An assessment of factors controlling N2O and CO2 emissions from crop residues using different measurement approaches

Abstract

Management of plant residues plays an important role in maintaining soil quality and nutrient availability for plants and microbes. However, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the factors controlling residue decomposition and their effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the soil. This uncertainty is created both by the complexity of the processes involved and limitations in the methodologies commonly used to quantify GHG emissions. We therefore investigated the addition of two soil residues (durum wheat and faba bean) with similar C/N ratios but contrasting fibres, lignin and cellulose contents on nutrient dynamics and GHG emission from two contrasting soils: a low-soil organic carbon (SOC), high pH clay soil (Chromic Haploxerert) and a high-SOC, low pH sandy-loam soil (Eutric Cambisol). In addition, we compared the effectiveness of the use of an infrared gas analyser (IRGA) and a photoacoustic gas analyser (PGA) to measure GHG emissions with more conventional gas chromatography (GC). There was a strong correlation between the different measurement techniques which strengthens the case for the use of continuous measurement approaches involving IRGA and PGA analyses in studies of this type. The unamended Cambisol released 286% more CO₂ and 30% more N₂O than the Haploxerert. Addition of plant residues increased CO₂ emissions more in the Haploxerert than Cambisol and N₂O emission more in the Cambisol than in the Haploxerert. This may have been a consequence of the high N stabilization efficiency of the Haploxerert resulting from its high pH and the effect of the clay on mineralization of native organic matter. These results have implication management of plant residues in different soil types.

Keywords: Carbon dioxide; Crop residues; Greenhouse gas; Nitrous oxide; Residue decomposition.

Fig. 1

Daily minimum, maximum, and mean air temperatures in the greenhouse and mean soil temperature during the experiment

Fig. 2

CO₂ emission course from Chromic Haploxerert and Eutric Cambisol amended with faba bean and wheat residues, or unamended (control), measured with IRGA during the experimental period. Data are means ± SE (n = 3)

Fig. 3

CO₂ emission course from the Chromic Haploxerert and Eutric Cambisol soils amended with faba bean and wheat biomass, or unamended (control), measured with PGA during the experimental period. Data are means ± SE (n = 3)

Fig. 4

Total CO₂ emission from the Chromic Haploxerert and Eutric Cambisol amended with faba bean and wheat biomass, or unamended (control), measured with IRGA and PGA. Data are means ± SE (n = 3)

Fig. 5

N₂O emission course from the Chromic Haploxerert and Eutric Cambisol amended with faba bean and wheat biomass, or unamended (control), measured with PGA during the experimental period. Data are means ± SE (n = 3)

Fig. 6

Total N₂O emission from the Chromic Haploxerert and Eutric Cambisol soils amended with faba bean and wheat biomass, or unamended (control), measured with PGA. Data are means ± SE (n = 3)