Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from soil are reduced following afforestation of pasture lands in three contrasting climatic zones

Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 443 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Allen ◽  
D. S. Mendham ◽  
Bhupinderpal-Singh ◽  
A. Cowie ◽  
W. Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Carbon Accounting ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Test Model ◽  
Accounting System ◽  
Ch4 Flux

Land use change from agriculture to forestry offers potential opportunities for carbon (C) sequestration and thus partial mitigation of increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The effects of land use change of grazed pastures on in situ fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from soil were examined across 3 forest types in Australian temperate, Mediterranean, and subtropical regions, using a network of paired pasture−forest sites, representing 3 key stages of forest stand development: establishment, canopy-closure, and mid to late rotation. During the 12-month study, soil temperature ranged from –6° to 40°C and total rainfall from 487 to 676 mm. Rates of N2O flux ranged between 1 and 100 μg/m2.h in pasture soils and from –5 to 50 μg/m2.h in forest soils; magnitudes were generally similar across the 3 climate zones. Rates of CH4 flux varied from –1 to –50 μg/m2.h in forest soil and from +10 to –30 μg/m2.h in pasture soils; CH4 flux was highest at the subtropics sites and lowest at the Mediterranean sites. In general, N2O emissions were lower, and CH4 consumption was higher, under forest than pasture soils, suggesting that land use change from pasture to forest can have a positive effect on mitigation of non-CO2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil as stands become established. The information derived from this study can be used to improve the capacity of models for GHG accounting (e.g. FullCAM, which underpins Australia’s National Carbon Accounting System) to estimate N2O and CH4 fluxes resulting from land use change from pasture to forest in Australia. There is still, however, a need to test model outputs against continuous N2O and CH4 measurements over extended periods of time and across a range of sites with similar land use, to increase confidence in spatial and temporal estimates at regional levels.

Contribution of nitrous oxide emissions from wastewater treatment to carbon accounting

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Winter ◽  
P. Pearce ◽  
K. Colquhoun
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ventilation System ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Carbon Accounting ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
N2o Emissions

This paper describes research that investigated the contribution of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from wastewater treatment to the greenhouse gas emissions of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The research provided several months of robust data from a large-scale WWTP serving a population equivalent of 284,000. N2O emissions were monitored online at the ventilation system of a covered activated sludge (AS) plant, therefore capturing the complete off-gas stream. This methodology eliminated errors incurred through sampling of small percentages of emission areas and allowed representative continuous measurements. Nitrogen load and dissolved oxygen (DO) were also monitored. To address seasonal variation, data were recorded in two extensive phases. In addition, three separate 24-hour surveys were conducted. Emissions of CO2, CH4 and N2O associated with treatment were calculated using the UK Water Industry Research carbon accounting workbook. This study measured N2O emissions from the AS process (nitrification and denitrification) equivalent to 17.5% of the annual GHG emissions (tonnes CO2e) from processes at the WWTP. The emissions were within the range of published N2O emissions. The diurnal profiles confirmed literature findings of a trend of increased N2O emissions when the DO decreased. The DO in the high rate zone of the aeration lanes should be kept above 1 mg l−1 to avoid favourable conditions for N2O emissions during nitrification.

scholarly journals Greenhouse gas emissions from the water–air interface of a grassland river: a case study of the Xilin River

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Hao ◽  
Yu Ruihong ◽  
Zhang Zhuangzhuang ◽  
Qi Zhen ◽  
Lu Xixi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Sand Land ◽  
Very High

AbstractGreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from rivers and lakes have been shown to significantly contribute to global carbon and nitrogen cycling. In spatiotemporal-variable and human-impacted rivers in the grassland region, simultaneous carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions and their relationships under the different land use types are poorly documented. This research estimated greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, N2O) emissions in the Xilin River of Inner Mongolia of China using direct measurements from 18 field campaigns under seven land use type (such as swamp, sand land, grassland, pond, reservoir, lake, waste water) conducted in 2018. The results showed that CO2 emissions were higher in June and August, mainly affected by pH and DO. Emissions of CH4 and N2O were higher in October, which were influenced by TN and TP. According to global warming potential, CO2 emissions accounted for 63.35% of the three GHG emissions, and CH4 and N2O emissions accounted for 35.98% and 0.66% in the Xilin river, respectively. Under the influence of different degrees of human-impact, the amount of CO2 emissions in the sand land type was very high, however, CH4 emissions and N2O emissions were very high in the artificial pond and the wastewater, respectively. For natural river, the greenhouse gas emissions from the reservoir and sand land were both low. The Xilin river was observed to be a source of carbon dioxide and methane, and the lake was a sink for nitrous oxide.

