Agroclimate and crop response to climate change in Alberta, Canada

The impact of possible avenues of climatic change on agriculture was invest igated for the province of Alberta on the Canadian prairies. Climate scenar ios were based on output from the Canadian Climate Centre Global Circulatio n Model. Ln these scenarios, the semi-arid area increased only when tempera ture increases were not accompanied by an increase in precipitation. Seedin g dates for spring wheat advanced by 10-28 days, while harvest dates advanc ed by 22-37 days. Growing degree days increased by 50% across the region. T here was little impact on aridity, indicating the adaptiveness of agricultu re through earlier seeding dates. Crop yields increased by 21 to 124%, in p art because of the direct effect of high atmospheric CO2. Our results indic ate a positive impact of climate change on crop yields and diversity in Alb erta.