Legumes increase grassland productivity with no effect on nitrous oxide emissions

Barneze, Arlete S.; Whitaker, Jeanette ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8824-471X; McNamara, Niall P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5143-5819; Ostle, Nicholas J.. 2020 Legumes increase grassland productivity with no effect on nitrous oxide emissions. Plant and Soil, 446 (1-2). 163-177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04338-w

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04338-w

Abstract/Summary

Aims: Grasslands are important agricultural production systems, where ecosystem functioning is affected by land management practices. Grass-legume mixtures are commonly cultivated to increase grassland productivity while reducing the need for nitrogen (N) fertiliser. However, little is known about the effect of this increase in productivity on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in grass-legume mixtures. The aim of this study was to investigate interactions between the proportion of legumes in grass-legume mixtures and N-fertiliser addition on productivity and GHG emissions. We tested the hypotheses that an increase in the relative proportion of legumes would increase plant productivity and decrease GHG emissions, and the magnitude of these effects would be reduced by N-fertiliser addition. Methods: This was tested in a controlled environment mesocosm experiment with one grass and one legume species grown in mixtures in different proportions, with or without N-fertiliser. The effects on N cycling processes were assessed by measurement of above- and below-ground biomass, shoot N uptake, soil physico-chemical properties and GHG emissions. Results: Above-ground productivity and shoot N uptake were greater in legume-grass mixtures compared to grass or legume monocultures, in fertilised and unfertilised soils. However, we found no effect of legume proportion on N2O emissions, total soil N or mineral-N in fertilised or unfertilised soils. Conclusions: This study shows that the inclusion of legumes in grass-legume mixtures positively affected productivity, however N cycle were in the short-term unaffected and mainly affected by nitrogen fertilisation. Legumes can be used in grassland management strategies to mitigate climate change by reducing crop demand for N-fertilisers.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04338-w
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0032-079X
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	grass-legume mixture, nitrogen fertiliser, carbon and nitrogen cycling, plant productivity, greenhouse gas emissions
NORA Subject Terms:	Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	06 Feb 2020 17:49 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/526764

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04338-w

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

0032-079X

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

grass-legume mixture, nitrogen fertiliser, carbon and nitrogen cycling, plant productivity, greenhouse gas emissions