1
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Beillouin D, Corbeels M, Demenois J, Berre D, Boyer A, Fallot A, Feder F, Cardinael R. A global meta-analysis of soil organic carbon in the Anthropocene. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3700. [PMID: 37349294 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39338-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities profoundly impact soil organic carbon (SOC), affecting its contribution to ecosystem services such as climate regulation. Here, we conducted a thorough review of the impacts of land-use change, land management, and climate change on SOC. Using second-order meta-analysis, we synthesized findings from 230 first-order meta-analyses comprising over 25,000 primary studies. We show that (i) land conversion for crop production leads to high SOC loss, that can be partially restored through land management practices, particularly by introducing trees and incorporating exogenous carbon in the form of biochar or organic amendments, (ii) land management practices that are implemented in forests generally result in depletion of SOC, and (iii) indirect effects of climate change, such as through wildfires, have a greater impact on SOC than direct climate change effects (e.g., from rising temperatures). The findings of our study provide strong evidence to assist decision-makers in safeguarding SOC stocks and promoting land management practices for SOC restoration. Furthermore, they serve as a crucial research roadmap, identifying areas that require attention to fill the knowledge gaps concerning the factors driving changes in SOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Beillouin
- CIRAD, UPR HortSys, Montpellier, France.
- HortSys, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France.
| | - Marc Corbeels
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- IITA, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Julien Demenois
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Turrialba, Costa Rica
- CATIE, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, Turrialba, Costa Rica
| | - David Berre
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- CIRDES, USPAE, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Abigail Fallot
- CIRAD, UMR SENS, Montpellier, France
- SENS, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - Frédéric Feder
- CIRAD, UPR Recyclage et Risque, Montpellier, France
- Recyclage et Risque, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
| | - Rémi Cardinael
- AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UPR AIDA, Harare, Zimbabwe
- Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
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2
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Nissan A, Alcolombri U, Peleg N, Galili N, Jimenez-Martinez J, Molnar P, Holzner M. Global warming accelerates soil heterotrophic respiration. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3452. [PMID: 37301858 PMCID: PMC10257684 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38981-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbon efflux from soils is the largest terrestrial carbon source to the atmosphere, yet it is still one of the most uncertain fluxes in the Earth's carbon budget. A dominant component of this flux is heterotrophic respiration, influenced by several environmental factors, most notably soil temperature and moisture. Here, we develop a mechanistic model from micro to global scale to explore how changes in soil water content and temperature affect soil heterotrophic respiration. Simulations, laboratory measurements, and field observations validate the new approach. Estimates from the model show that heterotrophic respiration has been increasing since the 1980s at a rate of about 2% per decade globally. Using future projections of surface temperature and soil moisture, the model predicts a global increase of about 40% in heterotrophic respiration by the end of the century under the worst-case emission scenario, where the Arctic region is expected to experience a more than two-fold increase, driven primarily by declining soil moisture rather than temperature increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Nissan
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland.
| | - Uria Alcolombri
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Nadav Peleg
- Institute of Earth Surface Dynamics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Nir Galili
- Geological Institute, Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Joaquin Jimenez-Martinez
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, EAWAG, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland
| | - Peter Molnar
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Markus Holzner
- Department of Water Resources and Drinking Water, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, EAWAG, Dübendorf, 8600, Switzerland
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research, WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
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3
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Hong S, Ding J, Kan F, Xu H, Chen S, Yao Y, Piao S. Asymmetry of carbon sequestrations by plant and soil after forestation regulated by soil nitrogen. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3196. [PMID: 37268621 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38911-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Forestation is regarded as an effective strategy for increasing terrestrial carbon sequestration. However, its carbon sink potential remains uncertain due to the scarcity of large-scale sampling data and limited knowledge of the linkage between plant and soil C dynamics. Here, we conduct a large-scale survey of 163 control plots and 614 forested plots involving 25304 trees and 11700 soil samples in northern China to fill this knowledge gap. We find that forestation in northern China contributes a significant carbon sink (913.19 ± 47.58 Tg C), 74% of which is stored in biomass and 26% in soil organic carbon. Further analysis reveals that the biomass carbon sink increases initially but then decreases as soil nitrogen increases, while soil organic carbon significantly decreases in nitrogen-rich soils. These results highlight the importance of incorporating plant and soil interactions, modulated by nitrogen supply in the calculation and modelling of current and future carbon sink potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songbai Hong
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China
| | - Jinzhi Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
| | - Fei Kan
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China
| | - Shaoyuan Chen
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China
| | - Yitong Yao
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Shilong Piao
- Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, China.
