Static Chamber Research Articles

Changing climatic controls on the greenhouse gas balance of thermokarst bogs during succession after permafrost thaw.

Permafrost thaw in northern peatlands causes collapse of permafrost peat plateaus and thermokarst bog development, with potential impacts on atmospheric greenhouse gas exchange. Here, we measured methane and carbon dioxide fluxes over 3 years (including winters) using static chambers along two permafrost thaw transects in northwestern Canada, spanning young (~30 years since thaw), intermediate and mature thermokarst bogs (~200 years since thaw). Young bogs were wetter, warmer and had more hydrophilic vegetation than mature bogs. Methane emissions increased with wetness and soil temperature (40 cm depth) and modelled annual estimates were greatest in the young bog during the warmest year and lowest in the mature bog during the coolest year (21 and 7 g C-CH4 m-2 year-1, respectively). The dominant control on net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in the mature bog (between +20 and -54 g C-CO2 m-2 year-1) was soil temperature (5 cm), causing net CO2 loss due to higher ecosystem respiration (ER) in warmer years. In contrast, wetness controlled NEE in the young and intermediate bogs (between +55 and -95 g C-CO2 m-2 year-1), where years with periodic inundation at the beginning of the growing season caused greater reduction in gross primary productivity than in ER leading to CO2 loss. Winter fluxes (November-April) represented 16% of annual ER and 38% of annual CH4 emissions. Our study found NEE of thermokarst bogs to be close to neutral and rules out large CO2 losses under current conditions. However, high CH4 emissions after thaw caused a positive net radiative forcing effect. While wet conditions favouring high CH4 emissions only persist for the initial young bog period, we showed that continued climate warming with increased ER, and thus, CO2 losses from the mature bog can cause net positive radiative forcing which would last for centuries after permafrost thaw.

Impact of three decades of warming, increased nutrient availability, and increased cloudiness on the fluxes of greenhouse gases and biogenic volatile organic compounds in a subarctic tundra heath.

Climate change is exposing subarctic ecosystems to higher temperatures, increased nutrient availability, and increasing cloud cover. In this study, we assessed how these factors affect the fluxes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) (i.e., methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2)), and biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in a subarctic mesic heath subjected to 34 years of climate change related manipulations of temperature, nutrient availability, and light. GHGs were sampled from static chambers and gases analyzed with gas chromatograph. BVOCs were measured using the push-pull method and gases analyzed with chromatography-mass spectrometry. The soil temperature and moisture content in the warmed and shaded plots did not differ significantly from that in the controls during GHG and BVOC measurements. Also, the enclosure temperatures during BVOC measurements in the warmed and shaded plots did not differ significantly from temperatures in the controls. Hence, this allowed for assessment of long-term effects of the climate treatment manipulations without interference of temperature and moisture differences at the time of measurements. Warming enhanced CH4 uptake and the emissions of CO2, N2O, and isoprene. Increased nutrient availability increased the emissions of CO2 and N2O but caused no significant changes in the fluxes of CH4 and BVOCs. Shading (simulating increased cloudiness) enhanced CH4 uptake but caused no significant changes in the fluxes of other gases compared to the controls. The results show that climate warming and increased cloudiness will enhance CH4 sink strength of subarctic mesic heath ecosystems, providing negative climate feedback, while climate warming and enhanced nutrient availability will provide positive climate feedback through increased emissions of CO2 and N2O. Climate warming will also indirectly, through vegetation changes, increase the amount of carbon lost as isoprene from subarctic ecosystems.

Microfluidic Platform with Precisely Controlled Hydrodynamic Parameters and Integrated Features for Generation of Microvortices to Accurately Form and Monitor Biofilms in Flow.

