agricultural-systems
Agricultural systems encompass the integrated practices of cultivating, managing, and harvesting crop plants within complex socio-ecological frameworks, from smallholder plots to large-scale industrial operations. Understanding how different agricultural systems affect plant physiology, soil health, and ecosystem interactions is central to improving crop yield, resilience, and sustainability. Plant scientists study these systems to develop strategies that balance productivity with environmental stewardship in the face of climate change and growing global food demand.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-01-01
Researchers tracked temperatures inside a large dairy manure storage pit and found that manure behaves like a layered thermal system, with deeper layers staying warmer in winter and the whole mass shifting with the seasons. Outside air temperature was by far the biggest driver of internal manure temperature, explaining up to 84% of the variation.
Manure temperature showed clear vertical stratification, with differences of up to 10°C between lower and upper layers of the storage pit.
Ambient air temperature was the dominant driver of manure temperature variability, explaining 72–84% of the variation (R² = 0.72–0.84).
Periodic 'turnover events' redistribute heat throughout the manure column, occurring even when a surface crust is present.