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Olivo AJ, Godber OF, Reed KF, Nydam DV, Wattiaux MA, Ketterings QM. Greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient use efficiency assessment of six New York organic dairies. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)00982-2. [PMID: 38968997 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-25004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are important environmental priorities for organic-certified dairy operations. The objectives of this research were to quantify annual nutrient use and GHG emissions in 6 organic New York dairy farms. Farm-gate nutrient mass balances (NMB) were estimated with the Cornell NMB calculator. Whole-farm GHG emissions were estimated using Cool Farm Tool (CFT) and COMET. Farm-gate NMBs were low, ranging from -6.5 to 19 kg N ha-1 for N1 (without legume N fixation), 26 to 71 kg N ha-1 for N2 (including N fixation), -2.4 to 8.2 kg P ha-1 for P, and 1.1 to 19.8 kg K ha-1 for K. Additional nutrient imports, coupled with nutrient management planning, adequate legume stands and diet balancing may help improve P balances, and ensure no N deficiencies in the system. Estimates of annual GHG emission intensity ranged from 0.98 to 2.10 kg CO2-eq per kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM) estimated by CFT, and from 0.69 to 2.48 kg CO2-eq kg FPCM-1 estimated by COMET. Enteric fermentation, feed production and fuel and energy use represented the largest sources of GHGs. For farms with liquid manure storages, manure management was also a significant source. Estimates of soil carbon (C) stock changes from CFT were in agreement or smaller than previous studies, and estimates from COMET were in agreement or greater. Variability and uncertainty in the results for soil C stock change indicate more research and new protocols are needed. Impact of individual management changes on GHG emissions intensity were small, ranging from -8 to +7% in CFT, and -8% to +8% in COMET. The management changes that resulted in the largest reductions in GHG emissions intensity included increasing individual cow productivity and milk to total feed ratio, and implementation of manure treatment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustin J Olivo
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Olivia F Godber
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Kristan F Reed
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Daryl V Nydam
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Michel A Wattiaux
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706
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Wang X, Li S, Wang L, Zheng M, Wang Z, Song K. Effects of cropland reclamation on soil organic carbon in China's black soil region over the past 35 years. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:5460-5477. [PMID: 37357413 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
The long-term use of cropland and cropland reclamation from natural ecosystems led to soil degradation. This study investigated the effect of the long-term use of cropland and cropland reclamation from natural ecosystems on soil organic carbon (SOC) content and density over the past 35 years. Altogether, 2140 topsoil samples (0-20 cm) were collected across Northeast China. Landsat images were acquired from 1985 to 2020 through Google Earth Engine, and the reflectance of each soil sample was extracted from the Landsat image that its time was consistent with sampling. The hybrid model that included two individual SOC prediction models for two clustering regions was built for accurate estimation after k-means clustering. The probability hybrid model, a combination between the hybrid model and classification probabilities of pixels, was introduced to enhance the accuracy of SOC mapping. Cropland reclamation results were extracted from the land cover time-series dataset at a 5-year interval. Our study indicated that: (1) Long-term use of cropland led to a 3.07 g kg-1 and 6.71 Mg C ha-1 decrease in SOC content and density, respectively, and the decrease of SOC stock was 0.32 Pg over the past 35 years; (2) nearly 64% of cropland had a negative change in terms of SOC content from 1985 to 2020; (3) cropland reclamation track changed from high to low SOC content, and almost no cropland was reclaimed on the "Black soils" after 2005; (4) cropland reclamation from wetlands resulted in the highest decrease, and reclamation period of years 31-35 decreased when SOC density and SOC stock were 16.05 Mg C ha-1 and 0.005 Pg, respectively, while reclamation period of years 26-30 from forest witnessed SOC density and stock decreases of 8.33 Mg C ha-1 and 0.01 Pg, respectively. Our research results provide a reference for SOC change in the black soil region of Northeast China and can attract more attention to the area of the protection of "Black soils" and natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Wang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Sijia Li
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Zongming Wang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Kaishan Song
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
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Wang Y, Luo G, Li C, Ye H, Shi H, Fan B, Zhang W, Zhang C, Xie M, Zhang Y. Effects of land clearing for agriculture on soil organic carbon stocks in drylands: A meta-analysis. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:547-562. [PMID: 36222783 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural activities have been expanding globally with the pressure to provide food security to the earth's growing population. These agricultural activities have profoundly impacted soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in global drylands. However, the effects of clearing natural ecosystems for cropland (CNEC) on SOC are uncertain. To improve our understanding of carbon emissions and sequestration under different land uses, it is necessary to characterize the response patterns of SOC stocks to different types of CNEC. We conducted a meta-analysis with mixed-effect model based on 873 paired observations of SOC in croplands and adjacent natural ecosystems from 159 individual studies in global drylands. Our results indicate that CNEC significantly (p < .05) affects SOC stocks, resulting from a combination of natural land clearing, cropland management practices (fertilizer application, crop species, cultivation duration) and the significant negative effects of initial SOC stocks. Increases in SOC stocks (in 1 m depth) were found in croplands which previously natural land (deserts and shrublands) had low SOC stocks, and the increases were 278.86% (95% confidence interval, 196.43%-361.29%) and 45.38% (26.53%-62.23%), respectively. In contrast, SOC stocks (in 1 m depth) decreased by 24.11% (18.38%-29.85%) and 10.70% (1.80%-19.59%) in clearing forests and grasslands for cropland, respectively. We also established the general response curves of SOC stocks change to increasing cultivation duration, which is crucial for accurately estimating regional carbon dynamics following CNEC. SOC stocks increased significantly (p < .05) with high long-term fertilizer consumption in cleared grasslands with low initial SOC stocks (about 27.2 Mg ha-1 ). The results derived from our meta-analysis could be used for refining the estimation of dryland carbon dynamics and developing SOC sequestration strategies to achieve the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuangang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Geping Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
| | - Chaofan Li
- School of Geographic Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Ye
- School of Tourism and Geography, Jiujiang University, Jiangxi, Jiujiang, China
