Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Erin Daly, Keunbae Kim, Guillermo Hernandez-Ramirez, Thomas Flesch
Summary: Perennial grain crops have the potential to reduce N2O emissions compared to annual crops, but the effect varies depending on the site.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dengzhou Gao, Lijun Hou, Min Liu, Yanling Zheng, Guoyu Yin, Yuhui Niu
Summary: Studying N2O production and consumption processes along an intertidal elevation gradient can improve the understanding of N2O dynamics among coastal wetlands. The results showed that N2O emission rates were higher in high tidal zones compared to middle and low tidal zones. Gross N2O production and consumption rates were greater in high and low tidal zones, whereas N2O consumption proportions generally increased from high to low tidal zones. Bacterial denitrification was the dominant pathway, although NH2OH oxidation/fungal denitrification also contributed substantially to N2O production in high tidal flats. Changes in N2O dynamics along the elevation gradient were affected by carbon and nitrogen substrate availabilities as well as the redox environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Huanhuan Wei, Xiaotong Song, Yan Liu, Rui Wang, Xunhua Zheng, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Rodney T. Venterea, Di Wu, Xiaotang Ju
Summary: Oxygen dynamics play a key role in controlling nitrous oxide (N2O) production processes in arable soils. Bacterial denitrification is the primary source of N2O emissions during the hot-wet summer, while nitrification or fungal denitrification contribute to about 50.0% of total emissions during the cold-dry winter. The findings help improve process models and develop targeted mitigation measures for N2O emissions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sophia Escobar-Correas, James A. Broadbent, Alicja Andraszek, Sally Stockwell, Crispin A. Howitt, Angela Juhasz, Michelle L. Colgrave
Summary: Using shotgun proteomics, gluten-like peptides were identified in ryegrass across different cultivars, showing consistent abundance but were not detected in wheat cultivars. These peptides can be valuable in distinguishing between wheat and ryegrass gluten contamination.
FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rui Yang, Lin-jiang Yuan, Ru Wang, Zhi-xian He, Xi Chen
Summary: This study focuses on the metabolism of N2O in biological wastewater treatment, finding that the main metabolic mechanism is heterotrophic denitrification, influenced by the amount of organic matter and pH value. Under aerobic conditions, N2O emissions mainly come from nitrifiers.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Enrico Martani, Andrea Ferrarini, Stefano Amaducci
Summary: This study conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the effects of perennial crop reversion on soil carbon and nitrogen. It found that one year after reversion, there was a significant increase in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks. However, in the following years, there were no significant changes. The incorporation of belowground biomass played a crucial role in the fate of soil carbon and nitrogen stocks.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patrick A. Barker, Grant Allen, Michael Flynn, Stuart Riddick, Joseph R. Pitt
Summary: This study conducted in situ measurements of N2O in an urban environment in Manchester, and found that N2O concentrations were poorly correlated with other atmospheric pollutants, suggesting a detectable recreational N2O source from nighttime activities of nearby residents. Further research is needed to quantify the emissions of this potentially increasing atmospheric pollution source and compare it to other locations in the UK.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas N. Bwana, Nyambilila A. Amuri, Ernest Semu, Lars Elsgaard, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, David E. Pelster, Jorgen Eivind Olesen
Summary: This study compared N2O emissions from organic and conventional cotton farming practices in different seasons, finding variations in emissions levels. High input conventional cotton showed slightly higher N2O emissions than organic cotton in wet season, but no significant difference in dry season. The combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers, cotton-legume intercropping did not have a significant impact on N2O emissions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wangshou Zhang, Hengpeng Li, Steven G. Pueppke, Jiaping Pang
Summary: This study investigated the concentrations of N2O and CH4 in a headwater stream in the Taihu Lake basin of China, revealing that the saturation levels of CH4 in wetland reaches were seven times higher than those in non-wetland reaches, with peaks in July coinciding with a decrease in N2O saturation. Diurnal measurements showed that CH4 saturation in water passing through wetlands can surge to levels 10 times higher than at other times, while N2O saturation decreases by 75%. These findings highlight the potential hotspots of CH4 production and N2O consumption in riverine wetlands.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Weiwei Xia, Saman Bowatte, Zhongjun Jia, Paul Newton
Summary: In low nitrogen environments, archaeal-dominated nitrification can offset N2O emissions by increasing soil organic carbon, while in high nitrogen environments, bacterial-dominated nitrification cannot sustain offsetting N2O emissions.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marcos Rene Petrasek, Gervasio Pineiro, Virginia Enriqueta Bonvecchi, Laura Yahdjian
