Climate Demands Research Articles

Fuel Cell Hybrids, Their Thermodynamics and Sustainable Development

The increasing demand on primary energy and the increasing concern on climatic change demand immediately a sustainable development, but still there remain open questions regarding its technical realization. The second law of thermodynamics is a very simple but efficient way to define the principle design rules of sustainable technologies in minimizing the irreversible entropy production. The ideal, but real process chain is defined by a still reversible structure or logic of the process chain—the reversible reference process chain—but consisting of real components with an irreversible entropy production on a certain level. It can easily be shown for energy conversion and for transportation that hybridization in general can indeed be a measure to meet the reversible process chain and to minimize the entropy flow to the environment. Fuel cells are principal reversible converters of chemical energy and thus a key element within hybridization. Depending on application, combined heat and power process (CHP) may be a hybridization step or only a slight improvement. There is a fundamental difference in heating a house or in supplying an endothermic chemical reaction with reaction entropy. The use of heat recovery and isolation is a necessary measure to minimize the entropy flow to the environment and can be described by a reversible reference process as well. The application of reversible reference process chains shows that hybrid systems with fuel cells are a technical feasibility to approach very closely the thermodynamic potential. This development differs from the past where the technical possibilities of materials and manufacturing limited the technology to meet reversibility and thus sustainability.

Hayashi spectra of the northern hemisphere mid-latitude atmospheric variability in the NCEP–NCAR and ECMWF reanalyses

In this study we compare the representation of the southern hemisphere midlatitude winter variability in the NCEP-NCAR and ERA40 reanalyses. We use the classical Hayashi spectral technique, recently applied to compare the description of the atmospheric variability in the northern hemisphere on different spectral sub-domains. We test the agreement of the two reanalysis systems in the representation of the atmospheric activity. In the southern hemisphere, even in the satellite period, the assimilated data are relatively scarce, predominately over the oceans, and they provide a weaker constraint to the model dynamics. We find relevant discrepancies in the description of the variability at different spatial and temporal scales. ERA40 is generally characterised by a larger variance, especially in the high frequency spectral region. In the pre-satellite period the discrepancies between the two reanalyses are large and randomly distributed while after the 1979 the discrepancies are systematic. Moreover, a sudden jump in the VTPR period (1973-1978) is observed, mostly in the ERA40 reanalysis. Our results suggest that today we do not have a well-defined picture of the properties of the winter mid-latitude variability in the southern hemisphere to be used in the evaluation of the realism of climate models and demand for an intercomparison study for the assessment of the self-consistency of the IPCC models in the representation of the analysed properties.

Reducing Maintenance and Repair Costs in an Interventional Pulmonology Program

In the current economic climate, hospitals and academic institutions demand that medical departments function in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Detailed business plans are necessary to build new clinical programs, and institutions have learned that new programs are associated with significant costs for purchasing and maintaining equipment. We report our experience with repairs to equipment before and after starting our interventional pulmonary (IP) program, and with the effect of an educational program on reducing these costs.We retrospectively studied the costs of equipment repair in the 3 years preceding and in the 5 years following the development of an IP program in our institution, a university-based tertiary referral center. We also studied the effect of an educational program that was designed to enhance the skills of physicians and technical staff in handling the equipment.The cost of repairs to the equipment during the 3 years prior to the development of the IP program was $42 (US dollars) per procedure. In the initial 3 years following the start of the IP program, the yearly average cost rose 21% to $51 per procedure. After the introduction of the educational program, the yearly repair costs decreased by 84% to $8 per procedure. Based on our experience, we estimate that a reasonable budget for the cost of repairs is $50 per procedure.An educational program was effective in dramatically decreasing the costs of equipment repair after initiating an IP program. This is the first study to offer budgetary guidelines for equipment repair in an IP program and to demonstrate that an educational program can effectively reduce costs.

