The Effect of Kernza Intermediate Wheatgrass on Land-Atmospheric Interactions in Central Kansas Using NOAH-MP Land Surface Modeling

Perennial grain crops are considered a more sustainable and beneficial crop than annual grain crops. Perennial grain crops can develop a deep-rooted system which can help more carbon and nitrogen fixation into the soil. Such crops also provide more surface coverage. As a result of increased land coverage and a deeper root system, there should be less water erosion of the soil surface. In this study we investigate how Kernza-alfafa perennial crop (intermediate wheatgrass) alters the microclimate in Salina, Kansas, USA. We evaluated the collected meteorological data from the eddy covariance tower at the US-KLS AmeriFlux tower from 2013 to 2016 to determine to what degree the carbon and water fluxes were enhanced. We applied NOAH-MP as a land surface model to assess to what extent we are able to simulate the potential environmental benefits. The focus here is to examine how the water and carbon dynamics respond to variation in environmental conditions such as precipitation. The results of this research should help us gain a better understanding of the potential benefits of perennial grain crops on the hydrological cycle, biogeochemical cycle, and local climate.