| | - Haiyang Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Binbin Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mingjuan Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Jordon MW, Smith P, Long PR, Bürkner PC, Petrokofsky G, Willis KJ. Can Regenerative Agriculture increase national soil carbon stocks? Simulated country-scale adoption of reduced tillage, cover cropping, and ley-arable integration using RothC. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:153955. [PMID: 35189215 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adopting Regenerative Agriculture (RA) practices on temperate arable land can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration without reducing crop yields. RA is therefore receiving much attention as a climate change mitigation strategy. However, estimating the potential change in national soil carbon stocks following adoption of RA practices is required to determine its suitability for this. Here, we use a well-validated model of soil carbon turnover (RothC) to simulate adoption of three regenerative practices (cover cropping, reduced tillage intensity and incorporation of a grass-based ley phase into arable rotations) across arable land in Great Britain (GB). We develop a modelling framework which calibrates RothC using studies of these measures from a recent systematic review, estimating the proportional increase in carbon inputs to the soil compared to conventional practice, before simulating adoption across GB. We find that cover cropping would on average increase SOC stocks by 10 t·ha-1 within 30 years of adoption across GB, potentially sequestering 6.5 megatonnes of carbon dioxide per year (MtCO2·y-1). Ley-arable systems could increase SOC stocks by 3 or 16 t·ha-1, potentially providing 2.2 or 10.6 MtCO2·y-1 of sequestration over 30 years, depending on the length of the ley-phase (one and four years, respectively, in these scenarios). In contrast, our modelling approach finds little change in soil carbon stocks when practising reduced tillage intensity. Our results indicate that adopting RA practices could make a meaningful contribution to GB agriculture reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions despite practical constraints to their uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Jordon
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom.
| | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, United Kingdom; Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3BD, United Kingdom
| | - Peter R Long
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom; Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, United Kingdom
| | | | - Gillian Petrokofsky
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom; Oxford Systematic Reviews LLP, Oxford OX2 7DL, United Kingdom
| | - Kathy J Willis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
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Khorchani M, Nadal-Romero E, Lasanta T, Tague C. Carbon sequestration and water yield tradeoffs following restoration of abandoned agricultural lands in Mediterranean mountains. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112203. [PMID: 34648763 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Abandoned cropland areas have the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation through natural revegetation and afforestation programs. These programs increase above and belowground carbon sequestration by expanding forest cover. However, this potential to mitigate climate change often involves tradeoffs between carbon sequestration and water availability. Particularly in a water limited environments such as the Mediterranean region, any loss of recharge to groundwater or streamflow can have critical societal consequences. In this study, we used an ecohydrologic model, Regional Hydro-Ecological Simulation System (RHESSys), to quantify these tradeoffs for land management plans in abandoned cropland areas in Mediterranean mountains. Changes to Net Ecosystem Production (NEP), water yield and Water-Use Efficiency (WUE) under different land management and climate scenarios were estimated for Arnás, a catchment with similar geology, vegetation and climate to many of the locations targeted for land abandonment restoration in the Spanish Pyrenees. Results showed significant changes to both carbon and water fluxes related to land management, while changes related to a warming scenario were not significant. Afforestation scenarios showed the highest average annual carbon sequestration rates (112 g C·m-2·yr-1) but were also associated with the lowest water yield (runoff coefficient of 26%) and water use efficiency (1.4 g C·mm-1) compared to natural revegetation (-27 g C·m-2·yr-1, 50%, 1.7 g C·mm-1 respectively). Under both restoration scenarios, results showed that the catchment ecosystem is a carbon sink during mid-February to July, coinciding with peak monthly transpiration and WUE, while during the rest of the year the catchment ecosystem is a carbon source. These results contribute to understanding carbon and water tradeoffs in Mediterranean mountains and can help adapt restoration plans to address both carbon sequestration and water management objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Khorchani
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Procesos Geoambientales y Cambio Global, IPE-CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - E Nadal-Romero
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Procesos Geoambientales y Cambio Global, IPE-CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - T Lasanta
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, Procesos Geoambientales y Cambio Global, IPE-CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - C Tague
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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Modeling Soil Organic Carbon Changes under Alternative Climatic Scenarios and Soil Properties Using DNDC Model at a Semi-Arid Mediterranean Environment. CLIMATE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/cli10020023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the central issues in dealing with soil fertility as well as environmental and food safety. Due to the lack of relevant data sources and methodologies, analyzing SOC dynamics has been a challenge in Morocco. During the last two decades, process-based models have been adopted as alternative and powerful tools for modeling SOC dynamics; whereas, information and knowledge on the most sensitive model inputs under different climate, and soil conditions are still very limited. For this purpose, a sensitivity analysis was conducted in the present work, using the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model based on the data collected at a semi-arid region (Merchouch station, Morocco). The objective is to identify the most influential factors affecting the DNDC-modeled SOC dynamics in a semi-arid region across different climatic and soil conditions. The results of sensitivity analysis highlighted air temperature as the main determinant of SOC. A decrease in air temperature of 4 °C results in an almost 161 kg C ha−1 yr−1 increase in C sequestration rate. Initial SOC was also confirmed to be one of the most sensitive parameters for SOC. There was a 96 kg C ha−1 yr−1 increase in C sequestration rate under low initial SOC (0.005 kg C ha−1). In the DNDC, air temperature in climatic factors and initial SOC in variable soil properties had the largest impacts on SOC accumulation in Merchouch station. We can conclude that the sensitivity analysis conducted in this study within the DNDC can contribute to provide a scientific evidence of uncertainties of the selected inputs variables who can lead to uncertainties on the SOC in the study site. The information in this paper can be helpful for scientists and policy makers, who are dealing with regions of similar environmental conditions as Merchouch Station, by identifying alternative scenarios of soil carbon sequestration.