Reducing Maintenance and Repair Costs in an Interventional Pulmonology Program<xref rid="AFF1"><sup>*</sup></xref>

In the current economic climate, hospitals and academic institutions demand that medical departments function in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Detailed business plans are necessary to build new clinical programs, and institutions have learned that new programs are associated with significant costs for purchasing and maintaining equipment. We report our experience with repairs to equipment before and after starting our interventional pulmonary (IP) program, and with the effect of an educational program on reducing these costs. We retrospectively studied the costs of equipment repair in the 3 years preceding and in the 5 years following the development of an IP program in our institution, a university-based tertiary referral center. We also studied the effect of an educational program that was designed to enhance the skills of physicians and technical staff in handling the equipment. The cost of repairs to the equipment during the 3 years prior to the development of the IP program was $42 (US dollars) per procedure. In the initial 3 years following the start of the IP program, the yearly average cost rose 21% to $51 per procedure. After the introduction of the educational program, the yearly repair costs decreased by 84% to $8 per procedure. Based on our experience, we estimate that a reasonable budget for the cost of repairs is $50 per procedure. An educational program was effective in dramatically decreasing the costs of equipment repair after initiating an IP program. This is the first study to offer budgetary guidelines for equipment repair in an IP program and to demonstrate that an educational program can effectively reduce costs.

Soil matric potential-based irrigation scheduling to rice (Oryza sativa)

About half of the total fresh water used for irrigation in Asia is used for rice production. Decreasing water resources and increasing water costs necessitates increasing water use efficiency for rice. The most common method of irrigation in northwestern India is through alternate wetting and drying with a fixed irrigation interval, irrespective of soil type and climatic demand resulting in over-irrigation or under-irrigation under different soil and weather situations. Soil matric potential may be an ideal criterion for irrigation, since variable atmospheric evaporativity, soil texture, cultural practices and water management affect rice irrigation water requirements. A 4-year field study was conducted to assess the feasibility of rice irrigation scheduling on the basis of soil matric potential and to determine the optimum matric potential so as to optimize irrigation water without any adverse effect on the yield. The treatments included scheduling irrigation to rice with tensiometers installed at 15–20 cm soil depth at five levels of soil matric suction viz. 80, 120, 160, 200 and 240±20 cm, in addition to the recommended practice of alternate wetting and drying with an interval of 2 days after complete infiltration of ponded water. The grain yield of rice remained unaffected up to soil moisture suction of 160±20 cm each year. Increasing soil matric suction to 200 and 240±20 cm decreased rice grain yield non-significantly by 0–7% and 2–15%, respectively, over different years compared to the recommended practice of the 2-day interval for scheduling irrigation. Irrigation at 160±20 cm soil matric suction helped save 30–35% irrigation water compared to that used with the 2-day interval irrigation. With a soil matric potential irrigation criterion the total amount of irrigation water used was a function of the number of rainy days and evaporation during the rice season.

Psychosocial work characteristics and incidence of newly diagnosed depression: a prospective cohort study of three different models

This study explored the association between psychosocial work characteristics and incidence of depression as indicated in three complementary models (the Job Strain Model, the Team Climate Model, and the Procedural Justice Model). Participants were 4815 Finnish hospital personnel (4278 women and 537 men) free from diagnosed depression at entry into the study. A baseline survey in 1998 measured psychosocial work characteristics, health-related behaviours, psychological distress, and doctor-diagnosed depression. The factor analysis of pooled questionnaire items on psychosocial work characteristics supported a five-factor solution with the following distinct dimensions: team climate, relational justice, procedural justice, job control, and job demands. Items in these dimensions were used as scales and job strain was modelled as a combination of job demands and job control. A follow-up survey in 2000 identified 225 incident cases of depression. After adjustment for age, sex and income, poor team climate, low procedural justice, and low relational justice were associated with a higher risk of new depression, the odds ratios (ORs) 1.58 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11–2.24), 1.45 (95% CI 1.03–2.04), and 1.39 (95% CI 1.00–1.96), respectively. After additional adjustment for lifestyle factors and exclusion of those with psychological distress at baseline, there was still an association between poor team climate and risk of depression (ORs 1.55 and 1.75, respectively). Job control, work demands, and job strain did not predict the 2-year incidence of depression, and the effects of all psychosocial work characteristics were attenuated when entered simultaneously in the model. In conclusion, work unit social factors seem to be predictive of subsequent doctor-diagnosed depression, but other aspects of psychosocial work environment may also be important.

