Carbon emissions from a temperate coastal peatland wildfire: contributions from natural plant communities and organic soils

Abstract Background One of the scientific challenges of understanding climate change has been determining the important drivers and metrics of global carbon (C) emissions and C cycling in tropical, subtropical, boreal, subarctic, and temperate peatlands. Peatlands account for 3% of global land cover, yet contain a major reservoir of 550 gigatons (Gt) of soil C, and serve as C sinks for 0.37 Gt of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year. In the United States, temperate peatlands are estimated to store 455 petagrams of C (PgC). There has been increasing interest in the role of wildfires in C cycling and altering peatlands from C sinks to major C sources. We estimated above- and below-ground C emissions from the Pains Bay Fire, a long-duration wildfire (112 days; 18,329 ha) that burned a coastal peatland in eastern North Carolina, USA. Results Soil C emissions were estimated from pre- and post-burn Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) soil elevation data, soils series and C content mapping, remotely sensed soil burn severity, and post-burn field surveys of soil elevation. Total above-ground C emissions from the fire were 2,89,579 t C and 214 t C ha−1 for the 10 vegetation associations within the burn area perimeter. Above-ground sources of C emissions were comprised of litter (69,656 t C), shrub (1,68,983 t C), and foliage (50,940 t C). Total mean below-ground C emissions were 5,237,521 t C, and ranged from 2,630,529 to 8,287,900 t C, depending on organic matter content of different soil horizons within each of the 7 soil series. The mean below-ground C emissions within the burn area were 1,595.6 t C ha−1 and ranged from 629.3 to 2511.3 t C ha−1. Conclusions In contrast to undisturbed temperate peatlands, human induced disturbances of the natural elevation gradient of the peatland has resulted in increased heterogeneity of floristic variation and assemblages that are a product of the spatial and temporal patterns of the water table level and the surface wetness across peatlands. Human induced changes in surface hydrology and land use influenced the fuel characteristics of natural vegetation and associated soils, thus influencing wildfire risk, behavior, and the resulting C emissions.

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Carbon Emissions from A Temperate Coastal Peatland Wildfire: Contributions from Natural Plant Communities and Organic Soils

10.21203/rs.3.rs-635090/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Robert Mickler

Keyword(s):

Elevation Gradient ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

The United States ◽

Matter Content ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽

Soil C ◽

C Cycling ◽

Below Ground ◽

Floristic Variation

Abstract Background: One of the scientific challenges of understanding climate change has been determining the important drivers and metrics ofglobal carbon (C) emissions and C cycling in tropical, subtropical, boreal, subarctic, and temperate peatlands. Peatlands account for 3% of global land cover, yet contain a major reservoir of 550 gigatons (Gt) of soil C, and serve as C sinks for 0.37 Gt of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year. In the United States, temperate peatlands areestimated to store 455 petagrams of C (PgC).There has been increasing interest in the role of wildfires in C cycling and altering peatlands from C sinks to major C sources. We estimated above- andbelow-ground C emissions from the Pains Bay Fire, a long-duration wildfire (112 days; 18,329 ha)that burned a coastal peatlandin eastern North Carolina, USA. Results: Soil C emissions were estimated from pre- and post-burn Light Detectionand Ranging (LIDAR) soil elevation data,soils series and C content mapping, remotely sensed soilburn severity, and post-burn field surveys of soil elevation.Total above-ground C emissions from the fire were 289,579 tC and 214 t C ha-1for the 10 vegetation communitieswithin the burn area perimeter. Above-ground sources of C emissions were comprised of litter (69,656 t C), shrub (168,983 t C), and foliage (50,940 t C).Total mean below-ground C emissions were 5,237,521 t C, and ranged from 2,630,529 – 8,287,900 t C,depending on organic matter content of different soil horizonswithin each of the 7 soil series. The mean below-ground C emissions within the burn area were 1,595.6 t C ha-1 and rangedfrom 629.3 – 2,511.3 t C ha-1.Conclusions: In contrast to undisturbed temperate peatlands, human induced disturbances of thenatural elevation gradient of the peatland has resulted in increased heterogeneity of floristic variation and assemblages that are a product of the spatial and temporal patterns of the water table level and the surface wetness across peatlands. Human induced changes in surface hydrology and land use influenced the fuel characteristics of natural vegetation and associated soils, thus influencing wildfire risk, behavior, and the resulting C emissions.

