Soil management systems and short term CO2 emissions in a clayey soil in southern Spain

A renewed view of conservation agriculture and its evolution over the last decade in Spain

“…Particularly with regard to erosion (McGregor et al,1990;Baker et al, 2002;Espejo-Perez et al, 2013); increased organic matter content (Ordóñez Fernández et al, 2007a;González-Sánchez et al, 2012;Repullo-Ruiberriz de Torres et al, 2012); improved water infiltration (Thierfelder and Wall, 2009);water usage (Blanco-Canqui and Lal, 2007); water quality (Jordan and Hutcheon, 1997); reduced water pollution (Fawcett, 1995); biodiversity enhancements (López-Fando and Bello-Pérez, 1997;Kladivko, 2001); reduced CO 2 emissions (Lal, 2005;Carbonell-Bojollo et al, 2011). Likewise, several studies demonstrate the technical viability of CA in terms of yields when compared to TT (Cantero-Martinez et al, 2003;Van Den Putte et al, 2010) and also regarding the economical revenue for farmers (Uri et al, 1999;García-Torres et al, 2003).…”

Experimental analysis of CO2 emissions from agricultural soils subjected to five different tillage systems in Lithuania

“…Modern ploughless tillage technologies sustain soil structure and the stability of soil aggregates against water, protect natural biological diversity, reduce the impacts of tillage machinery on soil degradation, facilitate the protection of the upper soil layer against wind and water erosion and help reduce the negative impacts of climate change (Šarauskis et al, 2014). These effects arise because soil respiration intensities differ based on different soil properties, the types of plant residue, the depth of plant residue incorporation, the amount of mineralisation in the soil, the tillage intensity, climatic conditions and other factors, such as soil texture, soil physical-mechanical properties, the soil organic carbon content, fertilisation and crop rotation (Grant, 1997;La Scala et al, 2006;Lee et al, 2009;Arlauskienė et al, 2009;Carbonell-Bojollo et al, 2011;Mangalassery et al, 2013). Interest in sustainable agricultural and tillage technologies has been stimulated by the resolutions adopted in the Kyoto Protocol, which specify the amounts by which greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced in industrialised countries (Freibauer et al, 2004).…”

“…However, soil can also be used as a reservoir for C accumulation. Tillage dramatically activates soil respiration, especially during the first hours following tillage (Carbonell-Bojollo et al, 2011). In addition to tillage, soil fertilisation (Fernández-Luqueño et al, 2009) and fermentation processes contribute to global warming (Albaugh et al, 2012).…”

“…Consequently, the use of sustainable tillage is one of the most effective methods of reducing the amounts of CO 2 gas emitted from the soil and for accumulating soil C (Sainju et al, 2008, Buragienė et al, 2011. To reduce CO 2 emissions from the soil into the atmosphere, cultivated fields could be sown with catch crops to reduce direct contact of the soil with the environment (Carbonell-Bojollo et al, 2011). The same protective function occurs when plant residues are spread on the soil surface through no-tillage or strip-tillage practices.…”

“…Tillage accelerates the oxidation of soil OC because high amounts of CO 2 gas are emitted into the atmosphere for several weeks following tillage (Reicosky et al, 1997;Prior et al, 2000;La Scala et al, 2006). In addition, CO 2 emissions depend on the plant type and plant growth stage (Lee et al, 2009). Carbonell-Bojollo et al (2011 established that the intensity of soil respiration also depends on the depth of soil tillage.…”