A simplified sampling procedure for the estimation of methane emission in rice fields

Manual closed chamber methods are widely used for CH₄ measurement from rice paddies. Despite diurnal and seasonal variations in CH₄ emissions, fixed sampling times, usually during the day, are used. Here, we monitored CH₄ emission from rice paddies for one complete rice-growing season. Daytime CH₄ emission increased from 0800 h, and maximal emission was observed at 1200 h. Daily averaged CH₄ flux increased during plant growth or fertilizer application and decreased upon drainage of plants. CH₄ measurement results were linearly interpolated and matched with the daily averaged CH₄ emission calculated from the measured results. The time when daily averaged emission and the interpolated CH₄ curve coincided during the daytime was largely invariant within each of the five distinctive periods. One-hourly sampling during each of these five periods was utilized to estimate the emission during each period, and we found that five one-hourly samples during the season accurately reflected the CH₄ emission calculated based on all 136 hourly samples. This new sampling scheme is simple and more efficient than current sampling practices. Previously reported sampling schemes yielded estimates 9 to 32% higher than the measured CH₄ emission, while our suggested scheme yielded an estimate that was only 5% different from that based on all 136-h samples. The sampling scheme proposed in this study can be used in rice paddy fields in Korea and extended worldwide to countries that use similar farming practices. This sampling scheme will help in producing more accurate global methane budget from rice paddy fields.     

Estimation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice field with rice straw management in Cambodia

To estimate the greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields of Cambodia, the methodology of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines, IPCC coefficients, and emission factors from the experiment in Thailand and another country were used. Total area under rice cultivation during the years 2005–2006 was 2,048,360 ha in the first crop season and 298,529 ha in the second crop season. The emission of methane from stubble incorporation with manure plus fertilizer application areas in the first crop season was estimated to be 192,783.74 ton higher than stubble with manure, stubble with fertilizer, and stubble without fertilizer areas. The fields with stubble burning emitted the highest emission of methane (75,771.29 ton) followed by stubble burning with manure (22,251.08 ton), stubble burning with fertilizer (13,213.27 ton), and stubble burning with fertilizer application areas (3,222.22 ton). The total emission of methane from rice field in Cambodia for the years 2005–2006 was approximately 342,649.26 ton (342.65 Gg) in the first crop season and 36,838.88 ton (36.84 Gg) in the second crop season. During the first crop season in the years 2005–2006, Battambang province emitted the highest amount of CH₄ (38,764.48 ton) and, in the second crop season during the years 2005–2006, the highest emission (8,262.34 ton) was found in Takeo province (8,262.34 ton). Nitrous oxide emission was between 2.70 and 1,047.92 ton in the first crop season and it ranged from 0 to 244.90 ton in the second crop season. Total nitrous oxide emission from paddy rice field was estimated to be 9,026.28 ton in the first crop season and 1,091.93 ton in the second crop season. Larger area under cultivation is responsible for higher emission of methane and nitrous oxide. Total emission of nitrous oxide by using IPCC default emission coefficient was approximately 2,328.85 ton. The total global warming potential of Cambodian paddy rice soil is 11,723,217.03 ton (11,723 Gg) equivalents of CO₂.     

Diurnal variation of methane emissions from an alpine wetland on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Alpine wetland is a source for CH₄, but little is known about methane emission from such wetland, especially about its diurnal pattern. In this study we tried to probe the diurnal variation in methane emission from alpine wetland vegetation. The average methane emission rate was 9.6 ± 3.4 mg CH₄ m^???2 h^???1. There was an apparent diurnal variation pattern in methane emission with one minor peak at 06:00 and a major one at 15:00. The sunrise peak was consistent with a two-way transport mechanism for plants (convective at daytime and diffusive at night-time). CH₄ emission was found significantly correlated with redox potentials. The afternoon peak could not be explained by diurnal variation in soil temperature, but could be attributable to changes in CH₄ oxidation and production driven by plant gas transport mechanism. The results have important implications for sampling and scaling strategies for estimating methane emission from alpine wetlands.     

Flux estimates from soil methanogenesis and methanotrophy: Landfills,rice paddies,natural wetlands and aerobic soils

Present and future annual methane flux estimates out of landfills, rice paddies and natural wetlands, as well as the sorption capacity of aerobic soils for atmospheric methane, are assessed. The controlling factors and uncertainties with regard to soil methanogenesis and methanotrophy are also briefly discussed.The actual methane emission rate out of landfills is estimated at about 40 Tg yr^–1. Changes in waste generation, waste disposal and landfill management could have important consequences on future methane emissions from waste dumps. If all mitigating options can be achieved towards the year 2015, the CH₄ emission rate could be reduced to 13 Tg yr^–1. Otherwise, the emission rate from landfills could increase to 63 Tg yr^–1 by the year 2025. Methane emission from rice paddies is estimated at 60 Tg yr^–1. The predicted increase of rice production between the years 1990 and 2025 could cause an increase of the CH₄ emission rate to 78 Tg yr^–1 by the year 2025. When mitigating options are taken, the emission rate could be limited to 56 Tg yr^–1. The methane emission rate from natural wetlands is about 110 Tg yr^–1. Because changes in the expanse of natural wetland area are difficult to assess, it is assumed that methane emission from natural wetlands would remain constant during the next 100 years. Because of uncertainties with regard to large potential soil sink areas (e.g. savanna, tundra and desert), the global sorption capacity of aerobic soils for atmospheric methane is not completely clear. The actual estimate is 30 Tg yr^–1.In general, the net contribution of soils and landfills to atmospheric methane is estimated at 180 Tg yr^–1 (210 Tg yr^–1 emission, 30 Tg yr^–1 sorption). This is 36% of the global annual methane flux (500 Tg yr^–1).     

CH4 and CO emissions from rice straw burning in South East Asia

Atmospheric samples collected during rice straw burning at four different locations in Viet-Nam during the dry (March 1992, February 1993) and wet season (August 1992) were analysed for CO₂, CO, and CH₄. The emission ratios relative to CO₂ for CO and CH₄ for rice straw burning during the dry season were comparable to those observed on samples collected during burning of savanna in Africa or forest in the USA. During the wet season, however the emission ratios for CO and CH₄ relative to CO₂ were 3 to 10 times higher. With these emission ratios and estimates of rice production from Southeastern Asia, we estimated that burning of rice straw emits annually about 2.2 Tmol of CO (26 TgC) and 0.2 Tmol of CH₄ (2.4 TgC) to the atmosphere. Taking into account these new results, CO and CH₄ fluxes from biomass burning could be reevaluated by 5–21% and 5–24%, respectively, in respect with previous estimates of these gas emissions from all biomass burning activities.     

Investigation on Temporal Variation in Methane Emission from Different Rice Cultivars under the Influence of Weeds

A study of temporal variation in methane efflux from the rice-fields indicated that weeds could modulate the CH4 emission by transporting atmospheric O2 more efficiently than rice plants to the rhizosphere, which suppressed CH4 formation in the oxic condition, inhibiting methanogenic activity. A more oxic environment in the sediment was reflected by the higher redox potential in the weed growing plots. Besides, cultivar differences in methane efflux might be attributed to various plant activities, more importantly root exudation, development of aerenchyma and the biomass. Peak emission of CH4 at the flowering stage in all the rice cultivars was associated with maximum extension of root mat, releasing exudates, which serve as carbon source for the methanogenic bacteria for CH4 formation.     

Fluxes and pools of methane in wetland rice soils with varying organic inputs

Measurements of methane emission rates and concentrations in the soil were made during four growing seasons at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, on plots receiving different levels of organic input. Fluxes were measured using the automated closed chambers system (total emission) and small chambers installed between plants (water surface flux). Concentrations of methane in the soil were measured by collecting soil cores including the gas phase (soil-entrapped methane) and by sampling soil solution in situ (dissolved methane). There was much variability between seasons, but total fluxes from plots receiving high organic inputs (16–24 g CH₄ m^–2) always exceeded those from the low input plots (3–9 g CH₄ m^–2). The fraction of the total emission emerging from the surface water (presumably dominated by ebullition) was greater during the first part of the season, and greater from the high organic input plots (35–62%) than from the low input plots (15–23%). Concentrations of dissolved and entrapped methane in the low organic input plots increased gradually throughout the season; in the high input plots there was an early-season peak which was also seen in emissions. On both treatments, periods of high methane concentrations in the soil coincided with high rates of water surface flux whereas low concentrations of methane were generally associated with low flux rates.     

Methane emissions from ricefields as affected by organic amendment, water regime, crop establishment, and rice cultivar

Methane fluxes from Beijing ricefields as affected by organic amendment, water regime, crop establishment method, and rice cultivar were measured with a closed chamber method in 1990, 1991, 1995, and 1996. Total fluxes from plots receiving high organic amendment always exceeded those from the low-input plots. Compared with continuous flooding, intermittent irrigation (there were a few days of no standing water between two irrigations) and constant moisture (the field had no standing water, but remained saturated) reduced methane emission rate by 25.4 and 58.4%, respectively. Methane flux from a dry-seeded rice field was 75.2% lower than from a transplanted ricefield although both dry-seeded rice plots and transplanted ricefields were initially flooded at the same time. Rice cultivars differed in methane emission rates by 9.0–55.7%. Emission rates were positively correlated with aboveground dry matter production and root weight, but not grain yield. Intermittent irrigation and rice cultivar seem to be the most promising methods for mitigating methane emission from ricefields; they do not affect rice yield and are easily implemented at the farm level.     

Enteric methane mitigation technologies for ruminant livestock: a synthesis of current research and future directions

Enteric methane (CH₄) emission in ruminants, which is produced via fermentation of feeds in the rumen and lower digestive tract by methanogenic archaea, represents a loss of 2% to 12% of gross energy of feeds and contributes to global greenhouse effects. Globally, about 80 million tonnes of CH₄ is produced annually from enteric fermentation mainly from ruminants. Therefore, CH₄ mitigation strategies in ruminants have focused to obtain economic as well as environmental benefits. Some mitigation options such as chemical inhibitors, defaunation, and ionophores inhibit methanogenesis directly or indirectly in the rumen, but they have not confirmed consistent effects for practical use. A variety of nutritional amendments such as increasing the amount of grains, inclusion of some leguminous forages containing condensed tannins and ionophore compounds in diets, supplementation of low-quality roughages with protein and readily fermentable carbohydrates, and addition of fats show promise for CH₄ mitigation. These nutritional amendments also increase the efficiency of feed utilization and, therefore, are most likely to be adopted by farmers. Several new potential technologies such as use of plant secondary metabolites, probiotics and propionate enhancers, stimulation of acetogens, immunization, CH₄ oxidation by methylotrophs, and genetic selection of low CH₄-producing animals have emerged to decrease CH₄ production, but these require extensive research before they can be recommended to livestock producers. The use of bacteriocins, bacteriophages, and development of recombinant vaccines targeting archaeal-specific genes and cell surface proteins may be areas worthy of investigation for CH₄ mitigation as well. A combination of different CH₄ mitigation strategies should be adopted in farm levels to substantially decrease methane emission from ruminants. Evidently, comprehensive research is needed to explore proven and reliable CH₄ mitigation technologies that would be practically feasible and economically viable while improving ruminant production.     

Biotic landfill cover treatments for mitigating methane emissions

Landfill methane (CH₄) emissions have been cited as one ofthe anthropogenic gas releases that can and should be controlledto reduce global climate change. This article reviews recent research that identifies ways to enhance microbial consumptionof the gas in the aerobic portion of a landfill cover. Use of these methods can augment CH₄ emission reductions achievedby gas collection or provide a sole means to consume CH₄ atsmall landfills that do not have active gas collection systems.Field studies indicate that high levels of CH₄ removal can be achieved by optimizing natural soil microbial processes. Further, during biotic conversion, not all of the CH₄ carbonis converted to carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas and released to theatmosphere; some of it will be sequestered in microbial biomass.Because biotic covers can employ residuals from other municipalprocesses, financial benefits can also accrue from avoided costsfor residuals disposal.     

Anthropogenic emissions of methane and nitrous oxide in the Federal Republic of Germany

The anthropogenic emission sources of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) in the Federal Republic of Germany were investigated. The object of the recently completed first phase of this research project was to summarize the present knowledge about the emission sources, make a first rough estimate of the emissions, identify the need for further research in the field, and - as far as possible - discuss the existing possibilities to reduce emissions. The main CH₄ emission sources identified are the landfills, stock farming and pit mining, the main N₂O sources are agriculture (including a minor contribution from animal wastes) and the production of adipic acid, the latter possibly being reducible by means of a new catalytic process. The total anthropogenic emissions of CH₄ from Germany are estimated at 5.4 – 7.7 million tonnes per year, contributing a share of roughly 2 % to the world-wide anthropogenic emissions (350 million t/a). Those of N₂O are estimated at 200 000 – 280 000 tonnes per year (world-wide 1.4 – 6.5 million t/a).     

Dissolved methane in Indian freshwater reservoirs

Emission of methane (CH₄), a potent greenhouse gas, from tropical reservoirs is of interest because such reservoirs experience conducive conditions for CH₄ production through anaerobic microbial activities. It has been suggested that Indian reservoirs have the potential to emit as much as 33.5 MT of CH₄ per annum to the atmosphere. However, this estimate is based on assumptions rather than actual measurements. We present here the first data on dissolved CH₄ concentrations from eight freshwater reservoirs in India, most of which experience seasonal anaerobic conditions and CH₄ buildup in the hypolimnia. However, strong stratification prevents the CH₄-rich subsurface layers to ventilate CH₄ directly to the atmosphere, and surface water CH₄ concentrations in these reservoirs are generally quite low (0.0028–0.305 μM). Moreover, only in two small reservoirs substantial CH₄ accumulation occurred at depths shallower than the level where water is used for power generation and irrigation, and in the only case where measurements were made in the outflowing water, CH₄ concentrations were quite low. In conjunction with short periods of CH₄ accumulation and generally lower concentrations than previously assumed, our study implies that CH₄ emission from Indian reservoirs has been greatly overestimated.     

Multisource emission retrieval within a biogas plant based on inverse dispersion calculations—a real-life example

Open digestate storage tanks were identified as one of the main methane (CH₄) emitters of a biogas plant. The main purpose of this paper is to determine these emission rates using an inverse dispersion technique in conjunction with open-path tunable diode laser spectroscopy (OP-TDLS) concentration measurements for multisource reconstruction. Since the condition number, a measure of “ill-conditioned” matrices, strongly influences the accuracy of source reconstruction, it is used as a diagnostic of error sensitivity. The investigations demonstrate that the condition number for a given source-sensor configuration in the highly disturbed flow field within the plant significantly depends on the meteorological conditions (e.g., wind speed, stratification, wind direction, etc.). The CH₄ emissions are retrieved by removing unrepresentative periods with high condition numbers, which indicate uncertainty in recovering the individual sources. In a final step, the CH₄ emissions are compared with the maximum biological methane potential (BMP) in the digestate analyzed under laboratory conditions. The retrieved methane emission rates represent an average of 50 % of the maximum BMP of the stored digestate in the winter months, while they comprised an average of 85 % during the measurement campaigns in the summer months. The results indicate that the open tanks have the potential to represent a substantial emission source even during colder periods.     

Development of Spatial and Temporal Emission Inventory for Crop Residue Field Burning

Accurate emission inventory (EI) is the foremost requirement for air quality management. Specifically, air quality modeling requires EI with adequate spatial and temporal distributions. The development of such EI is always challenging, especially for sporadic emission sources such as biomass open burning. The country of Thailand produces a large amount of various crops annually, of which rough (unmilled) rice alone accounted for over 30 million tonnes in 2007. The crop residues are normally burned in the field that generates large emissions of air pollutants and climate forcers. We present here an attempt at a multipollutant EI for crop residue field burning in Thailand. Available country-specific and regional primary data were thoroughly scrutinized to select the most realistic values for the best, low and high emission estimates. In the base year of 2007, the best emission estimates in Gigagrams were as follows: particulate matter as PM_2.5, 128; particulate matter as PM₁₀, 143; sulfur dioxide (SO₂), 4; carbon dioxide (CO₂), 21,400; carbon monoxide (CO), 1,453; oxides of nitrogen (NO_x), 42; ammonia (NH₃), 59; methane (CH₄), 132; non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), 108; elemental carbon (EC), 10; and organic carbon (OC), 54. Rice straw burning was by far the largest contributor to the total emissions, especially during the dry season and in the central part of the country. Only a limited number of EIs for crop residue open burning were reported for Thailand but with significant discrepancies. Our best estimates were comparable but generally higher than other studies. Analysis for emission uncertainty, taking into account possible variations in activity data and emission factors, shows considerable gaps between low and high estimates. The difference between the low and high EI estimates for particulate matter and for particulate EC and OC varied between −80% and +80% while those for CO₂ and CO varied between −60% and +230%. Further, the crop production data of Thailand were used as a proxy to disaggregate the emissions to obtain spatial (76 provinces) and temporal (monthly) distribution. The provincial emissions were also disaggregated on a 0.1° × 0.1° grid net and to hourly profiles that can be directly used for dispersion modeling.     