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Effects of soil burn severity on germination and initial establishment of maritime pine seedlings, under greenhouse conditions, in two contrasting experimentally burned soils

International Journal of Wildland Fire ◽

10.1071/wf08116 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 209 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

M. T. Fontúrbel ◽

J. A. Vega ◽

P. Pérez-Gorostiaga ◽

C. Fernández ◽

M. Alonso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Matter Content ◽

Maritime Pine ◽

Burn Severity ◽

First Year ◽

Soil C ◽

Burned Areas ◽

Pine Seedlings ◽

Soil Burn Severity

The effects of soil burn severity on initial establishment of maritime pine in burned areas are not well known. Many factors may interact in the field, thus making it difficult to determine the exact role played by soil burn severity in the post-fire regeneration process. Monoliths of two contrasting soils – an acid, coarse-textured soil, with high organic matter content, and a neutral heavy-textured soil with low organic matter content – were experimentally burned to provide two markedly different levels of soil burn severity. The burned monoliths were sown with Pinus pinaster seeds and then placed in a greenhouse under a preselected water regime to determine the effect of burn severity on emergence and initial establishment of pine seedlings. High soil burn severity in the coarse-textured soils delayed germination, increased mortality and temporarily decreased the height of pine seedlings in the first year after sowing. This response was affected by: soil heating level, soil C consumption, post-fire soil C, depth of burn and post-fire duff-depth. Ash had no influence on the above processes. These factors did not explain the variability in the response of regeneration variables in the heavy-textured soils. The applicability of the results to field conditions is discussed.

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Soil Carbon Regulating Ecosystem Services in the State of South Carolina, USA

Land ◽

10.3390/land10030309 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 309

Author(s):

Elena A. Mikhailova ◽

Hamdi A. Zurqani ◽

Christopher J. Post ◽

Mark A. Schlautman ◽

Gregory C. Post ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Carolina ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Soil Carbon ◽

Soil Depth ◽

State Level ◽

The United States ◽

The State ◽

Soil C ◽

Low Country ◽

Pee Dee

Sustainable management of soil carbon (C) at the state level requires valuation of soil C regulating ecosystem services (ES) and disservices (ED). The objective of this study was to assess the value of regulating ES from soil organic carbon (SOC), soil inorganic carbon (SIC), and total soil carbon (TSC) stocks, based on the concept of the avoided social cost of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the state of South Carolina (SC) in the United States of America (U.S.A.) by soil order, soil depth (0–200 cm), region and county using information from the State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) database. The total estimated monetary mid-point value for TSC in the state of South Carolina was $124.36B (i.e., $124.36 billion U.S. dollars, where B = billion = 109), $107.14B for SOC, and $17.22B for SIC. Soil orders with the highest midpoint value for SOC were: Ultisols ($64.35B), Histosols ($11.22B), and Inceptisols ($10.31B). Soil orders with the highest midpoint value for SIC were: Inceptisols ($5.91B), Entisols ($5.53B), and Alfisols ($5.0B). Soil orders with the highest midpoint value for TSC were: Ultisols ($64.35B), Inceptisols ($16.22B), and Entisols ($14.65B). The regions with the highest midpoint SOC values were: Pee Dee ($34.24B), Low Country ($32.17B), and Midlands ($29.24B). The regions with the highest midpoint SIC values were: Low Country ($5.69B), Midlands ($5.55B), and Pee Dee ($4.67B). The regions with the highest midpoint TSC values were: Low Country ($37.86B), Pee Dee ($36.91B), and Midlands ($34.79B). The counties with the highest midpoint SOC values were Colleton ($5.44B), Horry ($5.37B), and Berkeley ($4.12B). The counties with the highest midpoint SIC values were Charleston ($1.46B), Georgetown ($852.81M, where M = million = 106), and Horry ($843.18M). The counties with the highest midpoint TSC values were Horry ($6.22B), Colleton ($6.02B), and Georgetown ($4.87B). Administrative areas (e.g., counties, regions) combined with pedodiversity concepts can provide useful information to design cost-efficient policies to manage soil carbon regulating ES at the state level.

