Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases

A special issue of Soil Systems (ISSN 2571-8789).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2018) | Viewed by 67827

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Interests: soil biogeochemistry; trace gas fluxes; carbon cycle; atmospheric chemistry; soil functional genomics; environmental microbiology; geobiology

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
2. SLAC National Laboratory, Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
Interests: soil biogeochemistry; redox processes; rhizosphere dynamics; microbial energetics; organic matter cycling; contaminant mobility

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Guest Editor
Department of Plant & Soil Science, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
Interests: ecosystem ecology; global environmental change; biogeochemical cycles; soil-plant-atmosphere interactions; big data; blue carbon; extreme events; environmental networks

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Guest Editor
Woods Hole Research Center, 149 Woods Hole Rd, Falmouth, MA 02540, USA
Interests: soil biogeochemistry; carbon cycling; root-soil interactions; greenhouse gas fluxes; flux measurement techniques; forest soils

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our ability to accurately model and predict the fate of different elements, requires completing all the parts of their cycles on a local, regional, and global scale. Soil volatilization of trace elements and soil emission and uptake of trace gases are often under-recognized in global element cycle models. Where considered, the underlying drivers and feedback loops are often not well developed or understood. For example, soils are key contributors to global emissions of greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide, but the complexity of the biological and abiotic soil processes that promote or limit emissions are still not well understood. Similarly, soils are major emitters of other problematic trace gases, including volatile metal(loid)s (e.g., methylated As, Hg) that may constitute an important export pathway for these elements, but regulating mechanisms for these fluxes need further elucidating. Finally, increased knowledge is needed about processes that control the exchange between soils and atmosphere of trace gases that play a major role in element cycles (e.g., C, N) and/or provide insight into their functioning (e.g., carbonyl sulfide (COS) as a tracer for CO2 fluxes).

We invite authors to submit current research that addresses knowledge gaps regarding soil processes driving fluxes of trace gases that are either of direct concern for the local or global environment (e.g., methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, volatile metal(loid)s) or that can help fill gaps in current models of key element cycles (e.g., C, N). Work that helps identify key soil properties and mechanisms that regulate these fluxes is particularly welcome.

Dr. Laura Meredith
Dr. Kristin Boye
Dr. Rodrigo Vargas
Ms. Kathleen Savage
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • carbon cycle
  • nitrogen cycle
  • methane
  • nitrous oxide
  • volatile metal(loid) species
  • trace gas fluxes
  • microbial metabolic pathways

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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7 pages, 197 KiB  
Editorial
Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases
by Laura K. Meredith, Kristin Boye, Kathleen Savage and Rodrigo Vargas
Soil Syst. 2020, 4(2), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems4020022 - 16 Apr 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2885
Abstract
Trace gas cycling is an important feature of the soil system [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

