Article
Iowa’s agriculture is losing its Goldilocks climate
Physics Today
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
2-1-2020
DOI
10.1063/PT.3.4407
Abstract
The Iowa landscape is endowed with rich, deep, dark soils that have high water-holding capacity. Because most of the state’s land is flat or gently rolling, agriculture can be practiced with large, efficient machinery. Historically, Iowa’s average climate is characterized by a growing season of about five to six months with favorable sunshine and warm temperatures. Its crop-dormant season has low enough temperatures to prevent overwintering of detrimental pests and pathogens. The seasonal cycle of precipitation has a spring–summer maximum and a winter minimum that generally provide a sufficient and timely supply of water to support high crop densities without the need for irrigation.
Copyright Owner
AIP Publishing
Copyright Date
2020
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Eugene S. Takle and William J. Gutowski. "Iowa’s agriculture is losing its Goldilocks climate" Physics Today Vol. 73 Iss. 2 (2020) p. 26 - 33 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/eugene-takle/117/
This article is published as Takle, Eugene S, and William J. Gutowski, Jr., 2020: Iowa’s agriculture is losing its Goldilocks climate. Physics Today 73, 2, 26-33. doi:10.1063/PT.3.4407. Posted with permission.