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Beyond total carbon: conversion of amazon forest to pasture alters indicators of soil C cycling

Biogeochemistry ◽

10.1007/s10533-020-00743-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ademir Durrer ◽

Andrew J. Margenot ◽

Lucas C. R. Silva ◽

Brendan J. M. Bohannan ◽

Klaus Nusslein ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Total Carbon ◽

Amazon Forest ◽

Carbon Conversion ◽

Soil C ◽

C Cycling ◽

Soil C Cycling

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Potential soil carbon sequestration of agricultural land around the world

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-3083 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sylvia Vetter ◽

Michael Martin ◽

Pete Smith

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Management Practices ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

C Sequestration ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Soil C ◽

Sequestration Potential ◽

The World ◽

Soil C Sequestration

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in to the atmosphere to limit global warming is the big challenge of the coming decades. The focus lies on negative emission technologies to remove GHGs from the atmosphere from different sectors. Agriculture produces around a quarter of all the anthropogenic GHGs globally (including land use change and afforestation). Reducing these net emissions can be achieved through techniques that increase the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. These techniques include improved management practices in agriculture and grassland systems, which increase the organic carbon (C) input or reduce soil disturbances. The C sequestration potential differs among soils depending on climate, soil properties and management, with the highest potential for poor soils (SOC stock farthest from saturation).Modelling can be used to estimate the technical potential to sequester C of agricultural land under different mitigation practices for the next decades under different climate scenarios. The ECOSSE model was developed to simulate soil C dynamics and GHG emissions in mineral and organic soils. A spatial version of the model (GlobalECOSSE) was adapted to simulate agricultural soils around the world to calculate the SOC change under changing management and climate.Practices like different tillage management, crop rotations and residue incorporation showed regional differences and the importance of adapting mitigation practices under an increased changing climate. A fast adoption of practices that increase SOC has its own challenges, as the potential to sequester C is high until the soil reached a new C equilibrium. Therefore, the potential to use soil C sequestration to reduce overall GHG emissions is limited. The results showed a high potential to sequester C until 2050 but much lower rates in the second half of the century, highlighting the importance of using soil C sequestration in the coming decades to reach net zero by 2050.

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A fertile peatland forest does not constitute a major greenhouse gas sink

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-10-7739-2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 7739-7758 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

A. Meyer ◽

L. Tarvainen ◽

A. Nousratpour ◽

R. G. Björk ◽

M. Ernfors ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Eddy Covariance ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

C Sequestration ◽

Organic Soil ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Indirect Approach ◽

