Research article

Carbon dioxide mitigation potential of conservation agriculture in a semi-arid agricultural region

  • Received: 31 October 2018 Accepted: 04 March 2019 Published: 15 March 2019
  • The Texas High Plains (THP) region is one of the largest upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) producing regions in the world. Cotton is a versatile crop with uses for both food and fiber products. Conservation management practices such as no-tillage and cover crops have been used to reduce wind erosion on the THP but are also associated with mitigating and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil. Although row-crop agriculture has been linked to GHG emissions across the world, cotton production in the THP ecoregion has not been thoroughly evaluated for its contribution to GHG production. This research quantified the soil flux of carbon dioxide (CO2-C) from continuous cotton production systems on the THP after implementing three tillage practices: (1) no-till with a winter wheat cover crop (NTW); (2) no-till winter fallow (NT); and (3) conventional tillage winter fallow (CT). In addition, the timing of nitrogen fertilizer application was evaluated within each tillage system. Five N treatments were implemented: (1) an unfertilized control; (2) 100% pre-plant (PP); (3) 100% side-dressed (SD); (4) 40% PP 60% SD; and (5) 100% PP with a nitrogen stabilizer product (STB). Tillage practice affected CO2-C flux rates in spring 2016 and 2017 with the NTW system having greater CO2-C flux than the NT and CT systems. In summer 2017, the NTW system had a greater flux of CO2-C than the NT or CT systems. In fall/winter 2016, the NTW and CT systems had a greater CO2-C flux than the NT system. Cumulative emissions of CO2-C were affected by N treatment in 2016, with later season applications of N fertilizer increasing emissions compared to the STB treatment and the control. In 2017, cumulative emissions of CO2-C were greater in the NTW system than in the NT and CT system. However, a greater amount of CO2-C was assimilated by the wheat cover crop from the atmosphere than was lost from the soil which reduced net C losses from the system. With continued use of no-tillage and a cover crop, lower net soil CO2-C losses should result in a greater rate of soil organic C gain, positively impacting the sustainability of cotton production in the THP.

    Citation: Mark D. McDonald, Katie L. Lewis, Glen L. Ritchie, Paul B. DeLaune, Kenneth D. Casey, Lindsey C. Slaughter. Carbon dioxide mitigation potential of conservation agriculture in a semi-arid agricultural region[J]. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 2019, 4(1): 206-222. doi: 10.3934/agrfood.2019.1.206

    Related Papers:

  • The Texas High Plains (THP) region is one of the largest upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) producing regions in the world. Cotton is a versatile crop with uses for both food and fiber products. Conservation management practices such as no-tillage and cover crops have been used to reduce wind erosion on the THP but are also associated with mitigating and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil. Although row-crop agriculture has been linked to GHG emissions across the world, cotton production in the THP ecoregion has not been thoroughly evaluated for its contribution to GHG production. This research quantified the soil flux of carbon dioxide (CO2-C) from continuous cotton production systems on the THP after implementing three tillage practices: (1) no-till with a winter wheat cover crop (NTW); (2) no-till winter fallow (NT); and (3) conventional tillage winter fallow (CT). In addition, the timing of nitrogen fertilizer application was evaluated within each tillage system. Five N treatments were implemented: (1) an unfertilized control; (2) 100% pre-plant (PP); (3) 100% side-dressed (SD); (4) 40% PP 60% SD; and (5) 100% PP with a nitrogen stabilizer product (STB). Tillage practice affected CO2-C flux rates in spring 2016 and 2017 with the NTW system having greater CO2-C flux than the NT and CT systems. In summer 2017, the NTW system had a greater flux of CO2-C than the NT or CT systems. In fall/winter 2016, the NTW and CT systems had a greater CO2-C flux than the NT system. Cumulative emissions of CO2-C were affected by N treatment in 2016, with later season applications of N fertilizer increasing emissions compared to the STB treatment and the control. In 2017, cumulative emissions of CO2-C were greater in the NTW system than in the NT and CT system. However, a greater amount of CO2-C was assimilated by the wheat cover crop from the atmosphere than was lost from the soil which reduced net C losses from the system. With continued use of no-tillage and a cover crop, lower net soil CO2-C losses should result in a greater rate of soil organic C gain, positively impacting the sustainability of cotton production in the THP.


