Effect of climate variability and meteorological extremes on the production of selected crops between 1801 and 2007

Name of the project: Effect of climate variability and meteorological extremes on the production of selected crops between 1801 and 2007

Provider: Czech Science Foundation

Duration: 2008-2010

Applicant: Ing. Mgr. Miroslav Trnka, Ph.D. (Ústav agrosystémů a bioklimatologie, AF, MZLU Brno)

Joint applicants: Prof. RNDr. Rudolf Brázdil, DrSc. (Geografický ústav PřF MU, Brno), RNDr. Martin Dubrovský, Ph.D. (Ústav fyziky atmosféry AV ČR), Dr. Ing. Martin Možný (Agrometeorologická observatoř Doksany, ČHMU Doksany)

Co-workers: Prof. Ing. Zdeněk Žalud, Ph.D., Ing. Petr Hlavinka, Ph.D. (Ústav agrosystémů a bioklimatologie, AF, MZLU Brno),
doc. RNDr. Petr Dobrovolný, CSc., Mgr. Pavel Zahradníček, Ph.D., (Geografický ústav PřF MU, Brno), Mgr. Petr Štěpánek, Ph.D.
(ČHMU Brno), PhDr. Hubert Valášek (MZA Brno)

Characteristics of the project:

The project focuses on the impact of past climate variability and extreme weather events on the production of selected crops in two target regions. At first unusually long series of observed data (1801-2007) will be reconstructed including data on:

    (A) Annual crop production at various levels (site, farm, district),

    (B) Crop technology e.g. crop rotation, fertilization, variety etc.,

    (C) Daily weather data and other parameters (e.g. soil characteristics).

Subsequently the combination of methods including range of agrometeorological indices and dynamic crop models will be used to answer the following questions:

    (1) Is it possible to detect changes in climate variability and frequency/severity of meteorological extremes relevant for crop production since 1800?

    (2) Has the vulnerability of the crop production to the climate variability and meteorological extremes changed with time (e.g. through technology innovation or changes in climate variability)?

    (3) How vulnerable are the modern farming methods in the light of observed weather variability during past 200 years?

    (4) Could some parts of the observed weather record be used as a proxy for future climate conditions?

    (5) How was the agriculture affected during these periods and what were the adaptation mechanisms?

Publikace:

Brázdil, R., Zahradníček, P., Dobrovolný, P., Kotyza, O., Valášek, H. (2008): Historical and recent viticulture as a source of climatological knowledge in the Czech Republic. Geografie – Sborník České geografické společnosti, 113, 4, 351–371.

Brázdil, R., Trnka, M., Dobrovolný, P., Chromá, K., Hlavinka, P., Žalud, Z. (2008): Variability of droughts in the Czech Republic, 1881-2006. Theoretical and Applied Climatology (on line). DOI: 10.1007/s00704-008-0065-x

Zahradníček, P. (2009): The temporal dynamics of the grapevine phenophases and thein prediction for future. In: Přibylova, A, Bičařova, S. (eds): Sustainable development and Bioclimate. Stará lesná 5-8.10.2009. Slovenská bioklimatologická společnost, ISBN: 978-80-900450-1-9, 180-182

Zahradníček, P., Hájková, L. (2009): Vliv meteorologických prvků na vybrané fenologické fáze révy vinné a jejich časová dynamika. Meteorologické Zprávy, 62, 3, 51-59