The combined effect of short-term hydrological and N-fertilization manipulation of wetlands on CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions

Nitrogen fertilization, irrigation and concentrate feeding are important factors in rotational pasture management for dairy farms in South Africa. The extent to which these factors affect environmental efficiency is subject to current and intense debate among scientists. A three-year field study was conducted to investigate the yield response of different N-fertilizer treatments (0 (N0), 220 (N20), 440 (N40), 660 (N60) and 880 (N80) kg N ha−1 year−1) on grazed pastures and to calculate the carbon footprint (CF) of milk produced. Excessive N-fertilization (N60 and N80) did not increase herbage dry matter and energy yields from pastures. However, N80 indicated the highest N-yield but at the same time also the highest N surpluses at field level. A maximum fertilizer rate of 220 kg ha−1 year−1 (in addition to excreted N from grazing animals) appears sufficient to ensure adequate herbage yields (~20 t DM ha−1 year−1) with a slightly positive field-N-balance. This amount will prevent the depletion of soil C and N, with low N losses to the environment, where adequate milk yields of ~17 t ECM ha−1 with a low CF (~1.3 kg CO2 kg ECM−1) are reached. Methane from enteric fermentation (~49% ± 3.3) and N2O (~16% ± 3.2) emissions from irrigated pastures were the main contributors to the CF. A further CF reduction can be achieved by improved N-fertilization planning, low emission irrigation techniques and strategies to limit N2O emissions from pasture soils in South Africa.

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Short-Term N-Fertilization Differently Affects the Leaf and Leaf Litter Chemistry of the Dominant Species in a Mediterranean Forest under Drought Conditions

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12050605 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 605

Author(s):

Helena Vallicrosa ◽

Jordi Sardans ◽

Romà Ogaya ◽

Pere Roc Fernández ◽

Josep Peñuelas

Keyword(s):

Leaf Litter ◽

Dominant Species ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Mediterranean Ecosystems ◽

N Fertilization ◽

N Deposition ◽

Mediterranean Forest ◽

Short Term ◽

Species Response ◽

Drought Conditions

Nitrogen (N) deposition is a key driver of global change with significant effects on carbon (C) cycling, species fitness, and diversity; however, its effects on Mediterranean ecosystems are unclear. Here, we simulated N deposition in an N-fertilization experiment with 15N-labeled fertilizer in a montane evergreen Mediterranean holm oak forest, in central Catalonia, to quantify short-term impacts on leaf, leaf litter elemental composition, and resorption efficiency in three dominant species (Quercus ilex, Phillyrea latifolia, and Arbutus unedo). We found that even under drought conditions, 15N isotope analysis of leaf and leaf litter showed a rapid uptake of the added N, suggesting an N deficient ecosystem. Species responses to N fertilization varied, where A. unedo was unaffected and the responses in P. latifolia and Q. ilex were similar, albeit with contrasting magnitude. P. latifolia benefited the most from N fertilization under drought conditions of the experimental year. These differences in species response could indicate impacts on species fitness, competition, and abundance under increased N loads in Mediterranean forest ecosystems. Further research is needed to disentangle interactions between long-term N deposition and the drought predicted under future climate scenarios in Mediterranean ecosystems.

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Temporal Variations in N2O Emissions in Maize and Wheat Crop Seasons: Impact of N-Fertilization, Crop Growth, and Weather Variables

Journal of Crop Improvement ◽

10.1080/15427528.2015.1095264 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 17-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Harmanjit S. Dhadli ◽

Babu S. Brar ◽

Pavneet K. Kingra

Keyword(s):

Temporal Variations ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Crop Growth ◽

Wheat Crop ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Weather Variables

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CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions from a wetted tropical upland soil following surface mulch application

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/s0038-0717(98)00004-2 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 30 (12) ◽

pp. 1619-1622 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Gamini Seneviratne ◽

L.H.J. van Holm

Keyword(s):

N2o Emissions ◽

Upland Soil ◽

Ch4 And N2o

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Short-term precipitation pulses stimulate soil CO2 emission but do not alter CH4 and N2O fluxes in a northern hardwood forest

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.11.021 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 130 ◽

pp. 8-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Xiangyin Ni ◽

Shu Liao ◽

Fuzhong Wu ◽

Peter M. Groffman

Keyword(s):

