农田土壤自养微生物碳同化潜力及其功能基因数量、关键酶活性分析

研究农田土壤自养微生物碳同化潜力,对全面认识农田生态系统碳吸收和碳储存有着重要意义.选取6种典型农田土壤,通过14C连续标记示踪技术结合密闭系统模拟培养,量化了土壤自养微生物碳同化潜力及其向土壤活性碳库组分转化,同时结合分子生物学技术及酶学分析方法,探讨了不同土壤自养微生物细菌固碳功能基因(cbbL)丰度及关键酶(RubisCO)活性.结果表明,土壤自养微生物具有可观的CO2同化潜力,在本实验条件下,全球每年表层(0~20 cm)土壤通过自养微生物的同化作用可固定的碳为0.57~7.3 Pg.供试土壤的14C土壤有机碳(14C-SOC)含量范围为10.63~133.81 mg·kg-1,而14C可溶性有机碳(14C-DOC)、14C微生物生物量碳(14C-MBC)含量范围分别为0.96~8.10 mg·kg-1、1.70~49.16 mg·kg-1.土壤可溶解性有机碳(DOC)、微生物量碳(MBC)和SOC的更新率分别为5.07%~14.3%、2.51%~13.12%和0.09%~0.64%.土壤细菌cbbL丰度范围为2.40×107~1.9×108copies·g-1,且RubisCO酶活性(CO2/soil)范围为34.06~71.86 nmol·(g·min)-1.相关分析表明,土壤14C-SOC与14C-MBC及RubisCO酶活性均呈极显著正相关关系(P<0.01).说明土壤对大气CO2的同化作用主要是由自养微生物参与的同化过程,且较高的RubisCO酶活性意味着较高的自养微生物CO2同化潜力.     

Is CO2 flux from oil palm plantations on peatland controlled by soil moisture and/or soil and air temperatures?

Measurements of carbon dioxide (CO₂) flux at the soil surface of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations on peatlands typically exhibit considerable temporal and spatial variation, which challenges the derivation of emission factors required in land use discussions. We tested 20 cm surface soil moisture content, and the diurnal patterns in soil and air temperatures as CO₂ flux controls during an annual measurement schedule in a 15-year-old oil palm plantation in Jambi Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. A total of 480 CO₂ flux measurements were obtained using an Infrared Gas Analyser (IRGA) at six different time intervals each day. Samples were recorded at 20 observation points distributed along four transects located 15, 42, 50, 70, and 84 m from the edge of the drainage canal. Results showed CO₂ flux exhibited no relationship to soil and air temperature, however values tended to increase with volumetric soil moisture content; the highest annual flux of 55 Mg ha^?1 yr^?1 was observed at mid-day, when air temperature was highest, and lowest at dawn when soil and air temperatures were lowest. CO₂ flux decreased consistent with distance from the drainage canal, suggesting a higher flux with a deeper water table. This result indicates a shallow water table must be maintained. The annual mean CO₂ flux of 46?±?30 Mg CO₂ ha^?1 yr^?1 was comparable to other studies, and can be set as a baseline emissions factor for areas with similar land use and peat characteristics.     

Annual cycles of physical and biological properties in an uncultivated and an irrigated soil in the San Joaquin Valley of California

The temperature, moisture and CO₂ content of an uncultivated and an irrigated soil in the western San Joaquin Valley of California were monitored for more than 1 year in order to determine the degree to which irrigated agriculture affected the annual variations of these important ecological properties. The uncultivated soil underwent strong seasonal changes in moisture and CO₂, the highest values being obtained in the late winter and early spring and the lowest occuring in the late summer and early autumn. In contrast, as adequate moisture for biological activity was available year round in the irrigated soil, the CO₂ levels varied in response to variations in temperature. The organic C content of the irrigated soil was half that of the uncultivated soil (1.8 versus 3.6 kg m⁻²), presumably owing to an enhanced level of organic matter decomposition in the irrigated soil. Calculated annual rates of soil respiration for the two soils were nearly identical (0.25 g m⁻² h⁻¹). Based on estimates of annual biomass production in the uncultivated soil, it was estimated that the mean residence time of soil organic matter was approximately 61 years. Although this estimate indicates a relatively rapid turnover of C, it is consistent with previous work indicating rapid nutrient cycling in annual grasslands.     

