New research by an Iowa State University scientist reveals that wind turbines could be beneficial to adjacent crop fields.
ISU professor of geological and atmospheric science, Gene Takle, believes that wind turbines may help crops grow healthier and faster by moderating ground level temperatures, in turn blowing away fungi-producing moisture and churning the air to expose plants to more growth-promoting carbon dioxide.
Last week Takle presented the findings at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.
"When people think about wind turbines they think of four things birds, bats, noise and radar interference," said Takle. "They really don't consider impacts on the environment."
But Takle and University of Colorado researcher Julie Lundquist did just that.
Last summer Takle collected surface measurements of temperature, wind fluctuation and changes in carbon dioxide from fields adjacent to wind turbines. Lundquist then used a laser to determine that wind turbines create a plum of turbulence that can be measured up to 250 feet and a quarter of a mile down wind.
The next step in research is to quantify any impacts the turbines have on crop growth, said Takle.
Takle said he began look at whether turbines affect crop growth because of what he already knew about the impacts of shelter belts. Shelter belts are rows of trees that farmers plants in order to be used as wind breakers.
Takle believes that a turbines effects are the greatest in the spring and fall because they would keep crops warmer and prevent frost.
Air movement would also limit the amount of dew forming on crops which in turn would lower the chances of fungi and toxins to grown on the crop.
Lastly, extra turbulence produced from the turbine could lift carbon dioxide from the soil and make it easier for crops to absorb more of it, enhancing a plants ability to perform photosynthesis and grow.
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