Flow regime alterations under changing climate in two river basins: implications for freshwater ecosystems

We examined impacts of future climate scenarios on flow regimes and how predicted changes might affect river ecosystems. We examined two case studies: Cle Elum River, Washington, and Chattahoochee–Apalachicola River Basin, Georgia and Florida. These rivers had available downscaled global circulation model (GCM) data and allowed us to analyse the effects of future climate scenarios on rivers with (1) different hydrographs, (2) high future water demands, and (3) a river–floodplain system. We compared observed flow regimes to those predicted under future climate scenarios to describe the extent and type of changes predicted to occur. Daily stream flow under future climate scenarios was created by either statistically downscaling GCMs (Cle Elum) or creating a regression model between climatological parameters predicted from GCMs and stream flow (Chattahoochee–Apalachicola). Flow regimes were examined for changes from current conditions with respect to ecologically relevant features including the magnitude and timing of minimum and maximum flows. The Cle Elum's hydrograph under future climate scenarios showed a dramatic shift in the timing of peak flows and lower low flow of a longer duration. These changes could mean higher summer water temperatures, lower summer dissolved oxygen, and reduced survival of larval fishes. The Chattahoochee–Apalachicola basin is heavily impacted by dams and water withdrawals for human consumption; therefore, we made comparisons between pre-large dam conditions, current conditions, current conditions with future demand, and future climate scenarios with future demand to separate climate change effects and other anthropogenic impacts. Dam construction, future climate, and future demand decreased the flow variability of the river. In addition, minimum flows were lower under future climate scenarios. These changes could decrease the connectivity of the channel and the floodplain, decrease habitat availability, and potentially lower the ability of the river to assimilate wastewater treatment plant effluent. Our study illustrates the types of changes that river ecosystems might experience under future climates. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Grapevine and climatic changes: a glance at the situation in Alsace

The analysis of meteorological data recorded since 1972 at the INRA Station in Colmar (Alsace, France) reveals a significant increase in temperatures. Phenological data recorded on INRA grapevine collections over the same period show that the period between budburst and harvest has become both earlier and shorter. A comparison of climatic and phenological data shows that ripening is occuring under increasingly warm conditions. The climatic water demand after flowering tends to increase and, as there is no clear evidence for a change in rainfall, the risks associated with dry summers are likely to increase in the future. Quantified data on climate evolution, development stages and bioclimatic indices during the main development phases are presented and discussed.

The evolution of sexual health nursing in Australia: a literature review

The purpose of this paper is to describe and encapsulate the elements of the sexual health nurse's role in Australia. In Australia, sexual health nursing is a fast evolving speciality operating within a climate of diverse role expectations, settings and population groups. Today's health care climate demands that nurses' roles and their impact on patient care be held up to scrutiny. A literature review was conducted that used descriptive analysis to elicit the recurrent themes appearing in the Australian sexual health nursing literature that would describe the role. A model of sexual health nursing was evident with the two primary themes of professional responsibility and patient care. The professional role included a philosophy of sharing nursing experiences, collaboration, employment in multiple settings, and the development of the role into advanced practice, appropriate academic and clinical preparation and a commitment to research. The patient care role included the provision of individual and holistic patient care, ability to access specific at-risk groups, clinical effectiveness, patient education and community development roles. Australian sexual health nurses make a specific and measurable contribution to the health care system. They are likely to continue to advance their role supported by appropriate research that validates their models of practice, continues their philosophy of sharing their experiences and that documents the impact they have on the health outcomes of individuals and populations.

Leaf dynamics and crop water status throughout the growing cycle of durum wheat crops grown in two contrasted water budget conditions

Leaf and crop water measurements were analysed dynamically throughout the cycle of two crops of durum wheat subjected to contrasting conditions of water supply. The objectives were to compare short- and long-term crop reactions to water deficit, based on some hypotheses from the literature. Water status measurements were of the first type and phenological or morphological measurements of the second type. The droughted crop under a rainoutshelterreceived no waterbetween emergence and harvest, while the open-air crop was irrigated. Dynamic plant morphological measurements consisted of leaf area index and specific leaf area, and those characterising plant water status dynamics included predawn leaf water potential, bulk osmotic potential and the ratio of crop water uptake to evaporative demand. Continuous measurement of the surface temperature on the two plots served to calculate a degree-days temperature scale, allowing comparison of the two crops. We found that the droughted crop developed mechanisms of resistance to water deficit: the leaf area index and specific leaf area were reduced (from 6 to 1.5 m 2 m -2 and from 300 to 260 cm 2 g -1 for the maximum values of, respectively, the LAI and the SLA), the bulk osmotic potential was lower (from -2 to -3 MPa) and the soil layer affected by root uptake was deeper (from 50 to 100 cm) than that of the irrigated crop. The amount of water evapo-transpired by both crops was similar when related to climatic demand. Yet no clear relationship appeared between the specific leaf area index and osmotic potential. Furthermore, there appeared to be a clear difference between the vegetative and reproductive phases of both crops in terms of water functioning. The osmotic potential decreased markedly after anthesis and a peak of water uptake was observed in both crops during the grain-filling phase, which may have been linked to the specific functioning of the flag leaf or the ear. While this study demonstrated the efficiency of drought adaptive features in durum wheat, it also showed that the difference in the water behaviours of two contrasted durum wheat crops could be of the same order of magnitude as the differences between the vegetative and reproductive phases.