Soil moisture determines the effectiveness of two urease inhibitors to decrease N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emission

Among the mitigation strategies to prevent nitrogen (N) losses from ureic fertilizers, urease inhibitors (UIs) have been demonstrated to promote high N use efficiency by reducing ammonia (NH₃) volatilization. In the last few years, some field experiments have also shown its effectiveness in reducing nitrous oxide (N₂O) losses from fertilized soils under conditions of low soil moisture. An incubation experiment was carried out with the aim of assessing the main biotic mechanisms behind N₂O emissions once that the UIs N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamid (NBPT) and phenil phosphorodiamidate (PPDA) were applied with Urea (U) under different soil moisture conditions (40, 60 and 80 % water-filled pore space, WFPS). In the same study we tried to analyze to what extent soil WFPS regulates the effect of these inhibitors on N₂O emissions. The use of PPDA in our study allowed us to compare the effect of NBPT with that of another commercially available urease inhibitor, aiming to see if the results were inhibitor-specific or not. Based on the results from this experiment, a WFPS (i.e. 60 %) was chosen for a second study (i.e. mesocosm experiment) aiming to assess the efficiency of the UIs to indirectly affect N₂O emissions through influencing the pool of soil mineral N. The N₂O emissions at 40 % WFPS were almost negligible, being significantly lower from all fertilized treatments than that produced at 60 and 80 % WFPS. When compared to U alone, NBPT+U reduced the N₂O emissions at 60 % WFPS but had no effect at 80 % WFPS. The application of PPDA significantly increased the emissions with respect to U at 80 % WFPS whereas no significant effect was found at 60 %. At 80 % WFPS, denitrification was the main source of N₂O emissions for all treatments. In the mesocosm study, the application of NBPT+U was an effective strategy to reduce N₂O emissions (75 % reduction compared to U alone), due to a lower soil ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) content induced by the inhibitor. These results suggest that adequate management of the UI NBPT could provide, under certain soil conditions, an opportunity for mitigation of N₂O emissions from fertilized soils.     

外源碳和氮输入对降水变化下土壤呼吸的短期影响

利用野外原位小区控制试验,模拟研究了降水变化下草地生态系统土壤呼吸对外源碳和氮输入的响应.在2014年,以内蒙古锡林河流域温带典型草原为研究对象,测定了增加降水处理（CK）、增加降水配施氮肥处理[CN,2.5 g·（m²·a）^-1]、增加降水配施碳源处理[CG,24 g·（m²·a）^-1]和增加降水配施氮肥和碳源处理[CNG,2.5 g·（m²·a）^-1+24 g·（m²·a）^-1]下土壤呼吸的变化,并分析了土壤呼吸与土壤温度、土壤水分、土壤可溶性有机碳（DOC）、土壤微生物量碳（MBC）之间的关系.结果表明,在自然降水较多的第一次增加降水（FWE）阶段,CG处理和CNG处理168 h土壤CO₂累积通量显著增加,而CN处理168 h土壤CO₂累积通量无显著变化,并且CG处理和CNG处理土壤MBC含量显著高于CK处理和CN处理,同时,该阶段平均CO₂释放速率与土壤MBC含量正相关（P<0.05）.与FWE阶段相比,无自然降水的第二次增加降水（SWE）阶段各处理168 h土壤CO₂累积释放量显著降低,并且各处理MBC含量也显著降低（P<0.05）,仅有土壤DOC含量显著增加（P<0.05）,CG处理和CN处理168 h土壤CO₂累积通量显著降低（P<0.05）.两个降水阶段土壤呼吸速率与土壤温度或土壤体积含水量均有显著的正相关性（P<0.05）.因此,自然降水的分布对土壤水分的影响调控着外源氮和碳对半干旱草地生态系统土壤呼吸的作用效应.     

