Energy exchanges across a corn-soybean field in the Midwest

Corn and soybean fields in the Midwest are often planted adjacent to one another creating abrupt changes in the surface roughness affecting momentum transfer near the crop surface. A study was conducted to examine the effects of changes in surface roughness in a corn-soybean cropping system on energy partitioning into latent and sensible heat fluxes. Energy Balance Bowen ratio systems were placed in a transect across the boundary between a corn and soybean field and supplemented with eddy covariance measurements to evaluate radiant energy partitioning into LE and H as functions of changes in local roughness and wind direction. Windspeed and water vapor pressure deficits were critical parameters that affected components of the energy balance when wind direction changed. Understanding the energy balance as affected by local changes in surface roughness suggests that changes in cropping patterns for corn and soybeans may improve crop production.