Short Period ◽

N2o Fluxes ◽

C Assimilation

Abstract. Afforestation has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate the often high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural soils with high organic matter content. However, the carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes after afforestation can be considerable, depending predominantly on site drainage and nutrient availability. Studies on the full GHG budget of afforested organic soils are scarce and hampered by the uncertainties associated with methodology. In this study we determined the GHG budget of a spruce-dominated forest on a drained organic soil with an agricultural history. Two different approaches for determining the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) were applied, for the year 2008, one direct (eddy covariance) and the other indirect (analyzing the different components of the GHG budget), so that uncertainties in each method could be evaluated. The annual tree production in 2008 was 8.3 ± 3.9 t C ha−1 yr−1 due to the high levels of soil nutrients, the favorable climatic conditions and the fact that the forest was probably in its phase of maximum C assimilation or shortly past it. The N2O fluxes were determined by the closed-chamber technique and amounted to 0.9 ± 0.8 t Ceq ha−1 yr−1. According to the direct measurements from the eddy covariance technique, the site acts as a minor GHG sink of −1.2 ± 0.8 t Ceq ha−1 yr−1. This contrasts with the NEE estimate derived from the indirect approach which suggests that the site is a net GHG emitter of 0.6 ± 4.5 t Ceq ha−1 yr−1. Irrespective of the approach applied, the soil CO2 effluxes counter large amounts of the C sequestration by trees. Due to accumulated uncertainties involved in the indirect approach, the direct approach is considered the more reliable tool. As the rate of C sequestration will likely decrease with forest age, the site will probably become a GHG source once again as the trees do not compensate for the soil C and N losses. Also forests in younger age stages have been shown to have lower C assimilation rates; thus, the overall GHG sink potential of this afforested nutrient-rich organic soil is probably limited to the short period of maximum C assimilation.

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A fertile peatland forest does not constitute a major greenhouse gas sink

Biogeosciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/bgd-10-5107-2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 5107-5148 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. Meyer ◽

L. Tarvainen ◽

A. Nousratpour ◽

R. G. Björk ◽

M. Ernfors ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Eddy Covariance ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

C Sequestration ◽

Organic Soil ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Optimum Growth ◽

Indirect Approach ◽

Short Period ◽

N2o Fluxes

Abstract. Afforestation has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate the often high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural soils with a high organic matter content. However, the carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes after afforestation can be considerable, depending predominantly on site drainage and nutrient availability. Studies on the full GHG budget of afforested organic soils are scarce and hampered by the uncertainties associated with methodology. In this study we determined the GHG budget of a spruce-dominated forest on a drained organic soil with an agricultural history. Two different approaches for determining the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) were applied: for the year 2008, direct (eddy covariance) and an indirect (analyzing the different components of the GHG budget), so that uncertainties in each method could be evaluated. The annual tree production in 2008 was 8.2 (± 1.7)t C ha–1yr–1 due to the high levels of soil nutrients, the favorable climatic conditions and the fact that the forest was in its optimum growth phase. N2O fluxes were determined by the closed chamber technique and amounted to 3.3 (± 2.4) t CO2eq ha–1 yr–1. According to the direct measurements from the eddy covariance technique, the site acts as a minor GHG sink of −4.1 (± 2.6) t CO2eq ha–1 yr–1. This contrasts with the NEE estimate derived from the indirect approach which suggests that the site is a net GHG emitter of 3.3 (± 10.1)t CO2eq ha–1 yr–1. Irrespective of the approach applied, the soil CO2 effluxes counter large amounts of the C sequestration by trees. Due to major uncertainties involved in the indirect approach, the direct approach is considered the more reliable tool. As the site was in its optimum growth stage, i.e. the rate of C sequestration was at its maximum and will decrease with forest age, it will probably become a GHG source once again as the trees mature. Since forests in their younger stages are usually GHG sources or have no effect on GHGs, the overall sink potential of this afforested nutrient-rich organic soil is probably limited to only a short period.

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Reforestation can sequester two petagrams of carbon in US topsoils in a century

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1719685115 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 115 (11) ◽

pp. 2776-2781 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Lucas E. Nave ◽

Grant M. Domke ◽

Kathryn L. Hofmeister ◽

Umakant Mishra ◽

Charles H. Perry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Level ◽

Mineral Soil ◽

C Sequestration ◽

The United States ◽

Forest Sector ◽

Soil C ◽

C Storage ◽

C Stocks ◽

The Us ◽

Land Use And Management

Soils are Earth’s largest terrestrial carbon (C) pool, and their responsiveness to land use and management make them appealing targets for strategies to enhance C sequestration. Numerous studies have identified practices that increase soil C, but their inferences are often based on limited data extrapolated over large areas. Here, we combine 15,000 observations from two national-level databases with remote sensing information to address the impacts of reforestation on the sequestration of C in topsoils (uppermost mineral soil horizons). We quantify C stocks in cultivated, reforesting, and natural forest topsoils; rates of C accumulation in reforesting topsoils; and their contribution to the US forest C sink. Our results indicate that reforestation increases topsoil C storage, and that reforesting lands, currently occupying >500,000 km2 in the United States, will sequester a cumulative 1.3–2.1 Pg C within a century (13–21 Tg C·y−1). Annually, these C gains constitute 10% of the US forest sector C sink and offset 1% of all US greenhouse gas emissions.

