Gas emissions from dairy barnyards

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Powell ◽  
P. A. Vadas

Dairy cattle spend considerable time in outside barnyards. Nine barnyards were constructed to examine impacts of surface materials (bark, sand, soil) and timing of cattle corralling (before and after 3–14-day corralling periods) on fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) and CO2 equivalents (CO2eq). Surface, year, and surface*year interactions accounted for 64%, 6% and 16% of CO2 flux variability. Average CO2 flux from bark (2552 mg/m2.h) was 3.1–3.9 times greater than from sand or soil, especially after bark replenishment. Timing, year, timing*year and surface*year accounted for 40%, 17%, 14%, and 17% of CH4 variability. Average CH4 flux after corralling (10.6 mg/m2.h) was 3.8 times greater than before corralling, and 5.2 times greater the year following bark replenishment. Timing accounted for 67% of NH3 variability. After corralling, NH3 fluxes (1622 µg/m2.h) were 95 times greater than before corralling. Timing, surface, surface*timing and timing*year accounted for 33%, 10%, 24% and 13% of N2O variability. Average N2O flux after corralling (2252 µg/m2.h) was 3.7 times greater than before corralling. Surface and surface*year accounted for 71% and 16% of CO2eq variability. Average CO2eq flux from bark (3188 mg/m2.h) was 2.5–3.0 times greater than sand or soil. Greatest CO2eq flux occurred the year after bark replenishment. Tradeoffs between gas emissions, nutrient runoff and leaching, and cow comfort and health need to be assessed more fully before recommending beneficial practices for barnyard surface type and management.

Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiwamu Ishikura ◽  
Untung Darung ◽  
Takashi Inoue ◽  
Ryusuke Hatano

This study investigated spatial factors controlling CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes and compared global warming potential (GWP) among undrained forest (UDF), drained forest (DF), and drained burned land (DBL) on tropical peatland in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sampling was performed once within two weeks in the beginning of dry season. CO2 flux was significantly promoted by lowering soil moisture and pH. The result suggests that oxidative peat decomposition was enhanced in drier position, and the decomposition acidify the peat soils. CH4 flux was significantly promoted by a rise in groundwater level, suggesting that methanogenesis was enhanced under anaerobic condition. N2O flux was promoted by increasing soil nitrate content in DF, suggesting that denitrification was promoted by substrate availability. On the other hand, N2O flux was promoted by lower soil C:N ratio and higher soil pH in DBL and UDF. CO2 flux was the highest in DF (241 mg C m−2 h−1) and was the lowest in DBL (94 mg C m−2 h−1), whereas CH4 flux was the highest in DBL (0.91 mg C m−2 h−1) and was the lowest in DF (0.01 mg C m−2 h−1), respectively. N2O flux was not significantly different among land uses. CO2 flux relatively contributed to 91–100% of GWP. In conclusion, it is necessary to decrease CO2 flux to mitigate GWP through a rise in groundwater level and soil moisture in the region.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
José Reinaldo Paranaíba Vilela Alves Teixeira

Reservoirs are globally significant sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. The patterns of spatial and temporal variability in CO2 and CH4 emission from reservoirs are still poorly studied, especially in tropical regions where hydropower is growing rapidly. We performed spatially resolved measurements of dissolved CO2 and CH4 surface water concentrations and their gas-exchange coefficients (k) to compute diffusive carbon flux from four contrasting tropical reservoirs across Brazil during different hydrological seasons. Diffusive CO2 emissions were higher during the dry season than during the rainy season, whereas there were no consistent seasonal patterns for diffusive CH4 emissions. Our results reveal that the magnitude and the spatial within-reservoir patterns of diffusive CO2 and CH4 flux varied strongly among hydrological seasons. River inflow areas were often characterized by high seasonality in diffusive flux. Areas close to the dam generally showed low seasonal variability in diffusive CH4 flux but high variability in diffusive CO2 flux. Overall, we found that reservoir areas exhibiting highest emission rates (‘hotspots’) shifted substantially across hydrological seasons. Estimates of total diffusive carbon emission from the reservoir surfaces differed between hydrological seasons by a factor up to 7 in Chapéu D’Úvas reservoir, up to 13 in Curuá-Una reservoir, up to 4 in Furnas reservoir, and up to 1.8 in Funil reservoir, indicating that spatially-resolved measurements of gas concentrations and k need to be performed at different hydrological seasons in order to constrain annual diffusive carbon emission.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 32-33
Author(s):  
Amanda Holder ◽  
Megan A Gross ◽  
Alexi Moehlenpah ◽  
Paul Beck