Summary: Service crops can reduce agricultural external inputs and increase ecosystem services, but their ability to mitigate nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions is still uncertain.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Andrea Ferrarini, Enrico Martani, Claudio Mondini, Flavio Fornasier, Stefano Amaducci
Summary: This study investigates the effects of adding different biomass components on soil C and N mineralization and the factors controlling decomposition. The results show that the decomposition rates of rhizomes and fine roots are different, with fine roots being less decomposable. In addition, the availability of easily decomposable substrates and cell-wall composition decomposition play important roles in C and N mineralization.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sakae Toyoda, Takahito Kakimoto, Kushi Kudo, Naohiro Yoshida, Daisuke Sasano, Naohiro Kosugi, Masao Ishii, Sohiko Kameyama, Mahomi Inagawa, Hisayuki Yoshikawa-Inoue, Shigeto Nishino, Akihiko Murata, Shigeyuki Ishidoya, Shinji Morimoto
Summary: Ocean-atmosphere gas exchange in the Arctic Ocean is sensitive to global warming because the decrease of sea-ice covered area enhances the exchange. The isotopic signatures of dissolved N2O in the Chukchi Sea shelf indicate a mixture of N2O produced in the bottom water and that of atmospheric origin.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Eva Lewin, Andreas Kiesel, Elena Magenau, Iris Lewandowski
Summary: Perennial energy grasses, such as miscanthus and switchgrass, have gained attention for their environmental benefits and high biomass yields. This study examined the removal of seven-year-old stands of miscanthus and switchgrass and their impact on the yield of maize grown as a follow-on crop. The results showed that a combination of soil tillage and grass herbicides successfully controlled miscanthus regrowth, while insufficient control of switchgrass regrowth led to lower maize yields. Complete eradication of both crops was achieved through subsequent winter wheat cultivation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY BIOENERGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Xin Rao, Chang-An Liu, Jian-Wei Tang, Yu Nie, Ming-Yue Liang, Wei-Jun Shen, Kadambot H. M. Siddique
Summary: Rubber plantations cover a vast area globally, and introducing leguminous shrubs can help reduce CO2 and CH4 emissions while increasing N2O emissions, ultimately improving soil environments. As trees in rubber plantations age, there is a significant decrease in annual emissions of CO2, N2O, and CH4, with rubber-leguminous shrub systems showing potential for enhancing soil organic carbon sequestration.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jon McCalmont, Lip Khoon Kho, Yit Arn Teh, Melanie Chocholek, Elisa Rumpang, Lucy Rowland, Mohd Hadi Akbar Basri, Tim Hill
Summary: Existing palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia contribute significantly to global atmospheric carbon emissions due to the decomposition of peatland soils from drainage. Raising the water table closer to the soil surface can reduce CO2 emissions, but its effect on palm fruit yield is not well understood. Using data from a mature oil palm plantation in Malaysian Borneo, this study found that increasing the water table depth to 0.3-0.4m below the soil surface can increase photosynthetic uptake by 3.6% and reduce CO2 emissions by 11%. However, more research is needed to confirm these results at other plantations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jennifer Michel, Iain P. Hartley, Kate M. Buckeridge, Carmen van Meegen, Rosanne C. Broyd, Laura Reinelt, Adan J. Ccahuana Quispe, Jeanette Whitaker
Summary: Climate change-induced treeline shifts can affect soil organic matter mineralization, but the specific effects remain uncertain. This study investigated soil priming effects in high altitude and high latitude soils, and found that substrate additions can elicit both positive and negative priming effects. Positive priming was more pronounced above the treeline and in mineral soils, while negative priming dominated in other soil types. These findings are important for understanding soil carbon cycling and the impacts of climate change on soil carbon balance.
Article
Ecology
Laura Reinelt, Jeanette Whitaker, Elena Kazakou, Laurent Bonnal, Denis Bastianelli, James M. Bullock, Nicholas J. Ostle
Summary: Drought can cause changes in plant root and shoot traits, which, in turn, affect the decomposability of litter. However, the specific effects of drought-induced plasticity on litter decomposability are not well understood. In this study, we examined the morphological and chemical traits of three plant species subjected to a 5-week moderate drought treatment and conducted a decomposition assay to measure litter mass loss over 16 weeks. Our results reveal that drought alters plant traits and can increase or decrease litter decomposability, indicating that vegetation feedbacks to climate change can be influenced by drought-induced trait changes.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Anita Shepherd, Danny Awty-Carroll, Jason Kam, Chris Ashman, Elena Magenau, Enrico Martani, Mislav Kontek, Andrea Ferrarini, Stefano Amaducci, Chris Davey, Vanja Jurisic, Gert-Jan Petrie, Mohamad Al Hassan, Isabelle Lamy, Iris Lewandowski, Emmanuel de Maupeou, Jon McCalmont, Luisa Trindade, Kasper van Der Cruijsen, Philip van Der Pluijm, Rebecca Rowe, Andrew Lovett, Iain Donnison, Andreas Kiesel, John Clifton-Brown, Astley Hastings
