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Evidence of Arithmetical Uncertainty in Estimation of Light and Water Use Efficiency

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  • Meetpal S. Kukal

    (Biological Systems Engineering Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA)

  • Suat Irmak

    (Biological Systems Engineering Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA)

Abstract

It was demonstrated that conventional resource use efficiency (RUE) estimation methodology is largely subject to arithmetic weakness. Extensive field research data on aboveground biomass (AGB), absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR), and crop evapotranspiration (ET c ) in maize, soybean, sorghum, and winter wheat confirmed this methodological bias for light use efficiency (LUE) and water use efficiency (WUE) estimation. LUE and WUE were derived using cumulated (data aggregates across samplings) and independent (data increments across samplings) approaches. Use of cumulated data yielded strong-but-false correlation between AGB and APAR or ET c , being a statistical artefact. RUE values from an independent approach were substantially lower than that from a cumulated approach with greater standard errors. Overall, a cumulated approach tends to oversimplify the complex interactions among carbon and resource coupling in agroecosystems, which is accurately represented when employing an independent approach instead.

Suggested Citation

  • Meetpal S. Kukal & Suat Irmak, 2020. "Evidence of Arithmetical Uncertainty in Estimation of Light and Water Use Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-9, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:6:p:2271-:d:332405
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Payero, J.O. & Tarkalson, D.D. & Irmak, S. & Davison, D. & Petersen, J.L., 2009. "Effect of timing of a deficit-irrigation allocation on corn evapotranspiration, yield, water use efficiency and dry mass," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(10), pages 1387-1397, October.
    2. Jones, C. A. & Dyke, P. T. & Williams, J. R. & Kiniry, J. R. & Benson, V. W. & Griggs, R. H., 1991. "EPIC: An operational model for evaluation of agricultural sustainability," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 341-350.
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    1. Fei Chen & Ningbo Cui & Yaowei Huang & Xiaotao Hu & Daozhi Gong & Yaosheng Wang & Min Lv & Shouzheng Jiang, 2021. "Investigating the Patterns and Controls of Ecosystem Light Use Efficiency with the Data from the Global Farmland Fluxdata Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-19, November.

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