Microorganisms often live in habitats characterized by fluid flow, and their adhesion to surfaces in industrial systems or clinical settings may lead to pipe clogging, microbially influenced corrosion, material deterioration, food spoilage, infections, and human illness. Here, a novel microfluidic platform was developed to investigate biofilm formation under precisely controlled (i) cell concentration, (ii) temperature, and (iii) flow conditions. The developed platform central unit is a single-channel microfluidic flow cell designed to ensure ultrahomogeneous flow and condition in its central area, where features, e.g., with trapping properties, can be incorporated. In comparison to static and macroflow chamber assays for biofilm studies, microfluidic chips allow in situ monitoring of biofilm formation under various flow regimes and have better environment control and smaller sample requirements. Flow simulations and experiments with fluorescent particles were used to simulate bacteria flow in the platform cell for calculating flow velocity and direction at the microscale level. The combination of flow analysis and fluorescent strain injection in the cell showed that microtraps placed at the center of the channel were efficient in capturing bacteria at determined positions and to study how flow conditions, especially microvortices, can affect biofilm formation. The microfluidic platform exhibited improved performances in terms of homogeneity and robustness for in vitro biofilm formation. We anticipate the presented platform to be suitable for broad, versatile, and high-throughput biofilm studies at the microscale level.

Carbon-scaled nitrous oxide emissions better reflect the impacts of land use changes than raw nitrous oxide emissions in the Dry Chaco region

In the Dry Chaco region, agriculture expansion has caused significant land use change hotspots. However, the post-impact of land use change on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and carbon (C) budgets remains unknown. This study aimed to contrast the impacts of the main land use systems on N2O emissions related to its C inputs and C budgets by comparing them with those of a native forest at two sites of the Dry Chaco region of Argentina. At Site 1, the land use system were soybean-fallow-soybean and maize-fallow-maize sequences, whereas at Site 2, it was a soybean-wheat sequence. Measurements of soil N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes were carried out monthly using the static chamber method. The C budgets of each system were determined for the annual crop-fallow cycle by the difference between the C inputs (from annual aboveground (ABG), belowground (BG), and rhizodeposition) and C outputs (defined as cumulative CO2-C emissions). At Site 1, the native forest showed 168 and 50 % more cumulative N2O emissions than maize and soybean, respectively. However, most land use differences were based on C inputs. Thus, when the cumulative N2O emissions of each system were related to their C inputs, the N2O emissions per ton of C entered of the native forest were lower than those of soybean and similar to those of maize. The C budgets (± standard error) at Site 1 were 6.4 ± 1.3, 1.0 ± 0.3 and −0.7 ± 0.6 t C ha−1 yr−1 for native forest, maize and soybean, respectively. At Site 2, they were 3.1 ± 0.7 and −4.0 ± 0.6 t C ha−1 yr−1 for the native forest and the soybean-wheat sequence, respectively. This paper proposes a comprehensive approach that integrates C inputs and budgets when evaluating N2O emissions from different land uses as a guide to define mitigating management practices and considers a native vegetation system to unmask the real impacts of agroecosystems.

Determining Suitable Sampling Times for Soil CO2 and N2O Emissions Helps to Accurately Evaluate the Ability of Rubber-Based Agroforestry Systems to Cope with Climate Stress

Agroforestry is known to significantly improve long-term land productivity, potentially enhancing the ability to cope with climate stress. However, there is limited information regarding the accurate monitoring of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in rubber-based agroforestry systems. Before GHGs can be accurately estimated, the diurnal variations and suitable sampling times must be studied to reduce the uncertainty of the manual static chamber method. In this study, the soil GHGs emitted from conventional single-row (SR) and improved double-row (DR) rubber plantations were compared across the dry and wet seasons in Hainan, China. A total of 1728 GHG samples from a field trial were collected, analyzed, and related to environmental factors. The results demonstrated that the diurnal fluxes of CO2 in rubber plantations were likely to remain fluctuating, with the maximum typically occurring during the night-time and daytime hours of the dry and wet seasons, respectively. A clearer double-peak (around 2:00 and 14:00) during the dry season and a daytime peak (14:00) during the wet season of the N2O were recorded. In addition to the commonalities, different seasons and different types of GHGs and rubber plantations also differed in their detailed fluctuation times and ranges; therefore, the determination of suitable sampling times should not ignore these factors in certain cases. Based on this study, it was determined that the late afternoon (16:00–18:00) was the suitable sampling time of soil GHGs in rubber plantations, instead of the most common morning times (with an underestimation of 25% on average). In addition, the air humidity during the dry season and the soil temperature during the wet season were both positively correlated with GHGs (p < 0.05). This study highlights the significance of accurately monitoring soil GHGs in rubber-based agroforestry systems, providing a basic reference for the development and management of climate-smart land use practices in rubber plantations.

