Global Climate Change in the Great Lakes:

How will Agriculture in the Great Lakes Region be Affected?

By: Mary Brunner

Potential Benefits and Drawbacks

1. Extension of total range for crops

2. Longer growing season

3. More food production for plants

1. Lesser quality in food

2. Increase in pest population

3. Increased evaporation

4. Extreme climate variability

Extension of Total Crop Range

• 42% of land is used for agriculture and 10% is used for pasture

• Great Lakes region consists of about a ¼ of that 42%

• Great Lakes region will increase about 1-2% with higher temperatures

• Corn belt will relocate to Northern states

Longer Growing Season• Middle and high latitudes areas will

have a longer growing season• Number of frost free days would

increase• Earlier planting• Later harvesting

Quantity of food for plants would increase

• The main source of food for crop is CO2

• CO2 amounts will raise by a significant amount

• Rate of photosynthesis will increase producing higher crop yields

• Crop production will increase for farmers

Quality of food production• The quality of food production would

deteriorate• Insect example: insects consume

more plant matter under higher level CO2 levels

• Article quote: “ Another consideration is that plants grown with CO2 enrichment will have higher nutrient requirement unless they fix their own nitrogen. In Canada however, the soils in the northern portion of the Great Lakes Basin are thinner and less fertile than in the south. For this reason, the total agricultural production in the northern Great lakes region may not increase significantly”.

Pests• Unwanted insects and weeds will

increase with higher temperatures• Diseases in crops could expand to

subtropical and temperate zones• Population of the bugs will increase• Pests will adapt to winter-like climates• Farmers will use more pesticides and

herbicides against the unwanted insects and weeds

Increased Evaporation• Water will be taken away by

evaporation from plants, soil, and lakes surfacesCrops will be stressedWater from lakes will decline leaving

less water for the crops• Lower lakes levels will make it harder

for large ships to enter harbors

Climate Variability• Future conditions could increase the

frequency of extreme climate variabilityThis could result in crop failure…and economic hardship to farmers

Questions and/or Concerns• Do we know exactly what’s causing

global warming?• Do you agree that global warming is

caused more from natural causes or human related trends?

• What policies should we implement to try to avoid possible negative effects on the environment?