18 pages, 2141 KiB  
Article
Summertime Soil-Atmosphere Ammonia Exchange in the Colorado Rocky Mountain Front Range Pine Forest
by Amy Hrdina, Alexander Moravek, Heather Schwartz-Narbonne and Jennifer Murphy
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010015 - 14 Feb 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4082
Abstract
Understanding the NH3 exchange between forest ecosystems and the atmosphere is important due to its role in the nitrogen cycle. However, NH3 exchange is dynamic and difficult to measure. The goal of this study was to characterize this exchange by measuring [...] Read more.
Understanding the NH3 exchange between forest ecosystems and the atmosphere is important due to its role in the nitrogen cycle. However, NH3 exchange is dynamic and difficult to measure. The goal of this study was to characterize this exchange by measuring the atmosphere, soil, and vegetation. Compensation point modeling was used to evaluate the direction and magnitude of surface-atmosphere exchange. Measurements were performed at the Manitou Experimental Forest Observatory (MEFO) site in the Colorado Front Range by continuous online monitoring of gas and particle phase NH3-NH4+ with an ambient ion monitoring system coupled with ion chromatographs (AIM-IC), direct measurements of [NH4+] and pH in soil extracts to determine ground emission potential (Γg), and measurements of [NH4+]bulk in pine needles to derive leaf emission potential (Γst). Two different soil types were measured multiple times throughout the study, in which Γg ranged from 5 to 2122. Γst values ranged from 29 to 54. Inferred fluxes (Fg) from each soil type predicted intervals of emission and deposition. By accounting for the total [NH4+] pool in each compartment, the lifetime of NH3 with respect to the surface-atmosphere exchange in the soil is on the order of years compared to much faster naturally occurring processes, i.e., mineralization and nitrification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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20 pages, 3656 KiB  
Article
Reconciling Negative Soil CO2 Fluxes: Insights from a Large-Scale Experimental Hillslope
by Alejandro Cueva, Till H. M. Volkmann, Joost van Haren, Peter A. Troch and Laura K. Meredith
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010010 - 13 Jan 2019
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5826
Abstract
Soil fluxes of CO2 (Fs) have long been considered unidirectional, reflecting the predominant roles of metabolic activity by microbes and roots in ecosystem carbon cycling. Nonetheless, there is a growing body of evidence that non-biological processes in soils can [...] Read more.
Soil fluxes of CO2 (Fs) have long been considered unidirectional, reflecting the predominant roles of metabolic activity by microbes and roots in ecosystem carbon cycling. Nonetheless, there is a growing body of evidence that non-biological processes in soils can outcompete biological ones, pivoting soils from a net source to sink of CO2, as evident mainly in hot and cold deserts with alkaline soils. Widespread reporting of unidirectional fluxes may lead to misrepresentation of Fs in process-based models and lead to errors in estimates of local to global carbon balances. In this study, we investigate the variability and environmental controls of Fs in a large-scale, vegetation-free, and highly instrumented hillslope located within the Biosphere 2 facility, where the main carbon sink is driven by carbonate weathering. We found that the hillslope soils were persistent sinks of CO2 comparable to natural desert shrublands, with an average rate of −0.15 ± 0.06 µmol CO2 m2 s−1 and annual sink of −56.8 ± 22.7 g C m−2 y−1. Furthermore, higher uptake rates (more negative Fs) were observed at night, coinciding with strong soil–air temperature gradients and [CO2] inversions in the soil profile, consistent with carbonate weathering. Our results confirm previous studies that reported negative values of Fs in hot and cold deserts around the globe and suggest that negative Fs are more common than previously assumed. This is particularly important as negative Fs may occur widely in arid and semiarid ecosystems, which play a dominant role in the interannual variability of the terrestrial carbon cycle. This study contributes to the growing recognition of the prevalence of negative Fs as an important yet, often overlooked component of ecosystem C cycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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18 pages, 1618 KiB  
Article
Effect of Biochar on Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions at the Laboratory and Field Scales
by Rivka B. Fidel, David A. Laird and Timothy B. Parkin
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010008 - 11 Jan 2019
Cited by 89 | Viewed by 9257
Abstract
Biochar application to soil has been proposed as a means for reducing soil greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. The effects, however, of interactions between biochar, moisture and temperature on soil CO2 and N2O emissions, remain poorly understood. Furthermore, [...] Read more.
Biochar application to soil has been proposed as a means for reducing soil greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. The effects, however, of interactions between biochar, moisture and temperature on soil CO2 and N2O emissions, remain poorly understood. Furthermore, the applicability of lab-scale observations to field conditions in diverse agroecosystems remains uncertain. Here we investigate the impact of a mixed wood gasification biochar on CO2 and N2O emissions from loess-derived soils using: (1) controlled laboratory incubations at three moisture (27, 31 and 35%) and three temperature (10, 20 and 30 °C) levels and (2) a field study with four cropping systems (continuous corn, switchgrass, low diversity grass mix and high diversity grass-forb mix). Biochar reduced N2O emissions under specific temperatures and moistures in the laboratory and in the continuous corn cropping system in the field. However, the effect of biochar on N2O emissions was only significant in the field and no effect on cumulative CO2 emissions was observed. Cropping system also had a significant effect in the field study, with soils in grass and grass-forb cropping systems emitting more CO2 and less N2O than corn cropping systems. Observed biochar effects were consistent with previous studies showing that biochar amendments can reduce soil N2O emissions under specific but not all, conditions. The disparity in N2O emission responses at the lab and field scales suggests that laboratory incubation experiments may not reliably predict the impact of biochar at the field scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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21 pages, 2039 KiB  
Article
Anaerobic Methane Oxidation in High-Arctic Alaskan Peatlands as a Significant Control on Net CH4 Fluxes
by Kimberley E. Miller, Chun-Ta Lai, Randy A. Dahlgren and David A. Lipson
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010007 - 9 Jan 2019
