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Author Challinor, A.J.; Smith, M.S.; Thornton, P.
Title Use of agro-climate ensembles for quantifying uncertainty and informing adaptation Type Journal Article
Year 2013 Publication Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Abbreviated Journal Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
Volume 170 Issue Pages 2-7
Keywords Climate models; Crop models; Ensembles; Climate change; Adaptation; Food security; Climate variability; Uncertainty; Crop yield
Abstract ► Introduces the special issue on Agricultural prediction using climate model ensembles. ► Discuss remaining scientific challenges. ► Develops distinction between projection- and utility-based ensemble modelling. ► Recommendations made RE modelling and the analysis and reporting of uncertainty. Significant progress has been made in the use of ensemble agricultural and climate modelling, and observed data, to project future productivity and to develop adaptation options. An increasing number of agricultural models are designed specifically for use with climate ensembles, and improved methods to quantify uncertainty in both climate and agriculture have been developed. Whilst crop–climate relationships are still the most common agricultural study of this sort, on-farm management, hydrology, pests, diseases and livestock are now also examined. This paper introduces all of these areas of progress, with more detail being found in the subsequent papers in the special issue. Remaining scientific challenges are discussed, and a distinction is developed between projection- and utility-based approaches to agro-climate ensemble modelling. Recommendations are made regarding the manner in which uncertainty is analysed and reported, and the way in which models and data are used to make inferences regarding the future. A key underlying principle is the use of models as tools from which information is extracted, rather than as competing attempts to represent reality.
Address 2015-09-23
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language (down) English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0168-1923 ISBN Medium Article
Area Expedition Conference
Notes CropM, ftnotmacsur Approved no
Call Number MA @ admin @ Serial 4690
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Author Köchy, M.; Hiederer, R.; Freibauer, A.
Title Global distribution of soil organic carbon – Part 1: Masses and frequency distributions of SOC stocks for the tropics, permafrost regions, wetlands, and the world Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication Soil Abbreviated Journal Soil
Volume 1 Issue Pages 351-365
Keywords
Abstract •Soils contain 1062 Pg organic C (SOC) in 0-1 m depth based on the adjusted Harmonized World Soil Database. Different estimates of bulk density of Histosols cause an uncertainty in the range of -56/+180 Pg. We also report the frequency distribution of SOC stocks by continent, wetland type, and permafrost type. Using additional estimates for frozen and deeper soils, global soils are estimated to contain 1325 Pg SOC in 0-1m and ca. 3000 Pg, including deeper layers. The global soil organic carbon (SOC) mass is relevant for the carbon cycle budget and thus atmospheric carbon concentrations. We review current estimates of SOC stocks and mass (stock × area) in wetlands, permafrost and tropical regions and the world in the upper 1 m of soil. The Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) v.1.2 provides one of the most recent and coherent global data sets of SOC, giving a total mass of 2476 Pg when using the original values for bulk density. Adjusting the HWSD’s bulk density (BD) of soil high in organic carbon results in a mass of 1230 Pg, and additionally setting the BD of Histosols to 0.1 g cm−3 (typical of peat soils), results in a mass of 1062 Pg. The uncertainty in BD of Histosols alone introduces a range of −56 to +180 Pg C into the estimate of global SOC mass in the top 1 m, larger than estimates of global soil respiration. We report the spatial distribution of SOC stocks per 0.5 arcminutes; the areal masses of SOC; and the quantiles of SOC stocks by continents, wetland types, and permafrost types. Depending on the definition of “wetland”, wetland soils contain between 82 and 158 Pg SOC. With more detailed estimates for permafrost from the Northern Circumpolar Soil Carbon Database (496 Pg SOC) and tropical peatland carbon incorporated, global soils contain 1325 Pg SOC in the upper 1 m, including 421 Pg in tropical soils, whereof 40 Pg occurs in tropical wetlands. Global SOC amounts to just under 3000 Pg when estimates for deeper soil layers are included. Variability in estimates is due to variation in definitions of soil units, differences in soil property databases, scarcity of information about soil carbon at depths > 1 m in peatlands, and variation in definitions of “peatland”.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language (down) English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2199-398x ISBN Medium Article
Area Expedition Conference
Notes LiveM, Hub, ft_macsur Approved no
Call Number MA @ admin @ Serial 4686
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Author Kim, D.-G.; Thomas, A.D.; Pelster, D.; Rosenstock, T.S.; Sanz-Cobena, A.
