Crum, J. R., G. P. Robertson, and F. Nurenberger. 1990. Long-term climate trends and agricultural productivity in Southwestern Michigan. Pages 53-58 in U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, Asheville, North Carolina, USA.

Citable PDF link: https://lter.kbs.msu.edu/pub/3042

Long-term meteorological data (1888-1988) were obtained for the Kalamazoo weather station to describe the precipitation and temperature patterns for the last 100 years in the area surrounding the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station’s Long Term Ecological Research site. Also, corn (Zea mays) yield data were obtained from the Michigan Department of Agriculture to examine relationships between the amount and timing of precipitation and harvested corn yield for the period 1945-1985 for Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
Long-term temperature trends for Kalamazoo County, Michigan show a 0.5-1 .0 °C increase in mean annual temperature since 1930. Nonurban records of less duration from a nearby rural site do not show this increase in temperature; possibly indicating this increase may be due to urban heat load from the City of Kalamazoo. Annual precipitation patterns show little change over the 1888-1988 period other than a greater frequency of above-normal amounts for years post 1930, and the strongest correlation between precipitation and yield occurred for the June-July precipitation period.

Associated Treatment Areas:

Regional or Synthesis

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