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4
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Filipiak M, Gabriel D, Kuka K. Simulation-based assessment of the soil organic carbon sequestration in grasslands in relation to management and climate change scenarios. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17287. [PMID: 37441408 PMCID: PMC10333473 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is crucial for the quality and productivity of terrestrial ecosystems and its sequestration plays an important role in mitigating climate change. Understanding the effects of agricultural management under future climate on the SOC balance helps decision making in environmental policies. Thereby, grasslands will play a key role, since future climate change may prolong the vegetation period. We used 24 representative grassland sites in Germany to assess the SOC balance obtained from the CANDY model in relation to ten management regimes, 18 future climate change scenarios and different soil types. Simulations were conducted over a period of 110 years. For most of the selected grassland sites an increase in both air temperature and precipitation was observed in the future climate. The effect of management on the SOC balance largely exceeded the effect of soil type and climate. An increasing management intensity (i.e. three to five cuts) generally increased the SOC balance, while extensive management (i.e. two or fewer cuts) lead to SOC losses. The seasonal variation of precipitation was the most important climate metric, with increased SOC sequestration rates being observed with increasing growing season precipitation. Clay soils had the potential for both highest gains and highest losses depending on management and precipitation. Given an overall lower SOC storage potential in sands and loams, the SOC balance in those soil types varied the least in response to climate change. We conclude that fostering SOC sequestration is possible in grassland soils by increasing management intensity, which involves increased fertilizer input and field traffic. This however may stand in conflict with other policy aims, such as preserving biodiversity. Multicriterial assessments are required to estimate the nett greenhouse gas balance and other aspects associated with these management practices at a farm scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Filipiak
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Crop and Soil Science, Bundesallee 58, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
- Thuenen Institute of Agricultural Technology, Bundesallee 47, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Doreen Gabriel
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Crop and Soil Science, Bundesallee 58, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Katrin Kuka
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) – Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Crop and Soil Science, Bundesallee 58, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
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5
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Dang Z, Guo N, Li S, Degen AA, Cao J, Deng B, Wang A, Peng Z, Ding L, Long R, Shang Z. Effect of grazing exclusion on emission of greenhouse gases and soil organic carbon turnover in alpine shrub meadow. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159758. [PMID: 36349635 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Grazing exclusion (GE) is a management option used widely to restore degraded grassland and improve grassland ecosystems. However, the impacts of GE on soil properties and greenhouse gas emissions of alpine shrub meadow are still unclear, especially long-term GE of more than ten years. To fill part of this gap, we examined the effects of long-term GE of alpine shrub meadow on soil nutrients, soil properties, greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 and CH4) and soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover. When compared to grazed grassland (GG), long-term GE resulted in: 1) greater SOC, nitrogen (N), and phosphorous (P) content, especially in the 20-30 cm soil layer; 2) greater soil C:N, C:P and N:P ratios in the 20-30 cm depth; 3) greater soil CO2, but lesser CH4 emission during the growing season; and 4) much faster SOC turnover time (0-30 cm). GE of more than ten years can increase grassland C reserves and improve the C sequestration capacity of the ecosystem. Results from this study can have important implications in developing future grassland management policies on soil nutrient balances, restoration of degraded grassland and controlling shrub expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Na Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
| | - A Allan Degen
- Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410500, Israel
| | - Jingjuan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Bin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Aidong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhen Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Luming Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ruijun Long
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhanhuan Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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6
