Carbon sequestration potential of five tree species in a 25-year-old temperate tree-based intercropping system in southern Ontario, Canada

Wotherspoon, Amy; Thevathasan, Naresh V.; Gordon, Andrew; Voroney, R. P.

doi:10.1007/s10457-014-9719-0

Cited by 58 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The annual mass loss of crop residues observed in our study were lower than those (71.2-77.0%, 77.1-85.5%, and 63.0-72.1% for maize, soybean, and wheat residues, respectively) measured in previous litterbag studies (Ghidey et al, 1985;Powell et al, 2009;Wang et al, 2012;Grandy et al, 2013;Wotherspoon et al, 2014). Climate conditions, mainly temperature and precipitation, are regarded as primary factors regulating the decomposition of organic materials among various sites (Bradford et al, 2016).…”

Section: Crop Residue Decomposition As Affected By Climate Conditionscontrasting

confidence: 67%

Dominant effects of organic carbon chemistry on decomposition dynamics of crop residues in a Mollisol

Chen

Fontaine³

et al. 2017

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

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Understanding the change in chemical composition of crop residues during their decomposition is crucial to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effects of residue retention on soil carbon (C) sequestration and nutrient cycling. Here a field experiment was carried out to investigate the decomposition process of maize, soybean, and wheat residues in a cultivated Mollisol in northeast China over a year. Using a litterbag method, we monitored the dynamics of residue mass loss, concentration of C and nitrogen (N), and C/N ratio, and evaluated the decomposition rates of residues and C functional groups. Chemical compositions of the crop residues were determined by solid-state 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the cellulose crystallinity, lignin concentration, and syringyl to guaiacyl (S/G) ratio of lignin were estimated. After one year of incubation in field conditions, mass loss was 57% for soybean residues, significantly greater than 52% for maize and 45% for wheat. The decomposition rate of residues significantly decreased from 0.223-0.379 month −1 during the first month to 0.054-0.076 month −1 over the whole period. The proportion of decomposed C ranged at 57-63% among different residues, and had a positive relationship with the mass loss of O-alkyl C, di-O-alkyl C, and carbonyl C. The decomposition rates of these three C functional groups were greater in soybean than those in maize and wheat residues, which was also the case for lignin S/G ratio, possibly accounting for the higher decomposition extent of soybean residues. As decomposition progressed, the C chemistry of maize, soybean, and wheat residues exhibited an increasing divergence, which was mainly related to relative decreases in O-alkyl C and di-O-alkyl C contents, and relative increases in 3 phenolic C and aromatic C contents in the residues. Net N release was observed for all residues after one-year decomposition, and was significantly related to the mass loss of alkyl C, O-alkyl C, and aromatic C. Overall, our study provides insight into chemical changes of crop residues over the degradation processes in the field, and highlights the significant effects of organic C chemistry on residue decomposition.

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Section: Crop Residue Decomposition As Affected By Climate Conditionscontrasting

confidence: 67%

Dominant effects of organic carbon chemistry on decomposition dynamics of crop residues in a Mollisol

Chen

Fontaine³

et al. 2017

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

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“…The aboveground tree biomasses modelled at the end of 2014 were smaller than the estimate of 3000 g C m −2 derived by Winans et al (2016) for a 10-yr-old TBI at St. Paulin, although the value modelled in our study excluded foliage. However, the biomasses modelled after 10 yr with the smallest trimming fractions were consistent with estimates of aboveground wood growth from 60 to 100 g C m −2 yr −1 for a hybrid poplar intercropped with hay in the southern Quebec by Winans et al (2015) and from 100 to 120 g C m −2 yr −1 for a hybrid poplar intercropped with annuals in the southern Ontario by Peichl et al (2006) and Wotherspoon (2014).…”

Section: Plant and Soil C Stockssupporting

confidence: 73%

“…Further C sequestration in TBI may occur deeper in the soil profile. After a further 12 yr, C sequestration by these TBIs increased by a further 14.3 and 13.4 Mg C ha −1 relative to a monocrop (Wotherspoon 2014). Therefore, agroforestry has an important role to play in increasing C sequestration, thereby moving towards more sustainable production systems (Montagnini and Nair 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Competition for nutrients in TBI depends upon the distribution of tree and crop roots. Tree roots extend much deeper than do those of crops (Oelbermann et al 2006;Wotherspoon 2014) and so can take up nutrients and water that are not accessible to crops. These nutrients may then be recycled back into the TBI ecosystem through litterfall, which can reduce the need to fertilize the intercropped area (Gao et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ecosystem modelling can help to overcome these limitations. Most simulation of C sequestration by agroforestry systems is currently limited to models based on tree growth data from forests, such as CO 2 FIX (Masera et al 2003;Wotherspoon 2014). Agroforestry presents a challenge to such models because they do not generally simulate tree-crop interactions (Luedeling et al 2014;Nair and Nair 2014), so that the effects on crop yields are overlooked (Palma et al 2014;Negash and Kanninen 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbon Sequestration vs Agricultural Yields in Tree-Based Intercropping Systems as Affected by Tree Management

et al. 2017

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Tree-based intercropping (TBI) may increase carbon (C) sequestration in agroecosystems, but may reduce crop yields. In this study of TBI, we used ecosys, a comprehensive mathematical model of terrestrial ecosystems, which represents interspecific competition for light, nutrients, and water, to evaluate the concurrent effects of TBI on C sequestration and crop yields in TBI experiments conducted at St. Paulin and St. Edouard in southern Quebec. Total gains in C sequestration vs. total losses in crop yields over 11 yr relative to monocropping were 682 vs. 396 g C m −2 at St. Paulin and 841 vs. 168 g C m −2 at St. Edouard. These gains and losses were generally consistent with the measurements at the two TBI sites and with those at TBI experiments under similar environmental conditions elsewhere. Gains and losses depended on competition for light by trees and crops, and so were affected by different fractions of tree foliage removal used to manage this competition in the model. The modelling protocol developed for this study provides a robust, process-based methodology to evaluate economic and environmental benefits of TBI under diverse climates, soils, and tree and crop management practices. Some of the key assumptions used to model TBI are also discussed.

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An Agroecological Foundation for Temperate Agroforestry

Coleman¹,

Thevathasan²,

Gordon³

et al. 2021

North American Agroforestry

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Carbon sequestration potential of five tree species in a 25-year-old temperate tree-based intercropping system in southern Ontario, Canada

Cited by 58 publications

References 11 publications

Dominant effects of organic carbon chemistry on decomposition dynamics of crop residues in a Mollisol

Dominant effects of organic carbon chemistry on decomposition dynamics of crop residues in a Mollisol

Carbon Sequestration vs Agricultural Yields in Tree-Based Intercropping Systems as Affected by Tree Management

An Agroecological Foundation for Temperate Agroforestry

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