Construction of a Comprehensive Index for Assessing Agroclimatic Patterns by Year and Application on the Jianghan Plain

Construction of a comprehensive evaluation index based on hierarchical indicators is important for meteorological services. Taking into consideration the degree of agroclimatological resources and agrometeorological disasters, a general framework and comprehensive index for the assessment of agroclimatic patterns by year was proposed based on the climate suitability functions and agrometeorological disaster indices; a division was made according to percentiles. The proposed index was then applied to a case study in the Jianghan Plain, demonstrating the potential for a long-term climate change assessment and ranking of the patterns for each specific year. Results showed that the comprehensive index reflected the interannual variability of agroclimatic conditions, as well as the temporal trends in the background of climate change. With a relatively comprehensive content and sound physical basis, the indicator system was convenient for public understanding, and thus could meet the needs of agricultural and ecological meteorology operations.