Title Greenhouse gas emissions from natural ecosystems and agricultural lands in sub-Saharan Africa: synthesis of available data and suggestions for further research Type Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication Biogeosciences Abbreviated Journal Biogeosciences
Volume 13 Issue 16 Pages 4789-4809
Keywords nitrous-oxide emissions; soil CO2 efflux; N2O emissions; carbon-dioxide; agroforestry residues; improved-fallow; disturbance gradient; fertilizer; nitrogen; sampling frequency; gaseous emissions
Abstract This paper summarizes currently available data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from African natural ecosystems and agricultural lands. The available data are used to synthesize current understanding of the drivers of change in GHG emissions, outline the knowledge gaps, and suggest future directions and strategies for GHG emission research. GHG emission data were collected from 75 studies conducted in 22 countries (n = 244) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were by far the largest contributor to GHG emissions and global warming potential (GWP) in SSA natural terrestrial systems. CO2 emissions ranged from 3.3 to 57.0 Mg CO2 ha(-1) yr(-1), methane (CH4) emissions ranged from -4.8 to 3.5 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) (-0.16 to 0.12 Mg CO2 equivalent (eq.) ha(-1) yr(-1)), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions ranged from -0.1 to 13.7 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) (-0.03 to 4.1 Mg CO2 eq. ha(-1) yr(-1)). Soil physical and chemical properties, rewetting, vegetation type, forest management, and land-use changes were all found to be important factors affecting soil GHG emissions from natural terrestrial systems. In aquatic systems, CO2 was the largest contributor to total GHG emissions, ranging from 5.7 to 232.0 Mg CO2 ha(-1) yr(-1), followed by -26.3 to 2741.9 kgCH(4) ha(-1) yr(-1) (-0.89 to 93.2 Mg CO2 eq. ha(-1) yr(-1)) and 0.2 to 3.5 kg N2O ha(-1) yr(-1) (0.06 to 1.0 Mg CO2 eq. ha(-1) yr(-1)). Rates of all GHG emissions from aquatic systems were affected by type, location, hydrological characteristics, and water quality. In croplands, soil GHG emissions were also dominated by CO2, ranging from 1.7 to 141.2 Mg CO2 ha(-1) yr(-1), with -1.3 to 66.7 kgCH(4) ha(-1) yr(-1) (-0.04 to 2.3 Mg CO2 eq. ha(-1) yr(-1)) and 0.05 to 112.0 kg N2O ha(-1) yr(-1) (0.015 to 33.4 Mg CO2 eq. ha(-1) yr(-1)). N2O emission factors (EFs) ranged from 0.01 to 4.1 %. Incorporation of crop residues or manure with inorganic fertilizers invariably resulted in significant changes in GHG emissions, but results were inconsistent as the magnitude and direction of changes were differed by gas. Soil GHG emissions from vegetable gardens ranged from 73.3 to 132.0 Mg CO2 ha(-1) yr(-1) and 53.4 to 177.6 kg N2O ha(-1) yr(-1) (15.9 to 52.9 Mg CO2 eq. ha(-1) yr(-1)) and N2O EFs ranged from 3 to 4 %. Soil CO2 and N2O emissions from agroforestry were 38.6 Mg CO2 ha(-1) yr(-1) and 0.2 to 26.7 kg N2O ha(-1) yr(-1) (0.06 to 8.0 Mg CO2 eq. ha(-1) yr(-1)), respectively. Improving fallow with nitrogen (N)-fixing trees led to increased CO2 and N2O emissions compared to conventional croplands. The type and quality of plant residue in the fallow is an important control on how CO2 and N2O emissions are affected. Throughout agricultural lands, N2O emissions slowly increased with N inputs below 150 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) and increased exponentially with N application rates up to 300 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1). The lowest yield-scaled N2O emissions were reported with N application rates ranging between 100 and 150 kg N ha(-1). Overall, total CO2 eq. emissions from SSA natural ecosystems and agricultural lands were 56.9 +/- 12.7 x 10(9) Mg CO2 eq. yr(-1) with natural ecosystems and agricultural lands contributing 76.3 and 23.7 %, respectively. Additional GHG emission measurements are urgently required to reduce uncertainty on annual GHG emissions from the different land uses and identify major control factors and mitigation options for low-emission development. A common strategy for addressing this data gap may include identifying priorities for data acquisition, utilizing appropriate technologies, and involving international networks and collaboration.
