ARS | Publication request: CLIMATE IMPACTS ON CROP RESIDUE DECOMPOSITION

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 9, 1998
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: A series of field and laboratory experiments was initiated to develop a modular residue decomposition model, in cooperation with the Wind Erosion Prediction System core team, to improve our ability to simulate wind erosion under diverse management systems across the nation. Characteristics of the model include: 1) applicable using soils, weather, and crop data from USDA-NRCS along with site-specific management information, 2) surface residue decomposition predicted as a function of rainfall and air temperature and subsurface decomposition based on soil water content and temperature, 3) climatic parameters normalized relative to optimal conditions to relate laboratory studies to field conditions, 4) decomposition of standing residue (such as in no-tillage management) predicted separately from flat residue decomposition, and 5) soil cover related to flat mass, rather than to total residue mass. The development, performance, and applicability of this model to improved agricultural conservation and management will be discussed.