Simple model for 10 cm soil temperature in different soils with short grass

Abstract

Information on soil temperature, which e.g. governs soil nitrogen turnover and emergence of crops, is not routinely available from meteorological stations and is rather costly to obtain at field level from automated measurements or calculations with physically based models. The present study presents empirical and simple models for soil temperature at 10 cm depth in grass-covered soils. The global model is based on 10 years data from 13 meteorological stations at different soils in Denmark. The root mean square error of the model was 0.97 °C, and 98% of the variation in data was explained. The model was not improved by inclusion of the discrete factors, soils or stations. The predictions from station specific models were compared to the global model, and the potential for using the global model for other crops was briefly discussed.