    加载中


    [1] USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (2017) Quick Stats-Texas.
    [2] USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (2017) Quick Stats-US Total Cotton Production.
    [3] Zobeck TM, Pelt RSV, Hatfield J, et al. (2011) Wind erosion. In: Sauer TM, Hatfield JL, Soil management: Building a stable base for agriculture, Book and Multimedia Publishing Committee, 209–227.
    [4] USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (2012) Quick Stats-Texas Land Use Practices.
    [5] Paustien K, Andrén O, Janzen HH, et al. (1997) Agricultural soil as a sink to mitigate CO2 Emissions. Soil Use and Manage 13: 230–244. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-2743.1997.tb00594.x
    [6] Reicosky DC (1997) Tillage-induced CO2 emission from soil. Nutr Cycling Agroecosyst 49: 273–285. doi: 10.1023/A:1009766510274
    [7] Lal R (2003) Global Potential of Soil Carbon Sequestration to Mitigate the Greenhouse Effect. Crit Rev Plant Sci 22: 151–184. doi: 10.1080/713610854
    [8] Schomberg HH, Jones OR (1999) Carbon and Nitrogen Oncervation in Dryland Tillage and Cropping Systems. Soil Sci Soc Am J 63: 1359–1366. doi: 10.2136/sssaj1999.6351359x
    [9] Roberts WP, Chan KY (1990) Tillage-induced increases in carbon dioxide loss from soil. Soil Tillage Res 17: 143–151. doi: 10.1016/0167-1987(90)90012-3
    [10] Lewis KL, Burke JA, Keeling WS, et al. (2018) Soil Benefits and Yield Limitations of Cover Crop Use in Texas High Plains Cotton. Agron J 110: 1616–1623. doi: 10.2134/agronj2018.02.0092
    [11] Weil RR, Brady NC (2016) The Nature and Properties of Soils. Edition: 15th, Publisher: Pearson Education.
    [12] USEPA (2017)Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990–2015. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    [13] Smith P, Martino D, Cai Z, et al. (2008) Greenhouse gas mitigation in agriculture. Philos Trans Biol Sci 363: 789–813. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2007.2184
    [14] Koizumi H, Nakadai T, Usami Y, et al. (1991) Effect of Carbon Dioxide Concentration on Microbial Respiration in Soil. Ecol Res 6: 227–232. doi: 10.1007/BF02347124
    [15] Fentabil MM, Nichol CF, Jones MD, et al. (2016) Effect of drip irrigation frequency, nitrogen rate and mulching on nitrous oxide emissions in a semi-arid climate: An assessment across two years in an apple orchard. Agric Ecosyst Environ 235: 242–252.
    [16] Linn DM, Doran JW (1984) Effect of water-filled pore space on carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide production in tilled and non-tilled soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 48: 1267–1272. doi: 10.2136/sssaj1984.03615995004800060013x
    [17] Raich JW, Potter CS (1995) Global patterns of carbon dioxide emissions from soils. Global Biogeocheml Cycles 9: 23–36. doi: 10.1029/94GB02723
    [18] Martins CSC, Macdonald CA, Anderson IC, et al. (2016) Feedback responses of soil greenhouse gas emissions to climate change are modulated by soil characteristics in dryland ecosystems. Soil Biol Biochem 100: 21–32. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2016.05.007
    [19] Snyder CS, Bruulsema TW, Jensen TL, et al. (2009) Review of greenhouse gas emissions from crop production systems and fertilizer management effects. Agric Ecosyst Environ 133: 247–266. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2009.04.021
    [20] Raich JW, Schlesinger WH (1992) The global carbon dioxide flux in soil respiration and its relationship to vegetation and climate. Tellus 44: 81–99. doi: 10.3402/tellusb.v44i2.15428
    [21] Li Z, Zhang R, Wang X, et al. (2012) Growing Season Carbon Dioxide Exchange in Flooded Non-Mulching and Non-Flooded Mulching Cotton. PLOS ONE 7: e50760. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050760
    [22] Landi L, Valori F, Ascher J, et al. (2006) Root exudate effects on the bacterial communities, CO2 evolution, nitrogen transformations and ATP content of rhizosphere and bulk soils. Soil Biol Biochem 38: 509–516. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.05.021
    [23] Baudoin E, Benizri E, Guckert A (2003) Impact of artificial root exudates on the bacterial community structure in bulk soil and maize rhizosphere. Soil Biol Biochem 35: 1183–1192. doi: 10.1016/S0038-0717(03)00179-2
    [24] Rochette P, Desjardins R, Pattey EJ (1991) Spatial and temporal variability of soil respiration in agricultural fields. Can J Soil Sci 71: 189–196. doi: 10.4141/cjss91-018
    [25] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (2018) NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).
    [26] USDA-NRCS (2016) Acuff series. USDA-NRCS Official Soil Series Description.
    [27] Mehlich A (1984) Mehlich-III soil test extractant: a modification of Mehlich-II extractant. Commun Soil Sci Plan 15: 1409–1416.