土壤自养微生物同化碳向土壤有机碳库输入的定量研究：14C连续标记法

自养微生物在土壤中广泛存在,但其CO2同化能力及其向土壤碳库的输入机制尚不明确.应用14C连续标记示踪技术,选取亚热带区4种典型稻田土壤在密闭系统模拟培养,探讨了土壤自养微生物同化碳向土壤碳库的输入过程和机制及其对土壤碳库活性组分的影响.结果表明,土壤微生物具有客观的CO2同化能力.标记培养110 d后,供试土壤的14C-SOC含量范围为69.06～133.81 mg.kg-1,而14C-DOC、14C-MBC含量范围为2.54～8.10 mg.kg-1、19.50～49.16 mg.kg-1.土壤自养微生物同化碳(14C-SOC)与其微生物截留碳(14C-MBC)呈极显著的正相关关系.土壤可溶解性有机碳(DOC)、微生物量碳(MBC)和SOC的更新率分别为5.65%～24.91%、4.23%～20.02%和0.58%～0.92%.而且,土壤自养微生物同化碳的输入对土壤活性碳组分的DOC、MBC含量变化影响较大,而对SOC影响较小.对微生物在土壤碳循环过程的基本功能的认识在本研究中得以丰富和加深.     

秸秆与氮肥配比对农田土壤内外源碳释放的影响

秸秆配施氮肥调节C/N比不仅影响外源秸秆的矿化,也影响内源土壤有机碳（SOC）的分解（即激发效应）,因此研究秸秆与氮肥配比对土壤内外源有机碳分解的影响,对于农田温室气体减排和土壤肥力提升具有双重意义.本研究以山东桓台农田土壤为研究对象,为了探究秸秆与氮肥的配比对秸秆与SOC分解的影响,在不同氮肥水平下,采用¹³C标记玉米秸秆进行室内土壤培养32周,设置4个处理：CK、秸秆（S）、秸秆+低量尿素（SN1）和秸秆+高量尿素（SN2）.在整个培养期进行16次动态取样,借助¹³C两元线性模型,拆分土壤释放CO₂中源于秸秆和SOC的比例.结果表明,随着培养时间的进行,SOC分解对土壤释放CO₂的贡献呈先减少后升高的趋势,相反,秸秆矿化对土壤释放CO₂的贡献呈先升高后减少的趋势,到培养期末,SOC和秸秆分解对土壤CO₂释放的贡献分别为0.84~0.86和0.14~0.16;在整个培养期,施氮对秸秆累计分解的影响呈先增加后减少的趋势,高氮和低氮施用对秸秆分解的促进程度最高分别为15.8%和7.9%,经历整个培养期,低氮抑制秸秆幅度达到7.1%,而高氮呈轻度促进秸秆分解的趋势（0.7%）.在整个培养期,秸秆配施不同氮量对SOC矿化的激发效应程度呈先升高后降低趋势,在第7 d取样达到最高为55%~148%,并且随着施氮量增加而升高,随着培养时间的进行,各处理的激发效应程度趋于相等,约为50%.因此,秸秆配施氮肥调节C：N不仅影响外源秸秆对SOC的贡献,也影响内源SOC的分解,进而影响土壤碳的固持,经过整个培养期,土壤残留秸秆碳不能完全补偿因激发效应导致SOC的损失,导致SOC库的净亏损.     