Cultivated Grassland Types Differently Affected Carbon Flux Downstream of the Yellow River

Cultivated grasslands are an important part of grassland ecosystems and have been proven to be major carbon sinks, then playing an important role in the global carbon balance. The effect of cultivated grassland type (Medicago sativa, Triticum aestivum, Secale cereale, and Vicia villosa grasslands) on carbon flux (including net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE), ecosystem respiration (ER), and gross ecosystem productivity (GEP)) downstream of the Yellow River was studied via the static chamber technique and a portable photosynthetic system. Bare land was used as a control. The results showed that the four cultivated grassland types were mainly carbon sinks, and bare land was a carbon source. The cultivated grassland types significantly affected carbon flux. The average NEE and GEP of the grassland types were in the following order from high to low: Medicago sativa, Secale cereale, Triticum aestivum, and Vicia villosa grassland. Stepwise regression analysis showed that among all measured environmental factors, soil pH, soil bulk density (BD), soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil microbial carbon (MBC) were the main factors affecting CO2 flux. The combined influence of soil BD, SOC, and pH accounted for 77.6% of the variations in NEE, while soil BD, SOC, and MBC collectively explained 79.8% of changes in ER and 72.9% of the changes in GEP. This finding indicates that Medicago sativa grassland is a cultivated grassland with a high carbon sink level. The changes in carbon flux were dominated by the effects of soil physicochemical properties.

9 Use of new technology to measure methane emissions

Abstract Over recent decades, the impact of human-induced climate change and the role of ruminant agriculture has been of growing concern for both the public and the scientific community. This has led to rapid advancements in technology needed to measure methane emissions accurately and precisely. Primarily, these advancements have been focused on measurements of enteric methane, with the proliferation of GreenFeed emission measurement systems (GEM; C-Lock, Inc; Rapid City, SD) being utilized by animal scientists across the world. The GEM relies on spot measurements collected in a portable head-box, either in a freestall or on a trailer. The GEM uses bait feed to entice animals to place their head into the head-box to collect measurements. Use of respiration chambers or head-boxes are still considered the “gold standard”, but the GEM allows for quantification in production environments and with greater number of animals. While enteric emissions are the primary source of methane from ruminant agriculture, manure methane emissions account for 15.8% of direct emissions from cattle in the U.S. This emission source is a significant contributor to confined feeding operations’ greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), where consolidation and changes in manure handling practices have occurred over the last several decades. From 2010 to 2020, manure methane emissions were a larger contributor to climate warming than enteric methane (90.8 MMT CO2-we vs. 89.2 MMT CO2-we, respectively) when calculated using the new GWP* metric. However, few advancements have been made in quantifying emissions from manure, with the cost-effective static chamber methodology still widely used. This technique allows for the determination of temporal gas concentration change in a known volume of air with a PVC cylinder, inserted 5-10 cm in the soil and posteriorly closed with a PVC lid to generate “known volume” headspace. However, this method does have known limitations on spatial and temporal flux calculations. These limitations include: the PVC chamber may alter the soil microenvironment thereby altering soil GHG flux estimates; they have potential for technician bias; and are short term monitoring, limiting interpretations to that snapshot in time and making comparisons across experiments difficult. Differing measuring techniques, such as eddy covariance and dual-comb, that more accurately and precisely monitor the soil-atmosphere interface may help better understand gas fluxes from livestock systems. Key Word: cattle, enteric, manure, methane

Methane emissions from residential natural gas meter set assemblies

Residential natural gas meter set assemblies (MSAs) emit methane (CH4), but reported emissions factors vary. To test existing emissions factors, we quantified CH4 emissions from 37 residential MSAs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A notable difference with previous studies is the targeted measurement of regulator vents in this study, which were measured with a static chamber, while fugitives were measured with a modified hi-flow sampler. Emissions were dominated by pressure regulator vents (emissions factor = 1.18 g CH4/h/MSA), but 7 fugitives were found (emissions factor = 0.018 g CH4/h/MSA). Six regulator vents were emitting at notably higher rates (≥ 1.79 g CH4/h/MSA). The total empirical emissions factor was 1.20 g CH4/h/MSA (95 % CI, 1.03 to 1.37 g/h/MSA). This is ∼7 times higher than the emissions factor for residential MSAs used in the U.S. EPA's Greenhouse Gas Inventory, which may not include emissions from regulator vents. Upscaling to annual CH4 emissions in Calgary indicates 3234.6 t CH4/yr (95 % CI, 2776.4 t to 3692.9 t CH4/yr) could be emitted from MSAs. This is equivalent to 4.1 % (95 % CI, 3.5 % to 4.7 %) of total city-level CH4 emissions as estimated with satellite data. Results suggest residential MSA emissions may be under-estimated and further study isolating root causes of regulator vent emissions is required to guide mitigation and improve emissions modeling.