Effect of climate and physiography on occurrence and intensity of decarbonation in Mediterranean forest soils of Spain

The aim of this work is to model the occurrence and intensity of calcium carbonate loss in calcareous forest soils under Mediterranean conditions. We have used 193 Spanish forest soils found on limestone parent material considered highly calcareous materials. This data set came from FOREDAF, a database containing 2200 complete soil profiles and all of them covered by forest stands (mainly dominated by pine species). The research is focused on the influence of physiographic features and climatic conditions (19 parameters), together with soil characteristics (11 parameters) on soil carbonate leaching. We have considered the chemically active calcium carbonates sensu Duchaufour, i.e. associated to silt and clay fractions. Thus, we have compared the characteristics of decarbonated soils (with lower level of active carbonates than the original richness of parent material) against non-decarbonated soils. Furthermore, we consider the intensity of carbonate leaching by means of an expression that involves the relative difference between both active and inactive carbonates. Thus, several logistic regressions were performed to determine the most powerful predictors for the occurrence of soil carbonate leaching related to physiography, temperature and precipitation. In addition, linear models were carried out to determine the most powerful predictor for chemically active carbonate levels of soils. In general, the studied forest soils had loamy textures (sand 31.9%, silt 42.7% and clay 26.3%), and similar richness of carbonate in limestone parent material (78.6%). We observed a pH decreasing (pH water 7.9) and an increasing organic matter content (5.6 g 100 g −1) in surface horizons which were linked to soil carbonate leaching. Our results indicate that the most relevant factors for the occurrence of carbonate loss are a combination of slope, aspect and latitude (by means of insolation) and an estimated climatic demand for water depending on temperatures (annual potential evapotranspiration). However, the most important parameters for the intensity of calcium carbonate leaching were altitude and an estimate of soil water (annual moisture surplus). As hypothesised, several soil forming factors mainly related to water availability are responsible for this process.

Load Forecasting Using Support Vector Machines: A Study on EUNITE Competition 2001

Load forecasting is usually made by constructing models on relative information, such as climate and previous load demand data. In 2001, EUNITE network organized a competition aiming at mid-term load forecasting (predicting daily maximum load of the next 31 days). During the competition we proposed a support vector machine (SVM) model, which was the winning entry, to solve the problem. In this paper, we discuss in detail how SVM, a new learning technique, is successfully applied to load forecasting. In addition, motivated by the competition results and the approaches by other participants, more experiments and deeper analyses are conducted and presented here. Some important conclusions from the results are that temperature (or other types of climate information) might not be useful in such a mid-term load forecasting problem and that the introduction of time-series concept may improve the forecasting.

Emotional Competence as Antecedent to Performance: A Contingency Framework

Emotional intelligence is the ability to monitor one's own and others' thinking and actions. In this integrative review, the author seeks to determine the causes of the weak relationship between emotional intelligence and performance by positing that certain emotional competencies, rather than emotional intelligence, are the true predictors of performance. The author theorizes that emotional competencies (including self-control, resilience, social skills, conscientiousness, reliability, integrity, and motivation) interact with organizational climate and job demands or job autonomy to influence performance, as represented in the form of 5 empirically testable propositions. Self-control and emotional resilience are considered to delay the onset of a decline in performance from excessive job demands. Social skills, conscientiousness, reliability, and integrity assist to promote trust, which in turn may build cohesiveness among the members of work groups. Motivation may fuel job involvement in environments that promise psychological safety and psychological meaningfulness. A combination of superior social skills and conscientiousness may enhance the self-sacrifice of benevolent employees to heightened levels of dependability and consideration. Finally, emotional honesty, self-confidence, and emotional resilience can promote superior performance, if positive feedback is delivered in an informative manner, and can mitigate the adverse effects of negative feedback.