A comparison of emission calculations using different modeled indicators with 1-year online measurements

The overall measurement of farm level greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in dairy production is not feasible, from either an engineering or administrative point of view. Instead, computational model systems are used to generate emission inventories, demanding a validation by measurement data. This paper tests the GHG calculation of the dairy farm-level optimization model DAIRYDYN, including methane (CH₄) from enteric fermentation and managed manure. The model involves four emission calculation procedures (indicators), differing in the aggregation level of relevant input variables. The corresponding emission factors used by the indicators range from default per cow (activity level) emissions up to emission factors based on feed intake, manure amount, and milk production intensity. For validation of the CH₄ accounting of the model, 1-year CH₄ measurements of an experimental free-stall dairy farm in Germany are compared to model simulation results. An advantage of this interdisciplinary study is given by the correspondence of the model parameterization and simulation horizon with the experimental farm’s characteristics and measurement period. The results clarify that modeled emission inventories (2,898, 4,637, 4,247, and 3,600 kg CO₂-eq. cow^?1 year^?1) lead to more or less good approximations of online measurements (average 3,845 kg CO₂-eq. cow^?1 year^?1 (±275 owing to manure management)) depending on the indicator utilized. The more farm-specific characteristics are used by the GHG indicator; the lower is the bias of the modeled emissions. Results underline that an accurate emission calculation procedure should capture differences in energy intake, owing to milk production intensity as well as manure storage time. Despite the differences between indicator estimates, the deviation of modeled GHGs using detailed indicators in DAIRYDYN from on-farm measurements is relatively low (between ?6.4 % and 10.5 %), compared with findings from the literature.     

Formation and Emission of N2O and CH4 from Compost Heaps of Organic Household Waster

Composting can be a source of N₂O andCH₄ production. In this investigation, differentcompost heaps of organic household waste weremonitored with the focus on potential formation ofCH₄ and N₂O in the heaps and emission ofthese gases from the heaps. The studied compost heapshad different compost ages, turning intervals andcompost sizes. The analysed compost gases containedbetween 1–3421 L of N₂O-N L^-1 and 0–470 mL of CH₄ L^-1. The emission rates ofN₂O and CH₄ from the compost heaps werebetween 1–1464 mg N₂O m^-2 day^-1 and0–119 000 mg CH₄ m^-2 day^-1. These verylarge differences in compost gas composition andemission indicate the importance of compostmanagement. The results also give an understanding ofwhere in the composting process an increasing emissionof N₂O and CH₄ can occur.     

Greenhouse gas emissions from forestry,land-use changes,and agriculture in Tanzania

The purpose of the study was to identify and quantify anthropogenic sources and sinks of greenhouse gases from forestry, land-use changes and agriculture in Tanzania. The 1990 inventory revealed that, in the land-use sector, methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) are the primary gases emitted. Enteric fermentation in livestock production systems is the largest source of CH₄. Although deforestation results in greenhouse gas emissions, the managed forests of Tanzania are a major CO₂ sink.     

Methane fluxes in aerobic soils

Aerobic soils are an important sink for methane (CH₄), contributing up to 15% of global CH₄ destruction. However, the sink strength is significantly affected by land management, nitrogen (N) fertilizers and acidity. The rates of uptake from the atmosphere of both enhanced (10 ppmv) and ambient (2 ppmv) concentrations of CH₄ were measured in laboratory incubations of soil cores under controlled conditions taken from sites in the U.K. and Germany. The most rapid rates of uptake were measured in soil from deciduous woodland at pH 4 (measured in water). Extended (150 years) cultivation of land for arable crops reduced uptake rate by 85% compared to that in the same soil under an adjacent woodland. The long-term application of ammonium (NH₄)-based fertilizer, but not nitrate (NO₃)-based fertilizer, completely inhibited CH₄ uptake, but the application for the same period of farmyard manure (FYM) that contained more N than the fertilizer had no inhibitory effect. Where a combination of FYM and inorganic fertilizer was applied there was a reduction in methane uptake rate compared to plots receiving solely FYM.Autoclaving showed that the uptake of CH₄ was microbially mediated. The most likely causes of the inhibitory effects seen are (i) insufficient concentrations of CH₄ in situ to activate methane monooxygenase; (ii) the direct inhibition of CH₄ oxidation by NH _inf4 ^sup+ ions; (iii) the suppression of methanotrophs by NH₄-based fertilizers; (iv) the requirement of methanotrophs for a stable soil architecture which is incompatible with the disturbance caused by regular arable cultivation.     

Fuel characteristics and emissions from biomass burning and land-use change in Nigeria

Nigeria is one of the 13 low-latitude countries that have significant biomass burning activities. Biomass burning occurs in moist savanna, dry forests, and forest plantations. Fires in the forest zone are associated with slash-and-burn agriculture; the areal extent of burning is estimated to be 80% of the natural savanna. In forest plantations, close to 100% of litter is burned. Current estimates of emissions from land-use change are based on a 1976 national study and extrapolations from it. The following non-carbon dioxide (CO₂) trace gas emissions were calculated from savanna burning: methane (CH₄), 145 gigagrams (Gg); carbon monoxide (CO), 3831 Gg; nitrous oxide (N₂O), 2 Gg; and nitrogen oxides (NO_x), 49 Gg. Deforestation rates in forests and woodlands are 300 × 10³ ha (kilohectare, or kha) and 200 × kha per year, respectively. Trace gas emissions from deforestation were estimated to be 300 Gg CH₄, 2.4 Gg N₂O, and 24 Gg NO_x. CO₂ emissions from burning, decay of biomass, and long-term emissions from soil totaled 125 561 Gg. These estimates should be viewed as preliminary, because greenhouse gas emission inventories from burning, deforestation, and land-use change require two components: fuel load and emission factors. Fuel load is dependent on the areal extent of various land uses, and the biomass stocking and some of these data in Nigeria are highly uncertain.     

Greenhouse gas mitigation in rice–wheat system with leaf color chart-based urea application

Conventional blanket application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer results in more loss of N from soil system and emission of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas (GHG). The leaf color chart (LCC) can be used for real-time N management and synchronizing N application with crop demand to reduce GHG emission. A 1-year study was carried out to evaluate the impact of conventional and LCC-based urea application on emission of nitrous oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide in a rice–wheat system of the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. Treatments consisted of LCC scores of ≤4 and 5 for rice and wheat and were compared with conventional fixed-time N splitting schedule. The LCC-based urea application reduced nitrous oxide emission in rice and wheat. Application of 120 kg N per hectare at LCC ≤ 4 decreased nitrous oxide emission by 16% and methane by 11% over the conventional split application of urea in rice. However, application of N at LCC ≤ 5 increased nitrous oxide emission by 11% over the LCC ≤ 4 treatment in rice. Wheat reduction of nitrous oxide at LCC ≤ 4 was 18% as compared to the conventional method. Application of LCC-based N did not affect carbon dioxide emission from soil in rice and wheat. The global warming potential (GWP) were 12,395 and 13,692 kg CO₂ ha⁻¹ in LCC ≤ 4 and conventional urea application, respectively. Total carbon fixed in conventional urea application in rice–wheat system was 4.89 Mg C ha⁻¹ and it increased to 5.54 Mg C ha⁻¹ in LCC-based urea application (LCC ≤ 4). The study showed that LCC-based urea application can reduce GWP of a rice–wheat system by 10.5%.