Case study of the effects of atmospheric aerosols and regional haze on agriculture: an opportunity to enhance crop yields in China through emission controls?

摘要: The effect of atmospheric aerosols and regional haze from air pollution on the yields rice winter wheat grown in China is assessed. assessment based estimates aerosol optical depths over China, these solar irradiance reaching earth’s surface, response Nanjing to change irradiance. Two sets are presented: one a coupled, climate/air quality model simulation other inferred radiation measurements made 12-year period at meteorological stations China. model-estimated significantly smaller than those derived observations, perhaps because errors or both data has been affected by local pollution. Radiative transfer calculations using smaller, indicate that so-called “direct effect” results an ≈5–30% reduction some China’s most productive agricultural regions. Crop-response simulations suggest ≈1:1 relationship between percentage increase (decrease) total surface wheat. Collectively, currently depressing optimal ≈70% crops least 5–30%. Reducing severity through control could potentially result significant crop help nation meet its growing food demands coming decades.