Turfgrass and Climate Change

Abstract

A gronomy J our n al • Volume 10 9, I s sue 4 • 2 017 C limate impacts on biological systems have the potential to disrupt phenological cycles and physiological responses of plants, animals, insects, and diseases. Changes in temperature, precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, and CO 2 expected to occur over the next 30 to 40 yr will affect biological systems; however, not all to the same degree. One aspect of climate change that is often understated is that future variations will not be uniform in either space or time, and require a more localized view of the impacts than broad, general statements. This will have large implications for how we consider and evaluate the impacts of climate change on turfgrasses. There is a large body of information on climate impacts on agriculture assembled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and several recently published summaries have further documented the impact of a changing climate on agricultural systems (Walthall et al., 2012;Hatfield et al., 2014;Melillo et al., 2014;Porter et al., 2014); however, these have not concentrated on potential effects on turfgrasses.Changes in plant growth are not simply a direct function of climate, but from the interaction of climate with different soil factors such as soil organic matter, soil fertility, erosion, irrigation, fertilizers, and biotic stresses (insects, diseases, and weeds). The interaction of soils with climate change has the potential to increase the vulnerability of plants to climate change because of the effect of soil degradation on soil water availability and nutrient cycling (Hatfield, 2014).A comprehensive analysis of climate impacts on agricultural and horticultural crops by Hatfield et al. (2011) and on pasture and rangeland by Izaurralde et al. (2011) showed temperature and precipitation as major factors affecting plant growth and production. All plants require temperatures within their range for development and growth, and each species has their own specific temperature range. Cool-season turfgrasses have an optimum temperature range between 15 and 24°C, whereas warm-season turfgrasses have an optimum between 27 and 35°C (DiPaola and Beard, 1992). This temperature range determines where these grasses are grown; however, growth is dependent on seasonal precipitation. The ability of soils to provide adequate soil water and nutrients to crops is the foundation for climate resilience, and the integration of climate and soils will determine survivability and economic viability of turfgrasses. Climate ChangeClimate change encompasses all aspects of change in the mean, range, and extreme of temperature and precipitation. Current changes in climate increases the probability in the ABSTRACTClimate change is occurring and is impacting biological systems through increased temperatures, more variable precipitation, and increased CO 2 in the atmosphere. These effects have been documented for agricultural species, primarily grain crops, pasture and rangeland species. The extension of these relationships ...

An examination of turfgrass species use on golf course putting greens

“…Interestingly, these maps are somewhat dissimilar to historical maps of growing zones used for turfgrass, which could be associated with changes in climate affecting species use on golf courses (Hatfield, 2017). Another factor is that data were specific to golf course putting greens whereas general maps of turfgrass growing zones reflect species selection for lawns, sports fields, and other areas where species other than creeping bentgrass or ultradwarf bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) are more readily used.…”

Minimum water requirements of Japanese lawngrass for survival during prolonged drought

“…The turfgrass industry is confronted with challenges from anthropogenic water shortages caused by increasing population and industrial demands, and changing patterns of water balance on the continent due to climate change (Barros & Field, 2014; Gelernter, Stowell, Johnson, Brown, & Beditz, 2015; Hatfield, 2017). As one solution to conserving water, local water restrictions have been imposed on stakeholders including residential homeowners; in the United States, about 68% of total turfgrass area is composed of residential lawns (Milesi, Elvidge, & Nemani, 2009).…”

Performance of turf‐type bermudagrass cultivars in the upper and lower limits of the European transition zone

“…With ongoing climate change and its impact on biological systems through increased temperatures (Hatfield, 2017) and limited water availability, it is possible that cool‐season turfgrass species, whose limiting factors are heat, drought, and disease, could be replaced by bermudagrass cultivars at higher latitudes. The objective of this research was to test the performance of five bermudagrass cultivars, including new releases in Europe, in two different Mediterranean locations (latitude 39° N in Spain and 45° N in Italy), focusing on turf quality over the growing season of the sowing year, winter dormancy, and spring green‐up.…”