Impacts of High-Frequency Chicken Manure Biochar Application on N2O and CH4 Emissions from Vegetable Field in Subtropical China

Vegetable production in Subtropical China is distinguished by excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization, frequent irrigation, and multiple crop rotations in a single year. The aforementioned variables are closely related to soil nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) emissions. Hence, we conducted a field trial to measure N2O and CH4 emissions using static chamber–gas chromatograph. Four treatments were used: control (CK) with no fertilizer, 100% chemical N fertilization (CN), the conventional 30% chicken manure N plus 70%CN (CMN + CN), and 30% chicken manure biochar N plus 70%CN (CMBN + CN). The annual cumulative N2O emissions reached 12.4, 63.5, 111.8, and 44.1 kg N2O-N ha−1 for the CK, CN, CMN + CN, and CMBN + CN treatments, respectively. Compared to the CN and CMN + CN treatments, the CMBN + CN treatment reduced N2O emissions by 35.9%–65.7%, while it simultaneously increased the total vegetable yield by 16.1% compared to the CN treatment. Seven seasons mean N2O emission factors are 1.3% for CN, 3.8% for CMN + CN, and 0.9% for CMBN + CN. The CH4 emission was negligible, ranging from 0.07 kg CH4-C ha−1 for the CK treatment to 0.8 kg CH4-C ha−1 for the CN treatment. N2O emissions peaked under the conditions of an interior chamber temperature of around 31.9 °C and the water-filled pore space (WFPS) of the soil being approximately 60%. Future climate change will intensify, triggering higher N2O emissions from subtropical vegetable fields. CMB can be one of the best substitutes for direct chicken manure application as a soil supplement because it has a beneficial effect on improving vegetable yield and reducing N2O emissions in Subtropical China.

Methane sink of subterranean space in an integrated atmosphere-soil-cave system

CH4 serves as an important greenhouse gas, yet limited knowledge is available in global and regional CH4 cycling, particularly in widely distributed karst terrain. In this study, we investigated an upland in Puding Karst Ecosystem Research Station, and explored CH4 concentration and/or flux in atmosphere, soil and cave using a closed static chamber method and an eddy covariance system. Meanwhile, we monitored atmospheric temperature, precipitation, temperature and wind velocity in the cave entrance. The results demonstrated that atmospheric CH4 and actual soil CH4 fluxes in the source area of eddy covariance system were −0.19 ± 8.64 nmols−1m−2 and -0.16 nmols−1m−2 respectively. The CH4 concentrations in Shawan Cave exhibited 10 ∼ 100-fold lower than that of the external atmosphere. CH4 oxidation rate dominated by methane-oxidizing bacteria was 1.98 nmols−1m−2 in Shawan Cave when it combined with temperature difference between cave and external atmosphere. Therefore, CH4 sink in global karst subterranean spaces was estimated at 106.2 Tg CH4 yr−1. We supplemented an understanding of CH4 cycling paths and fluxes in karst terrain, as well as CH4 sinks in karst subterranean space. Further works require to establish a karst ecosystem observation network to conduct long-term integrated studies on CH4 fluxes regarding atmosphere, soils, plants and caves.

