Biological Systems Engineering, Department of
ORCID IDs
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6589-3426
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
3-14-2020
Citation
2020 by the authors.
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 (ETc) 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 Etc, being a statistical artefact. RUE values from an independent (data increments across samplings) approaches. Use of cumulated data yielded strong-but false correlational between AGB and APAR or Etc, 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 agroecosytems, which is accurately represented when employing an independent approach instead.
Included in
Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons, Other Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons
Comments
Sustainability 2020, 12, 2271; doi:10.3390/su12062271 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability