Belowground links between root properties of grassland species and N2O concentration across the topsoil profile

Barneze, Arlete S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5781-0424; Petersen, Søren O.; Eriksen, Jørgen; De Deyn, Gerlinde B.; van Groenigen, Jan Willem; Abalos, Diego. 2024 Belowground links between root properties of grassland species and N2O concentration across the topsoil profile. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 196, 109498. 10, pp. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498

Abstract/Summary

Plants can affect N2O emissions by enhancing nitrogen (N) uptake and other below-ground interactions. However, the specific effect of the root systems of different plant species on the production and accumulation of N2O within the soil profile remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate how plant species from different functional groups, their productivity and root traits affect N2O emissions and N2O concentrations within the soil profile in a fertilised grassland. We conducted a field experiment with two grasses (Phleum pratense, Lolium perenne), two legumes (Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense), two forbs (Cichorium intybus, Plantago lanceolata), and the six-species mixture in a fertilised grassland. The effects of these plant communities on N-cycling processes were then assessed through the measurement of above- and below-ground plant traits, plant productivity, soil nutrient availability, N2O emissions and its distribution in the soil profile. We found that C. intybus and P. pratense had the lowest N2O emissions from the soil, which was mainly related to higher root biomass. The six-species mixture also showed lower N2O emissions compared to L. perenne monoculture which was explained by complementary effects between the different plant species. We did not find a relationship between N2O emission and its concentration in the soil profile. Higher specific root length and root length density coincided with higher N2O concentrations at 10-20 and 20-30 cm soil depths. Since these two traits have been previously linked to reductions in N2O emissions emitted from the soil, our results show that the relationships between root traits and N2O emissions may not be reflected down in the soil profile. Overall, this study underscores the often-neglected importance of root traits for N-cycling and emphasises the need to better understand how root traits modify N2O consumption within the soil profile to design more sustainable grasslands.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0038-0717
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	grassland, plant species mixtures, nitrous oxide emissions, root traits, root biomass, nitrous oxide concentration in the soil profile
NORA Subject Terms:	Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	10 Jun 2024 10:04 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537537

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Soils and Land Use (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

0038-0717

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

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

Additional Keywords:

grassland, plant species mixtures, nitrous oxide emissions, root traits, root biomass, nitrous oxide concentration in the soil profile