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5325
Abstract
Terrestrial consumption of the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH4) is a critical aspect of the future climate, as CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere are projected to play an increasingly important role in global climate forcing. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) [...] Read more.
Terrestrial consumption of the potent greenhouse gas methane (CH4) is a critical aspect of the future climate, as CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere are projected to play an increasingly important role in global climate forcing. Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) has only recently been considered a relevant control on methane fluxes from terrestrial systems. We performed in vitro anoxic incubations of intact peat from Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska using stable isotope tracers. Our results showed an average potential AOM rate of 15.0 nmol cm3 h−1, surpassing the average rate of gross CH4 production (6.0 nmol cm3 h−1). AOM and CH4 production rates were positively correlated. While CH4 production was insensitive to additions of Fe(III), there was a depth:Fe(III) interaction in the kinetic reaction rate constant for AOM, suggestive of stimulation by Fe(III), particularly in shallow soils (<10 cm). We estimate AOM would consume 25–34% of CH4 produced under ambient conditions. Soil genetic surveys showed phylogenetic links between soil microbes and known anaerobic methanotrophs in ANME groups 2 and 3. These results suggest a prevalent role of AOM to net CH4 fluxes from Arctic peatland ecosystems, and a probable link with Fe(III)-reduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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19 pages, 3182 KiB  
Article
Environmental and Vegetative Controls on Soil CO2 Efflux in Three Semiarid Ecosystems
by Matthew C. Roby, Russell L. Scott, Greg A. Barron-Gafford, Erik P. Hamerlynck and David J. P. Moore
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010006 - 8 Jan 2019
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5250
Abstract
Soil CO2 efflux (Fsoil) is a major component of the ecosystem carbon balance. Globally expansive semiarid ecosystems have been shown to influence the trend and interannual variability of the terrestrial carbon sink. Modeling Fsoil in water-limited ecosystems remains [...] Read more.
Soil CO2 efflux (Fsoil) is a major component of the ecosystem carbon balance. Globally expansive semiarid ecosystems have been shown to influence the trend and interannual variability of the terrestrial carbon sink. Modeling Fsoil in water-limited ecosystems remains relatively difficult due to high spatial and temporal variability associated with dynamics in moisture availability and biological activity. Measurements of the processes underlying variability in Fsoil can help evaluate Fsoil models for water-limited ecosystems. Here we combine automated soil chamber and flux tower data with models to investigate how soil temperature (Ts), soil moisture (θ), and gross ecosystem photosynthesis (GEP) control Fsoil in semiarid ecosystems with similar climates and different vegetation types. Across grassland, shrubland, and savanna sites, θ regulated the relationship between Fsoil and Ts, and GEP influenced Fsoil magnitude. Thus, the combination of Ts, θ, and GEP controlled rates and patterns of Fsoil. In a root exclusion experiment at the grassland, we found that growing season autotrophic respiration accounted for 45% of Fsoil. Our modeling results indicate that a combination of Ts, θ, and GEP terms is required to model spatial and temporal dynamics in Fsoil, particularly in deeper-rooted shrublands and savannas where coupling between GEP and shallow θ is weaker than in grasslands. Together, these results highlight that including θ and GEP in Fsoil models can help reduce uncertainty in semiarid ecosystem carbon dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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14 pages, 1265 KiB  
Article
A Novel Approach for High-Frequency in-situ Quantification of Methane Oxidation in Peatlands
by Cecilie Skov Nielsen, Niles J. Hasselquist, Mats B. Nilsson, Mats Öquist, Järvi Järveoja and Matthias Peichl
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010004 - 31 Dec 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4229
Abstract
Methane (CH4) oxidation is an important process for regulating CH4 emissions from peatlands as it oxidizes CH4 to carbon dioxide (CO2). Our current knowledge about its temporal dynamics and contribution to ecosystem CO2 fluxes is, however, [...] Read more.
Methane (CH4) oxidation is an important process for regulating CH4 emissions from peatlands as it oxidizes CH4 to carbon dioxide (CO2). Our current knowledge about its temporal dynamics and contribution to ecosystem CO2 fluxes is, however, limited due to methodological constraints. Here, we present the first results from a novel method for quantifying in-situ CH4 oxidation at high temporal resolution. Using an automated chamber system, we measured the isotopic signature of heterotrophic respiration (CO2 emissions from vegetation-free plots) at a boreal mire in northern Sweden. Based on these data we calculated CH4 oxidation rates using a two-source isotope mixing model. During the measurement campaign, 74% of potential CH4 fluxes from vegetation-free plots were oxidized to CO2, and CH4 oxidation contributed 20 ± 2.5% to heterotrophic respiration corresponding to 10 ± 0.5% of ecosystem respiration. Furthermore, the contribution of CH4 oxidation to heterotrophic respiration showed a distinct diurnal cycle being negligible during nighttime while contributing up to 35 ± 3.0% during the daytime. Our results show that CH4 oxidation may represent an important component of the peatland ecosystem respiration and highlight the value of our method for measuring in-situ CH4 oxidation to better understand carbon dynamics in peatlands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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21 pages, 2863 KiB  
Article
Methane Emissions from a Grassland-Wetland Complex in the Southern Peruvian Andes
by Sam P. Jones, Torsten Diem, Yit Arn Teh, Norma Salinas, Dave S. Reay and Patrick Meir
Soil Syst. 2019, 3(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems3010002 - 28 Dec 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4439
Abstract
Wet organic-rich mineral and peat soils in the tropical Andes represent a potentially significant, but little studied, source of methane to the atmosphere. Here we report the results of field and laboratory measurements of soil–atmosphere methane exchange and associated environmental variables from freely [...] Read more.
