Summary

Agricultural meteorology is concerned with the interactions between atmospheric/hydrological factors and agriculture, which in its widest sense includes animal husbandry, forestry, and horticulture. This volume is an up-to-date handbook and guide to this important field. After discussion of the fundamental aspects of the atmospheric, edaphic, and biotic components of the ecosystem, the methods of measuring the important variables are reviewed, with both direct and remote sensing and managing the data taken into account. Discussion of the various agricultural aspects follow, including hydrologic facets, reviews of optimum conditions for temperate and tropical crops as well as livestock, the relationship of pests and diseases to weather, and the role of the atmosphere in forest production. The final section explains weather services for agriculture, how to plan farm management in the light of weather information, the use of crop models, and how to modify existing climate. Economic implications are dealt with in relation to the futures market while the last chapter considers food security on many time and size scales to assist in long-term planning.