| When you think of global warming, you might | | | | affect on crops. This type of fertilization |
| envision dramatic scenes like melting | | | | is most helpful for crops such as wheat, |
| glaciers and flooded coastlines. Agriculture | | | | soybeans, and rice. Carbon dioxide |
| is yet another area that will be seriously | | | | fertilization is a beneficial by-product of |
| affected by climatic changes. Farming | | | | global warming. However, this benefit may |
| challenges may become even more intense. | | | | all be in vain. When global warming pushes |
| Today it is even more likely that a farmer | | | | ground level ozone to higher stages, the |
| will face droughts, floods, heat waves, and | | | | carbon dioxide fertilization is voided out by |
| hurricanes. These types of weather events | | | | tropospheric ozone. These ozone levels are |
| that are so traumatic for farming will | | | | influenced by both emissions and temperature. |
| certainly be less rare. | | | | When the temperature rises, the ground ozone |
| | | | levels will rise as well. |
| In regions that are already warm, global | | | | |
| warming will cause the plants to languish in | | | | The overall predictions for farming in North |
| the heat. Soil evaporation rates will be | | | | America are neither all bad nor all good. |
| very high, leaving parched earth and burned | | | | Crops are expected to benefit from the |
| plants. Often rain will come down hard when | | | | effects of global warming in many regions for |
| it does come, leading to greater than usual | | | | a short period of time. Crops will suffer in |
| soil erosion. | | | | some places due to regional variations. The |
| | | | Great Plains are now more susceptible to |
| Some studies show that the news of global | | | | drought. However, Canada will probably |
| warming is not all bad for farming, at least | | | | benefit from the added heat, causing farming |
| not in the short run. | | | | of some crops to shift north. |
| | | | |
| An increase in temperature has some temporary | | | | Right now, and in the near future, global |
| benefits. For a while, it will simply mean | | | | warming does not seem to pose a serious risk |
| more time for crops to mature because of a | | | | for North American farmers in general. There |
| longer growing season. This is especially | | | | may even be some positive outcomes. However, |
| true of regions where the spring and fall | | | | in the long run, nothing will be able to |
| were once quite cool. | | | | mitigate the damage to agriculture that will |
| | | | occur if global warming is not slowed or |
| Strangely enough, all the extra carbon | | | | stopped. |
| dioxide in the air also has a fertilizing | | | | |