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Li H, Wu Y, Liu S, Zhao W, Xiao J, Winowiecki LA, Vågen TG, Xu J, Yin X, Wang F, Sivakumar B, Cao Y, Sun P, Zhang G. The Grain-for-Green project offsets warming-induced soil organic carbon loss and increases soil carbon stock in Chinese Loess Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155469. [PMID: 35523345 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock is a vital element affecting the climate, and ecological restoration is potentially an effective measure to mitigate climate change by enhancing vegetation and soil carbon stocks and thereby offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. The Grain-for-Green project (GFGP) implemented in Chinese Loess Plateau (LP) since 1999 is one of the largest ecological restoration projects in the world. However, the contributions of ecological restoration and climate change to ecosystem soil carbon sequestration are still unclear. In this study, we improved a soil carbon decomposition framework by optimizing the initial SOC stock based on full spatial simulation of SOC and incorporating the priming effect to investigate the SOC dynamics across the LP GFGP region from 1982 through 2017. Our results indicated that SOC stock in the GFGP region increased by 20.18 Tg C from 1982 through 2017. Most portion (15.83 Tg C) of the SOC increase was accumulated when the GFGP was initiated, with a SOC sink of 16.12 Tg C owing to revegetation restoration and a carbon loss of 0.29 Tg C due to warming during this period. The relationships between SOC and forest canopy height and investigations on the SOC dynamics after afforestation revealed that the accumulation rate of SOC could be as high as 24.68 g C m-2 yr-1 during the 70 years following afforestation, and that SOC could decline thereafter (-8.89 g C m-2 yr-1), which was mainly caused by warming. This study provides a new method for quantifying the contribution of ecological restoration to SOC changes, and also cautions the potential risk of LP SOC loss in the mature forest soil under future warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiwen Li
- Department of Earth & Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China; Key Laboratory of Degraded and Unused Land Consolidation Engineering, The Ministry of Natural Resources of China, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710075, China
| | - Yiping Wu
- Department of Earth & Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China; Technology Innovation Center for Land Engineering and Human Settlements, Shaanxi Land Engineering Construction Group Co. Ltd and Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710115, China.
| | - Shuguang Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Applied Technology of Forestry and Ecology in South China, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha, Hunan Province 410004, China.
| | - Wenzhi Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology and River Basin Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730000, China
| | - Jingfeng Xiao
- Earth Systems Research Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Leigh A Winowiecki
- World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), P.O. Box 30677-00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Tor-Gunnar Vågen
- World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), P.O. Box 30677-00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jianchu Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Heilongtan, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaowei Yin
- Department of Earth & Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Department of Earth & Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China
| | - Bellie Sivakumar
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Yue Cao
- Xi'an Institute for Innovative Earth Environment Research, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710061, China
| | - Pengcheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation on the Loess Plateau of Ministry of Water Resources, Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Zhengzhou, Henan Province 450003, China
| | - Guangchuang Zhang
- Department of Earth & Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710049, China
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7
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Zeng Y, Koh LP, Wilcove DS. Gains in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services from the expansion of the planet's protected areas. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl9885. [PMID: 35648855 PMCID: PMC9159568 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl9885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Protected areas safeguard biodiversity, ensure ecosystem functioning, and deliver ecosystem services to communities. However, only ~16% of the world's land area is under some form of protection, prompting international calls to protect at least 30% by 2030. We modeled the outcomes of achieving this 30 × 30 target for terrestrial biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, and nutrient regulation. We find that the additional ~2.8 million ha of habitat that would be protected would benefit 1134 ± 175 vertebrate species whose habitats currently lack any form of protection, as well as contribute to either avoided carbon emissions or carbon dioxide sequestration, equivalent to 10.9 ± 3.6 GtCO2 year-1 (28.4 ± 9.4% of the global nature-based climate-change mitigation potential). Furthermore, expansion of the protected area network would increase its ability to regulate water quality and mitigate nutrient pollution by 142.5 ± 31.0 MtN year-1 (28.5 ± 6.2% of the global nutrient regulation potential).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Zeng
- School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
- Corresponding author. (Y.Z.); (L.P.K.); (D.S.W.)