scholarly journals Biofuel production and soil GHG emissions after land-use change to switchgrass and giant reed in the U.S. Southeast

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e00125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Nocentini ◽  
John Field ◽  
Andrea Monti ◽  
Keith Paustian
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Giant Reed ◽  
The U.S

scholarly journals Spatial and temporal variability of nitrous oxide emissions in a mixed farming landscape of Denmark

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 2989-3002 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Schelde ◽  
P. Cellier ◽  
T. Bertolini ◽  
T. Dalgaard ◽  
T. Weidinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
N2o Production ◽  
Mixed Farming ◽  
N2o Fluxes

Abstract. Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural land are variable at the landscape scale due to variability in land use, management, soil type, and topography. A field experiment was carried out in a typical mixed farming landscape in Denmark, to investigate the main drivers of variations in N2O emissions, measured using static chambers. Measurements were made over a period of 20 months, and sampling was intensified during two weeks in spring 2009 when chambers were installed at ten locations or fields to cover different crops and topography and slurry was applied to three of the fields. N2O emissions during spring 2009 were relatively low, with maximum values below 20 ng N m−2 s−1. This applied to all land use types including winter grain crops, grasslands, meadows, and wetlands. Slurry application to wheat fields resulted in short-lived two-fold increases in emissions. The moderate N2O fluxes and their moderate response to slurry application were attributed to dry soil conditions due to the absence of rain during the four previous weeks. Cumulative annual emissions from two arable fields that were both fertilized with mineral fertilizer and manure were large (17 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1 and 5.5 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1) during the previous year when soil water conditions were favourable for N2O production during the first month following fertilizer application. Our findings confirm the importance of weather conditions as well as nitrogen management on N2O fluxes.

scholarly journals Emissions of Nitrous Oxide and Nitric Oxide from Soils of Native and Exotic Ecosystems of the Amazon and Cerrado Regions of Brazil

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 312-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric A. Davidson ◽  
Mercedes M.C. Bustamante ◽  
Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Nitric Oxide ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Photochemical Reactions ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Secondary Forests ◽  
Soil Emissions ◽  
Amazonian Forests ◽  
The Impact ◽  
No Emissions

This paper reviews reports of nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) emissions from soils of the Amazon and Cerrado regions of Brazil. N2O is a stable greenhouse gas in the troposphere and participates in ozone-destroying reactions in the stratosphere, whereas NO participates in tropospheric photochemical reactions that produce ozone. Tropical forests and savannas are important sources of atmospheric N2O and NO, but rapid land use change could be affecting these soil emissions of N oxide gases. The five published estimates for annual emissions of N2O from soils of mature Amazonian forests are remarkably consistent, ranging from 1.4 to 2.4 kg N ha–1 year–1, with a mean of 2.0 kg N ha–1 year–1. Estimates of annual emissions of NO from Amazonian forests are also remarkably similar, ranging from 1.4 to 1.7 kg N ha–1 year–1, with a mean of 1.5 kg N ha–1 year–1. Although a doubling or tripling of N2O has been observed in some young (<2 years) cattle pastures relative to mature forests, most Amazonian pastures have lower emissions than the forests that they replace, indicating that forest-topasture conversion has, on balance, probably reduced regional emissions slightly (<10%). Secondary forests also have lower soil emissions than mature forests. The same patterns apply for NO emissions in Amazonia. At the only site in Cerrado where vegetation measurements have been made N2O emissions were below detection limits and NO emissions were modest (~0.4 kg N ha–1 year–1). Emissions of NO doubled after fire and increased by a factor of ten after wetting dry soil, but these pulses lasted only a few hours to days. As in Amazonian pastures, NO emissions appear to decline with pasture age. Detectable emissions of N2O have been measured in soybean and corn fields in the Cerrado region, but they are modest relative to fluxes measured in more humid tropical agricultural regions. No measurements of NO from agricultural soils in the Cerrado region have been made, but we speculate that they could be more important than N2O emissions in this relatively dry climate. While a consistent pattern is emerging from these studies in the Amazon region, far too few data exist for the Cerrado region to assess the impact of land use changes on N oxide emissions.

scholarly journals Soil Denitrifier Community Size Changes with Land Use Change to Perennial Bioenergy Cropping Systems

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen A. Thompson ◽  
Bill Deen ◽  
Kari E. Dunfield
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
16S Rrna ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Research Station ◽  
N2o Production ◽  
Nirs Gene

