy balance and CO2 fluxes of two contrasting crop management systems, till and no-till, in the lowlands within the mountains of Lesotho. Two BREB micrometeorological systems were established on 100-m by 100-m sites, both planted with maize (Zea mays) but under either conventional (plow, disk-disk) or no-till soil mangement systems. The results demonstrate that with careful maintenance of the instruments by appropriately trained local personnel, the BREB approach offers substantial benefits in measuring real time changes in agroecosystem CO2 flux. The periods where the two treatments could be compared indicated greater CO2 sequestration over the no-till treatments during both the growing and non-growing seasons.

Characterisation of Micrometeorological Parameters in Ecuadorian Highland

The interaction among air and soil affects the dynamic in the atmospheric boundary layer, this research seeks to describe this variation in small scale, in the Ecuadorian Highlands Regions and the variations produced due to its elevation and geographical position, using as base the Van Ulden and Hostlang (1985) models. From this research, there was a conclusion that the zone has strong fluids of sensitive heat and superficial heat with small variations in the latent fluid heat. Besides, there were significant variations of the Obukov length between 17:00 and 19:00, when the sunset occurs, producing a thermal inversion that modifies the atmospheric dynamic state, these results average vary during the day hours and are regulars in the daily and monthly average, in the research year, given the zone geographical position. The meteorological data utilized were taken from the meteorological station from Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo located in the Ecuadorian Highlands.

Evaluation of Methods for Control of Ammonia Volatilization from Surface-Applied Nitrogen Fertilizers to Sugarcane Trash in North Queensland

Micrometeorological and microplot experiments were conducted in the field of freshly harvested green cane in Queensland, Australia. Results showed that high ammonia loss of fertilizer N could occur under relatively dry conditions when urea or commercial product of mixture of urea and muriate of potash were applied to the surface of sugarcane trash. The moisture content in the trash and the pH of fertilizer were two important factors controlling the processes of urea hydrolysis and ammonia volatilization. Most of the N in the soil was transformed to the nitrate+ nitrite from after 70 days of fertilizer application. No significant leaching was found. Urea-free N fertilizers had higher N recoveries compared to urea-containing fertilizers. .

Urban Heat Island Assessment for a Tropical Urban Airshed in India

There has been paucity of field campaigns in India in past few decades on the urban heat island intensities (UHI). Remote sensing observations provide useful information on urban heat island intensities and hotspots as supplement or proxy to in-situ surface based measurements. A case study has been undertaken to assess and compare the UHI and hotspots based on in-situ measurements and remote sensing observations as the later method can be used as a proxy in absence of in-situ measurements both spatially and temporally. Capital of India, megacity Delhi has grown by leaps and bounds during past 2 - 3 decades and strongly represents tropical climatic conditions where such studies and field campaigns are practically non-existent. Thus, a field campaign was undertaken during summer, 2008 named DELHI-I (Delhi Experiments to Learn Heat Island Intensity-I) in this megacity. Urban heat island effects were found to be most dominant in areas of dense built up infrastructure and at commercial centers. The heat island intensity (UHI) was observed to be higher in magnitude both during afternoon hours and night hours (maximum up to 8.3?C) similar to some recent studies. The three high ranking urban heat island locations in the city are within commercial and/or densely populated areas. The results of this field campaign when compared with MODIS-Terra data of land surface temperature revealed that UHI hotspots are comparable only during nighttime. During daytime, similar comparison was less satisfactory. Further, available relationship of maximum UHI with population data is applied for the current measurements and discussed in the context of maximum UHI of various other countries.

Determination of Evapotranspiration and Water Use Efficiency in Crop Production

The main concern in cultivating crops has always been water availability. To increase food production, water plays a major role after securing a large portion of land area. Knowledge of the factors influencing crop water use efficiency and hope to increase the efficiency has continued to be an objective in many modern studies. The gap between irrigation supply and demand is increasing from year to year as a result of an increase in population growing rate and people moving from place to place. Searching for new water may be a too difficult and very expensive process, so the shortest and easiest way is to maximize the water use efficiency throughout optimizing water use efficiency and the first step on that is determination of the actual crop water requirements.

Effect of Microclimatic Modification on Growth and Yield of Sesame （Sesamum indicum L.） in a Semi-Desert Region of Northern Sudan

An investigation was carried out in the semi- desert region of northern Sudan, during 2000, to study the influence of different micrometeorological parameters on growth and yield of sesame under alley cropping system. Sesame, cv. Kenana-2, was grown in 6-m wide alleys formed by 3 year old Acacia ampliceps and Acacia stenophylla. Air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, solar energy and shade behaviour were measured throughout the growing season. Irrigation was measured by water meter and soil moisture by gravimetric sampling at depths of 15, 30, 45 and 60 cm, in alley cropping and control plots. Sesame was evaluated for growth and yield performance in southern, central and northern parts of each alley. The results showed substantial reduction in wind runs, solar radiation and air temperature, while relative humidity was increased under alley conditions. Soil moisture content, especially in the upper 045 cm soil depth, was much higher in alley cropped plots than in the control plots. A. stenophylla resulted in the highest saving of irrigation water and considerably increased （40%） sesame seed yield. In contrast, sesame seed yield was reduced by 46% under A. ampliceps-alley cropping. Competition for light and water were highly responsible for variation in sesame seed yield in the different zones of the alley. A. stenophylla tree is, therefore, recommended in an alley cropping system in the semi-desert region of northern Sudan for its superiority in optimizing radiation and saving of irrigation water.