Generation, sink, and emission of greenhouse gases by urban soils at different stages of the floodplain development in Moscow

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the generation, sink, and emission of greenhouse gases by soils on technogenic parent materials, created at different stages of the Moskva River floodplain development (1—construction and 2—landscaping of residential areas). Field surveys revealed the spatial trends of concentration and emission of the greenhouse gases in following groups of soils: Retisols (RT-ab-ct) and Fluvisols (FL-hu, FL-hi.gl) before land engineering preparation for the construction, Urbic Technosols Transportic (TC-ub-ar.tn and TC-ub-hu.tn) at stage 1 and Urbic Technosols Folic (TC-ub-fo) at stage 2. CO2 and CH4 concentration in soils and their emission were determined using subsurface soil air equilibration tubes and the closed chamber method, respectively. Bacterial methane generation rate (MGR) and methane oxidation rate (MOR) were measured by kinetic methods. In natural soils MOR is caused only by intra-aggregate methanogenesis. The imbalance of methane generation and oxidation was observed in FL-hi.gl. It caused CH4 accumulation in the profile (7.5 ppm) and its emission to the atmosphere (0.11 mg CH4 m−2 h−1). RT-ab-ct acted as the sink of atmospheric methane. CO2 emission was 265.1 ± 24.0 and 151.9 ± 37.2 mg CO2 m−2 h−1 from RT-ab-ct and FL-hi.gl, respectively. In Technosols CH4 concentration was predominantly low (median was 2.7, 2.9, and 3.0 ppm, in TC-ub-ar.tn, TC-ub-hu.tn, and TC-ub-fo, respectively), but due to the occurrence of peat sediments under technogenic material, it increased to 1–2%. Methane emission was not observed due to functioning of biogeochemical barriers with high MOR. In TC-ub-ar.tn and TC-ub-hu.tn, the barriers were formed at 60-cm depth. In TC-ub-fo, the system of barriers was formed in Folic and Technic horizons (at 10- and 60-cm depth). CO2 emission was 2 times lower from TC-ub-ar.tn and TC-ub-hu.tn and 1.5 times higher from TC-ub-fo than from natural soils. Greenhouse gas generation, sink, and emission by natural soils and Technosols in floodplain were estimated. CO2 and CH4 content in Technosols varied depending on the properties of parent materials. Technosols at stage 1 did not emit CH4 due to formation of biogeochemical barriers—soil layers of high CH4 utilization rates. Urbic Technosols (Folic) at stage 2 performed as a source of significant CO2 emission.