Summary: Yield projections are needed to determine the potential of new biomass crop hybrids for strategic land use planning. A biomass growth simulation model incorporating radiation interception and conversion efficiency is used. Instead of leaf area, low-cost rapid light interception measurements are used in the model, along with thermal time and biomass measurements. The model predicts a conservative European biomass potential for market-ready hybrids for 2020-2030, with potential for renewable energy and carbon capture.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY BIOENERGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Danny Awty-Carroll, Elena Magenau, Mohamad Al Hassan, Enrico Martani, Mislav Kontek, Philip van Der Pluijm, Chris Ashman, Emmanuel de Maupeou, Jon McCalmont, Gert-Jan Petrie, Chris Davey, Kasper van Der Cruijsen, Vanja Jurisic, Stefano Amaducci, Isabelle Lamy, Anita Shepherd, Jason Kam, Annick Hoogendam, Michele Croci, Oene Dolstra, Andrea Ferrarini, Iris Lewandowski, Luisa M. Trindade, Andreas Kiesel, John Clifton-Brown
Summary: Miscanthus, a C4 perennial rhizomatous grass from Asia, is a leading candidate for sustainable biomass supply. European breeding programmes have produced new seeded hybrids to increase scalability. Field trials across Europe were conducted using different hybrids, and the establishment, yields, and moisture contents varied depending on location and hybrid. Sin x sin hybrids showed better adaptation to northern Europe, while sac x sin hybrids showed better adaptation to southern Europe. Long-term observations are needed to explore the biological and economic costs and benefits of different hybrid systems.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY BIOENERGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Songyan Zhu, Jon McCalmont, Laura M. Cardenas, Andrew M. Cunliffe, Louise Olde, Caroline Signori-Muller, Marcy E. Litvak, Timothy Hill
Summary: Eddy covariance is an effective technique for monitoring ecosystem fluxes, but complete timeseries are necessary for long-term data analysis, requiring reliable gap-filling methods. Random forest regression (RFR) has shown stability and superiority in mature ecosystems, but its performance in challenging ecosystems remains uncertain. This study assessed RFR for gap filling methane fluxes globally and explored other methodologies for filling gaps in carbon dioxide, water, energy, and methane fluxes in challenging ecosystems.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Agronomy
John Clifton-Brown, Astley Hastings, Moritz von Cossel, Donal Murphy-Bokern, Jon McCalmont, Jeanette Whittaker, Efi Alexopoulou, Stefano Amaducci, Larisa Andronic, Christopher Ashman, Danny Awty-Carroll, Rakesh Bhatia, Lutz Breuer, Salvatore Cosentino, William Cracroft-Eley, Iain Donnison, Berien Elbersen, Andrea Ferrarini, Judith Ford, Joerg Greef, Julie Ingram, Iris Lewandowski, Elena Magenau, Michal Mos, Martin Petrick, Marta Pogrzeba, Paul Robson, Rebecca L. Rowe, Anatolii Sandu, Kai-Uwe Schwarz, Danilo Scordia, Jonathan Scurlock, Anita Shepherd, Judith Thornton, Luisa M. Trindade, Sylvia Vetter, Moritz Wagner, Pei-Chen Wu, Toshihiko Yamada, Andreas Kiesel
Summary: The demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase in order to meet the commitments of COP26 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Perennial biomass crops (PBCs) have shown potential environmental benefits for the growing bioeconomy, but their deployment has been hindered by social, economic, and policy uncertainties.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY BIOENERGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dafydd M. O. Elias, Kelly E. Mason, Katherine Howell, Nadine Mitschunas, Lucy Hulmes, Sarah Hulmes, Inma Lebron, Richard F. Pywell, Niall P. McNamara
Summary: Grasslands contribute 30% of global terrestrial carbon, mostly stored in soils, and provide essential ecosystem services. Research on extending grassland reseeding cycle to increase stable soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks is limited, hindering effective grassland management for climate change mitigation.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. J. I. Briones, A. Massey, D. M. O. Elias, J. P. McCalmont, K. Farrar, I. Donnison, N. P. McNamara
Summary: Growing Miscanthus species and hybrids, especially the high-yield, sterile and noninvasive hybrid Miscanthus x giganteus, has gained strong scientific and commercial support. However, the potential of other species with different traits has been relatively unexplored. Studying the carbon allocation dynamics of different Miscanthus species is important for achieving net greenhouse gas mitigation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arthur P. K. Argles, Eddy Robertson, Anna B. B. Harper, James I. L. Morison, Georgios Xenakis, Astley Hastings, Jon Mccalmont, Jon R. R. Moore, Ian J. J. Bateman, Kate Gannon, Richard A. A. Betts, Stephen Bathgate, Justin Thomas, Matthew Heard, Peter M. M. Cox
Summary: This paper evaluates the impact of including management strategies on forest structure and carbon fluxes in a plantation forest in Northumberland. The results show that simulations including thinning and CO2 fertilisation provide more realistic estimates and better represent forest growth and physical characteristics.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Rebecca L. Rowe, Cahyo Prayogo, Simon Oakley, Kurniatun Hairiah, Meine van Noordwijk, Karuniawan Puji Wicaksono, Syahrul Kurniawan, Alice Fitch, Edi Dwi Cahyono, Didik Suprayogo, Niall P. McNamara
Summary: Forest managers in Indonesia have accepted farmer-managed coffee agroforestry as part of their social forestry program. An experimental research platform has been developed to improve pine-coffee agroforestry systems and enhance profitability and livelihoods in low-income rural communities. Current trials focus on improving coffee yields, and early results from farmer surveys and ecosystem modeling show positive attitudes toward canopy pruning and environmental benefits.