Central Great Plains Research Station 
USDA-ARS / NRCS / CSU cooperating in Akron, Colorado 
1907 - 2004

David C. Nielsen

Central Great Plains Research Station

USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Northern Plains Area

40335 Rd. GG

Akron, CO 80720

Phone: 970-345-0507 / 970-345-2259

FAX: 970-345-2088

E-Mail: David.Nielsen@ars.usda.gov

Education

1977 BS Meteorology, Iowa State University

1979 MS Agronomy/Agricultural Climatology, Iowa State University

1983 Ph.D. Agricultural Meteorology, University of Nebraska

 

Professional Experience

1977-1979 Grad. Res. Asst., Dept. of Agronomy (Ag. Climatology), Iowa State Univ.

1979-1980 Grad. Res. Asst., Center for Ag. Meteor. and Climatology, Univ. of Nebraska

1980-1983 Res. Technician, Center for Ag. Meteor. and Climatology, Univ. of Nebraska

1983-present Research Agronomist, USDA-ARS, Akron, CO

 

Research Interests

Water use/yield relationships for traditional and alternative Great Plains crops

Water stress timing effects on crop productivity

Residue type and management effects on precipitation storage efficiency and surface soil microclimate
Residue architecture effects on wind velocity profiles, snow accumulation, and soil water storage

 

Recent Publications

McMaster, G.S., J.C.Ascough II, M.J. Shaffer, L.A. Deer-Ascough, P.F. Byrne, D.C. Nielsen, S.D. Haley, A.A. Andales,             G.H. Dunn. 2003.  GPFARM plant model parameters: Complications of varieties and the genotype X environment interaction in  wheat. Transactions of the ASAE. V.46(5): 1337-1346

 

Aiken, R.M., D.C. Nielsen and L.R. Ahuja. 2003. Scaling effects of standing crop residues on the wind profile. Agronomy Journal 95:1041-1046.

 

Benjamin, J.G., D.C. Nielsen, M.F. Vigil. 2003. Quantifying effects of soil conditions on plant growth and crop production.  Geoderma v. 116p. 137-148.

 

Lyon, D.J., Baltensperger, D.D., Burgerner, P.A., Nielsen, D.C. Flexible summer fallow: A dynamic cropping systems concept for the Central Great Plains. In J.D. Hanson and J.M. Krupinsky (eds). Proceedings from Dynamic Cropping Systems: Principles, Processes, and Challenges. Aug. 4-7, Bismarck, North Dakota. 2003. p. 265-268.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 2003. Stubble management effects on available soil water in dryland cropping systems. In. J. Davis (ed.) From the Ground Up, Agronomy News 23:20-21. Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Ft. Collins. http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/SoilCrop/extension/Newsletters/2003/Drought/stubble.html

 

Ma, L., Nielsen, D.C., L.R. Ahuja, R.W. Malone, Saseendran S.A., K.W. Rojas, J.D. Hanson, J.G. Benjamin. 2003. Evaluation of RZWQM under varying irrigation levels in eastern Colorado. Transactions of the ASAE 49(1): 39-49.

Nielsen, D., J. Benjamin, and J. Schneekloth. 2002. Corn water use and yield under dryland rotations and limited irrigation. In. J. Davis (ed.) From the Ground Up, Agronomy News 22:3-4. Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, Ft. Collins.

D.C. Nielsen, 2002. Crop Rotation, Soil Water Content & Wheat Yields,  USDA-ARS,Conservation Tillage Fact Sheet #1-02.

Nielsen, D.C., M.F. Vigil, R.L. Anderson, R.A. Bowman, and A.D. Halvorson. 2002. Cropping system influence on planting water content and yield of winter wheat. Agron. J. 94:962-967.

Nielsen, D.C., and M.F. Vigil. Legume green fallow effect on soil water content at wheat planting and wheat yield. Agron. Abst. CD-ROM. 2002.

Nielsen, D.C., L.Ma, L.R. Ahuja, and G. Hoogenboom. 2002. Simulating soybean water stress effects with RZWQM and CROPGRO models. Agron. J. 94 (Nov/Dec, in press).

Nielsen, D.C. 2002. Water use efficiency, enhancing. p. 1399-1402. In R. Lal, L. Ahuja (Ed.). Encyclopedia of Soil Science. Marcel Dekker, New York.

Anapalli, S.S., D.C. Nielsen, L. Ma, and L.R. Ahuja. Performance of RZWQM and CERES wheat models for simulating N management effects on winter wheat. Agron. Abst. CD-ROM. 2002.
 

Benjamin, J.G., and D.C. Nielsen. A method to separate plant roots from soil and analyze root surface area. Agron. Abst. CD-ROM. 2002.
 

Johnston, A.M., D.L. Tanaka, P.R. Miller, S.A. Brandt, D. C. Nielsen, G.P. Lafond and N.R. Riveland. 2002. Oilseed crops for semiarid cropping systems in the northern Great Plains. Agron. J. 94:231-240.

L.Ma, D.C. Nielsen, L.R. Ahuja, J.R. Kiniry, J.D. Hanson, and G. Hoogenboom. 2002. An evaluation of RZWQM, CROPGRO, and CERES-Maize for responses to water stress in the Central Great Plains. p. 119-148 In L.R. Ahuja, L. Ma, and T.A. Howell (ed.) Agricultural Systems Models in Field Research and Technology Transfer. Lewis Publishers-CRC Press, New York.