    [28] Schofield RK, Taylor AW (1955) The measurement of soil pH. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 19: 164–167.
    [29] McGeehan SL, Naylor DV (1988) Automated instrumental analysis of carbon and nitrogen in plant and soil samples. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 19: 493. doi: 10.1080/00103628809367953
    [30] Schulte EE, Hopkins BG (1996) Estimation of soil organic matter by weight by weight loss-on-ignition. In: Magdoff FR , Tabatabai MA, Hanlon EA, Soil organic matter: analysis and interpretation. Soil Science Society of America in Seattle, Washington, 21–32.
    [31] Storer DA (1984) A simple high volume ashing procedure for determining soil organic matter. Commun Soil Sci Plan 15: 759–772.
    [32] Rabenhorst MC (1988) Determination of Organic and Carbonate Carbon in Calcareous Soils Using Dry Combustion. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52: 965–968. doi: 10.2136/sssaj1988.03615995005200040012x
    [33] Wang D (1998) Direct measurement of organic carbon content in soils by the Leco CR−12 Carbon Analyzer. Commun Soil Sci Plan 29: 15–21. doi: 10.1080/00103629809369925
    [34] Inc. SI (2017) SAS/STAT Software-the GLIMMIX procedure. Cary, NC, USA: SAS Institute Inc.
    [35] Inc. SI (2017) SAS/STAT Software-the CORR procedure. Cary, NC, USA: SAS Institute Inc.
    [36] Lyons SE, Ketterings QM, Godwin G, et al. (2017) Early Fall Planting Increases Growth and Nitrogen Uptake of Winter Cereals. Agron J 109: 795–801. doi: 10.2134/agronj2016.10.0620
    [37] Bond-Lamberty B, Thomson A (2010) Temperature-associated increases in the global soil respiration record. Nature 464: 579–582. doi: 10.1038/nature08930
    [38] Van Hees PAW, Jones DL, Finlay R, et al. (2005) The carbon we do not see-the impact of low molecular weight compounds on carbon dynamics and respiration in forest soils: a review. Soil Biol Biochem 37: 1–13. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2004.06.010
    [39] Gallardo A, Schlesinger WH (1994) Factors Limiting Microbial Biomass in the Mineral Soil and Forest Floor of a Warm-Temperate Forest. Soil Biol Biochem 26: 1409–1415. doi: 10.1016/0038-0717(94)90225-9
    [40] Högberg P, Ekblad A (1996) Substrate-Induced Respiration Measured In-Situ in a C3-Plant Ecosystem Using Additions of C4-Sucrose. Soil Biol Biochem 28: 1131–1138. doi: 10.1016/0038-0717(96)00124-1
    [41] Franzluebbers AJ, Hons FM, Zuberer DA (1995) Tillage and crop effects on seasonal dynamics of soil CO2 evolution, water content, temperature, and bulk density. Appl Soil Ecol 2: 95–109. doi: 10.1016/0929-1393(94)00044-8
    [42] Zhang X, Sun Z, Liu J, et al. (2018) Simulating greenhouse gas emissions and stocks of carbon and nitrogen in soil from a long-term no-till system in the North China Plain. oil Tillage Res 178: 32–40. doi: 10.1016/j.still.2017.12.013
    [43] David C, Lemke R, Helgason W, et al. (2018) Current inventory approach overestimates the effect of irrigated crop management on soil-derived greenhouse gas emissions in the semi-arid Canadian Prairies. Agric Water Manage 208: 19–32. doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2018.06.006
    [44] Scheer C, Grace PR, Rowlings DW, et al. (2013) Soil N2O and CO2 emissions from cotton in Australia under varying irrigation management. Nutr Cycling Agroecosyst 95: 43–56. doi: 10.1007/s10705-012-9547-4
    [45] Lovell RD, Hatch DJ (1997) Stimulation of microbial activity following spring applications of nitrogen. Biol Fertility Soils 26: 28–30. doi: 10.1007/s003740050338
    [46] Franzluebbers AJ, Hons FM, Zuberer DA (1998) In situ and potential CO2 evolution from a Fluventic Ustochrept in southcentral Texas as affected by tillage and cropping intensity. Soil Tillage Res 47: 303–308. doi: 10.1016/S0167-1987(98)00118-4
    [47] Duiker SW, Lal R (1999) Crop residue and tillage effects on carbon sequestration in a Luvisol in central Ohio. Soil Tillage Res 52: 73–81. doi: 10.1016/S0167-1987(99)00059-8
    [48] Curtin D, Selles F, Wang H, et al. (2000) Restoring organic matter in a cultivated, semiarid soil using crested wheatgrass. Can J Soil Sci 80: 429–435. doi: 10.4141/S00-001
    [49] Burke IC, Lauenroth WK, Coffin DP (1995) Soil Organic Matter Recovery in Semiarid Grasslands: Implications for the Conservation Reserve Program. Ecol Appl 5: 793–801. doi: 10.2307/1941987
  • Reader Comments
  • © 2019 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
  • 1. 

    沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

  1. 本站搜索
  2. 百度学术搜索
  3. 万方数据库搜索
  4. CNKI搜索

Metrics

Article views(5618) PDF downloads(813) Cited by(11)

Article outline

Figures and Tables

Figures(4)  /  Tables(3)

/

DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
Return
Return

Catalog