Towards enhanced sensitivity of the 15N gas flux method for quantifying denitrification in soil

Denitrification is the least studied process of the global N cycle mainly due to the sensitivity required to discriminate small fluxes of soil emitted N2 against the high atmospheric N2 background. We aimed to enhance the sensitivity of the 15N Gas Flux method to measure in situ denitrification rates by optimising the quantity of 15N–NO3 tracer applied and by using an artificial atmosphere (containing 5 % N2, 20 % O2, 75 % He and 0.11 ppm of N2O) during field incubation. We first conducted a dose-response laboratory study to assess the stimulation effect of nitrate tracer addition. Subsequently, we developed two novel approaches to measure in situ denitrification rates, using either modified static chambers or intact soil cores inside plastic liners; where in both cases the entire headspace was replaced by the artificial atmosphere prior to incubation. Furthermore, we compared the two models of calculations of the 15N Gas Flux method (the “Mulvaney & Boast” and “Arah” models) as well as the calculated 15N enrichment of the soil denitrifying pool based on either N2 or N2O isotopologue distribution data. The results showed that doubling the amount of ambient nitrate did not lead to a significant stimulation of denitrification activity in our case. However, excessive amendment of nitrate (e.g. 20 times the ambient levels) increased the denitrification product ratio by stimulating nitrous oxide emission. Our two novel field techniques were successful in measuring in situ denitrification rates, however, the liner method was preferred due to a higher success rate of N2 flux detection (up to 90 %), a higher throughput (up to 24 cores at a time) and improved spatial resolution. Under high-resolution instruments, our N2 limit of detection was 160 ppb, which is 5-fold better than the original method. The Mulvaney & Boast model performed better than the Arah one and consistently yielded higher fluxes (17 % at maximum), especially for low 15N enrichments of the soil denitrifying pool and short times of incubation. The 15N enrichments calculated with either N2 or N2O data differed statistically, but the magnitude of difference was small (4.6 % at maximum). Measuring in situ denitrification is imperative to quantify realistic fluxes and the liner method presented here is an inexpensive, reproducible and high-resolution candidate. For increased sensitivity, we recommend using the method of Mulvaney & Boast for N2O emissions and the resulting 15N enrichment in combination with 29N2 data (only) to determine N2 emissions.

Influence of the Long-Term Application of Management Practices (Tillage, Cover Crop and Glyphosate) on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Soil Physical Properties

Soil treatments have a significant influence on the agricultural and environmental productivity of agricultural practices. Arable lands are one of the sources of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that are influenced by the chemical and physical properties of the soil and are an essential contributor to climate change. We aim to evaluate the long-term management of agricultural practices, such as different tillage systems, cover crops, and glyphosate, on GHG emissions and soil physical properties. The field trial involved three tillage systems (conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and no-tillage (NT)), along with variations in cover cropping (with and without cover crops) and glyphosate application (with and without glyphosate). These treatments were implemented during the cultivation of oilseed rape in 2022 as part of a cropping sequence consisting of five crops: winter wheat; winter oilseed rape; spring wheat; spring barley; and field pea. Greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)) were directly measured using a closed static chamber system. Through the examination of these management techniques, the soil’s physical properties over the studied period were assessed for their impact on GHG fluxes. The findings of the study reveal that N2O emissions were relatively low during the first month of measurement, with significant differences (p < 0.05) observed in the interaction between cover crop and glyphosate treatments. Additionally, N2O emissions were notably elevated in the reduced (0.079 µg m−2 h−1) and conventional tillage (0.097 µg m−2 h−1) treatments at the second month of measurement. Regarding CH4, increased emissions were observed in the reduced tillage and cover crop treatments. CO2 emissions exhibited variability across all of the investigated treatments. Notably, GHG fluxes spiked at the second measurement, signifying the maximum uptake of nutrients by the main plants during the growth phase. Greenhouse gas emissions leveled off across all of the treatments following the harvest, marking the end of the cultivation period. The influence of the deployed techniques varied across the determined physical parameters of the soil. The incorporation of cover crops contributed to improved water content and, further, to electrical conductivity. Glyphosate use showed no direct impact on physical properties of the soil while the different tillage treatments had varying effects on the distribution of the physical properties of the soil with respect to the degree of disturbance or tillage-induced changes. Additionally, GHG emissions were strongly correlated with precipitation at one week and two weeks before sampling, except for CO2, which showed a weaker correlation at two weeks before GHG sampling. The findings indicate that reduced and conventional tillage methods might adversely affect greenhouse gas emissions and plant functionality, particularly concerning nutrient release and uptake, especially in temperate climate conditions.

