David Voigts.

Over two decades ago, Gene Takle, director of Iowa State University’s Climate Science Program, used a NASA climate model to explore what would happen if the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere doubled. With additional carbon added to the atmosphere since then, his predictions that were published by the Iowa Academy of Sciences are happening. His study showed that there would be a general warming with more warming in the winter than in summer. That’s happening. The study also predicted that there would be more warming at night than during the day. That’s also happening.

Concerning precipitation, he predicted three percent more precipitation with a shift toward more precipitation in the spring and early summer and less in the fall and winter. These changes are also happening. We now have more precipitation in the spring and early summer and less in the fall and winter than 50 years ago.

The impact of these changes is already being felt according to Takle. “For example, in western Kansas farmers are finding that at times they are unable to raise corn even under full, continued irrigation. They cannot pump enough water to keep up with the increasing evapotranspiration demand of the plant, which it uses to cool itself down.”

Takle’s colleague Jerry Hatfield added, “We can expect to continue to experience extreme weather variability within and among seasons, resulting in increased variability in crop production.” This prediction should get the attention of every farmer.

David Voigts is a retired ecologist and the current Conservation Chair for the Prairie Rapids Audubon Society. He is a Tama County native, graduating from Dinsdale High School, and lives in rural Jesup on his wife’s family farm.