Abstract. Dedicated biomass crops are required for future bioenergy production. However, the effects of large-scale land use change (LUC) from traditional annual crops, such as corn-soybean rotations to the perennial grasses (PGs) switchgrass and miscanthus on soil microbial community functioning is largely unknown. Specifically, ecologically significant denitrifying communities, which regulate N2O production and consumption in soils, may respond differently to LUC due to differences in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) inputs between crop types and management systems. Our objective was to quantify bacterial denitrifying gene abundances as influenced by corn-soybean crop production compared to PG biomass production. A field trial was established in 2008 at the Elora Research Station in Ontario, Canada (n = 30), with miscanthus and switchgrass grown alongside corn-soybean rotations at different N rates (0 and 160 kg N ha-1) and biomass harvest dates within PG plots. Soil was collected on four dates from 2011–2012 and quantitative PCR was used to enumerate the total bacterial community (16S rRNA), and communities of bacterial denitrifiers by targeting nitrite reductase (nirS) and N2O reductase (nosZ) genes. Miscanthus produced significantly larger yields and supported larger nosZ denitrifying communities than corn-soybean rotations regardless of management, indicating large-scale LUC from corn-soybean to miscanthus may be suitable in variable Ontario conditions while potentially mitigating soil N2O emissions. Harvesting switchgrass in the spring decreased yields in N-fertilized plots, but did not affect gene abundances. Standing miscanthus overwinter resulted in higher 16S rRNA and nirS gene copies than in fall-harvested crops. However, the size of the total (16S rRA) and denitrifying communities changed differently over time and in response to LUC, indicating varying controls on these communities.

scholarly journals Reviews and syntheses: Soil N<sub>2</sub>O and NO emissions from land use and land-use change in the tropics and subtropics: a meta-analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 7299-7313 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. van Lent ◽  
K. Hergoualc'h ◽  
L. V. Verchot
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Forest Conversion ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Soil N ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
No Emissions

Abstract. Deforestation and forest degradation in the tropics may substantially alter soil N-oxide emissions. It is particularly relevant to accurately quantify those changes to properly account for them in a REDD+ climate change mitigation scheme that provides financial incentives to reduce the emissions. With this study we provide updated land use (LU)-based emission rates (104 studies, 392 N2O and 111 NO case studies), we determine the trend and magnitude of flux changes with land-use change (LUC) using a meta-analysis approach (44 studies, 135 N2O and 37 NO cases) and evaluate biophysical drivers of N2O and NO emissions and emission changes for the tropics. The average N2O and NO emissions in intact upland tropical forest amounted to 2.0 ± 0.2 (n = 90) and 1.7 ± 0.5 (n = 36) kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively. In agricultural soils annual N2O emissions were exponentially related to N fertilization rates and average water-filled pore space (WFPS) whereas in non-agricultural sites a Gaussian response to WFPS fit better with the observed NO and N2O emissions. The sum of soil N2O and NO fluxes and the ratio of N2O to NO increased exponentially and significantly with increasing nitrogen availability (expressed as NO3− / [NO3−+NH4+]) and WFPS, respectively; following the conceptual Hole-In-the-Pipe model. Nitrous and nitric oxide fluxes did not increase significantly overall as a result of LUC (Hedges's d of 0.11 ± 0.11 and 0.16 ± 0.19, respectively), however individual LUC trajectories or practices did. Nitrous oxide fluxes increased significantly after intact upland forest conversion to croplands (Hedges's d = 0.78 ± 0.24) and NO increased significantly following the conversion of low forest cover (secondary forest younger than 30 years, woodlands, shrublands) (Hedges's d of 0.44 ± 0.13). Forest conversion to fertilized systems significantly and highly raised both N2O and NO emission rates (Hedges's d of 1.03 ± 0.23 and 0.52 ± 0.09, respectively). Changes in nitrogen availability and WFPS were the main factors explaining changes in N2O emissions following LUC, therefore it is important that experimental designs monitor their spatio-temporal variation. Gaps in the literature on N oxide fluxes included geographical gaps (Africa, Oceania) and LU gaps (degraded forest, wetland (notably peat) forest, oil palm plantation and soy cultivation).

