Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
table 1.2
Negative impacts on agriculture
S. no.
Evidence of climate change
Impact on agricultural production
1
More spring precipitation causes
water logging of soils
Delay planting, reduced yields,
compaction, change to lower-yielding
genetics
2
Higher humidity promotes disease
and fungus
Yield loss, increased remediation costs
3
Higher night-time temperatures in
summer
Plant stress and yield loss
4
More intense rain events at the
beginning of crop cycle
Re-planting and field maintenance costs;
loss of soil productivity and soil carbon
5
More droughts
Yield loss; stress on livestock; increase in
irrigation costs; increased costs to bring
feed and water to livestock
6
More floods
Re-planting costs, loss of soil productivity
and soil carbon; damage to infrastructure
and logistics
7
More over-wintering of pests due
to warmer winter low temperature
Yield loss, increased remediation costs
8
More vigorous weed growth due to
temperature, precipitation and
CO
2
changes
Yield loss, increased remediation costs
9
Summer time heat stress on
livestock
Productivity loss, increase in miscarriages,
may restrict cows on pasture
10
Temperature changes increase
disease among pollinators
Losses to cropping (forage, fruits,
vegetables) systems
11
Increased taxes or regulations on
energy-dependent inputs to
agriculture (e.g. nitrogen fertiliser)
Profitability impacts on producers; loss of
small-scale farm supply dealers
12
New diseases or re-emergence of
diseases that had been eradicated
or under control
Enlarged spread pattern, diffusion range
and amplification of animal diseases
crops are projected to increase and extend northwards, espe-
cially for cereals and cool season seed crops (Maracchi et al.,
2005; Tuck et al., 2006). Crops prevalent in southern Europe
such as maize, sunflower and soya beans could also become
viable further north and at higher altitudes (Hildén et al., 2005;
Audsley et al., 2006). Here, yields could increase by as much
as 30% by the 2050s, depending on the crop (Alexandrov et al.,
2002; Ewert et al., 2005; Richter and Semenov, 2005; Audsley
et al., 2006). Large gains in potential agricultural land was pro-
jected for the Russian Federation in the coming century (64%
increase over 245 million hectares by the 2080s) due to its