Effect of light supply on CO2 capture from atmosphere by Chlorella vulgaris and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is one of the primary greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Consequently, emission reduction technologies will be needed to reduce CO₂ atmospheric concentration. Microalgae may have an important role in this context. They are photosynthetic microorganisms that are able to fix atmospheric CO₂ using solar energy with efficiency ten times higher than terrestrial plants. The objectives of this study were: (i) to analyse the effect of light supply on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata; (ii) to assess the atmospheric CO₂ capture by these microalgae; and (iii) to determine the parameters of the Monod model that describe the influence of irradiance on the growth of the selected microalgae. Both microalgae presented higher growth rates with high irradiance values and discontinuous light supply. The continuous supply of light at the highest irradiance value was not beneficial for C. vulgaris due to photooxidation. Additionally, C. vulgaris achieved the highest CO₂ fixation rate with the value of 0.305 g-CO₂ L^?1 d^?1. The parameters of the Monod model demonstrated that C. vulgaris can achieve higher specific growth rates (and higher CO₂ fixation rates) if cultivated under higher irradiances than the studied values. The presented results showed that microalgal culture is a promising strategy for CO₂ capture from atmosphere.     

农田土壤碳循环过程及其量化方法

已有研究表明除了作物碳（根际沉积碳和秸秆碳）对农田土壤有机碳（SOC）的输入外，土壤碳还来源于土壤自养微生物固定SOC的贡献以及土壤无机碳（SIC）的固定（无机化学途径和微生物的生物矿化途径）.农田SOC的高低主要受到外源作物碳输入和原有SOC分解的平衡作用.作物碳输入在短期内通常促进SOC的分解，呈现正（根际）激发效应.通过整合分析主要作物的根际激发效应和秸秆还田的激发效应的研究，发现作物根系生长和秸秆还田引起的（根际）激发效应大小平均值分别为75%和67%.尽管秸秆还田通过激发效应引起SOC分解的额外释放，但是土壤残留秸秆碳通常大于激发效应导致SOC的额外损失，因此秸秆还田可能增加SOC的储量.在农田系统中，秸秆碳和根际沉积碳往往共存，这导致土壤碳输入和输出至少有3个碳源（根际沉积碳、秸秆碳和土壤碳），由于多碳源体系的区分方法存在挑战，目前这两种作物碳（根际沉积碳和秸秆碳）对SOC分解的激发效应影响是不清晰的.最后，提出了新量化方法，可以多源区分根际CO₂排放以及SOC中作物碳输入的碳源，以及区分碱性土壤中无机化学和微生物途径对SIC的贡献.研究有助于提高对农田土壤SOC和SIC输入和输出途径的理解，以及农田土壤碳平衡评估的精确度.     

不同母质发育土壤团聚体分布对外源输入秸秆的响应及其与有机碳矿化的关系

土壤团聚体的形成和稳定对于有机碳的转化和积累具有重要意义,然而不同母质发育土壤团聚体对有机碳的物理保护作用及其与有机碳矿化之间的关系仍不清楚.本文以石灰岩、第四纪红土、花岗岩、玄武岩和红砂岩母质发育的典型土壤为对象,研究添加玉米秸秆7 d和184 d时土壤团聚体和各组分有机碳的变化规律,分析不同母质土壤有机碳矿化的主要影响因素.结果表明,不添加秸秆时,所有母质土壤以1.0～0.5、 0.5～0.25和0.25 mm粒级团聚体为主,添加玉米秸秆有效促进了2 mm和2～1 mm粒级团聚体的形成.石灰岩、第四纪红土和玄武岩土壤形成水稳性大团聚体并且保持其稳定的能力高于花岗岩和红砂岩土壤.添加玉米秸秆培养184 d,石灰岩、第四纪红土和玄武岩土壤有机碳的累积矿化率显著(P0.05)低于花岗岩和红砂岩土壤.相关性分析表明,土壤有机碳的累积矿化率与游离态有机碳的比例极显著(P0.01)正相关,而与0.25 mm团聚体有机碳的比例极显著(P0.01)负相关.利用~(13)C核磁共振(~(13)C-NMR)技术对土壤有机碳进行结构表征,结果显示团聚体内轻组有机碳的分解程度低于游离态轻组有机碳,且石灰岩、第四纪红土和玄武岩土壤这两个组分有机碳的分解程度都低于其他母质土壤,直接证实了团聚体对于有机碳的物理保护作用.成土母质通过控制土壤胶体的数量和性质致使团聚体及有机碳分布对输入外源有机物质的响应存在较大差异,进而影响有机碳的矿化.石灰岩、第四纪红土和玄武岩土壤中团聚体稳定性高且对有机碳的保护容量大,有利于有机碳的积累和稳定.     