Carbon Release Characteristics at Soil–Air Interface under Litter Cover with Different Decomposition Degrees in the Arbor and Bamboo Forests of Pi River Basin

This study adopted the method of “exchanging space for time” and set up three experimental groups based on the shape, degree of damage, and degree of humification of the litter, namely the undecomposed layer, the semi-decomposed layer, and the decomposed layer. Using typical slopes of arbor and bamboo forests in the Pi River Basin as the research object, from October 2021 to December 2022, the soil carbon release flux was measured by using a closed static chamber gas chromatography method to reveal the carbon release law at the soil–air interface during the decomposition process of litter and quantitatively characterize the dynamic impact of the litter decomposition process on soil carbon release flux. Results showed that soil methane flux remained negative (sink) while soil carbon dioxide flux was positive (source) in both litter-covered and bare soil conditions. The methane and carbon dioxide release from soil was positively correlated with and significantly influenced by environmental factors such as soil moisture content and temperature. The methane release flux from soil showed a linear fitting relationship with soil moisture content and temperature, while the carbon dioxide release flux from soil was more in line with the exponential fitting relationship with soil moisture content and temperature. However, there were significant differences in the roles of various factors under different types of litter.

Seeding alpine grasses in low altitude region increases global warming potential during early seedling growth

Introduction of alpine grasses to low altitude regions has long been a crucial strategy for enriching germplasm diversity, cultivating and acclimating high-quality species, enhancing ecosystem resilience and adaptability, as well as facilitating ecosystem restoration. However, there is an urgent need to investigate the impacts of planting Gramineae seeds on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly during the critical stage of early plant growth. In this study, four species of grass seeds (Stipa breviflora, Poa pratensis, Achnatherum splendens, Elymus nutans) were collected from 19 high-altitude regions surrounding the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and sown at low-altitude. Measurements of GHG emissions at early seedling growth in the mesocosm experiment using static chamber method showed a strong increase in the cumulative emissions of CO2 (5.71%–9.19%) and N2O (11.36%–13.64%) (p < 0.05), as well as an elevated CH4 uptake (2.75%–5.50%) in sites where the four grass species were introduced, compared to bare soil. Consequently, there was a substantial rise in global warming potential (13.87%–16.33%) (p < 0.05) at grass-introduced sites. Redundancy analysis showed that seed traits, plant biomass, and seedling emergence percentage were the main driving biotic factors of three GHGs fluxes. Our study unveils the potential risk of escalating GHG emissions induced by introducing high altitude grasses to low altitude bare soil, elucidating the mechanism through linking seed traits with seedling establishment and environmental feedback. Furthermore, this offers a new perspective for assessing the impact of grass introduction on ecological environment of introduced site.

Rapid altitude displacement induce zebrafish appearing acute high altitude illness symptoms

Rapid ascent to high-altitude areas above 2500 m often leads to acute high altitude illness (AHAI), posing significant health risks. Current models for AHAI research are limited in their ability to accurately simulate the high-altitude environment for drug screening. Addressing this gap, a novel static self-assembled water vacuum transparent chamber was developed to induce AHAI in zebrafish. This study identified 6000 m for 2 h as the optimal condition for AHAI induction in zebrafish. Under these conditions, notable behavioral changes including slow movement, abnormal exploration behavior and static behavior in the Novel tank test. Furthermore, this model demonstrated changes in oxidative stress-related markers included increased levels of malondialdehyde, decreased levels of glutathione, decreased activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and increased levels of inflammatory markers IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α, and inflammatory cell infiltration and mild edema in the gill tissue, mirroring the clinical pathophysiology observed in AHAI patients. This innovative zebrafish model not only offers a more accurate representation of the high-altitude environment but also provides a high-throughput platform for AHAI drug discovery and pathogenesis research.

