Uncropped field margins to mitigate soil carbon losses in agricultural landscapes

D'Acunto, Luciana; Semmartin, María; Ghersa, Claudio M.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2013.10.022

Cited by 34 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…However, a much greater effect of proximity to boundary was shown for hedgerows than for abiotic boundaries. SOC stock was greatest close to hedgerow boundaries, decreasing with perpendicular distance from the hedgerow, in line with findings from other grassland and arable systems (D'Acunto et al., ; Follain et al., ). SOC stock reduced markedly between 1.2 and 2.4 m from the fenced hedgerow boundary (equivalent to ca.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Detailed study of spatial variation in SOC (content and stock) has shown it to be greater close to hedgerows in both grassland and arable systems (Holden et al, 2019), the effect decreasing with distance from the hedge boundary, for up to 4 m into neighbouring fields (D'Acunto, Semmartin, & Ghersa, 2014;Follain, Walter, Legout, Lemercier, & Dutin, 2007;Van Vooren et al, 2017). Hedgerow woody plant root architecture and depth can influence SOC storage, with deeper-rooted species associated with greater SOC (Crossland, 2015).…”

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confidence: 99%

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How do hedgerows influence soil organic carbon stock in livestock‐grazed pasture?

Ford

Healey

Webb

et al. 2019

Soil Use and Management

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Hedgerows have the potential to influence ecosystem function in livestock‐grazed pasture. Despite this, they are often ignored when quantifying farmland ecosystem service delivery. In this study, we assess the contribution of hedgerows to the ecosystem function of carbon (C) storage, with a particular emphasis on soil organic carbon (SOC). We measured SOC stock (kg C m−2), on an equivalent soil mass basis, at 0–0.15 m depth in pasture adjacent to 38 hedgerows (biotic) and 16 stone walls or fences (abiotic controls) across ten farms in the county of Conwy, Wales, UK. Pasture SOC stock (~7 kg C m−2) was similar adjacent to biotic and abiotic field boundaries, positively associated with soil moisture and negatively with soil bulk density (BD). For biotic boundaries, two further variables were significantly associated with SOC stock, distance from hedgerow (decrease in SOC stock) and slope orientation (upslope SOC stock greater than downslope). For pasture adjacent to hedgerows, a model combining the aforementioned variables (BD, soil moisture, distance from hedgerow, slope orientation) explained 78% of variation in SOC stock. This study demonstrates that whilst hedgerows do have subtle positive effects on SOC stock in adjacent pasture, SOC storage adjacent to field boundaries is influenced more by soil moisture content and BD than field boundary type.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

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confidence: 99%

How do hedgerows influence soil organic carbon stock in livestock‐grazed pasture?

Ford

Healey

Webb

et al. 2019

Soil Use and Management

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“…Soil organic carbon shows no difference along a gradient of landscape heterogeneity (Williams and Hedlund 2013) and hedgerows only locally increase soil organic carbon (D'Acunto et al 2014). In tropical systems forest fragmentation and edge effects result in a decrease in carbon sequestration (de Paula et al 2011;Laurance et al 2011) but preliminary evidence suggests that in temperate regions carbon sequestration is unaffected in forest edges (Ziter et al 2014).…”

Section: Review Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of landscape configuration on mapping ecosystem service capacity: a review of evidence and a case study in Scotland

et al. 2016

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Context Humans structure landscapes for the production of food, fibre and fuel, commonly resulting in declines of non-provisioning ecosystem services (ESs). Heterogeneous landscapes are capable of providing multiple ESs, and landscape configuration-spatial arrangement of land cover in the landscape-is expected to affect ES capacity. However, the majority of ES mapping studies have not accounted for landscape configuration. Objectives Our objective is to assess and quantify the relevance of configuration for mapping ES capacity. A review of empirical evidence for configuration effects on the capacity of ten ESs reveals that for four ESs configuration is relevant but typically ignored in ES quantification. For four ESs we quantify the relevance of configuration for mapping ESs using Scotland as a case study. Methods Each ES was quantified through modelling, respectively ignoring or accounting for configuration. The difference in ES capacity between the two ES models was determined at multiple spatial scales. Results Configuration affected the capacity of all four ESs mapped, particularly at the cell and watershed scale. At the scale of Scotland most local effects averaged out. Flood control and sediment retention responded strongest to configuration. ESs were affected by different aspects of configuration, thus requiring specific methods for mapping each ES. Conclusions Accounting for configuration is important for the assessment of certain ESs at the cell and watershed scale. Incorporating configuration in landscape management provides opportunities for spatial optimization of ES capacity, but the diverging response of ESs to configuration suggests that accounting for configuration involves trade-offs between ESs.

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“…The higher iPOM content observed under woody compared to the herbaceous crops seems to be a consequence of the largest C inputs observed under the former ones. Leaf‐litter, being more easily decomposable than root material (Puget & Drinkwater, ; Kemp et al ., ; Austin et al ., ; D'Acunto et al ., ), might have accelerated the soil C cycling under woody crops, further enhancing the C content in the fPOM fraction and stimulating the formation of microaggregates, therefore improving the physical protection of C (Helfrich et al ., ; Cotrufo et al ., ; Gunina & Kuzyakov, ). On the contrary, under herbaceous crops, soil carbon storage was mainly affected by root production and turnover.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon sequestration potential in perennial bioenergy crops: the importance of organic matter inputs and its physical protection

2014

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To date, only few studies have compared the soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration potential between perennial woody and herbaceous crops. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of perennial woody (poplar, black locust, willow) and herbaceous (giant reed, miscanthus, switchgrass) crops on SOC stock and its stabilization level after 6 years from plantation on an arable field. Seven SOC fractions related to different soil stabilization mechanisms were isolated by a combination of physical and chemical fractionation methods: unprotected (cPOM and fPOM), physically protected (iPOM), physically and chemically protected (HC-ls + c), chemically protected (HC-ds + c), and biochemically protected (NHC-ds + c and NHC-ls + c). The continuous C input to the soil and the minimal soil disturbance increased SOC stocks in the top 10 cm of soil, but not in deeper soil layers (10-30; 30-60; and 60-100 cm ) presumably due to a higher C input from leaf-litter. The conversion from an arable maize monoculture to perennial bioenergy crops increased the organic C associated to the most labile organic matter (POM) fractions, which accounted for 38% of the total SOC stock across bioenergy crops, while no significant increments were observed in more recalcitrant (silt-and clay-sized) fractions, highlighting that the POM fractions were the most prone to land-use change. The iPOM fraction increased under all perennial bioenergy species compared to the arable field. In addition, the iPOM was higher under woody crops than under herbaceous ones because of the additional C inputs from leaflitter that occurred in the former. Conversion from arable cropping systems to perennial bioenergy crops can effectively increase the SOC stock and enlarge the SOC fraction that is physically protected within soil microaggregates.

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Uncropped field margins to mitigate soil carbon losses in agricultural landscapes

Cited by 34 publications

References 46 publications

How do hedgerows influence soil organic carbon stock in livestock‐grazed pasture?

How do hedgerows influence soil organic carbon stock in livestock‐grazed pasture?

Effects of landscape configuration on mapping ecosystem service capacity: a review of evidence and a case study in Scotland

Carbon sequestration potential in perennial bioenergy crops: the importance of organic matter inputs and its physical protection

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