Modelling impacts of alternative farming management practices on greenhouse gas emissions from a winter wheat–maize rotation system in China

Agricultural production plays an important role in affecting atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Field measurements were conducted in Quzhou County, Hebei Province in the North China Plains to quantify carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from a winter wheat–maize rotation field, a common cropping system across the Chinese agricultural regions. The observed flux data in conjunction with the local climate, soil and management information were utilized to test a process-based model, Denitrification–Decomposition or DNDC, for its applicability for the cropping system. The validated DNDC was then used for predicting impacts of three management alternatives (i.e., no-till, increased crop residue incorporation and reduced fertilizer application rate) on CO₂ and N₂O emissions from the target field. Results from the simulations indicated that (1) CO₂ emissions were significantly affected by temperature, initial SOC, tillage method, and quantity and quality of the organic matter added in the soils; (2) increases in temperature, initial SOC, total fertilizer N input, and manure amendment substantially increased N₂O emissions; and (3) temperature, initial SOC, tillage, and quantity and quality of the organic matter added in the soil all had significant effects on global warming. Finally, five 50-year scenarios were simulated with DNDC to predict their long-term impacts on crop yield, soil C dynamics, nitrate leaching losses, and N₂O emissions. The modelled results suggested that implementation of manure amendment or crop residue incorporation instead of increased fertilizer application rates would more efficiently mitigate GHG emissions from the tested agro-ecosystem. The multi-impacts provided a sound basis for comprehensive assessments on the management alternatives.     

不同耕作方式下土壤水分状况对土壤呼吸的初期影响

以2001年在东北典型黑土上进行的保护性耕作长期定位试验下免耕、垄作及常规耕作土壤进行了室内培养实验,按照田间持水量(water-holding capacity,WHC)的30%、60%、90%、120%、150%、180%、210%、240%、270%设定了9个水分梯度,并分别对其二氧化碳(CO_2)排放量进行了22 d的短期观测,以研究不同耕作方式下土壤水分状况对土壤呼吸的初期影响.结果表明:1干土条件下在加水培养初期,3种耕作方式均产生了明显的激发效应,并且土壤呼吸速率与土壤含水量间存在正相关关系.2除干旱(30%WHC)及淹水(240%WHC、270%WHC)条件下,3种耕作方式CO_2排放通量分别为免耕垄作常规耕作.3对不同耕作方式下土壤水分状况及CO_2排放通量进行了方程拟合,在30%~270%WHC条件下,免耕的CO_2排放通量与水分状况拟合为二次回归方程,而垄作与常规耕作则是线性回归方程.在30%~210%WHC条件下,免耕与垄作下土壤CO_2排放通量与水分状况均可拟合为较好的对数方程,可决系数R~2分别为0.966、0.956.     

Root- and peat-based CO2 emissions from oil palm plantations

Measured carbon dioxide (CO₂) flux from peat soils using the closed chamber technique combines root-related (autotrophic + heterotrophic where rhizosphere organisms are involved) and peat-based (heterotrophic) respiration. The latter contributes to peat loss while the former is linked to recent CO₂ removal through photosynthesis. The objective of this study was to separate root- from peat-based respiration. The study was conducted on peatland under 6 and 15 year old oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations in Jambi Province, Indonesia in 2011 to 2012. CO₂ emissions were measured in the field from 25 cm diameter and 25 cm tall closed chambers using an infrared gas analyser. Root sampling and CO₂ emissions measurements were at distances of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 4.5 m from the centre of the base of the palm tree. The emission rate for the six and 15 year old oil palm plantations at ≥3.0 m from the centre of the tree were 38.2?±?9.5 and 34.1?±?15.9 Mg CO₂ ha^?1 yr^?1, respectively. At distances <2.5 m, total respiration linearly decreased with distances from the trees. Heterotrophic respirations were 86 % of the 44.7?±?11.2 and 71 % of 47.8?±?21.3 Mg CO₂ ha^?1 yr^?1 of weighted surface flux, respectively for the 6 and 15 year old plantations. We propose that CO₂ flux measurements in oil palm plantations made at a distance of ≥3 m from the tree centre be used to represent the heterotrophic respiration that is relevant for the environmental impact assessment.     