Carbon and Methane as Indicators of Environmental Efficiency of a Silvopastoral System in Eastern Amazon, Brazil

Livestock systems have been identified as major emitters of greenhouse gases due to the use of extensive areas with degraded pastures. The objective of this study was to analyze carbon (CO2) and methane (CH4) fluxes in the atmosphere as indicators of environmental sustainability in silvopastoral systems. CO2 and CH4 fluxes from soil to the atmosphere were monitored in a degraded pasture (predominant species: Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) grown in full sun and compared with areas with tree species (Bertholletia excelsa, Dipteryx odorata, and Khaya grandifoliola) and productive pasture (Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça) grown in full sun. The study area was in Mojuí dos Campos, western Pará state, Eastern Amazon, Brazil. The evaluations were conducted in a Technological Reference Unit with a silvopastoral system, where animals used the shade of trees during high-temperature periods. The fluxes were measured using an ultraportable greenhouse gas analyzer coupled with static polyvinyl chloride ring chambers installed at the soil–air interface. In conclusion, areas with integrated systems (B. excelsa + pasture and K. grandifoliola + pasture) were better mitigators of CO2 emissions; the highest emissions occurred in the degraded pasture area during the rainiest months. The CH4 fluxes were more intense in the areas with degraded pasture and K. grandifoliola + pasture. Converting degraded pasture areas into integrated crop–livestock–forest systems reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the Amazon over 10 years of implementation. The implementation of integrated crop–livestock–forest systems in long-deforested areas with degraded pastures and a low production capacity showed high potential for changes focused on developing sustainable agriculture in the Amazon.

Greenhouse gas emissions from cattle enclosures in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa: The case of a rangeland in South-Central Kenya

Extensive livestock production in pastoral areas supports millions of livestock keepers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, it is also linked to environmental externalities such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Corralling of livestock overnight in fenced enclosures (“bomas” in Kiswahili) is common to protect animals from theft and predation and is practiced across SSA. Boma manure is usually not removed and accumulates over years, making bomas GHG emission hotspots. The following study presents the first full year of CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions measurements from cattle bomas in a savanna ecosystem in Kenya, comparing active (in use) and inactive (i.e., abandoned) bomas. Active bomas were used for 1–3 months before being abandoned and cattle were moved to a new boma. GHG emissions were measured using static chambers inside three replicate bomas and along three 100 m transects from bomas into undisturbed savanna. Compared to savanna background fluxes, it was found that GHG flux rates from bomas were elevated by several orders of magnitude, with mean fluxes of 487 ± 8 mg CO2-C m−2 h−1, 325 ± 11 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1, and 3245 ± 234 µg CH4-C m−2 h−1 for active bomas, and 167 ± 52 mg CO2-C m−2 h−1, 610 ± 186 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1, and 3127 ± 1262 µg CH4-C m−2 h−1 for inactive bomas, while surrounding savanna soils only emitted 22.3 ± 18.2 mg CO2-C m−2 h−1, 2.5 ± 2.2 µg N2O-N m−2 h−1, and 0.1 ± 0.7 µg CH4-C m−2 h−1. Assuming that bomas are used for 45 days per year, annual manure emission factors were 2.43 ± 0.42%N for N2O and 0.49 ± 0.07%C for CH4, which corresponds to 2.64 ± 0.37 g CH4 kg−1 volatile solids (VS). These emission factors were similar to IPCC default values for feedlots for low-producing cattle in warm climates; however, the IPCC only considers emissions in year when bomas are in use and does not account for emissions following boma abandonment. At the farm scale, boma manure contributed little (2.2%) to total CH4 emissions, which were dominated by enteric CH4 emissions (97.6%); but bomas were a substantial source for N2O, contributing over 32% to total N2O emissions on the farm. This calls for the inclusion of active and inactive bomas in the activity data collection for national GHG inventories, as bomas are currently overlooked hotspots for GHG emissions that are not represented in the GHG budgets of African nations. To mitigate GHG emissions, manure should be removed regularly and used as fertilizer to return nutrients to the grassland, preventing nutrient mining and ensuring long-term rangeland productivity and resilience, or it might be used to grow crops and livestock feeds.

Diurnal variation in methane emission from a rice paddy due to ebullition.

