THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE APPLICATION OF “GLOBAL ARIDITY INDEX AND POTENTIAL EVAPOTRANSPIRATION DATABASE V3” TO AGROCLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF KHERSON REGION
Abstract
Purpose. To evaluate the agroclimatic situation in the Kherson region for the period 1970–2000 according to the data of the “Global Aridity Index and Potential Evapotranspiration Database v3” and compare the results with the standardized method of Penman-Monteith with the calculation of parameters according to the data of the regional hydrometeorological center, as well as with the author’s method, implemented in the Evapotranspiration Calculator (Ukraine) mobile application. Methods. The latest version of the spatial database of agroclimatic data “Global Aridity Index and Potential Evapotranspiration Database v3” was used. Spatial images of GeoTIFF format were processed and analysed with raster analysis toolkit within the GIS environment of QGIS 3.10 A Coruna. To calculate evapotranspiration, the standardised FAO Penman-Monteith equation was used, as well as the modified Evapotranspiration Calculator (Ukraine) method. The aridity index is defined as the ratio of precipitation to evapotranspiration for a given period of time. Graphical and cartographic work was performed in QGIS 3.10. Results. The minimal discrepancy was established between the results of the assessment of evapotranspiration and the aridity index according to the standardised Penman-Monteith equation and the method implemented in the Evapotranspiration Calculator (Ukraine). The difference between the assessment according to the “Global Aridity Index and Potential Evapotranspiration Database v3” and the standard method was 14% for the aridity index and 19.68% for evapotranspiration. The classification of the territory of the region coincided in all the studied methods – semi-arid climate. However, the significantly lower aridity index due to the overestimation of evapotranspiration in the Kherson region according to the “Global Aridity Index and Potential Evapotranspiration Database v3” indicates that the information base can only be used as a supplement, the primary importance is attributed to the application of standard methods for evaluating agrometeorological indices. Conclusions. “Global Aridity Index and Potential Evapotranspiration Database v3” is a valuable source of climate information, flexible and easy to use within the framework of GIS. However, the database cannot be used as the only source of information in the assessment of the agroclimatic situation, since there is a high probability of receiving false information about the real situation with the level of aridity of the climate in the territory of Ukraine, since for the Kherson region the deviations from the standardized methodology for assessing meteorological indices amounted to 14–20%.
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