Mapping land use on Irish raised bogs using Sentinel-2 imagery and Google Earth Engine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wahaj Habib ◽  
John Connolly ◽  
Kevin McGuiness
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Optical Sensors ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Good Prospect ◽  
Raised Bogs ◽  
Google Earth Engine ◽  
Sentinel 2

&lt;p&gt;Peatlands are one of the most space-efficient terrestrial carbon stores. They cover approximately 3 % of the terrestrial land surface and account for about one-third of the total soil organic carbon stock. Peatlands have been under severe strain for centuries all over the world due to management related activities. In Ireland, peatlands span over approximately 14600 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;, and 85 % of that has already been degraded to some extent. To achieve temperature goals agreed in the Paris agreement and fulfil the EU&amp;#8217;s commitment to quantifying the Carbon/Green House Gases (C/GHG) emissions from land use, land use change forestry, accurate mapping and identification of management related activities (land use) on peatlands is important.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;High-resolution multispectral satellite imagery by European Space Agency (ESA) i.e., Sentinel-2 provides a good prospect for mapping peatland land use in Ireland. However, due to persistent cloud cover over Ireland, and the inability of optical sensors to penetrate the clouds makes the acquisition of clear sky imagery a challenge and hence hampers the analysis of the landscape. Google Earth Engine (a cloud-based planetary-scale satellite image platform) was used to create a cloud-free image mosaic from sentinel-2 data was created for raised bogs in Ireland (images collected for the time period between 2017-2020). A preliminary analysis was conducted to identify peatland land use classes, i.e., grassland/pasture, crop/tillage, built-up, cutover, cutaway and coniferous, broadleaf forests using this mosaicked image. The land-use classification results may be used as a baseline dataset since currently, no high-resolution peatland land use dataset exists for Ireland. It can also be used for quantification of land-use change on peatlands. Moreover, since Ireland will now be voluntarily accounting the GHG emissions from managed wetlands (including bogs), this data could also be useful for such type of assessment.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Biofuels and land-use changes: searching for the top model

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andre M. Nassar ◽  
Leila Harfuch ◽  
Luciane C. Bachion ◽  
Marcelo R. Moreira
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Green House Gas ◽  
Biofuel Policies

The use of agricultural-based biofuels has expanded. Discussions on how to assess green house gas (GHG) emissions from biofuel policies, specifically on (non-observed) land-use change (LUC) effects involve two main topics: (i) the limitations on the existing methodologies, and (ii) how to isolate the effects of biofuels. This paper discusses the main methodologies currently used by policy-makers to take decisions on how to quantify LUCs owing to biofuel production expansion. It is our opinion that the concerns regarding GHG emissions associated with LUCs should focus on the agricultural sector as a whole rather than concentrating on biofuel production. Actually, there are several limitations of economic models and deterministic methodologies for simulating and explaining LUCs resulting from the expansion of the agricultural sector. However, it is equally true that there are avenues of possibilities to improve models and make them more accurate and precise in order to be used for policy-making. Models available need several improvements to reach perfection. Any top model requires a concentration of interdisciplinary designers in order to replicate empirical evidence and capture correctly the agricultural sector dynamics for different countries and regions. Forgetting those limitations means that models will be used for the wrong purposes.

Processes and magnitude of CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes from liming of Australian acidic soils: a review

Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 747 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Page ◽  
D. E. Allen ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
W. Slattery
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Carbon Accounting ◽  
Accounting System ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Recent Approach ◽  
Tier 1 ◽  
Ch4 And N2o ◽  
Induced Changes

Increases in soil acidification have led to large increases in the application of aglime to Australian agricultural soils. The addition of aglime has the potential to increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to the release of CO2 during the chemical dissolution of aglime and due to pH-induced changes to soil biological processes. Currently, Australia’s GHG accounting system assumes that all the carbon contained in aglime is released to the atmosphere during dissolution in accordance with the Tier 1 methodology of the IPCC. However, a recent approach by TO West and AC McBride has questioned this assumption, hypothesising that a proportion of the carbon from riverine-transported aglime may be sequestered in seawater. In addition, there is presently no capacity within Australia’s carbon accounting system to quantify changes to GHG emissions from lime-induced changes to soil biological processes. Therefore, the primary objective of this review was to examine the chemical and biological processes occurring during the application of aglime and the subsequent fluxes in CO2, N2O, and CH4 from soil, with particular reference to the Australian environment. Estimates for CO2 emissions from aglime application in Australia using the contrasting methodologies of the IPCC and West and McBride were compared. Using the methodology of the IPCC it was determined that from the aglime applied in Australia in 2002, 0.995 Tg of CO2 would have been emitted, whereas this figure was reduced to 0.659–0.860 Tg of CO2 using the methodology of West and McBride. However, the accuracy of these estimates is currently limited by poor understanding of the manner in which aglime moves within the Australian landscapes. In addition, there are only a very small number of Australian studies that have examined the effect of aglime on GHG emissions due to changes in soil biological processes, limiting the ability of Australian modellers to accurately incorporate these processes within the carbon accounting system.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document