Using GIS to Assess the Contribution of Farming Activities towards Climate Change in the State of Mississippi

Edmund Merem

doi:10.9734/bjecc/2012/1371

Abstract

The study uses primary data, descriptive statistics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and correlation analysis to analyze the contributions of farming activities to climate change in Mississippi between 1992 through 2002. This involved the assessment of methane emissions from rice cultivation in the state of Mississippi as well as the relationship between the levels of methane gas concentration and other variables associated with rice production. In highlighting the extent to which rice production activities fuel climate change, the results of the study not only showed greenhouse gas emission related rice production activities to be on the rise, but there is a relationship between methane emissions and rice farming. The GIS analysis also points to a visible concentration of rice production activities associated with methane emissions in the major counties of Bolivia, Sunflower and Washington along the Northwest portion of the state. While this raises the threats of climate change predictors in the area. To remedy the problems, the paper suggests five future lines of actions from the need for education to the promotion of emission trading.

Highlights

1.1 The Threats of Climate ChangeThe state of Mississippi compared to its size and land area has enormous tracts of agricultural land dedicated to rice framing and other activities with whole range of ecological and economic benefits for society and other life forms (Merem and Twumasi, 2005; Hite, 2003)
This paper begun by tracing the problem of climate change and green house gas emission trends as it relates to agriculture
A Time series analysis and descriptive statistical analysis of the trend showed a spreading of large rice production activities across several counties with much of that concentrated along the North Western corner of the state made up of Bolivia, Sunflower as well as Washington and the other adjoining counties of the state

Summary

Introduction

1.1 The Threats of Climate ChangeThe state of Mississippi compared to its size and land area has enormous tracts of agricultural land dedicated to rice framing and other activities with whole range of ecological and economic benefits for society and other life forms (Merem and Twumasi, 2005; Hite, 2003). Has society become highly interested in the condition of its cultivated agricultural land along with animal husbandry, land and nutrient management practices, but the reports of the linkages of global warming to these practices, has put enormous pressure on today's resource managers to report on the status and condition of the farming activities under their charge (National Center For Atmospheric Research, 2004). This intense interest coincides with the growing acceptance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and hosts of other analytical approaches as valuable spatial monitoring tools for management (Munn and Cleaves, 1998). For a complete review of the literature and the previous use of GIS, see their work in various years (Merem and Twumasi, 2005a, 2005b; 2006a, 2006b; 2007a, 2007b; 2008a, 2008b)

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Conclusion