Address 2016-10-18
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language (down) English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1726-4170 ISBN Medium Article
Area Expedition Conference
Notes CropM, ft_macsur Approved no
Call Number MA @ admin @ Serial 4687
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Author Mitter, H.; Heumesser, C.; Schmid, E.
Title Spatial modeling of robust crop production portfolios to assess agricultural vulnerability and adaptation to climate change Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication Land Use Policy Abbreviated Journal Land Use Policy
Volume 46 Issue Pages 75-90
Keywords climate change impact; adaptation; agricultural vulnerability; portfolio optimization; agricultural policy; agri-environmental payment; adaptive capacity; change impacts; risk-aversion; land-use; ecosystem services; change scenarios; europe; policy; future; water
Abstract Agricultural vulnerability to climate change is likely to vary considerably between agro-environmental regions. Exemplified on Austrian cropland, we aim at (i) quantifying climate change impacts on agricultural vulnerability which is approximated by the indicators crop yields and gross margins, (ii) developing robust crop production portfolios for adaptation, and (iii) analyzing the effect of agricultural policies and risk aversion on the choice of crop production portfolios. We have employed a spatially explicit, integrated framework to assess agricultural vulnerability and adaptation. It combines a statistical climate change model for Austria and the period 2010-2040, a crop rotation model, the bio-physical process model EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate), and a portfolio optimization model. We find that under climate change, crop production portfolios include higher shares of intensive crop management practices, increasing average crop yields by 2-15% and expected gross margins by 3-18%, respectively. The results depend on the choice of adaptation measures and on the level of risk aversion and vary by region. In the semi-arid eastern parts of Austria, average dry matter crop yields are lower but gross margins are higher than in western Austria due to bio-physical and agronomic heterogeneities. An abolishment of decoupled farm payments and a threefold increase in agri-environmental premiums would reduce nitrogen inputs by 23-33%, but also crop yields and gross margins by 18-37%, on average. From a policy perspective, a twofold increase in agri-environmental premiums could effectively reduce the trade-offs between crop production and environmental impacts. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language (down) English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0264-8377 ISBN Medium Article
Area Expedition Conference
Notes TradeM, ft_macsur Approved no
Call Number MA @ admin @ Serial 4675
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Author Llonch, P.; Lawrence, A.B.; Haskell, M.J.; Blanco-Penedo, I.; Turner, S.P.
Title The need for a quantitative assessment of animal welfare trade-offs in climate change mitigation scenarios Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication Advances in Animal Biosciences Abbreviated Journal Advances in Animal Biosciences
Volume 6 Issue 01 Pages 9-11
Keywords GHG mitigation; animal welfare; sustainable production
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language (down) English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 2040-4700 ISBN Medium Article
Area Expedition Conference
Notes LiveM, ft_macsur Approved no
Call Number MA @ admin @ Serial 4677
Permanent link to this record