Life cycle management as a business strategy for sustainability

AbstractToday's business climate demands signifcant shzfts in how organizations deliver products and services to customers. Firms in many industrial sectors are effectively using management systems and life cycle assessments to understand and improve their operations, products, and services. But, a more comprehensive approach is needed to significantly reduce the pressure on natural systems, and to successfully respond to the increased complexity of business decision‐making in the 21st centuly. This paper discusses life cycle management as an effective business strategy that can continually respond to these unique new challenges.

Intake of nutrients from pasture by pigs.

The domestic pig evolved from the omnivorous wild boar and has retained many natural foraging behaviour patterns. Although most modem commercial pigs are housed and fed concentrate diets, interest in the potential nutrient contribution from pasture has increased due to growth in outdoor and organic pig production systems. The energy requirements of outdoor pigs are increased by approximately 15% under Northern European conditions as a result of greater climatic energy demand and locomotory activity. The nutritional contribution made by pasture will depend on the availability, nutrient composition, grazing intake and digestive utilisation of herbage. Information on these topics is currently very sparse. Herbage availability is often low due to farm rotational policy or destructive foraging by the pigs. Herbage composition shows large varietal and seasonal differences, but the high fibre content reduces the efficiency of energy utilisation and may impair utilisation of other nutrients. Intake of grazed herbage varies widely between individuals, but is typically approximately 2.0 kg DM/d for dry sows fed restricted concentrate, and approximately 0.1 kg DM/d for growing pigs offered ad libitum concentrate. This intake can contribute 50% of the maintenance energy requirement and a high proportion of the amino acid, mineral and trace element requirements of dry sows, but < 5% of requirements of growing pigs. Whilst the potential to increase nutrient intakes from grazing exists, this process requires better understanding of herbage intake and digestion, and development of better systems for paddock management.

Simulating water uptake in the root zone with a microscopic-scale model of root extraction

Root water uptake is a key element for analysing the evolution of soil water content, which regulates crop transpiration. Our objective was to design a model taking into account the vertical water redistribution and the root water uptake in order to assess the regulation of plant transpiration induced by the effective soil water availability. To do so, the root water uptake is described with a microscopic-scale model integrated within a classical model of vertical water redistribution. For root water uptake, the root water potential, leading the water transfer from soil to roots, is calculated in order to satisfy the climatic demand... By coupling the microscopic and macroscopic approaches to soil water transfer, the regulation of transpiration can be directly linked to soil hydraulic properties and to effective soil water availability: the numerical model is applied to simulate soil water movement with root water uptake, and simulation results are compared with a series of findings on plant functioning obtained by previous work. Qualitatively, simulated transpiration in response to the soil water content is reasonably consistent with the description of crop behaviour in drying soils and in soil with vertical water heterogeneity. The results are also compared with experimental results in order to evaluate the usefulness of this model: with conventional measurements under field conditions, the prediction of water balance evolution is rather consistent with experimental results.

Out-wintering pads for finishing beef cattle: animal production and welfare

AbstractThe objective of this experiment was to evaluate the performance and well being of animals accommodated outdoors over the winter period on out-wintering pads (OWPs), relative to animals housed indoors in conventional slatted floor sheds. One hundred and twenty-six steers were assigned at random to one of seven treatments. The first six treatments were accommodated on OWPs. These six treatments were arranged in a three (6, 12 and 18 m2 per head space allowance) by two (wind sheltered or exposed) factorial design. A seventh treatment group (control) was housed indoors in a slatted-floor shed at a space allowance of 3 m2 per head. All animals were offered silage ad libitum and 5 kg concentrate per day. All animals were slaughtered at the end of the 151 day experiment. Animal production and indices (climatic energy demand (CED), behaviour, cleanliness, hoof condition and immune function) of animal welfare were evaluated. There was no significant effect of stocking density outdoors or sheltering on live-weight gain, carcass gain, fat score, fat score per 100 kg carcass, kidney plus channel fat (KCF) as a proportion of carcass, carcass conformation score, killing-out proportion, food intake or food efficiency. Relative to animals housed indoors on slats, animals accommodated outdoors on OWPs had higher daily live-weight gain (F &lt; 0·001), carcass gain (F &lt; 0·05), and food intake (F &lt; 0·05). However, animals on the OWPs had less KCF per kg carcass and lower fat scores per 100 kg carcass. There was no effect of shelter on the CED of animals out-wintered, which was higher (P &lt; 0·001) than their counterparts wintered indoors on slats. Animals housed on slats were cleaner than animals housed at 6 or 12 m2 per head (F &lt; 0·05) but not 18 m2per head. There was no effect of treatment on physiological measures. Animals confined on the OWP with or without shelter, had a greater number of lying bouts per 24 h (F &lt; 0·076), had a greater synchronized lying frequency (F &lt; 0·082) and displayed less hesitation prior to lying when compared with animals housed on slats. Indoor animals had more white line disease (F &lt; 0·01) and under-run (F &lt; 0·001) on their front hoof, when compared with outdoor animals. Animals accommodated outdoors at 18 m2per head had more (F &lt; 0·05) claw erosion while the indoor animals had a greater (F &lt; 0·001) degree of under-run present on their hind hoof. There was no evidence to suggest that out-wintering compromised animal welfare. Further studies are required to determine the reason for the increased carcass growth and leanness of the cattle on the OWPs.

