Variability of Temperature and Its Impact on Reference Evapotranspiration: The Test Case of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy)

Abderraouf Elferchichi, Giuseppina A. Giorgio, Nicola Lamaddalena, Maria Ragosta and Vito Telesca
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Abderraouf Elferchichi: Regional Commissionership of Agricultural Development, 4200 Kebili, Tunisia
Giuseppina A. Giorgio: School of Engineering, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Nicola Lamaddalena: Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, CIHEAM Bari, Land and Water Division, 70010 Valenzano, Italy
Maria Ragosta: School of Engineering, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Vito Telesca: School of Engineering, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: The present study provides an assessment of the climate variability at a subnational scale, focusing on the case of the Apulia region, in Southeastern Italy. The variables considered for the purpose of a trend analysis were the minimum, maximum, and mean temperatures, and reference evapotranspiration. These are very important in an urban–rural planning context. The study was based on 38 monitoring stations and consisted in the application of the nonparametric Mann–Kendall test and a progressive trend analysis, both used to detect the changes. The 1950–2003 period was investigated on seasonal and annual scales. The results generally showed a warming process and an acceleration of the atmospheric evaporative demand which took place especially since the mid-1970s. The latter had a significant positive trend, while the period before the break point of the 70s had a cooling effect. Finally, the warming effect was more pronounced for minimum temperatures.

Keywords: climate variability; evapotranspiration; Mann–Kendall test; seasonality; urban-rural policies; trend analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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