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the effects of diet quality on greenhouse gas emissions and dry matter intake (DMI). We used 42 mature, gestating Angus cows (600±69 kg; and BSC 5.3±1.1) with a wide range in DMI EPD (-1.36 to 2.29). Cows were randomly assigned to 2 diet sequences forage-concentrate (FC) or concentrate-forage(CF) determined by the diet they consumed in each period (forage or concentrate). The cows were adapted to the diet and the SmartFeed individual intake units for 14 d followed by 45 d of intake data collection for each period. Body weight was recorded on consecutive weigh days at the beginning and end of each period and then once every two wk for the duration of a period. Cows were exposed to the GreenFeed Emission Monitoring (GEM) system for no less than 9 d during each period. The GEM system was used to measure emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Only cows with a minimum of 20 total >3-m visits to the GEM were included in the data set. Data were analyzed in a crossover design using GLIMMIX in SASv.9.4. Within the CF sequence there was a significant, positive correlation between TMR DMI and CH4 (r=0.81) and TMR DMI and CO2 (r=0.69), however, gas emissions during the second period on the hay diet were not correlated with hay intake. There was a significant, positive correlation between hay DMI and CO2 (r=0.76) and hay DMI and CH4 (r=0.74) when cows first consumed forage (FC). In comparison to the CF sequence, cows on the FC sequence showed a positive correlation between CO2 and TMR DMI during the second period. There was also a significant positive correlation between hay and TMR DMI when assessed across (r=0.43) or within sequence (FC r=0.41, CF r=0.47).


2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Demarty ◽  
J. Bastien ◽  
A. Tremblay

Abstract. Surface water pCO2 and pCH4 measurements were taken in the boreal zone of Québec, Canada, from summer 2006 to summer 2008 in Eastmain 1 reservoir and two nearby lakes. The goal of this follow-up was to evaluate annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including spring emissions (N.B. gross emissions for reservoir), through flux calculations using the thin boundary layer model. Our measurements underscored the winter CO2 accumulation due to ice cover and the importance of a reliable estimate of spring diffusive emissions as the ice breaks up. We clearly demonstrated that in our systems, diffusive CH4 flux (in terms of CO2 equivalent) were of minor importance in the GHG emissions (without CH4 accumulation under ice), with diffusive CO2 flux generally accounting for more than 95% of the annual diffusive flux. We also noted the extent of spring diffusive CO2 emissions (23% to 52%) in the annual carbon budget.


Materials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 370
Author(s):  
Hadi Gholamiyan ◽  
Behnam Gholampoor ◽  
Reza Hosseinpourpia

This research investigates the effect of plasma treatment with air, nitrogen (N2), and carbon dioxide (CO2) gases on the performance of waterborne (acrylic) and solvent-borne (polyester) coated fir (Abies alba M.) wood samples. The properties of the plasma-coated samples were analyzed before and after exposure to accelerated weathering and compared with those of untreated and solely treated ones. According to pull-off testing, the coating adhesion of the wood samples was considerably improved by plasma treatment, and obvious differences were observed between different plasma gases. The effect was more pronounced after the weathering test. Similar results were obtained for the abrasion resistance of the samples. The water contact angle measurement illustrated more hydrophilic character in the solely plasma-treated wood in comparison with the untreated wood. The application of coatings, however, strongly improved its hydrophobic character. The performances of waterborne and solvent-borne coatings on plasma-treated wood were comparable, although slightly better values were obtained by the waterborne system. Our results exhibit the positive effect of plasma treatment on coating performances and the increased weather resistance of the waterborne and solvent-borne coating systems on plasma-treated wood.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elodie Alice Courtois ◽  
Clément Stahl ◽  
Benoit Burban ◽  
Joke Van den Berge ◽  
Daniel Berveiller ◽  
...  

Abstract. Measuring in situ soil fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) continuously at high frequency requires appropriate technology. We tested the combination of a commercial automated soil CO2 flux chamber system (LI-8100A) with a CH4 and N2O analyzer (Picarro G2308) in a tropical rainforest for 4 months. A chamber closure time of 2 minutes was sufficient for a reliable estimation of CO2 and CH4 fluxes (100 % and 98.5 % of fluxes were above Minimum Detectable Flux – MDF, respectively). This closure time was generally not suitable for a reliable estimation of the low N2O fluxes in this ecosystem but was sufficient for detecting rare major peak events. A closure time of 25 minutes was more appropriate for reliable estimation of most N2O fluxes (85.6 % of measured fluxes are above MDF ± 0.002 nmol m−2 s−1). Our study highlights the importance of adjusted closure time for each gas.