Wet organic-rich mineral and peat soils in the tropical Andes represent a potentially significant, but little studied, source of methane to the atmosphere. Here we report the results of field and laboratory measurements of soil–atmosphere methane exchange and associated environmental variables from freely draining upland and inundation prone wetland soils in a humid puna ecosystem in the Southeastern Andes of Peru. Between seasons and across the landscape soil–atmosphere exchange varied between uptake and emission. Notable hotspots of methane emission, peaking during the wet season, were observed from both upland and wetland soils with particularly strong emissions from moss-accumulating topographic lows. This variability was best explained by the influence of oxygen concentration on methane production in superficial soil horizons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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18 pages, 1206 KiB  
Article
Nitrogen Fertilization Reduces the Capacity of Soils to Take up Atmospheric Carbonyl Sulphide
by Aurore Kaisermann, Sam P. Jones, Steven Wohl, Jérôme Ogée and Lisa Wingate
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(4), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2040062 - 15 Nov 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3811
Abstract
Soils are an important carbonyl sulphide (COS) sink. However, they can also act as sources of COS to the atmosphere. Here we demonstrate that variability in the soil COS sink and source strength is strongly linked to the available soil inorganic nitrogen (N) [...] Read more.
Soils are an important carbonyl sulphide (COS) sink. However, they can also act as sources of COS to the atmosphere. Here we demonstrate that variability in the soil COS sink and source strength is strongly linked to the available soil inorganic nitrogen (N) content across a diverse range of biomes in Europe. We revealed in controlled laboratory experiments that a one-off addition of ammonium nitrate systematically decreased the COS uptake rate whilst simultaneously increasing the COS production rate of soils from boreal and temperate sites in Europe. Furthermore, we found strong links between variations in the two gross COS fluxes, microbial biomass, and nitrate and ammonium contents, providing new insights into the mechanisms involved. Our findings provide evidence for how the soil–atmosphere exchange of COS is likely to vary spatially and temporally, a necessary step for constraining the role of soils and land use in the COS mass budget. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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18 pages, 5115 KiB  
Article
Hot-Moments of Soil CO2 Efflux in a Water-Limited Grassland
by Rodrigo Vargas, Enrique Sánchez-Cañete P., Penélope Serrano-Ortiz, Jorge Curiel Yuste, Francisco Domingo, Ana López-Ballesteros and Cecilio Oyonarte
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(3), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030047 - 8 Aug 2018
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 6306
Abstract
The metabolic activity of water-limited ecosystems is strongly linked to the timing and magnitude of precipitation pulses that can trigger disproportionately high (i.e., hot-moments) ecosystem CO2 fluxes. We analyzed over 2-years of continuous measurements of soil CO2 efflux (Fs) under vegetation [...] Read more.
The metabolic activity of water-limited ecosystems is strongly linked to the timing and magnitude of precipitation pulses that can trigger disproportionately high (i.e., hot-moments) ecosystem CO2 fluxes. We analyzed over 2-years of continuous measurements of soil CO2 efflux (Fs) under vegetation (Fsveg) and at bare soil (Fsbare) in a water-limited grassland. The continuous wavelet transform was used to: (a) describe the temporal variability of Fs; (b) test the performance of empirical models ranging in complexity; and (c) identify hot-moments of Fs. We used partial wavelet coherence (PWC) analysis to test the temporal correlation between Fs with temperature and soil moisture. The PWC analysis provided evidence that soil moisture overshadows the influence of soil temperature for Fs in this water limited ecosystem. Precipitation pulses triggered hot-moments that increased Fsveg (up to 9000%) and Fsbare (up to 17,000%) with respect to pre-pulse rates. Highly parameterized empirical models (using support vector machine (SVM) or an 8-day moving window) are good approaches for representing the daily temporal variability of Fs, but SVM is a promising approach to represent high temporal variability of Fs (i.e., hourly estimates). Our results have implications for the representation of hot-moments of ecosystem CO2 fluxes in these globally distributed ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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27 pages, 3852 KiB  
Article
Coupled Biological and Abiotic Mechanisms Driving Carbonyl Sulfide Production in Soils
by Laura K. Meredith, Kristin Boye, Connor Youngerman, Mary Whelan, Jérôme Ogée, Joana Sauze and Lisa Wingate
Soil Syst. 2018, 2(3), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems2030037 - 21 Jun 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5552
Abstract
Understanding soil production of the trace gas carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is key to its use as a tracer of ecosystem function. Underlying its application is the observation that vascular plants consume atmospheric OCS via their stomatal pores in proportion with CO2 photosynthesis [...] Read more.
Understanding soil production of the trace gas carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is key to its use as a tracer of ecosystem function. Underlying its application is the observation that vascular plants consume atmospheric OCS via their stomatal pores in proportion with CO2 photosynthesis and that soil fluxes of OCS are negligible in comparison. Recent soil-centered studies demonstrate that soils can produce OCS and contribute as much as a quarter of the atmospheric terrestrial flux. Despite the potential widespread importance of soil OCS emissions, insufficient data exist to predict variations in OCS production across ecosystems, and the chemical and biological drivers of OCS production are virtually unknown. In this study, we address this knowledge gap by investigating variables controlling OCS soil production including soil physical and chemical properties, microbial community composition, and sulfur speciation in two independent surveys. We found that soil OCS production was nearly ubiquitous across the 58 sites, increased exponentially with temperature, and was insensitive to visible light conditioning. Soil pH, N, and C/N were predictors of OCS soil production rates in both soil surveys. Patterns in soil S speciation and predicted microbial S-cycling pathways both pointed to S-containing amino acids such as cysteine and methionine and their derivatives as potential precursors for OCS production. Elevated sulfate levels were associated with OCS production in some soils. This study provides new mechanistic insight into OCS production in soils and presents strategies to represent soil OCS fluxes that facilitate the use of OCS as a tracer for leaf-level processes related to carbon and water cycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

