Agricultural Meteorology/Climatology

Abstract

Agricultural meteorology (also referred to as agrometeorology) is the study of the effects of weather on agriculture, while agricultural climatology (alternatively, agroclimatology) is concerned with the effects of climate on agriculture. These fields of study share many of the same goals, philosophies, approaches, and methods. As a consequence, disciplinary boundaries are indistinct, and the terms “agricultural meteorology” and “agrometeorology” are increasingly used interchangeably with “agricultural climatology” and “agroclimatology.” Agricultural meteorology/climatology is oftentimes considered a bridge between the physical and biological sciences, although this interdisciplinarity increasingly includes the social sciences. While most research has focused on the production of food staples (e.g., maize, rice, and wheat), agricultural meteorologists and climatologists also address the influence of weather and climate on specialty crops, animal husbandry, commercial forestry, and aquaculture. Management of agricultural pests and diseases is another major focus. Atmospheric and biophysical processes operating at a wide range of temporal and spatial scales—from seconds to centuries and from an individual leaf to a global agricultural system—are explored. Agricultural meteorologists and climatologists promote the sustainable management of agricultural resources and strive to improve the livelihoods of agricultural stakeholders. Both basic and applied research are conducted to further these goals, and agricultural meteorologists and climatologists are often involved in the development, delivery, and evaluation of agricultural services. These services range from decision support tools for daily agricultural operations to services focused on seasonal or longer-term planning. Observations of the atmosphere-plant-soil environment are central to research and applications in agricultural meteorology/climatology, as are empirical and process-based models. Agriculture is highly vulnerable to climate variability and change, and potential adaptation strategies are widely investigated. Mitigation is also a concern as many agriculture activities emit greenhouse gases or contribute to land cover change. As other entries in Oxford Bibliographies address the theoretical aspects of atmosphere-plant-soil interactions (see “Land-Atmosphere Interactions” by Geoffrey M. Henebry, Nathan J. Moore, and Jiquan Chen), this entry primarily focuses on the applications-based literature in agricultural meteorology/climatology. The intent is to draw on both classic and recent literature to illustrate the nature of the research questions and applications of concern to agricultural meteorologists and climatologists, the approaches they use to address these questions and concerns, and the types of agricultural services they provide.