Impacts of land use,restoration, and climate change on tropical peat carbon stocks in the twenty-first century: implications for climate mitigation

The climate mitigation potential of tropical peatlands has gained increased attention as Southeast Asian peatlands are being deforested, drained and burned at very high rates, causing globally significant carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions to the atmosphere. We used a process-based dynamic tropical peatland model to explore peat carbon (C) dynamics of several management scenarios within the context of simulated twenty-first century climate change. Simulations of all scenarios with land use, including restoration, indicated net C losses over the twenty-first century ranging from 10 to 100 % of pre-disturbance values. Fire can be the dominant C-loss pathway, particularly in the drier climate scenario we tested. Simulated 100 years of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) cultivation with an initial prescribed burn resulted in 2400–3000 Mg CO₂?ha^?1 total emissions. Simulated restoration following one 25-year oil palm rotation reduced total emissions to 440–1200 Mg CO₂?ha^?1, depending on climate. These results suggest that even under a very optimistic scenario of hydrological and forest restoration and the wettest climate regime, only about one third of the peat C lost to the atmosphere from 25 years of oil palm cultivation can be recovered in the following 75 years if the site is restored. Emissions from a simulated land degradation scenario were most sensitive to climate, with total emissions ranging from 230 to 10,600 Mg CO₂?ha^?1 over 100 years for the wettest and driest dry season scenarios, respectively. The large difference was driven by increased fire probability. Therefore, peat fire suppression is an effective management tool to maintain tropical peatland C stocks in the near term and should be a high priority for climate mitigation efforts. In total, we estimate emissions from current cleared peatlands and peatlands converted to oil palm in Southeast Asia to be 8.7 Gt CO₂ over 100 years with a moderate twenty-first century climate. These emissions could be minimized by effective fire suppression and hydrological restoration.     

缙云山不同林分下土壤有机碳及矿化特征

土壤有机碳库是陆地最大的有机碳储存库,其微弱的变化就能影响大气CO2浓度的显著变化,其中森林土壤碳库约占全球土壤碳库的70%,因此如何实现森林生态系统土壤有机碳库的高效管理成为目前的研究热点.本研究以缙云山5种典型林分:阔叶林、针叶林、针阔叶混交林、竹林及研究区内弃耕15 a的荒草地(对照土壤)为对象,采用矿化培养实验,分析了不同林分的土壤在不同土层(0～20、20～40、40～60、60～100 cm)中的有机碳矿化特征.结果表明,林分类型、培养时长和土层深度均对土壤有机碳矿化速率有显著影响.不同林分土壤有机碳矿化速率均随着土层加深而降低,其中0～20 cm土层的矿化速率[11. 97～25. 12 mg·(kg·d)-1]均显著高于其他土层(P 0. 05),其他土层间矿化速率[4. 79～6. 51mg·(kg·d)-1]无显著性差异. 5种林分的土壤有机碳累积矿化量均随着土层加深而降低,0～20 cm土层中竹林和阔叶林土壤有机碳累积矿化量最高,分别为177. 66 mg·kg~(-1)和120. 38 mg·kg~(-1),随着土层加深在60～100 cm土层中,针叶林累计矿化量最高达到了46. 96 mg·kg~(-1).双库一级动力学方程可以较好地拟合缙云山不同林分下土壤有机碳矿化过程,不同林分下土壤易分解有机碳含量均随土层加深而降低,针叶林土壤矿化能力较强,对难分解有机碳库的利用程度较高,而竹林和阔叶林土壤微生物活性较高,可以有效促进碳循环,提高土壤固碳能力.     