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
- Corresponding author. (Y.Z.); (L.P.K.); (D.S.W.)
| | - David S. Wilcove
- School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Corresponding author. (Y.Z.); (L.P.K.); (D.S.W.)
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8
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Seeber J, Tasser E, Rubatscher D, Loacker I, Lavorel S, Robson TM, Balzarolo M, Altimir N, Drösler M, Vescovo L, Gamper S, Barančok P, Staszewski T, Wohlfahrt G, Cernusca A, Sebastia MT, Tappeiner U, Bahn M. Effects of land use and climate on carbon and nitrogen pool partitioning in European mountain grasslands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 822:153380. [PMID: 35077786 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
European mountain grasslands are increasingly affected by land-use changes and climate, which have been suggested to exert important controls on grassland carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. However, so far there has been no synthetic study on whether and how land-use changes and climate interactively affect the partitioning of these pools amongst the different grassland compartments. We analyzed the partitioning of C and N pools of 36 European mountain grasslands differing in land-use and climate with respect to above- and belowground phytomass, litter and topsoil (top 23 cm). We found that a reduction of management intensity and the abandonment of hay meadows and pastures increased above-ground phytomass, root mass and litter as well as their respective C and N pools, concurrently decreasing the fractional contribution of the topsoil to the total organic carbon pool. These changes were strongly driven by the cessation of cutting and grazing, a shift in plant functional groups and a related reduction in litter quality. Across all grasslands studied, variation in the impact of land management on the topsoil N pool and C/N-ratio were mainly explained by soil clay content combined with pH. Across the grasslands, below-ground phytomass as well as phytomass- and litter C concentrations were inversely related to the mean annual temperature; furthermore, C/N-ratios of phytomass and litter increased with decreasing mean annual precipitation. Within the topsoil compartment, C concentrations decreased from colder to warmer sites, and increased with increasing precipitation. Climate generally influenced effects of land use on C and N pools mainly through mean annual temperature and less through mean annual precipitation. We conclude that site-specific conditions need to be considered for understanding the effects of land use and of current and future climate changes on grassland C and N pools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Seeber
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Erich Tasser
- Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Dagmar Rubatscher
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Ingrid Loacker
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sandra Lavorel
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie-Mont Blanc, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - T Matthew Robson
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Manuela Balzarolo
- PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Nuria Altimir
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Global Change (ECOFUN), Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), Solsona, Spain; Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matthias Drösler
- Institute of Ecology and Landscape University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf Am Hofgarten 1, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Loris Vescovo
- Sustainable ecosystems & bioresources department, Research and Innovation Center, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige 38010, TN, Italy
| | - Sonja Gamper
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Peter Barančok
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Štefánikova 3, P.O.Box 254, 814 99 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Tomasz Staszewski
- Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha St., 40-844 Katowice, Poland
| | - Georg Wohlfahrt
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexander Cernusca
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - M-Teresa Sebastia
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology and Global Change (ECOFUN), Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), Solsona, Spain; Group GAMES, Department of Horticulture, Botany and Landscaping, School of Agrifood and Forestry Science and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Ulrike Tappeiner
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Institute for Alpine Environment, Eurac Research, Drususallee 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
| | - Michael Bahn
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestrasse 15, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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9
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Variation of Soil Organic Carbon Density with Plantation Age and Initial Vegetation Types in the Liupan Mountains Areas of Northwest China. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12121811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Carbon sequestration of plantations formed by three kinds of forestation (natural forest to plantation (NP), grassland to plantation (GP), and cropland to plantation (CP)) greatly depends on the change of soil organic carbon density (SOCD) compared with its initial SOCD before forestation. However, this dependence was rarely studied, especially in semi-humid/arid regions with strong site variation. This limits the precise assessment and management of SOCD. Therefore, the SOCD variations of 0–100 cm soil layers in these three kinds of plantations were studied in the semi-humid/arid Liupan Mountains in northwestern China. The NP with high initial SOCD showed firstly a decrease and then an increase of SOCD up to 293.2 t·ha−1 at 40 years. The CP and GP with low and relatively high initial SOCD showed negligible and slight SOCD decrease after forestation, but then an increase up to 154.5 and 266.5 t·ha−1 at 40 years. After detecting the main factors influencing SOCD for each forestation mode, statistic relationships were fitted for predicting SOCD variation. This study indicates that besides forest age and biomass growth, the effects of initial vegetation, site-dependent initial SOCD, and SOCD capacity, also precipitation and air temperature in some cases, should be considered for more precise assessment and management of SOCD of plantations.
