Agroclimate Model is one of the modules of the Integrated Spatial Information System for Agricultural Production (ISISAP) in Poland, built at IUNG. Geo-informatics' basis of the Agroclimate Model as well as the algorithms for calculation of climatic parameters were created at IUNG within a statutory research project titled "Development of a Computerized Agroclimate Atlas of Poland" that had been realized from 1995 to 1998.

The Agroclimate Model gives information on important - from the point of agriculture - weather phenomena and can be used in planning the development of agricultural production. Essential building blocks of the Model are algorithms for calculating climatic parameters (e.g. temperature of the air) in points of known geographic location. The algorithms make possible the determination of statistical distribution of the most important climatic parameters in any given place in Poland and in any given period - parameters such as temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, sunshine duration, evapotranspiration, agricultural periods, climate valuation with regard to various crops, conditions of cultivation of thermophilous plants and yield variability.

The algorithms link the yearly cycle of meteorological elements (determined with the aid of harmonic analysis) with their spatial image (as a function of geographic co-ordinates). They make possible to present fully mean values of climate parameters (along with their variability) in four-dimensional space, one dimension of which being time. Integration of the algorithms with a spatial database (digital model of terrain - DTM) made possible to create a mathematical model of agroclimate. With the aid of the Model not only point information may be accessed easily, but also numerical map creation of agroclimate parameters in arbitrary time cross-sections can be automated to a great extent. Moreover, the resultant impact of selected weather factors can be assessed.

The Internet version of the Agroclimate Model for point data currently has such modules as: mean values, probability of precipitation, potato yield loss as influenced by precipitation deficiency and climatic index of hop yield.

It is quite easy to operate the Model. The user, after a point has been selected from the map of Poland, can change its height above sea level and input the period (selection from the calendar displayed upon pressing the icon ), for which the calculation is to be conducted. After the button has been pressed, calculation procedures placed on the server will be started and the results sent to the user's browser.

It is quite easy to add other information such as soil or economic one to climatic information of the Model. This provides an array of possibilities, for instance regions most suitable for crop cultivation can be easily determined (e.g. vis. DSS for hop replanting).

Authors of the Agroclimate Model

Algorithms for climate parameters calculation:

• prof. dr hab. Tadeusz Górski
  on the basis of synthetic elaboration of long-term meteorological materials from the network of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management.

In conducting of this elaboration were engaged, to a different degree, the following researchers:

• dr Gustaw Demidowicz
• dr inż. Tadeusz Deputat
• dr Andrzej Doroszewski
• mgr Krystyna Górska
• mgr Maria Jakacka
• mgr Andrzej Krakowiak
• mgr inż. Irena Marcinkowska
• dr inż. Jan Nieróbca
• mgr Wanda Spoz-Pać
• mgr Józef Wójcik

Geo-informatics' basis, application development

• dr inż. Andrzej Zaliwski

Some references related to the Agroclimate Model