Cover crops grown in fields during winter may be warming temperatures in the northern United States and southern Canada, according to a new study by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Cover crops grown in fields during winter may be warming temperatures in the northern United States and southern Canada, according to a new study by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The crops, a land management strategy farmers use between growing seasons, create a darker surface than a snow-covered field, absorbing more heat from the Sun and producing a local warming effect.
Cover crops have several ecological benefits, such as reducing erosion and increasing soil productivity, but until now researchers have not looked at the way cover crops could be affecting winter temperatures.
“Most people look at cover crops for the localized benefits, but the fact that they might increase winter temperature means they could contribute to regional climate change," said Danica Lombardozzi, a plant ecologist at NCAR and lead author on the paper.
Vegetation protruding above the snow will reduce the reflectivity, or albedo, of the surface. Instead of the bright snow reflecting solar heat back into space, crop stems and leaves absorb the heat and warm the atmosphere around them.
Read more at National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Photo credit: Taken via Pixabay