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10
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Alvarez R, Berhongaray G, Gimenez A. Are grassland soils of the pampas sequestering carbon? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 763:142978. [PMID: 33121771 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A belief that grassland soils act as carbon sinks and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions generated by livestock production is common among some farming organizations. A recent theoretical analysis proposed that grazing lands in South America sequester carbon as soil organic matter but this result is controversial. Here, we search for empirical evidence of changes in the carbon stock in the grassland soils of the Pampean region of Argentina. For this purpose, 22 natural grassland sites were selected, distributed across the region. The sites were first sampled in 2007 as part of a regional survey of soil carbon stocks; they were re-sampled in 2019. The sites represent a wide range of soil and climate conditions. Samples were taken to a depth of 50 cm. Bulk density, and inorganic and organic carbon, were determined, and the carbon stocks were estimated on an equivalent mass basis. The results were analyzed using ANOVA. No statistically significant differences were found in either inorganic or organic carbon stocks between the sampling times. Across all the sites, the average organic carbon stock was 59.0 t ha-1 in 2007 and 56.2 t ha-1 in 2019. These results suggest that the Pampas grasslands are not sequestering carbon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Alvarez
- Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aries, Av. San Martín 4453, 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina.
| | - Gonzalo Berhongaray
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Kreder 8503, Esperanza, Prov. de Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Analía Gimenez
- Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aries, Av. San Martín 4453, 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina
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11
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Climate warming from managed grasslands cancels the cooling effect of carbon sinks in sparsely grazed and natural grasslands. Nat Commun 2021; 12:118. [PMID: 33402687 PMCID: PMC7785734 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20406-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Grasslands absorb and release carbon dioxide (CO2), emit methane (CH4) from grazing livestock, and emit nitrous oxide (N2O) from soils. Little is known about how the fluxes of these three greenhouse gases, from managed and natural grasslands worldwide, have contributed to past climate change, or the roles of managed pastures versus natural grasslands. Here, global trends and regional patterns of the full greenhouse gas balance of grasslands are estimated for the period 1750 to 2012. A new spatially explicit land surface model is applied, to separate the direct effects of human activities from land management and the indirect effects from climate change, increasing CO2 and regional changes in nitrogen deposition. Direct human management activities are simulated to have caused grasslands to switch from a sink to a source of greenhouse gas, because of increased livestock numbers and accelerated conversion of natural lands to pasture. However, climate change drivers contributed a net carbon sink in soil organic matter, mainly from the increased productivity of grasslands due to increased CO2 and nitrogen deposition. The net radiative forcing of all grasslands is currently close to neutral, but has been increasing since the 1960s. Here, we show that the net global climate warming caused by managed grassland cancels the net climate cooling from carbon sinks in sparsely grazed and natural grasslands. In the face of future climate change and increased demand for livestock products, these findings highlight the need to use sustainable management to preserve and enhance soil carbon storage in grasslands and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from managed grasslands. Grasslands, and the livestock that live there, are dynamic sources and sinks of greenhouse gases, but what controls these fluxes remains poorly characterized. Here the authors show that on the global level, grasslands are climate neutral owing to the cancelling effects of managed vs. natural systems.