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Elevation Gradient Altered Soil C, N, and P Stoichiometry of Pinus taiwanensis Forest on Daiyun Mountain

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10121089 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1089

Author(s):

Lan Jiang ◽

Zhongsheng He ◽

Jinfu Liu ◽

Cong Xing ◽

Xinguang Gu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Elevation Gradient ◽

C:N Ratio ◽

Phosphate Fertilizer ◽

High Elevation ◽

Driving Factors ◽

Slope Position ◽

Elevation Gradients ◽

Soil C ◽

Soil P ◽

C And N

Researches focused on soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) content and the stoichiometry characteristics along elevation gradients are important for effective management of forest ecosystems. Taking the soil of different elevations from 900 to 1700 m on Daiyun Mountain as the object, the elevation distribution of total C, N, and P in soil and their stoichiometry characteristics were studied. Also, the driving factors resulting in the spatial heterogeneity of soil stoichiometry are presented. The results show the following: (1) The average soil C and N content was 53.03 g·kg−1 and 3.82 g·kg−1, respectively. The content of C and N at high elevation was higher than that of at low elevation. Soil phosphorus fluctuated with elevation. (2) With increasing elevation, soil C:N ratio increased initially to 17.40 at elevation between 900–1000 m, and then decreased to 12.02 at elevation 1600 m. The changing trends of C:P and N:P were similar, and they all fluctuated with elevation. (3) Elevation, soil bulk density, and soil temperature were the main factors influencing the variation of soil C, N, and C:N. Soil pH and slope position were the driving factors for soil P, C:P, and N:P. The soil is rich in C and N, and has less total phosphorus on Daiyun Mountain. Raising the level of phosphate fertilizer appropriately can help to improve soil fertility and promote plant growth as well. In light of this information, in the near future, it will be necessary to conduct separation management of C, N, and P with regular monitoring systems to maintain favorable conditions for soil.

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Field dissipation of S-metolachlor in organic and mineral soils used for sugarcane production in Florida

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2019.121 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 362-370

Author(s):

Jose V. Fernandez ◽

D. Calvin Odero ◽

Gregory E. MacDonald ◽

Jason A. Ferrell ◽

Brent A. Sellers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Moisture ◽

Linear Trend ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Field Studies ◽

Matter Content ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Sugarcane Production ◽

Mineral Soils ◽

Moisture Conditions

AbstractDissipation of S-metolachlor, a soil-applied herbicide, on organic and mineral soils used for sugarcane production in Florida was evaluated using field studies in 2013 to 2016. S-metolachlor was applied PRE at 2,270 g ha−1 on organic and mineral soils with 75% and 1.6% organic matter, respectively. The rate of dissipation of S-metolachlor was rapid on mineral soils compared with organic soils. Dissipation of S-metolachlor on organic soils followed a negative linear trend resulting in half-lives (DT50) ranging from 50 to 126 d. S-metolachlor loss on organic soils was more rapid under high soil-moisture conditions than in corresponding low soil-moisture conditions. On mineral soils, dissipation of S-metolachlor followed an exponential decline. The DT50 of S-metolachlor on mineral soils ranged from 12 to 24 d. The short persistence of S-metolachlor on mineral soils was likely attributed to low organic matter content with limited adsorptive capability. The results indicate that organic matter content and soil moisture are important for persistence of S-metolachlor on organic and mineral soils used for sugarcane production in Florida.

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