SPATIAL VARIABILITY IN WATER‐BALANCE MODEL PERFORMANCE IN THE CONTERMINOUS UNITED STATES1

ABSTRACT: A monthly water‐balance (WB) model was tested in 44 river basins from diverse physiographic and climatic regions across the conterminous United States (U.S.). The WB model includes the concepts of climatic water supply and climatic water demand, seasonality in climatic water supply and demand, and soil‐moisture storage. Exhaustive search techniques were employed to determine the optimal set of precipitation and temperature stations, and the optimal set of WB model parameters to use for each basin. It was found that the WB model worked best for basins with: (1) a mean elevation less than 450 meters or greater than 2000 meters, and/or (2) monthly runoff that is greater than 5 millimeters (mm) more than 80 percent of the time. In a separate analysis, a multiple linear regression (MLR) was computed using the adjusted R‐square values obtained by comparing measured and estimated monthly runoff of the original 44 river basins as the dependent variable, and combinations of various independent variables [streamflow gauge latitude, longitude, and elevation; basin area, the long‐term mean and standard deviation of annual precipitation; temperature and runoff; and low‐flow statistics (i.e., the percentage of months with monthly runoff that is less than 5 mm)]. Results from the MLR study showed that the reliability of a WB model for application in a specific region can be estimated from mean basin elevation and the percentage of months with gauged runoff less than 5 mm. The MLR equations were subsequently used to estimate adjusted R‐square values for 1,646 gauging stations across the conterminous U.S. Results of this study indicate that WB models can be used reliably to estimate monthly runoff in the eastern U.S., mountainous areas of the western U.S., and the Pacific Northwest. Applications of monthly WB models in the central U.S. can lead to uncertain estimates of runoff.

Welfare Reform and the Empowerment of Poor Women

ABSTRACT The following paper provides an analysis of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) and the specific impact of this legislation on poor women and children. It is argued that the current political/policy climate demands that helping professionals need to rethink their intervention methods in working with poor women. Proposed is an innovative response to the needs of this constituency which utilizes Freire's (1971) theories of popular education and “conscientization” as a model. The proposed model is founded on the belief that in order to achieve lasting change and real self-sufficiency women welfare recipients will need to begin to recognize themselves as political beings with the potential for exercising both individual and collective power. Moreover, it is argued that social workers and other frontline professionals have a critical role to play in the promotion of social justice, and social action on behalf of the poor clients they serve.

Manejo de Água de Irrigação para Alfafa (Medicago sativa L.)

Este trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar a metodologia do balanço da demanda climática (ECA = evaporação do tanque classe A e PRP = precipitação pluvial) com as condições edáficas (CAD -- capacidade de armazenamento de água do solo) de um Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo (LVA), a fim de manejar a irrigação suplementar para alfafa cv. Crioula, em condições de campo. Com base nessa tecnologia, procurou-se aumentar a eficiência do uso de água pela alfafa, avaliando-se o comportamento de alfafa em três condições hídricas (H1 = testemunha sem irrigação; H2 = uso mais eficiente da água, a partir do estádio vegetativo pleno da planta, quando ECA -- PRP &gt; ou = 30 mm; H3 = uso pleno da água, durante todo ciclo da planta quando ECA -- PRP &gt; ou = 20 mm). Verificou-se que a tecnologia empregada é eficiente para manejar a irrigação suplementar, no LVA, bem como podem-se aumentar os lucros com alfafa, por meio do uso mais eficiente da água (H2 = ECA -- PRP &gt; ou = 30 mm).