Modeling the impact of measured and projected climate and management systems on agricultural fields: Surface runoff, soil moisture, and soil erosion

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality 2024-05
• Main Authors: Lee, Sanghyun, Moriasi, Daniel N, Fortuna, Ann-Marie, Mirchi, Ali, Danandeh Mehr, Ali, Chu, Maria L, Guzman, Jorge A, Starks, Patrick
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.1002/jeq2.20565

As global climate change poses a challenge to crop production, it is imperative to prioritize effective adaptation of agricultural systems based on a scientific understanding of likely impacts. In this study, we applied an integrated watershed modeling framework to examine the impacts of projected climate on runoff, soil moisture, and soil erosion under different management systems in Central Oklahoma. The proposed model uses measured climate data and three downscaled ensembles from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) at the water resources and erosion watershed to understand the impact of climate change and various climate conditions under three management systems: (1) continuous winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) under conventional tillage (WW-CT; baseline system), (2) continuous winter wheat under no-till (WW-NT), and (3) cool and warm season forage cover crop mixes under no-till (CC-NT). The study indicates that the occurrence of agricultural drought is projected to increase while erosion rates will remain unchanged under the WW-CT. In contrast, climate simulations imposed on the WW-NT and CC-NT systems significantly reduce runoff and sediment while preserving soil moisture levels. Especially, implementing the CC-NT system can bolster food security and foster sustainable farming practices in Central Oklahoma in the face of a changing climate.