Variations in Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in Response to Short-Term Changes in Weather Variables at Three Elevation Ranges, Wakiso District, Uganda

Nakiguli Fatumah,Linus K. Munishi,Patrick A. Ndakidemi

doi:10.3390/atmos10110708

Nakiguli Fatumah, Linus K. Munishi + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos10110708

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Abstract

Weather conditions are among the major factors leading to the increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes from the agricultural soils. In this study, variations in the soil GHG fluxes with precipitation and soil temperatures at different elevation ranges in banana–coffee farms, in the Wakiso District, Uganda, were evaluated. The soil GHG fluxes were collected weekly, using the chamber method, and analyzed by using gas chromatography. Parallel soil temperature samples were collected by using a REOTEMP soil thermometer. Daily precipitation was measured with an automated weather station instrument installed on-site. The results showed that CO2, N2O, and CH4 fluxes were significantly different between the sites at different elevation ranges. Daily precipitation and soil temperatures significantly (p < 0.05) affected the soil GHG fluxes. Along an elevation gradient, daily precipitation and soil temperatures positively associated with the soil GHG fluxes. The combined factors of daily precipitation and soil temperatures also influence the soil GHG fluxes, but their effect was less than that of the single effects. Overall, daily precipitation and soil temperatures are key weather factors driving the soil GHG fluxes in time and space. This particular study suggests that agriculture at lower elevation levels would help reduce the magnitudes of the soil GHG fluxes. However, this study did not measure the soil GHG fluxes from the non-cultivated ecosystems. Therefore, future studies should focus on assessing the variations in the soil GHG fluxes from non-cultivated ecosystems relative to agriculture systems, at varying elevation ranges.

Highlights

IntroductionGlobal warming and climate change are caused by the increasing concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels and agricultural practices [1]
Global warming and climate change are caused by the increasing concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels and agricultural practices [1].The most important GHGs causing global warming are carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ), and nitrous oxide (N2 O) [1,2]
Future studies should focus on assessing the variations in the soil GHG fluxes from non-cultivated ecosystems relative to agriculture systems, at varying elevation ranges

Summary

Introduction

Global warming and climate change are caused by the increasing concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted from the burning of fossil fuels and agricultural practices [1]. The most important GHGs causing global warming are carbon dioxide (CO2 ), methane (CH4 ), and nitrous oxide (N2 O) [1,2]. During the 20th century, the global temperature rose by 0.6 ◦ C, which increased both the intensity and frequency of climate-change-induced extremes, such as drought and flooding, causing adverse effects in the agriculture sector [5]. The mean global temperature is projected to further increase within a range of 1.1 and 6.4 ◦ C by 2099 [6]; as a result, this will further increase the intensity and frequency of the already erratic precipitation projected [7]

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