Co2 Emission ◽

Hardwood Forest ◽

Northern Hardwood Forest ◽

Soil Co2 ◽

Short Term ◽

Northern Hardwood ◽

Soil Co2 Emission ◽

N2o Fluxes ◽

Ch4 And N2o ◽

Precipitation Pulses

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Long-term spatiotemporal patterns of CH4 and N2O emissions from livestock and poultry production in Turkey

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment ◽

10.1007/s10661-009-1071-x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 167 (1-4) ◽

pp. 545-558 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Recep Kulcu ◽

Kamil Ekinci ◽

Fatih Evrendilek ◽

Can Ertekin

Keyword(s):

Spatiotemporal Patterns ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Poultry Production ◽

Ch4 And N2o

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Using manure as fertilizer for maize could improve sustainability of milk production

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/2018161-9329 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0601 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

José D. Jiménez-Calderón ◽

Adela Martínez-Fernández ◽

Fernando Prospero-Bernal ◽

José Velarde-Guillén ◽

Carlos M. Arriaga-Jordán ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutritive Value ◽

Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Dairy Production ◽

Maize Silage ◽

Organic Fertilization ◽

Positive Balance ◽

Chemical Fertilization ◽

Cow Performance ◽

Ch4 And N2o

This study evaluated the effect of organic or chemical fertilization of maize on cow performance, economic outcomes, and greenhouse gas emission. Each type of maize silage according its different fertilization was used in two rations offered to two different groups of nine Friesian-Holstein cows throughout 4 months. The production cost of the maize silage was 8.8% lower for organic than for chemical fertilization. Both silages had similar nutritive value, except a higher concentration of starch in maize with organic fertilization, which allowed a reduction in the proportion of concentrate in the ration, saving 25.3 eurocents per cow in the daily ration, generating a positive balance of 21.8 eurocents per cow and day. The milk yield and composition were unaffected depending on the type of fertilization, whereas the estimation of CH4 and N2O emissions with chemical fertilization was higher than emissions with organic fertilization. As a result, it is possible to increase the sustainability and profitability of dairy production with reuse and recycling of manure.

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The nitrogen, carbon and greenhouse gas budget of a grazed, cut and fertilised temperate grassland

10.5194/bg-2016-221 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stephanie K. Jones ◽

Carole Helfter ◽

Margaret Anderson ◽

Mhairi Coyle ◽

Claire Campbell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Soil Layer ◽

The Body ◽

Sink Strength ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

N Budget ◽

N Losses ◽

Enteric Fermentation ◽

C And N ◽

Ch4 And N2o

Abstract. Intensively managed grazed grasslands in temperate climates are globally important environments for the exchange of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). We assessed the N and C budget of a mostly grazed, occasionally cut, and fertilized grassland in SE Scotland by measuring or modelling all relevant imports and exports to the field as well as changes in soil C and N pools over time. The N budget was dominated by import from inorganic and organic fertilisers (21.9 g N m2 yr−1) and losses from leaching (5.3 g N m2 yr−1), N2 emissions and NOx and NH3 volatilisation (6.4 g N m2 yr−1). The efficiency of N use by animal products (meat and wool) averaged 11 %. On average over nine years (2002–2010) the balance of N fluxes suggested that 7.2 ± 4.6 g N m−2 y−1 (mean ± confidence interval at p > 0.95) were stored in the soil. The largest component of the C budget was the net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE), at an average uptake rate of 218 ± 155 g C m−2 y−1 over the nine years. This sink strength was offset by carbon export from the field mainly as harvest (48.9 g C m2 yr−1) and leaching (16.4 g C m2 yr−1). The other export terms, CH4 emissions from the soil, manure applications and enteric fermentation were negligible and only contributed to 0.02–4.2 % of the total C losses. Only a small fraction of C was incorporated into the body of the grazing animals. Inclusion of these C losses in the budget resulted in a C sink strength of 163 ± 140 g C m−2 y−1. On the contrary, soil stock measurements taken in May 2004 and May 2011 indicated that the grassland sequestered N in the 0–60 cm soil layer at 4.51 ± 2.64 g N m−2 y−1 and lost C at a rate of 29.08 ± 38.19 g C m−2 y-1, respectively. Potential reasons for the discrepancy between these estimates are probably an underestimation of C and N losses, especially from leaching fluxes as well as from animal respiration. The average greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of the grassland was −366 ± 601 g CO2 eq m−2 y−1 and strongly affected by CH4 and N2O emissions. The GHG sink strength of the NEE was reduced by 54 % by CH4 and N2O emissions. Enteric fermentation from the ruminating sheep proved to be an important CH4 source, exceeding the contribution of N2O to the GHG budget in some years.

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