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12
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Li Q, Li A, Dai T, Fan Z, Luo Y, Li S, Yuan D, Zhao B, Tao Q, Wang C, Li B, Gao X, Li Y, Li H, Wilson JP. Depth-dependent soil organic carbon dynamics of croplands across the Chengdu Plain of China from the 1980s to the 2010s. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:4134-4146. [PMID: 32267043 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural soils have tremendous potential to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC) and mitigate global climate change. However, agricultural land use has a profound impact on SOC dynamics, and few studies have explored how agricultural land use combined with soil conditions affect SOC changes throughout the soil profile. Based on a paired soil resampling campaign in the 1980s and 2010s, this study investigated the SOC changes of the soil profile caused by agricultural land use and the correlations with parent material and topography across the Chengdu Plain of China. The results showed that the SOC content increased by 3.78 g C/kg in the topsoil (0-20 cm), but decreased in the 20-40 cm and 40-60 cm soil layers by 0.90 and 1.26 g C/kg respectively. SOC increases in topsoil were observed for all types of agricultural land. Afforestation on former agricultural land also caused SOC decreases in the 20-60 cm soil layers, while SOC decreases only occurred in the 40-60 cm soil layer for agricultural land using a traditional crop rotation (i.e. traditional rice-wheat/rapeseed rotation) and with rice-vegetable rotations converted from the traditional rotations. For each agricultural land use, SOC decreases in deep soils only occurred in high relief areas and in soils formed from Q4 (Quaternary Holocene) grey-brown alluvium and Q4 grey alluvium that had a relatively low soil bulk density and clay content. The results indicated that SOC change caused by agricultural land use was depth dependent and that the effects of agricultural land use on soil profile SOC dynamics varied with soil characteristics and topography. Subsoil SOC decreases were more likely to occur in high relief areas and in soils with low soil bulk density and low clay content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiquan Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Aiwen Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianfei Dai
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Chengdu Testing Center of Soil and Fertilizer, Chengdu, China
| | - Zemeng Fan
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Youlin Luo
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shan Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dagang Yuan
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bin Zhao
- College of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qi Tao
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Changquan Wang
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bing Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuesong Gao
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiding Li
- College of Resources, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huanxiu Li
- Institute of Pomology & Olericulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - John P Wilson
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Spatial Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Zhao X, Virk AL, Ma ST, Kan ZR, Qi JY, Pu C, Yang XG, Zhang HL. Dynamics in soil organic carbon of wheat-maize dominant cropping system in the North China Plain under tillage and residue management. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 265:110549. [PMID: 32275251 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110549] [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: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A site experiment was conducted to assess temporal dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and the drivers under no-tillage (NT) and residue retention (RR) in the North China Plain (NCP). The results indicated that NT and RR can significantly increase SOC up to a depth of 30 cm. On average, NT increased SOC by 8.1-34.5% compared with PT, and RR increased SOC by 3.5-14.4% compared with R0 at 0-10 cm. Increases in SOC under NT or RR could be increased by 4-10 percentage points through the significantly positive interactions of NT and RR. Among the sources of SOC variations, tillage-induced variations accounted for 74.4 and 44.3% of the total variations in SOC at 0-5 cm for wheat and maize season, respectively. Experimental duration was also a significant source of variation. Stepwise regression indicated dynamics in SOC at 0-5 cm mainly due to the positive effects of precipitation, the negative effects of soil bulk density for the wheat season, the negative effects of radiation for the maize season, and antagonistic effects of temperature between wheat and maize season. Generally, positive effects of NT and RR on SOC were both confirmed, but fluctuations and variations induced by interactions of practices and seasonal climatic conditions were also significant in the NCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ahmad Latif Virk
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Shou-Tian Ma
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zheng-Rong Kan
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jian-Ying Qi
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Chao Pu
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Guang Yang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Hai-Lin Zhang
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University; Key Laboratory of Farming System, Ministry of Agriculture of China, Beijing, 100193, China.
