Assessing the combined use of reduced tillage and cover crops for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from arable ecosystem

Abdalla, Mohamed; Hastings, Astley; Helmy, M.; Prescher, Anne‐Katrin; Osborne, Bruce; Lanigan, Gary; Forristal, P. D.; Killi, Dilek; Maratha, P.; Williams, Michael L.; Rueangritsarakul, K.; Smith, Pete; Nolan, P.; Jones, Michael B.

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.01.030

Cited by 83 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 118 publications

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“…Freibauer and Kaltschmitt (2003) reported that the fluxes of N to the atmosphere and to ground water by leaching (Hack-ten Broeke et al 1999) are greater from the intensively managed grasslands than from croplands due to higher nitrate input. Lee et al (2006) and Abdalla et al (2014) observed negative CH 4 fluxes from cropland; however, fluxes from organic soils, which are typically poorly drained in their natural state (not included in this study), could be high (Levy et al 2012). However, the estimate of an annual net GHG balance of 0.34 Mt CO 2 e y -1 assumes stability of existing land uses, and any recent historic land use change is a source of uncertainty in the result, e.g.…”

Section: Effects Of Climate Change On Ghg and Soc Fluxes And Net Primmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…In the UK, agriculture represents the second largest source of GHG emissions accounting for 9 % of the UK's total emissions (Defra 2013) and emits 79 % of the total anthropogenic emission of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) (Thomas et al 2011). This is due to field management practices such as application of synthetic N fertilizer (Bouwman et al 2002), crop type and cover crop (Bell et al 2012;Abdalla et al 2014) and manure management and grazing (Forster et al 2007) which influence nutrient inputs and hydrological and physical conditions of the soil. Forests and woodlands compose a great stock of C in trees, vegetation and in soils by removing a substantial amount of C from the atmosphere.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Methane is produced when organic materials decompose under anaerobic condition in soils (Regina et al 2006) with high emissions from histosols areas (Mosier et al 1998). However, generally, cropland soils are often CH 4 sinks (Abdalla et al 2014). Soils are also a source of CO 2 emission which is associated with disturbance and land use transitions (Janzen 2004) and decomposition of litter roots and soil organic matter (SOM) (Bernhardt et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Estimating the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the greenhouse gas balance of soils in Wales under current and future climate

et al. 2016

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The Welsh Government is committed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural systems and combat the effects of future climate change. In this study, the ECOSSE model was applied spatially to estimate GHG and soil organic carbon (SOC) fluxes from three major land uses (grass, arable and forest) in Wales. The aims of the simulations were: (1) to estimate the annual net GHG balance for Wales; (2) to investigate the efficiency of the reduced nitrogen (N) fertilizer goal of the sustainable land management scheme (Glastir), through which the Welsh Government offers financial support to farmers and land managers on GHG flux reduction; and (3) to investigate the effects of future climate change on the emissions of GHG and plant net primary production (NPP). Three climate scenarios were studied: baseline ) and low and high emission climate scenarios . Results reveal that grassland and cropland are the major nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emitters and consequently emit more GHG to the atmosphere than forests. The overall average simulated annual net GHG balance for Wales under baseline climate ) is equivalent to 0.2 t CO 2 e ha -1 y -1 which gives an estimate of total annual net flux for Wales of 0.34 Mt CO 2 e y -1 . Reducing N fertilizer by 20 and 40 % could reduce annual net GHG fluxes by 7 and 25 %, respectively. If the current N fertilizer application rate continues, predicted climate change by the year 2050 would not significantly affect GHG emissions or NPP from soils in Wales.

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Section: Effects Of Climate Change On Ghg and Soc Fluxes And Net Primmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Estimating the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the greenhouse gas balance of soils in Wales under current and future climate

et al. 2016

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“…However, with the increasing establishment of no-tillage cropping practices based on direct seeding into a mulch of crop residues, an improved understanding of the relationship between cover crops and CO 2 , N 2 O, and NO x fluxes is important for the development of sustainable agricultural practices for the Cerrado region. Cover crops combined with the use of no-tillage or reduced tillage have been identified as potentially beneficial for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions (Abdalla et al, 2014;Edenhofer et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of N-fixing legumes, such as Crotalaria juncea L. and Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC., as cover crops in agricultural systems can incorporate more than 230 kg ha -1 N (Calegari et al, 2008). This practice could contribute to the reduction of the quantities of mineral N fertilizers applied, but its impacts on GHG emissions from the soil are still not widely evaluated in tropical agricultural systems (Carvalho, 2005;Carvalho et al, 2006;Metay et al, 2007;Cruvinel et al, 2011;Abdalla et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen oxides and CO2 from an Oxisol cultivated with corn in succession to cover crops

Carvalho

Bustamante

Coser

et al. 2016

Pesq. agropec. bras.

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-The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of two legumes (Crotalaria juncea and Mucuna pruriens), as cover crops, and of natural fallow, as a control treatment, on the emissions of NO x , N 2 O, and CO 2 from an Oxisol cultivated with corn, under conventional and no-tillage systems, in the Cerrado region, in Central Brazil. Variations of CO 2 fluxes in the soil were explained mainly by soil humidity and, in the legumes, under conventional system, by soil NH 4 + -N concentration. Plots with legumes under no-tillage system had higher annual emissions of CO 2 , NO x , and N 2 O than natural fallow. Results show that the use of legumes as cover crops favors the emissions of NO x -N + N 2 O-N and CO 2 -C. However, when considering the potential for mitigation of CO 2 and nitrogen oxide emissions from the soil, it is important to evaluate changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks.

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Winter cereal rye cover crop decreased nitrous oxide emissions during early spring

Reicks

Clay

et al. 2021

Agronomy Journal

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Despite differences between the cover crop growth and decomposition phases, few greenhouse gas (GHG) studies have separated these phases from each other. This study's hypothesis was that a living cover crop reduces soil inorganic N concentrations and soil water, thereby reducing N 2 O emissions. We quantified the effects of a fall-planted living cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop (2017, 2018, 2019) on the following spring's soil temperature, soil water, water-filled porosity (WFP), inorganic N, and GHG (N 2 O-N and CO 2 -C) emissions and compared these measurements to bare soil. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, where years were treated as blocks. Rye was fall planted in 2017, 2018, and 2019, but mostly emerged the following spring. The GHG emissions were near-continuously measured from early spring through June. Rye biomass was 1,049, 428, and 2,647 kg ha -1 in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. Compared to the bare soil, rye reduced WFP in the surface 5 cm by 29, 15, and 26% in 2018, 2019, and 2020 and reduced soil NO 3 -N in surface 30 cm by 53% in 2019 (p = .04) and 65% in 2020 (p = .07), respectively. Rye changed the N 2 O and CO 2 frequency emission signatures. It also reduced N 2 O emissions by 66% but did not influence CO 2 -C emissions during the period prior to corn (Zea mays L.) emergence (VE). After VE, rye and bare soils N 2 O emissions were similar. These results suggest that nitrous oxide (N 2 O-N) sampling protocols must account for early season impacts of the living cover.

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Assessing the combined use of reduced tillage and cover crops for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from arable ecosystem

Cited by 83 publications

References 118 publications

Estimating the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the greenhouse gas balance of soils in Wales under current and future climate

Estimating the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the greenhouse gas balance of soils in Wales under current and future climate

Nitrogen oxides and CO2 from an Oxisol cultivated with corn in succession to cover crops

Winter cereal rye cover crop decreased nitrous oxide emissions during early spring

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