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Banach-Szott M, Debska B, Tobiasova E. Properties of humic acids depending on the land use in different parts of Slovakia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:58068-58080. [PMID: 34100209 PMCID: PMC8536593 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14616-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Many studies report organic carbon stabilization by clay minerals, but the effects of land use and soil type on the properties of humic acids (HAs) are missing. The aim of the paper is to determine the effects of land use and soil types on the characteristics of HAs, which have a considerable influence on organic matter quality. It was hypothesised that the effect of the land use on HAs properties depends on the particular size distribution. The research was performed in three ecosystems: agricultural, forest, and meadow, located in Slovakia. From each of them, the samples of 4 soil types were taken: Chernozem, Luvisol, Planosol, and Cambisol. The soil samples were assayed for the content of total organic carbon (TOC) and the particle size distribution. HAs were extracted with the Schnitzer method and analysed for the elemental composition, spectrometric parameters in the UV-VIS range, and hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties, and the infrared spectra were produced. The research results have shown that the properties of HAs can be modified by the land use and the scope and that the direction of changes depends on the soil type. The HAs of Chernozem and Luvisol in the agri-ecosystem were identified with a higher "degree of maturity", as reflected by atomic ratios (H/C, O/C, O/H), absorbance coefficients, and the FT-IR spectra, as compared with the HAs of the meadow and forest ecosystem. However, as for the HAs of Cambisol, a higher "degree of maturity" was demonstrated for the meadow ecosystem, as compared with the HAs of the agri- and forest ecosystem. The present research has clearly identified that the content of clay is the factor determining the HAs properties. Soils with a higher content of the clay fraction contain HAs with a higher "degree of maturity".
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Banach-Szott
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Soil Science, University of Science and Technology, 6 Bernardynska St, 85-029 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Bozena Debska
- Department of Biogeochemistry and Soil Science, University of Science and Technology, 6 Bernardynska St, 85-029 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Erika Tobiasova
- Department of Soil Science, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, 2 Tr. A. Hlinku St, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia
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Changes in Soil Organic Carbon Concentration and Stock after Forest Regeneration of Agricultural Fields in Taiwan. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12091222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Afforestation or abandonment of agricultural fields to forest regeneration is a method of sequestering carbon to offset the increasing atmospheric concentration of CO2. We selected 11 sites with altitudes ranging from 14 to 2056 m and with paired forest regenerated and adjacent agricultural fields. Our objectives were to (1) examine the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and stock after forest regeneration of agricultural fields and (2) identify the factors related to elevation and adjacent agricultural practices that affect the SOC accumulation rate. Our results demonstrated overall increases in both SOC concentrations and stocks after forest regeneration of the abandoned agricultural fields. The average increase rates of SOC concentrations in the forest regenerated soil samples were 1.65 and 0.95 g C kg−1 at 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths, respectively, representing 101% and 65% increases relative to those in the soil samples from agricultural fields. The average accumulation rates of SOC stocks in the regenerated forests were 13.0 and 6.7 ton C ha−1 at the 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths, respectively, representing 96% and 62% increases relative to those in the agricultural soil samples. The average annual sequestration rate was 1.03 Mg C ha−1 year−1 for the top 0–20 cm soils, which is greater than that observed by previous reviews and meta-analyses. The tropical/subtropical climate, sampling soil depth, forest regeneration period, and tree species in this study are likely to have contributed to the high average SOC accumulation levels. In addition, the SOC stock accumulation rates were higher at low-elevation sites than at middle-elevation sites, which could also be attributed to the favorable climatic conditions at the low-elevation sites. Along with the build-up of carbon sequestration in the forest floor and tree biomass, the afforestation/abandonment of agricultural fields to forest regeneration appears to be a promising carbon offset mechanism.
