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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I, <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />189'T <br /> <br />WIND <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br />Favorable wind conditions are important to crop production, but more <br /> <br />importantly, wind or air movement significantly influences the <br /> <br />climate in an area. Air movement begins over the equator as hot air <br /> <br />rises, cools, and looses its moisture through precipitation over the <br /> <br />great rain forests. Air moving away from the equator is dry and as it <br />descends at about 30 degrees north and south latitude, it creates <br /> <br />arid climatic zones. Semi-arid transitional areas, such as <br /> <br />southern Colorado, are associated with this air pattern and <br />generally occur beyond the 30 degree north and south latitudes. <br /> <br />The location of mountain ranges and bodies of water modifies the <br /> <br />general weather pattern. As mentioned in the introduction, <br />mountain ranges prevent moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and the <br /> <br />Pacific Ocean from reaching the project area. Moisture is lost as <br /> <br />the air masses rise to cross the surrounding mountains resulting in a <br />rain shadow effect. <br /> <br />Wind also has an impact on evapotranspiration. As the plant grows/ <br /> <br />water is lost through the stomata. Transpired water increases the <br />humidity in the plant microclimate. Increased humidity decreases <br /> <br />the VPD and the rate of plant transpiration and evaporation from the <br /> <br /> <br />soil since it reduces the vapor pressure gradient. Wind tends to <br /> <br /> <br />replace the humidified air with drier air which increases the VPD and <br /> <br /> <br />the rate of evapotranspiration. The transpiration rate generally <br /> <br />3- 31 <br />