Challenges of accounting nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural crop residues

Olesen, Jørgen E.; Rees, Robert M.; Recous, Sylvie; Bleken, Marina A.; Abalos, Diego; Ahuja, Ishita; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus; Carozzi, Marco; De Notaris, Chiara; Ernfors, Maria; Haas, Edwin; Hansen, Sissel; Janz, Baldur; Lashermes, Gwenaëlle; Massad, Raia S.; Petersen, Søren O.; Rittl, Tatiana F.; Scheer, Clemens; Smith, Kate E.; Thiébeau, Pascal; Taghizadeh-Toosi, Arezoo ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5166-0741; Thorman, Rachel E.; Topp, Cairistiona F.E.. 2023 Challenges of accounting nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural crop residues. Global Change Biology, 29 (24). 6846-6855. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16962

Before downloading, please read NORA policies.

Preview

Text N536041JA.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract/Summary

Crop residues are important inputs of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) to soils and thus directly and indirectly affect nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. As the current inventory methodology considers N inputs by crop residues as the sole determining factor for N2O emissions, it fails to consider other underlying factors and processes. There is compelling evidence that emissions vary greatly between residues with different biochemical and physical characteristics, with the concentrations of mineralizable N and decomposable C in the residue biomass both enhancing the soil N2O production potential. High concentrations of these components are associated with immature residues (e.g., cover crops, grass, legumes, and vegetables) as opposed to mature residues (e.g., straw). A more accurate estimation of the short-term (months) effects of the crop residues on N2O could involve distinguishing mature and immature crop residues with distinctly different emission factors. The medium-term (years) and long-term (decades) effects relate to the effects of residue management on soil N fertility and soil physical and chemical properties, considering that these are affected by local climatic and soil conditions as well as land use and management. More targeted mitigation efforts for N2O emissions, after addition of crop residues to the soil, are urgently needed and require an improved methodology for emission accounting. This work needs to be underpinned by research to (1) develop and validate N2O emission factors for mature and immature crop residues, (2) assess emissions from belowground residues of terminated crops, (3) improve activity data on management of different residue types, in particular immature residues, and (4) evaluate long-term effects of residue addition on N2O emissions.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16962
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	1365-2486
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	accounting, crop residues, immature, inventory, mature, nitrogen, nitrous oxide, soil
NORA Subject Terms:	Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	02 Nov 2023 09:54 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/536041

Actions (login required)

View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...