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Schillaci C, Saia S, Lipani A, Perego A, Zaccone C, Acutis M. Validating the regional estimates of changes in soil organic carbon by using the data from paired-sites: the case study of Mediterranean arable lands. CARBON BALANCE AND MANAGEMENT 2021; 16:19. [PMID: 34097152 PMCID: PMC8186212 DOI: 10.1186/s13021-021-00182-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Legacy data are unique occasions for estimating soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration changes and spatial variability, but their use showed limitations due to the sampling schemes adopted and improvements may be needed in the analysis methodologies. When SOC changes is estimated with legacy data, the use of soil samples collected in different plots (i.e., non-paired data) may lead to biased results. In the present work, N = 302 georeferenced soil samples were selected from a regional (Sicily, south of Italy) soil database. An operational sampling approach was developed to spot SOC concentration changes from 1994 to 2017 in the same plots at the 0-30 cm soil depth and tested. RESULTS The measurements were conducted after computing the minimum number of samples needed to have a reliable estimate of SOC variation after 23 years. By applying an effect size based methodology, 30 out of 302 sites were resampled in 2017 to achieve a power of 80%, and an α = 0.05. A Wilcoxon test applied to the variation of SOC from 1994 to 2017 suggested that there was not a statistical difference in SOC concentration after 23 years (Z = - 0.556; 2-tailed asymptotic significance = 0.578). In particular, only 40% of resampled sites showed a higher SOC concentration than in 2017. CONCLUSIONS This finding contrasts with a previous SOC concentration increase that was found in 2008 (75.8% increase when estimated as differences of 2 models built with non-paired data), when compared to 1994 observed data (Z = - 9.119; 2-tailed asymptotic significance < 0.001). This suggests that the use of legacy data to estimate SOC concentration dynamics requires soil resampling in the same locations to overcome the stochastic model errors. Further experiment is needed to identify the percentage of the sites to resample in order to align two legacy datasets in the same area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calogero Schillaci
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sergio Saia
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Via delle Piagge 2, 56129, Pisa, Italy
| | - Aldo Lipani
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London (UCL), Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, England
| | - Alessia Perego
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudio Zaccone
- Department of Biotechnologies, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Marco Acutis
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
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Zhang X, Lark TJ, Clark C, Yuan Y, LeDuc SD. Grassland-to-cropland conversion increased soil, nutrient, and carbon losses in the US Midwest between 2008 and 2016. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS : ERL [WEB SITE] 2021; 16:1-13. [PMID: 36560928 PMCID: PMC9770055 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abecbe] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
After decades of declining cropland area, the United States (US) experienced a reversal in land use/land cover change in recent years, with substantial grassland conversion to cropland in the US Midwest. Although previous studies estimated soil carbon (C) loss due to cropland expansion, other important environmental indicators, such as soil erosion and nutrient loss, remain largely unquantified. Here, we simulated environmental impacts from the conversion of grassland to corn and soybeans for 12 US Midwestern states using the EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate) model. Between 2008 and 2016, over 2 Mha of grassland were converted to crop production in these states, with much less cropland concomitantly abandoned or retired from production. The net change in grassland-cropland conversion increased annual soil erosion by 7.9%, nitrogen (N) loss by 3.7%, and soil organic carbon loss by 5.6% relative to that of existing cropland, despite an associated increase in cropland area of only 2.5%. Notably, the above estimates represent the scenario of converting unmanaged grassland to tilled corn and soybeans, and impacts varied depending upon crop type and tillage regime. Corn and soybeans are dominant biofuel feedstocks, yet the grassland conversion and subsequent environmental impacts simulated in this study are likely not attributable solely to biofuel-driven land use change since other factors also contribute to corn and soybean prices and land use decisions. Nevertheless, our results suggest grassland conversion in the Upper Midwest has resulted in substantial degradation of soil quality, with implications for air and water quality as well. Additional conservation measures are likely necessary to counterbalance the impacts, particularly in areas with high rates of grassland conversion (e.g., the Dakotas, southern Iowa).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesong Zhang
- Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, 5825 University Research Ct, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | - Tyler J Lark
- Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Department of Energy Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Christopher Clark
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Yongping Yuan
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Stephen D LeDuc
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
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11
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Bell SM, Terrer C, Barriocanal C, Jackson RB, Rosell-Melé A. Soil organic carbon accumulation rates on Mediterranean abandoned agricultural lands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 759:143535. [PMID: 33190903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Secondary succession on abandoned agricultural lands can produce climate change mitigation co-benefits, such as soil carbon sequestration. However, the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Mediterranean regions has been difficult to predict and is subject to multiple environmental and land management factors. Gains, losses, and no significant changes have all been reported. Here we compile chronosequence data (n = 113) from published studies and new field sites to assess the response of SOC to agricultural land abandonment in peninsular Spain. We found an overall SOC accumulation rate of +2.3% yr-1 post-abandonment. SOC dynamics are highly variable and context-dependent. Minimal change occurs on abandoned cereal croplands compared to abandoned woody croplands (+4% yr-1). Accumulation is most prevalent within a Goldilocks climatic window of ~13-17 °C and ~450-900 mm precipitation, promoting >100% gains after three decades. Our secondary forest field sites accrued 40.8 Mg C ha-1 (+172%) following abandonment and displayed greater SOC and N depth heterogeneity than natural forests demonstrating the long-lasting impact of agriculture. Although changes in regional climate and crop types abandoned will impact future carbon sequestration, abandonment remains a low-cost, long-term natural climate solution best incorporated in tandem with other multipurpose sustainable land management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Bell
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - César Terrer
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA, USA; Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carles Barriocanal
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; GRAM, Department of Geography, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Robert B Jackson
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Woods Institute for the Environment, Precourt Institute for Energy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Antoni Rosell-Melé
- Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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12
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Abstract
The soil has lost organic matter in the past centuries. Adding organic matter to soils is one of the management practices applied to recover the levels of soil carbon of the past and to improve soil properties. Is it a good practice to reduce global warming? In fact, one of the practices promoted to combat climate change is increasing soil organic matter. However, the addition of organic residues to the soil could facilitate the liberation of CO2 and wastes could also have no positive effects on soil properties (i.e., pollution). In this sense, what it is important is: (a) to know which is the expected effect of the organic matter added to the soil; (b) how this application alters the soil processes; (c) which are the management practices that should be applied; (d) how much is the real amount of carbon sequester by the soil and; (e) the balance at short and long period after the application of the organic matter. The adequate strategy should be to favour the increment of biologically stabilized soil organic matter considering medium and long time. However, it is necessary to adapt the strategies to the local environmental conditions.
