Climatology and Environmental Biophysics

Global Warming & Carbon Sequestration:

Predicted global warming calls for a reduction of the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. Research documents the flux of carbon dioxide at the soil-air interface and investigates ways to sequestrate photosynthate-C into the soil organic matter through agricultural management practices.

• C and N simulation modeling: models NCSWAP/NCSOIL (Molina)
• Measurement of in situ soil total and tracer CO2 concentration (Baker)
• Long-term field experiment: NTRM plots ( Baker, Clapp )
• Tillage-induced CO2 loss (Reicosky)
• Natural organic matter: NOM center (Bloom, Clapp)

Frozen soils

Soils in Minnesota typically freeze each year over a period extending for three to five months, with the maximum frost depth sometimes exceeding 1 m. This has important agronomic and hydrologic ramifications. Several faculty members within the Soil Physics group conduct research in this area, with a current primary focus on the infiltration and runoff of snowmelt and its impact on transport of agricultural chemicals.

Micrometeorology

Research in this area focuses on meteorology and transport processes at approximate scale of a typical farm field. Current areas of interest include carbon dioxide exhchange, crop water use, and surface energy balance, particularly during winter and spring snowmelt.

©2007 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
Banner photos courtesy of USDA (NRCS and ARS)
The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Trouble seeing the text? | Contact U of M | Privacy Statement

Comments to webmaster:

Last modified on January 29, 2007.