Diurnal fluctuations in methane (CH4 ) emission are frequently observed in rice paddy fields, yet the driving mechanisms behind these variations are not fully understood. We posited that the observed diurnal patterns are predominantly due to temperature-dependent bubbling emissions (ebullition). To investigate this hypothesis, we conducted measurements of CH4 emission in a Japanese rice paddy using static chambers coupled with a high-time-resolution CH4 analyzer that allowed us to partition the total flux into its two principal components: plant-mediated transport and ebullition. Diurnal variation in the total flux was minimal during the early parts of reproductive growth (panicle formation and booting stages), when plant-mediated emission was dominant. At a later stage (heading period), ebullition accounted for 43%-70% of the total emission, and CH4 emission via both pathways varied diurnally; however, the diurnal range was much greater for bubbling emission (ratio of maximum to minimum=3.5) than for plant-mediated emission (ratio of maximum to minimum=1.4). The magnitude of emissions due to ebullition depended on the temperature, but was greater during the flux-increasing phase in the morning than the flux-decreasing phase in the afternoon even at the same temperature, forming a hysteresis in the flux versus temperature relationship. These findings support our hypothesis and indicate that abiotic processes, such as a change in the solubility of gases and the temperature dependence of the gas-phase volume (Charles's law), may play a central role in shaping the diurnal pattern of the CH4 ebullition.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Carbon Footprint, and Grain Yields of Rice-Based Cropping Systems in Eastern China

A multiple cropping system is beneficial for utilizing natural resources, while increasing the grain production and economic outputs. However, its impact on greenhouse gas emissions is unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of rice-based cropping systems on methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, the carbon footprint (CF), grain yields, and net economic returns in eastern China. Four treatments were applied: rice–fallow (as a control), rice–milk vetch, rice–wheat, and rice–rapeseed. Methane and N2O emissions were measured every 7 days via static chamber and gas chromatography methods from the 2019 rice season to the 2021 non-rice season. The CF was calculated based on the life cycle assessment. The results showed that multiple cropping systems significantly increased the annual grain yield by 1.2–6.4 t ha−1 and the annual CH4 and N2O emissions by 38–101 kg CH4-C ha−1 and 0.58–1.06 kg N2O-N ha−1, respectively. The average annual net returns for rice–wheat and rice–rapeseed were 131–150% greater than those for rice–milk vetch and rice–fallow. The annual CFs increased in the following order: rice–wheat (19.2 t CO2-eq ha−1) &gt; rice–rapeseed (16.6 t CO2-eq ha−1) &gt; rice–milk vetch (13.9 t CO2-eq ha−1) &gt; rice–fallow (11.5 t CO2-eq ha−1). The CH4 emissions contributed to the largest share of the CF (60.4–68.8%), followed by agricultural inputs (27.2–33.7%) and N2O emissions (2.9–5.9%). Moreover, nitrogen fertilizer accounted for 65.6–72.4% of the indirect greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural inputs. No significant difference in the CF per unit grain yield was observed between the four rice-based cropping systems. The CF per net return of rice–wheat and rice–rapeseed significantly decreased by 37–50% relative to that of rice–fallow and rice–milk vetch. These findings suggest the potential to optimize rice-based cropping systems for environmental sustainability and grain security.

Soil aggregate stability governs field greenhouse gas fluxes in agricultural soils

Agriculture is responsible for 30–50% of the yearly CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. Soils have an important role in the production and consumption of these greenhouse gases (GHGs), with soil aggregates and the inhabiting microbes proposed to function as biogeochemical reactors, processing these gases. Here we studied, for the first time, the relationship between GHG fluxes and aggregate stability as determined via laser diffraction analysis (LDA) of agricultural soils, as well as the effect of sustainable agricultural management strategies thereon. Using the static chamber method, all soils were found to be sinks for CH4 and sources for CO2 and N2O. The application of organic amendments did not have a conclusive effect on soil GHG fluxes, but tilled soils emitted more CO2. LDA was a useful and improved method for assessing soil aggregate stability, as it allows for the determination of multiple classes of aggregates and their structural composition, thereby overcoming limitations of traditional wet sieving. Organic matter content was the main steering factor of aggregate stability. The presence of persistent stable aggregates and the disintegration coefficient of stable aggregates were improved in organic-amended and no-tilled soils. Predictive modelling showed that, especially in these soils, aggregate stability was a governing factor of GHG fluxes. Higher soil CH4 uptake rates were associated with higher aggregate stability, while CO2 and N2O emissions increased with higher aggregate stability. Altogether, it was shown that sustainable agricultural management strategies can be used to steer the soil's aggregate stability and, both consequently and outright, the soil GHG fluxes, thereby creating a potential to contribute to the mitigation of agricultural GHG emissions.