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13
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Mi J, Hou H, Raval S, Yang Y, Zhang S, Hua Y, Wang C, Chen F. Effect of crop cultivation on the soil carbon stock in mine dumps of the Loess Plateau, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 741:139809. [PMID: 32570064 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In the ecological restoration of mine dumps, soil carbon stock (SCS) improvement is an important issue. The type of land use and management approach taken can have a great influence on this issue. On the Loess Plateau, different crops have been cultivated on reclaimed land; however, the effect of long-term crop cultivation on SCS is poorly understood. To address this issue, a field investigation of mine dumps was performed at the Kee Open Pit Mine in Shanxi Province, China. Four sites utilizing different land management methods were analyzed: no reclamation (NR), reclamation with no crop cultivation (NC), and reclamation followed by 11 or 27 years crop cultivation (RC-11 and RC-27, respectively). SCS, associated soil properties (total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), moisture content (MoiC), and pH), plant community (species composition, plant diversity, and traits), and microbial community operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of fungi and bacteria were determined by field investigation and laboratory analysis. Redundancy analysis was used to show the relationship between SCS and other environmental variables. Results varied by soil depth. At the depth range of 0-20 cm, the SCS of RC-11 was significantly greater compared to that in NR and NC, by 14.64- and 2.25-fold, respectively; whereas compared to RC-27, it was higher by 52.78%. At the depth of 20-40 cm, NC has the largest SCS; the SCS of RC-27 was the lowest, which was less compared to that in NC by 43.64%. Redundancy analysis showed a positive relationship between the SCS and TN, TP, MoiC, as well as average plant coverage, while the bacterial OTUs were negatively related with the SCS. This research suggests the potential of mine dumps for crop cultivation, which could improve the SCS of the mining area on the Loess Plateau.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Mi
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China; School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Huping Hou
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China; Think Tank of Jiangsu for Natural Resource, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Simit Raval
- School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Yongjun Yang
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Shaoliang Zhang
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China; Think Tank of Jiangsu for Natural Resource, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Education for Mine Ecological Restoration, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Yifei Hua
- School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Chen Wang
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China
| | - Fuyao Chen
- School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China
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14
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Abbas F, Hammad HM, Ishaq W, Farooque AA, Bakhat HF, Zia Z, Fahad S, Farhad W, Cerdà A. A review of soil carbon dynamics resulting from agricultural practices. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 268:110319. [PMID: 32510455 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Literature related to the carbon cycle and climate contains contradictory results with regard to whether agricultural practices increase or mitigate emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). One opinion is that anthropogenic activities have distinct carbon footprints - measured as total emissions of GHGs resulting from an activity, in this case, "agricultural operations". In contrast, it is argued that agriculture potentially serves to mitigate GHGs emissions when the best management practices are implemented. We review the literature on agricultural carbon footprints in the context of agricultural practices including soil, water and nutrient management. It has been reported that the management practices that enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) in arid and semi-arid areas include conversion of conventional tillage practices to conservation tillage approaches. We found that agricultural management in arid and semi-arid regions, which have specific characteristics related to high temperatures and low rainfall conditions, requires different practices for maintenance and restoration of SOC and for control of soil erosion compared to those used in Mediterranean, tropical regions. We recommend that in order to meet the global climate targets, quantification of net global warming potential of agricultural practices requires precise estimates of local, regional and global carbon budgets. We have conducted and present a case study for observing the development of deep soil carbon profile resulting from a 10-year wheat-cotton and wheat-maize rotation on semi-arid lands. Results showed that no tillage with mulch application had 14% (37.2 vs 43.3 Mg ha-1) higher SOC stocks in comparison to conventional tillage with mulch application. By implementing no tillage in conjunction with mulch application, lower carbon losses from soil can mitigate the risks associated with global warming. Therefore, it is necessary to reconsider agricultural practices and soil erosion after a land-use change when calculating global carbon footprints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhat Abbas
- Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A4P3, Canada
| | - Hafiz Mohkum Hammad
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Wajid Ishaq
- Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Aitazaz Ahsan Farooque
- Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A4P3, Canada
| | - Hafiz Faiq Bakhat
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan.