Differential responses of short-term soil respiration dynamics to the experimental addition of nitrogen and water in the temperate semi-arid steppe of Inner Mongolia, China

We examined the effects of simulated rainfall and increasing N supply of different levels on CO2 pulse emission from typical Inner Mongolian steppe soil using the static opaque chamber technique, respectively in a dry June and a rainy August. The treatments included NH4NO3 additions at rates of 0, 5, 10, and 20 g N/（m2.year） with or without water. Immediately after the experimental simulated rainfall events, the CO2 effluxes in the watering plots without N addition （WCK） increased greatly and reached the maximum value at 2 hr. However, the efflux level reverted to the background level within 48 hr. The cumulative CO2 effluxes in the soil ranged from 5.60 to 6.49 g C/m2 over 48 hr after a single water application, thus showing an increase of approximately 148.64% and 48.36% in the efftuxes during both observation periods. By contrast, the addition of different N levels without water addition did not result in a significant change in soil respiration in the short term. Two-way ANOVA showed that the effects of the interaction between water and N addition were insignificant in short-term soil COz efftuxes in the soil. The cumulative soil CO2 fluxes of different treatments over 48 hr accounted for approximately 5.34% to 6.91% and 2.36% to 2.93% of annual C emission in both experimental periods. These results stress the need for improving the sampling frequency after rainfall in future studies to ensure more accurate evaluation of the grassland C emission contribution.     

Mediterranean shrublands carbon sequestration: environmental and economic benefits

To date, only a few attempts have been done to estimate the contribution of Mediterranean ecosystems to the global carbon cycle. Within this context, shrub species, composition and structure of the Mediterranean shrublands developing along the Latium coast (Italy) were analyzed in order to evaluate their contribution to carbon (C) sequestration, also taking into consideration the economic benefits at a national level. The considered shrublands had a shrub density of 1,200?±?500 shrubs ha^?1. Shrubs were classified into small (S), medium (M) and large (L), according to their volume (V) and leaf area index (LAI). The total yearly carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration per species (SC_y) was calculated multiplying the total photosynthetic leaf surface area (spt) of each species by the mean yearly photosynthetic rate and the total yearly photosynthetic activity time (in hours). Q. ilex and A. unedo had the highest SC_y (46.2?±?15.8 kg CO₂ year^?1, mean value), followed by P. latifolia (17.5?±?6.2 kg CO₂ year^?1), E. arborea, E. multiflora, C. incanus, P. lentiscus, R. officinalis, and S. aspera (6.8?±?4.2 kg CO₂ year^?1, mean value). The total yearly CO₂ sequestration per shrub (SC_shy) was 149?±?5 kg CO₂ year^?1 in L, decreasing 30 % in M and 80 % in S shrubs. Taking into account the frequency of S, M and L and their SC_shy, the total CO₂ sequestration of the Mediterranean maquis was quantified in 80 Mg CO₂ ha^?1?year^?1, corresponding to 22 Mg C ha^?1?year^?1. From a monetary viewpoint, this quantity could be valued to more than 500 US$ ha^?1?year^?1. Extending this benefit to the Mediterranean shrublands throughout the whole country, we obtained a nationwide estimated annual benefit in the order of $500 million.     