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14
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Climate Change, Rangelands, and Sustainability of Ranching in the Western United States. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12124942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Accelerated climate change is a global challenge that is increasingly putting pressure on the sustainability of livestock production systems that heavily depend on rangeland ecosystems. Rangeland management practices have low potential to sequester greenhouse gases. However, mismanagement of rangelands and their conversion into ex-urban, urban, and industrial landscapes can significantly exacerbate the climate change process. Under conditions of more droughts, heat waves, and other extreme weather events, management of risks (climate, biological, financial, political) will probably be more important to the sustainability of ranching than capability to expand output of livestock products in response to rising demand due to population growth. Replacing traditional domestic livestock with a combination of highly adapted livestock and game animals valued for both hunting and meat may be the best strategy on many arid rangelands. Eventually, traditional ranching could become financially unsound across large areas if climate change is not adequately addressed. Rangeland policy, management, and research will need to be heavily focused on the climate change problem.
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15
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Smith P, Soussana J, Angers D, Schipper L, Chenu C, Rasse DP, Batjes NH, van Egmond F, McNeill S, Kuhnert M, Arias‐Navarro C, Olesen JE, Chirinda N, Fornara D, Wollenberg E, Álvaro‐Fuentes J, Sanz‐Cobena A, Klumpp K. How to measure, report and verify soil carbon change to realize the potential of soil carbon sequestration for atmospheric greenhouse gas removal. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:219-241. [PMID: 31469216 PMCID: PMC6973036 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
There is growing international interest in better managing soils to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) content to contribute to climate change mitigation, to enhance resilience to climate change and to underpin food security, through initiatives such as international '4p1000' initiative and the FAO's Global assessment of SOC sequestration potential (GSOCseq) programme. Since SOC content of soils cannot be easily measured, a key barrier to implementing programmes to increase SOC at large scale, is the need for credible and reliable measurement/monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) platforms, both for national reporting and for emissions trading. Without such platforms, investments could be considered risky. In this paper, we review methods and challenges of measuring SOC change directly in soils, before examining some recent novel developments that show promise for quantifying SOC. We describe how repeat soil surveys are used to estimate changes in SOC over time, and how long-term experiments and space-for-time substitution sites can serve as sources of knowledge and can be used to test models, and as potential benchmark sites in global frameworks to estimate SOC change. We briefly consider models that can be used to simulate and project change in SOC and examine the MRV platforms for SOC change already in use in various countries/regions. In the final section, we bring together the various components described in this review, to describe a new vision for a global framework for MRV of SOC change, to support national and international initiatives seeking to effect change in the way we manage our soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological & Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | | | | | - Louis Schipper
- Environmental Research InstituteUniversity of WaikatoHamiltonNew Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Matthias Kuhnert
- Institute of Biological & Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
| | | | | | | | | | - Eva Wollenberg
- CGIAR CCAFS ProgrammeUniversity of Vermont (UVM)BurlingtonVTUSA
| | | | - Alberto Sanz‐Cobena
- Research Center for the Management of Environmental and Agricultural Risks (CEIGRAM)Universidad Politécnica de MadridMadridSpain
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16
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Zhen Z, Wang S, Luo S, Ren L, Liang Y, Yang R, Li Y, Zhang Y, Deng S, Zou L, Lin Z, Zhang D. Significant Impacts of Both Total Amount and Availability of Heavy Metals on the Functions and Assembly of Soil Microbial Communities in Different Land Use Patterns. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2293. [PMID: 31636621 PMCID: PMC6788306 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Land use change alters the accumulation of heavy metals (HMs) in soils and might have significant influence on the assembly and functions of soil microbial community. Although numerous studies have discussed the impacts of either total amounts or availability of metals on soil microbes in land change, there is still limited understanding on which one is more critical. In the present study, soils from three land use types (forest, mining field, and operating factory) located in Shaoguan city (Guangdong Province, China) were collected to investigate the impacts of soil HMs on soil enzyme activities and bacterial community structures. Mining activities remarkably increased the concentrations of HMs in soils, and land use patterns changed soil properties and nutrition level. Soil pH, total and available HMs (Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd) and organic matters (SOM) were identified as the key influential factors shaping soil ecological functions (soil enzyme activities) and community assembly (bacterial community composition), explained by HMs accumulation and soil acidification caused by human activities. In addition, total amount and availability of some metals (Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd) showed similar and significant effects on soil bacterial communities. Our findings provide new clues for reassessing the environmental risks of HMs in soils with different land use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhen
- Agriculture College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Sibo Wang
- Faculty of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Shuwen Luo
- Faculty of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Lei Ren
- Agriculture College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yanqiu Liang
- Faculty of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Rongchao Yang
- Agriculture College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yongtao Li
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yueqin Zhang
- Agriculture College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Songqiang Deng
- Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Tsinghua), Suzhou, China
| | - Lina Zou
- Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Tsinghua), Suzhou, China
| | - Zhong Lin
- Faculty of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Dayi Zhang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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17
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Viglizzo EF, Ricard MF, Taboada MA, Vázquez-Amábile G. Reassessing the role of grazing lands in carbon-balance estimations: Meta-analysis and review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 661:531-542. [PMID: 30682606 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Assuming a steady state between carbon (C) gains and losses, greenhouse gases (GHG) inventories that follow a widely used simplified procedure (IPCC Tier 1) tend to underestimate the capacity of soils in grazing-land to sequester C. In this study we compared the C balance reported by (i) national inventories that followed the simplified method (Tier 1) of IPCC (1996/2006), with (ii) an alternative estimation derived from the meta-analysis of science-based, peer-reviewed data. We used the global databases (i) EDGAR 4.2 to get data on GHG emissions due to land conversion and livestock/crop production, and (ii) HYDE 3.1 to obtain historical series on land-use/land cover (LULC). In terms of sequestration, our study was focused on C storage as soil organic carbon (SOC) in rural lands of four countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) within the so-called MERCOSUR region. Supported by a large body of scientific evidence, we hypothesized that C gains and losses in grazing lands are not in balance and that C gains tend to be higher than C losses at low livestock densities. We applied a two-way procedure to test our hypothesis: i) a theoretical one based on the annual conversion of belowground biomass into SOC; and ii) an empirical one supported by peer-reviewed data on SOC sequestration. Average figures from both methods were combined with LULC data to reassess the net C balance in the study countries. Our results show that grazing lands generate C surpluses that could not only offset rural emissions, but could also partially or totally offset the emissions of non-rural sectors. The potential of grazing lands to sequester and store soil C should be reconsidered in order to improve assessments in future GHG inventory reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- E F Viglizzo
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, Mendoza 109, L6302EPA, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; GPS Grupo de Países Productores del Sur, Billinghurst 2564-4° floor, C1425DTZ Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad Austral, Paraguay 1950, S2000FZF Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
| | - M F Ricard
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, Mendoza 109, L6302EPA, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Uruguay 151, L6300 La Pampa, Argentina
| | - M A Taboada
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra y Ambientales de La Pampa, Mendoza 109, L6302EPA, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; Instituto de Suelos, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Nicolás Repetto y de los Reseros s/n, B1686, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martin 4453, C1417DSE Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - G Vázquez-Amábile
- Asociación Argentina de Consorcios Regionales de Experimentación Agrícola, Av. Córdoba 1233-5° floor, C1055AAC Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Plata, Diagonal 113 N°469-3° floor, B1900 La Plata, Argentina
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