Author(s):  
Lisa Kemmerer

Cheap meat, dairy, and eggs are an illusion—we pay for each with depleted forests, polluted freshwater, soil degradation, and climate change. Diet is the most critical decision we make with regard to our environmental footprint—and what we eat is a choice that most of us make every day, several times a day. Dietary choice contributes powerfully to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) and water pollution. Animal agriculture is responsible for an unnerving quantity of greenhouse gas emissions. Eating animal products—yogurt, ice cream, bacon, chicken salad, beef stroganoff, or cheese omelets—greatly increases an individual’s contribution to carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions. Collectively, dietary choice contributes to a classic “tragedy of the commons.” Much of the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by the earth’s oceans and plants, but a large proportion lingers in the atmosphere—unable to be absorbed by plants or oceans (“Effects”). Plants are not harmed by this process, but the current overabundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes acidification of the earth’s oceans. As a result of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, the “acidity of the world’s ocean may increase by around 170% by the end of the century,” altering ocean ecosystems, and likely creating an ocean environment that is inhospitable for many life forms (“Expert Assessment”). Burning petroleum also leads to wars that devastate human communities and annihilate landscapes and wildlife—including endangered species and their vital habitats. Additionally, our consumption of petroleum is linked with oil spills that ravage landscapes, shorelines, and ocean habitat. Oil pipelines run through remote, fragile areas—every oil tanker represents not just the possibility but the probability of an oil spill. As reserves diminish, our quest for fossil fuels is increasingly environmentally devastating: Canada’s vast reserves of tar sands oil—though extracted, transported, and burned only with enormous costs to the environment—are next in line for extraction. Consuming animal products creates ten times more fossil fuel emission per calorie than does consuming plant foods directly (Oppenlander 18). (This is the most remarkable given that plant foods are not generally as calorically dense as animal foods.) Ranching is the greatest GHGE offender.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Lisuma ◽  
Ernest Mbega ◽  
Patrick Ndakidemi

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is associated with great uptake of soil macronutrients. Following the need to understand the macronutrients levels before and after tobacco cultivation, research was conducted in loamy sand soil of Sikonge, Urambo, and sand soil of Tabora, Tanzania. The initial macronutrients levels in the soil were compared with those measured after unfertilized and fertilized tobacco. Results showed that unfertilized tobacco plant influences the increase of nicotine to the rhizosphere, the macronutrients Ca (135%) > N (25%), decrease in the order of S (81%) > P (49%) > Mg (12%) > K (11%). The sole effect of nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium (NPK) and calcium–ammonium–nitrate (CAN) 27% fertilizers increased further nicotine, Ca (25%) > N (20%) > S (8%) > Mg (4%) > P (3%), and decreased K (3%) in the rhizosphere. Both tobacco plant and NPK + CAN fertilizers on the rhizosphere increased Ca (193%) > N (50%) and decreased S (80%) > P (48%) > K (14%) > Mg (8%). Leaf concentrations in fertilized tobacco increased Ca (197%) > K (28%) > P (27%) > S (26%) > N (18%) > Mg (12%). Therefore, tobacco plant increases soil N and Ca but decreases P, K, Mg, and S.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 6009
Author(s):  
YoungSeok Hwang ◽  
Jung-Sup Um ◽  
JunHwa Hwang ◽  
Stephan Schlüter

The Kaya identity is a powerful index displaying the influence of individual carbon dioxide (CO2) sources on CO2 emissions. The sources are disaggregated into representative factors such as population, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, energy intensity of the GDP, and carbon footprint of energy. However, the Kaya identity has limitations as it is merely an accounting equation and does not allow for an examination of the hidden causalities among the factors. Analyzing the causal relationships between the individual Kaya identity factors and their respective subcomponents is necessary to identify the real and relevant drivers of CO2 emissions. In this study we evaluated these causal relationships by conducting a parallel multiple mediation analysis, whereby we used the fossil fuel CO2 flux based on the Open-Source Data Inventory of Anthropogenic CO2 emissions (ODIAC). We found out that the indirect effects from the decomposed variables on the CO2 flux are significant. However, the Kaya identity factors show neither strong nor even significant mediating effects. This demonstrates that the influence individual Kaya identity factors have on CO2 directly emitted to the atmosphere is not primarily due to changes in their input factors, namely the decomposed variables.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 3319-3329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph A. Lehmeier ◽  
Ford Ballantyne IV ◽  
Kyungjin Min ◽  
Sharon A. Billings

Abstract. Understanding how carbon dioxide (CO2) flux from ecosystems feeds back to climate warming depends in part on our ability to quantify the efficiency with which microorganisms convert organic carbon (C) into either biomass or CO2. Quantifying ecosystem-level respiratory CO2 losses often also requires assumptions about stable C isotope fractionations associated with the microbial transformation of organic substrates. However, the diversity of organic substrates' δ13C and the challenges of measuring microbial C use efficiency (CUE) in their natural environment fundamentally limit our ability to project ecosystem C budgets in a warming climate. Here, we quantify the effect of temperature on C fluxes during metabolic transformations of cellobiose, a common microbial substrate, by a cosmopolitan microorganism growing at a constant rate. Biomass C specific respiration rate increased by 250 % between 13 and 26.5 °C, decreasing CUE from 77 to 56 %. Biomass C specific respiration rate was positively correlated with an increase in respiratory 13C discrimination from 4.4 to 6.7 ‰ across the same temperature range. This first demonstration of a direct link between temperature, microbial CUE, and associated isotope fluxes provides a critical step towards understanding δ13C of respired CO2 at multiple scales, and towards a framework for predicting future ecosystem C fluxes.


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