21 pages, 374 KiB  
Review
Irrigation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Review of Field-Based Studies
by Anish Sapkota, Amir Haghverdi, Claudia C. E. Avila and Samantha C. Ying
Soil Syst. 2020, 4(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems4020020 - 13 Apr 2020
Cited by 66 | Viewed by 10127
Abstract
Irrigation practices can greatly influence greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions because of their control on soil microbial activity and substrate supply. However, the effects of different irrigation management practices, such as flood irrigations versus reduced volume methods, including drip and sprinkler irrigation, on GHG [...] Read more.
Irrigation practices can greatly influence greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions because of their control on soil microbial activity and substrate supply. However, the effects of different irrigation management practices, such as flood irrigations versus reduced volume methods, including drip and sprinkler irrigation, on GHG emissions are still poorly understood. Therefore, this review was performed to investigate the effects of different irrigation management strategies on the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) by synthesizing existing research that either directly or indirectly examined the effects of at least two irrigation rates on GHG emissions within a single field-based study. Out of thirty-two articles selected for review, reduced irrigation was found to be effective in lowering the rate of CH4 emissions, while flood irrigation had the highest CH4 emission. The rate of CO2 emission increased mostly under low irrigation, and the effect of irrigation strategies on N2O emissions were inconsistent, though a majority of studies reported low N2O emissions in continuously flooded field treatments. The global warming potential (GWP) demonstrated that reduced or water-saving irrigation strategies have the potential to decrease the effect of GHG emissions. In general, GWP was higher for the field that was continuously flooded. The major finding from this review is that optimizing irrigation may help to reduce CH4 emissions and net GWP. However, more field research assessing the effect of varying rates of irrigation on the emission of GHGs from the agricultural field is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Formation and Fluxes of Soil Trace Gases)
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