| | - Zahida Zia
- Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan
| | - Shah Fahad
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Department of Agronomy and Stress Physiology, The University of Swabi, Pakistan
| | - Wajid Farhad
- University College of Dera Murad Jamali Naseerabad, Sub-Campus Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, 90150, Pakistan
| | - Artemi Cerdà
- Soil Erosion and Degradation Research Group, Department de Geografia, Universitat de València, Blasco Ibàñez, 28, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
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15
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Phillips BB, Bullock JM, Osborne JL, Gaston KJ. Ecosystem service provision by road verges. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin B. Phillips
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - James M. Bullock
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Wallingford Oxfordshire UK
| | - Juliet L. Osborne
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - Kevin J. Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
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16
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Ecosystem Dynamics After Abandonment of Rice Paddy Fields: Does Alien Plant Invasion Enhance Carbon Storage? Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00426-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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17
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Dynamic Changes in Carbon Sequestration from Opencast Mining Activities and Land Reclamation in China’s Loess Plateau. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11051473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Opencast coal mining causes serious damage to the natural landscape, resulting in the depletion of the carbon sequestration capacity in the mining activity. There are few studies on the variation of carbon sequestration capabilities caused by land use changes in opencast mining areas. This paper uses six images were used to quantify the changes in land use types from 1986 to 2015 in the Pingshuo mining area in northwest China. At the same time, used statistical analysis and mathematical models to study soil and vegetation carbon sequestration. Results indicate that the total carbon sequestration exhibits a significant downward trend from 4.58 × 106 Mg in 1986 to 3.78 × 106 Mg in 2015, with the decrease of soil carbon sequestration accounting for the largest proportion. The carbon sequestration of arable land accounted for 51% of the total carbon sequestration in the mining area, followed by grassland (31%) and forestland (18%). Land reclamation contributed to the greatest increase in carbon sequestration of arable land from 17,890.15 Mg (1986) to 27,837.95 Mg (2015). Additionally, the downward trend in the carbon sequestration capacity of the mining ecosystem was mitigated after 2010 as the positive effects of land reclamation gradually amplified over time and as the mining techniques were greatly optimized in recent years in the Pingshuo mining area. Thus, terrestrial carbon sequestration can be improved through land reclamation projects and optimized mining activities. These results can help guide the utilization of reclaimed land in the future.
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18
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Patterns and Determinants of Post-Soviet Cropland Abandonment in the Western Siberian Grain Belt. REMOTE SENSING 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/rs10121973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The transition from a command to a market economy resulted in widespread cropland abandonment across the former Soviet Union during the 1990s. Spatial patterns and determinants of abandonment are comparatively well understood for European Russia, but have not yet been assessed for the vast grain belt of Western Siberia, situated in the Eurasian forest steppe. This is unfortunate, as land-use change in Western Siberia is of global significance: Fertile black earth soils and vast mires store large amounts of organic carbon, and both undisturbed and traditional cultural landscapes harbor threatened biodiversity. We compared Landsat images from ca. 1990 (before the break-up of the Soviet Union) and ca. 2015 (current situation) with a supervised classification to estimate the extent and spatial distribution of abandoned cropland. We used logistic regression models to reveal important determinants of cropland abandonment. Ca. 135,000 ha classified as cropland around 1990 were classified as grassland around 2015. This suggests that ca. 20% of all cropland remain abandoned ca. 25 years after the end of the Soviet Union. Abandonment occurred mostly at poorly drained sites. The likelihood of cropland abandonment increased with decreasing soil quality, and increasing distance to medium-sized settlements, roads and railroads. We conclude that soil suitability, access to transport infrastructure and availability of workforce are key determinants of cropland abandonment in Western Siberia.
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19
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Fargione JE, Bassett S, Boucher T, Bridgham SD, Conant RT, Cook-Patton SC, Ellis PW, Falcucci A, Fourqurean JW, Gopalakrishna T, Gu H, Henderson B, Hurteau MD, Kroeger KD, Kroeger T, Lark TJ, Leavitt SM, Lomax G, McDonald RI, Megonigal JP, Miteva DA, Richardson CJ, Sanderman J, Shoch D, Spawn SA, Veldman JW, Williams CA, Woodbury PB, Zganjar C, Baranski M, Elias P, Houghton RA, Landis E, McGlynn E, Schlesinger WH, Siikamaki JV, Sutton-Grier AE, Griscom BW. Natural climate solutions for the United States. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaat1869. [PMID: 30443593 PMCID: PMC6235523 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat1869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Limiting climate warming to <2°C requires increased mitigation efforts, including land stewardship, whose potential in the United States is poorly understood. We quantified the potential of natural climate solutions (NCS)-21 conservation, restoration, and improved land management interventions on natural and agricultural lands-to increase carbon storage and avoid greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. We found a maximum potential of 1.2 (0.9 to 1.6) Pg CO2e year-1, the equivalent of 21% of current net annual emissions of the United States. At current carbon market prices (USD 10 per Mg CO2e), 299 Tg CO2e year-1 could be achieved. NCS would also provide air and water filtration, flood control, soil health, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Scott D. Bridgham
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Richard T. Conant
- Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Susan C. Cook-Patton
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA
| | | | | | - James W. Fourqurean
- Marine Sciences Program, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | | | - Huan Gu
- Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA
| | - Benjamin Henderson
- Trade and Agriculture Directorate, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris 75016, France
| | - Matthew D. Hurteau
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Kevin D. Kroeger
- Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Timm Kroeger
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Tyler J. Lark
- Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | | | - Guy Lomax
- The Nature Conservancy, Oxford OX1 1HU, UK
