ISSN 2756-3685
International Journal of Enology and Viticulture ISSN: 3426-7212 Vol. 4 (4), pp. 169-178, September, 2017. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Impact of climate change on winegrowing conditions in southernmost Finland (Tuusula)
Juha Karvonen
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland. Tel: +358400642378; E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 30 September, 2017
Abstract
According to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, Tuusula belongs to the cold area (Dfb) of the temperate climate, and the Neubrandenburg, Freyburg, and Herrlisheim-prés-Colmar areas in Central Europe belong to the warm temperate climate (Cfb). Predicted global warming would increase the temperatures of the Dfb climate to the Cfb climate, which is suitable for winegrowing. According to the RCP2.6 climate scenario, the climate will become 2⁰C warmer in Tuusula by the end of 2100, which is close to the current Cfb climate. This study aimed to monitor air and soil temperatures and precipitation in 2014 ─ 2015 in Tuusula as well as in three other locations, and to evaluate the effects of a temperature increase predicted by RCP2.6 on the growth conditions in Tuusula. The soil temperature in Tuusula belongs to the “frigid” temperature regime, but the others belong to the higher “mesic”. According to this study, all locations were classified as “very cool” for viticulture, and Tuusula’s Cool Night Index was “very cool” while others were “cool”. The Dryness Index in Tuusula was “moderately ─ dry-subhumid”. Should the RCP2.6 scenario be realised, Tuusula’s winegrowing conditions would be close to those in Freyburg, allowing for professional viticulture in southernmost Finland.
Key words: temperate climates, cool climate viticulture, air temperatures, soil temperature regimes, climate scenarios, Geoviticulture MCC System.