McMaster, G.S., J.C. Ascough, II, M.J. Shaffer, L.A. Deer-Ascough, P.F. Byrne, S.D. Haley, D.C. Nielsen, A.A. Andales, and G.H. Dunn, M.A. Welz, and L.R. Ahuja. 2002. Parameterizing GPFARM: An agricultural decision support system for integrating science, economics, resource use, and environmental impacts. Proc. Int. Ecol. Modeling and Software Soc. P.72-77. June 24-27, Lugano, Switzerland.

Nielsen, D.C. 2001. Production functions for chickpea, field pea, and lentil in the Central Great Plains. Agron. J. 93:563-569.

Nielsen, D.C., M.F. Vigil, J.G. Benjamin, R.A. Bowman, R.L. Anderson, A.D. Halvorson. 2001. Crop rotation effect on water content at wheat planting and wheat yield. In Annual Meeting Abstracts, [CD-ROM]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI.

Alderfasi, A. A. and D.C. Nielsen. 2001. Use of crop water stress index for monitoring water status and scheduling irrigation in wheat. Agric. Water Mgmt. 47:69-75.

Benjamin, J.G., D.C. Nielsen, M.F. Vigil, and R.A. Bowman. 2001. Quantifying effects of soil physical condition on plant growth and crop production. In Annual Meeting Abstracts, [CD-ROM]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI.

 

Butler, J.D., P.F. Byrne, D.C. Nielsen, N.J. Doesken, G.S. McMaster, S.D. Haley, and C. Stushnoff. 2001. Determining temperature and precipitation variables that best explain Colorado wheat yields. In Annual Meeting Abstracts, [CD-ROM]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI.

Ma, L., G. Hoogenboom, D.C. Nielsen, and L.R. Ahuja. 2001. RZWQM-CROPGRO and RZWQM-CERES hybrids for simulating soybean and corn growth in the central Great Plains. In Annual Meeting Abstracts, [CD-ROM]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI.

McMaster, G.S., P. Byrne, S. Haley, D. Nielsen, C. Stushnoff, and N. Doesken. 2001. Winter wheat varieties differ in phenological and canopy development responses to water stress. In Annual Meeting Abstracts, [CD-ROM]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA, Madison, WI.

 

McMaster, G.S., R.M. Aiken, and D.C. Nielsen. 2000. Optimizing wheat harvest cutting height for harvest efficiency and soil water conservation. Agron. J. 92:1104-1108.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 1999. Water requirements and potential impacts on following crops. In R. Meyer, D. Belshe, D. O'Brien, and R. Darling (ed.) High Plains Sunflower Production Handbook. Kansas State University. Ag. Exp. Stn. MF-2384. Manhattan.

 

Nielsen, D.C., R.L. Anderson, R.A. Bowman, R.M. Aiken, M.F. Vigil, and J.G. Benjamin. 1999. Winter wheat and proso millet yield reduction due to sunflower in rotation. J. Prod. Agric. 12:193-197.

 

Anderson, R.L., R.A. Bowman, D.C. Nielsen, M.F. Vigil, R.M. Aiken, and J.G. Benjamin. Alternative crop rotations for the central Great Plains. J.Prod. Agric. 12:95-99.

 

Nielsen, D.C.  1998.  Snow catch and soil water recharge in standing sunflower residue.  J. Prod. Agric. 11:476-480.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 1998. Comparison of three alternative oilseed crops for the Central Great Plains. J. of Prod. Agric. 11:336-341.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 1998. Sunflower water use relationships. Conservation Tillage Fact Sheet #1-98. Central Great Plains Res. Stn., Akron, CO.

 

Nielsen, D.C., and N.O. Nelson. 1998. Black bean sensitivity to water stress at various growth stages. Crop Sci. 38:422-427.

 

Nielsen, D.C., and R.M. Aiken. 1998. Wind speed above and within sunflower stalks varying in height and population. J. Soil and Water Cons. 53:347-352.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 1997. Water use and yield of canola under dryland conditions in the Central Great Plains. J. Prod. Agric. 10:307-313.

 

Nielsen, D.C. R.M. Aiken and G.S. McMaster. 1997. Optimum wheat stubble height to reduce erosion and evaporation. USDA-ARS, USDA- NRCS and Colorado Conservation Tillage Association Fact Sheet #4-97.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 1997. On-farm soil water measurements. USDA-ARS, USDA-NRCS and Colorado Conservation Tillage Association Fact Sheet #6-97.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 1996. Potential of canola as a dryland crop in northeastern Colorado. p. 281-287 In: J.Janick Progress in New Crops. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci., Alexandria, VA.

 

Nielsen, D.C., and S.E. Hinkle. 1996. Field evaluation of basal crop coefficients for corn based on growing degree days, growth stage, or time. Trans. ASAE 39:97-103.

 

Nielsen, D.D., H.J. Lagae, and R.L. Anderson. 1995. Time-domain reflectometry measurements of surface soil water content. SSSAJ 59:103-105.

 

Nielsen, D.C. 1995. Water use/yield relationships for central Great Plains crops. Conservation Tillage Fact Sheet #2-95. Central Great Plains Res. Stn., Akron, CO.