| | | | | | - Daniela A. Miteva
- Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Curtis J. Richardson
- Duke University Wetland Center, Nicholas School of the Environment, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | - David Shoch
- TerraCarbon LLC, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Seth A. Spawn
- Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Joseph W. Veldman
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | | | - Peter B. Woodbury
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | | | - Marci Baranski
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, USA
| | | | | | - Emily Landis
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Emily McGlynn
- Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | | - Juha V. Siikamaki
- International Union for Conservation of Nature, Washington, DC 20009, USA
| | - Ariana E. Sutton-Grier
- The Nature Conservancy, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740, USA
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20
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Van Vooren L, Reubens B, Ampoorter E, Broekx S, Pardon P, Van Waes C, Verheyen K. Monitoring the Impact of Hedgerows and Grass Strips on the Performance of Multiple Ecosystem Service Indicators. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 62:241-259. [PMID: 29855687 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-018-1043-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The importance of semi-natural vegetation elements in the agricultural landscape is increasingly recognized because they have the potential to enhance multiple ecosystem service delivery and biodiversity. However, there is great variability in the observed effects within and between studies. Also, little is known about the simultaneous delivery of multiple ecosystem services and biodiversity because most studies focus on monitoring one service at a time and in conditions specifically suited to observe this one service. In this study, the results are presented of 1 year of monitoring of a set of parcel-level and simplistic ecosystem service and biodiversity indicators on parcels with grass strips or hedgerows. In the grass strips, an increase in soil organic carbon stock, a decrease in soil mineral nitrogen content, a different carabid species composition and a higher spider activity density were found, compared to the adjacent arable parcel. These results indicate a contribution of grass strips to climate regulation, the regulation of water quality, an increase of beta diversity and potential for pest control. Next to hedgerows, crop yield was reduced and winter wheat thousand kernel weight, soil organic carbon stock and spider activity density were increased. These indicators show an effect of the hedgerow on food production, climate regulation and potential for pest control. The study concludes that both grass strips and hedgerows have the potential to increase multiple ecosystem service delivery, but that an increase of every service is not assured and that multifunctionality is affected by management choices. Also, an improved experimental setup in order to enhance ecosystem service monitoring is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Van Vooren
- Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, Gontrode, 9090, Belgium.
- Flanders research institute for agriculture, fisheries and food, Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 109, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium.
- VITO, 2400 Mol, Boeretang 200, Belgium.
| | - Bert Reubens
- Flanders research institute for agriculture, fisheries and food, Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 109, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium
| | - Evy Ampoorter
- Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, Gontrode, 9090, Belgium
| | | | - Paul Pardon
- Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, Gontrode, 9090, Belgium
- Flanders research institute for agriculture, fisheries and food, Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 109, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium
- Department of Plant Production, Ghent University, Proefhoevestraat 22, Melle 9090, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Chris Van Waes
- Flanders research institute for agriculture, fisheries and food, Burgemeester Van Gansberghelaan 109, Merelbeke, 9820, Belgium
| | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Geraardsbergsesteenweg 267, Gontrode, 9090, Belgium
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21
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Schillaci C, Acutis M, Lombardo L, Lipani A, Fantappiè M, Märker M, Saia S. Spatio-temporal topsoil organic carbon mapping of a semi-arid Mediterranean region: The role of land use, soil texture, topographic indices and the influence of remote sensing data to modelling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 601-602:821-832. [PMID: 28578240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
SOC is the most important indicator of soil fertility and monitoring its space-time changes is a prerequisite to establish strategies to reduce soil loss and preserve its quality. Here we modelled the topsoil (0-0.3m) SOC concentration of the cultivated area of Sicily in 1993 and 2008. Sicily is an extremely variable region with a high number of ecosystems, soils, and microclimates. We studied the role of time and land use in the modelling of SOC, and assessed the role of remote sensing (RS) covariates in the boosted regression trees modelling. The models obtained showed a high pseudo-R2 (0.63-0.69) and low uncertainty (s.d.<0.76gCkg-1 with RS, and <1.25gCkg-1 without RS). These outputs allowed depicting a time variation of SOC at 1arcsec. SOC estimation strongly depended on the soil texture, land use, rainfall and topographic indices related to erosion and deposition. RS indices captured one fifth of the total variance explained, slightly changed the ranking of variance explained by the non-RS predictors, and reduced the variability of the model replicates. During the study period, SOC decreased in the areas with relatively high initial SOC, and increased in the area with high temperature and low rainfall, dominated by arables. This was likely due to the compulsory application of some Good Agricultural and Environmental practices. These results confirm that the importance of texture and land use in short-term SOC variation is comparable to climate. The present results call for agronomic and policy intervention at the district level to maintain fertility and yield potential. In addition, the present results suggest that the application of RS covariates enhanced the modelling performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calogero Schillaci
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Milan, Italy; Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marco Acutis
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Luigi Lombardo
- Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; PSE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia; CEMSE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aldo Lipani
- Institute of Software Technology and Interactive Systems, TU Wien, Austria
| | - Maria Fantappiè
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Centre for Agrobiology and Pedology (CREA-ABP), Florence, Italy
| | - Michael Märker
- Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Germany; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Sergio Saia
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Cereal Research Centre (CREA-CER), Foggia, Italy.
