ANSC 285 Lecture # 4

CLIMATOLOGY

R.S.A. VEGA, PhD

Animal Breeding & Physiology Division
College of Agriculture, U.P. Los Baños
Introduction

Definition of Terms:
• Climatology = science of climate which in turn is the composite of all
weather elements
2. Biometeorology = the science which study the direct and indirect
interrelationship of atmosphere and living organism, such as plant
and animal.
3. Weather = comprises the group of day-to-day, changing
meteorological conditions, such as the temperature, precipitation and
air movement
4. Climate = comprises the average weather conditions of a region
5. Macroclimate = the conditions prevailing in a region or a country
6. Microclimate = the conditions the animal is exposed to directly at any
given time
 I. Surface Measurement of Climatic Data

1. Atmospheric data such as air temperature, barometric pressure, cloud

type and amount, current weather, precipitation, sunshine and wind
velocity
2. Oceanic data particularly related to the ocean-atmosphere interaction
which produces changes in global climate of whole region
3. Solar radiation observation
4. Soil temperature and evaporation
5. Air pollution data
6. Atmospheric constituents, e.g. CO2 and Ozone which have effects not
only climatically but on the biosphere as well.
7. Water resources and water quality
II. The Physical Environment (Mc Dowell)

1. Ideal climatic environment for cattle;

a. Air temperature = 13 – 18 °C
b. RH = 60 – 70%
c. Wind Velocity = 5 – 8 kmph
d. Solar Radiation = medium

2. The Climatic Elements

a. Air TemperatureBiancaGraph.doc
b. Atmospheric Humidity
c. Radiant Energy
d. Air Movement
e. Rainfall
f. Light “Photoperiod”
g. Cloud Cover
h. Atmospheric Pressure
III. Global Warming

Global warming = the gradual increase of the temperature of the

earth’s lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouses
gasses since the Industrial Revolution. (100 years = + 0.6°C)

Green house effect

Light Spectrum
Composition of natural green house gasses = water vapor,
CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) = artificial green house gas

Long-term results of global warming;

a. melting of polar ice
b. rise in sea level and coastal flooding
c. disruption of drinking supplies dependent on snow melts
d. change in agriculture due to climate change
e. extinction of species as ecological niches disappear
f. more frequent tropical storm
g. increase in incidence of tropical disease
ChlorofluoroCarbon

CF2 Cl2 + UV CF2 Cl + Cl

Cl + O3 ClO + O2
ClO + O Cl + O2

When Cl is regenerated it is free to breakdown other O3 .

The atmospheric lifetime of Cl atom is one to two years.
Removal of Cl from atmosphere in the form of HCl and
Chlorine Nitrate (ClONO2)
UV
O3 O2 + O
catalyst
Ozonolysis = production of O3
Synthesis of cortisone and synthetic sex hormone
Factors contributing to global warming (infoplease.com):

1. Burning of coal and petroleum products (CO2 methane,

nitrous oxide, ozone)
2. Deforestation
3. Methane gas release in animal waste

4. Increase in cattle production which contribute to deforestation

and methane production
5. Use of fossil fuels
Livestock involvement in environmental problems
(Charan et al 2001):
1. Cows = produce feces and urine at 4.6 and 3.3 % of BW,
respectively
2. Pigs = feces and urine are excreted at 2.0 and 3.0 % of BW,
respectively

3. Agriculture contribute about 25% of over – all green house

gasses (CO2 , CH4 , N2O, CFC and O3 )

4. Crop production and burning forest contribute about 15 – 20%

5. Animal production contribute about 5 – 10%