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22
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Van
Groenigen JW, Van Kessel C, Hungate BA, Oenema O, Powlson DS, Van Groenigen KJ. Response to the Letter to the Editor Regarding Our Viewpoint "Sequestering Soil Organic Carbon: A Nitrogen Dilemma". ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:11503-11504. [PMID: 28960958 PMCID: PMC5677767 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Willem Van
Groenigen
- Department
of Soil Quality, Wageningen University and
Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Chris Van Kessel
- Department
of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Bruce A. Hungate
- Center
for Ecosystem Science and Society (Ecoss), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, United States
| | - Oene Oenema
- Department
of Soil Quality, Wageningen University and
Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Wageningen
Environmental Research, Wageningen University
and Research Centre, 6700
AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - David S. Powlson
- Department
of Sustainable Agricultural Sciences, Rothamsted
Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, U.K.
| | - Kees Jan Van Groenigen
- Geography,
College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4 RJ, U.K.
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23
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Xu M, Wang Z, Zhao Y. Stratification ratio of soil organic carbon as an indicator of carbon sequestration and soil quality in ecological restoration. Restor Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mingxiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dry Land Farming on Loess Plateau; Northwest A & F University; 26 Xinong Road, Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Geography, Global Environmental and Climate Change Center; McGill University; Montreal Quebec H3A 0B9 Canada
| | - Yunge Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dry Land Farming on Loess Plateau; Northwest A & F University; 26 Xinong Road, Yangling Shaanxi 712100 China
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Wertebach TM, Hölzel N, Kämpf I, Yurtaev A, Tupitsin S, Kiehl K, Kamp J, Kleinebecker T. Soil carbon sequestration due to post-Soviet cropland abandonment: estimates from a large-scale soil organic carbon field inventory. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:3729-3741. [PMID: 28161907 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 triggered cropland abandonment on a continental scale, which in turn led to carbon accumulation on abandoned land across Eurasia. Previous studies have estimated carbon accumulation rates across Russia based on large-scale modelling. Studies that assess carbon sequestration on abandoned land based on robust field sampling are rare. We investigated soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks using a randomized sampling design along a climatic gradient from forest steppe to Sub-Taiga in Western Siberia (Tyumen Province). In total, SOC contents were sampled on 470 plots across different soil and land-use types. The effect of land use on changes in SOC stock was evaluated, and carbon sequestration rates were calculated for different age stages of abandoned cropland. While land-use type had an effect on carbon accumulation in the topsoil (0-5 cm), no independent land-use effects were found for deeper SOC stocks. Topsoil carbon stocks of grasslands and forests were significantly higher than those of soils managed for crops and under abandoned cropland. SOC increased significantly with time since abandonment. The average carbon sequestration rate for soils of abandoned cropland was 0.66 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 (1-20 years old, 0-5 cm soil depth), which is at the lower end of published estimates for Russia and Siberia. There was a tendency towards SOC saturation on abandoned land as sequestration rates were much higher for recently abandoned (1-10 years old, 1.04 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 ) compared to earlier abandoned crop fields (11-20 years old, 0.26 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 ). Our study confirms the global significance of abandoned cropland in Russia for carbon sequestration. Our findings also suggest that robust regional surveys based on a large number of samples advance model-based continent-wide SOC prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim-Martin Wertebach
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Norbert Hölzel
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Immo Kämpf
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Vegetation Ecology and Botany Group, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Andrey Yurtaev
- Tyumen State University, Semakova Str. 10, Tyumen, 625003, Russia
| | - Sergey Tupitsin
- Tyumen State University, Semakova Str. 10, Tyumen, 625003, Russia
| | - Kathrin Kiehl
- Vegetation Ecology and Botany Group, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Johannes Kamp
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Till Kleinebecker
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
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Verstraete W, De Vrieze J. Microbial technology with major potentials for the urgent environmental needs of the next decades. Microb Biotechnol 2017; 10:988-994. [PMID: 28771931 PMCID: PMC5609260 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Several needs in the context of the water-energy-food nexus will become more prominent in the next decades. It is crucial to delineate these challenges and to find opportunities for innovative microbial technologies in the framework of sustainability and climate change. Here, we focus on four key issues, that is the imbalance in the nitrogen cycle, the diffuse emission of methane, the necessity for carbon capture and the deterioration of freshwater reserves. We suggest a set of microbial technologies to deal with each of these issues, such as (i) the production of microbial protein as food and feed, (ii) the control of methanogenic archaea and better use of methanotrophic consortia, (iii) the avoidance of nitrification and (iv) the upgrading of CO2 to microbial bioproducts. The central message is that instead of using crude methods to exploit microorganisms for degradations, the potentials of the microbiomes should be used to create processes and products that fit the demands of the cyclic market economy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willy Verstraete
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET)Ghent UniversityCoupure Links 653B‐9000GentBelgium
| | - Jo De Vrieze
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET)Ghent UniversityCoupure Links 653B‐9000GentBelgium
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What Agriculture Can Learn from Native Ecosystems in Building Soil Organic Matter: A Review. SUSTAINABILITY 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/su9040578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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