Assessing the net atmospheric impacts of wood production and utilization

The main objective of the study was to calculate net atmospheric impacts for wood production and utilization in Finnish boreal forest conditions. Net atmospheric impacts were calculated by comparing net CO₂ exchanges of the wood production and utilization to the reference management regime. Net CO₂ exchanges were simulated with a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool for a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand (MT, Myrtillys-type) in central Finland (Joensuu region, 62°39 N, 29°37 E) over two consecutive rotation periods (100?+?100 years/200 years). Net atmospheric impacts were calculated both for sawn timber and pulpwood, and expressed in kgCO₂m^?3. According to the results, the production of pulp and sawn timber produced emissions of 0.20 and 0.59 kgCO₂m^?3 over the 200-year period, respectively, when the unmanagement regime was used as the reference management regime. When 50 % of the processing waste of timber was accounted as an instant emission to the atmosphere, the atmospheric impact increased to 0.55 kgCO₂m^?3 in pulpwood and to 1.27 kgCO₂m^?3 in sawn timber over the 200 year period. When turnover rates of sawn timber in the technosystem were decreased by 30 % and the share of energy use was decreased to 30 %, the atmospheric impact decreased by 17 % and 4 % for pulpwood and sawn timber, respectively, compared to the default wood degradation and energy use of 50 %. The utilized LCA approach provided an effective tool for approaching net atmospheric impacts originating from the ecosystem carbon (C) flows and variable wood utilization. Taking the ecosystem production and utilization of wood (i.e. degradation of technosystem C stock) into account, in terms of net CO₂ exchange, the mitigation possibilities of wood compared to other products can be accounted for more precisely in the future and C sequestration credited more specifically for a certain wood product.     

Greenhouse gas emissions in restored secondary tropical peat swamp forests

Restoration of deforested and drained tropical peat swamp forests is globally relevant in the context of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The seasonal flux of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) in a restoration concession in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, was measured in the two contrasting land covers: shrubs and secondary forests growing on peatlands. We found that land covers had high, but insignificantly different, soil carbon stocks of 949?+?56 and 1126?+?147 Mg ha^?1, respectively. The mean annual CO₂ flux from the soil of shrub areas was 52.4?±?4.1 Mg ha^?1 year^?1, and from secondary peat swamp forests was 42.9?±?3.6 Mg ha^?1 year^?1. The significant difference in mean soil temperature in the shrubs (31.2 °C) and secondary peat swamp forests (26.3 °C) was responsible for the difference in total CO₂ fluxes of these sites. We also found the mean annual total soil respiration was almost equally partitioned between heterotrophic respiration (20.8?+?1.3 Mg ha^?1 year^?1) and autotrophic respiration (22.6?+?1.5 Mg ha^?1 year^?1). Lowered ground water level up to ??40 cm in both land covers caused the increase of CO₂ fluxes to 40–75%. These numbers contribute to the provision of emission factors for rewetted organic soils required in the national reporting using the 2013 Supplement of the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for wetlands as part of the obligation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

     

Greenhouse gas emission factors for land use and land-use change in Southeast Asian peatlands

Tropical peat swamp forests, which are predominantly located in Southeast Asia (SEA) and play a prominent role as a global carbon store, are being intensively degraded and converted to agricultural lands and tree plantations. For national inventories, updated estimates of peat emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from land use (LU) and land-use change in the tropics are required. In this context, we reviewed the scientific literature and calculated emission factors of peat net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) in seven representative LU categories for SEA i.e. intact peat swamp forest, degraded forest (logged, drained and affected by fire), mixed croplands and shrublands, rice fields, oil palm, Acacia crassicarpa and sago palm plantations. Peat net CO₂ uptake from or emissions to the atmosphere were assessed using a mass balance approach. The balance included main peat C inputs through litterfall and root mortality and outputs via organic matter mineralization and dissolved organic carbon. Peat net CO₂ loss rate from degraded forest, croplands and shrublands, rice fields, oil palm, A. crassicarpa and sago palm plantations amounted to 19.4?±?9.4, 41.0?±?6.7, 25.6?±?11.5, 29.9?±?10.6, 71.8?±?12.7 and 5.2?±?5.1 Mg CO₂ ha^?1 y^?1, respectively. Total peat GHG losses amounted to 20.9?±?9.4, 43.8?±?6.8, 36.1?±?12.9, 30.4?±?10.6, 72?±?12.8 and 8.6?±?5.3 Mg CO₂-equivalent ha^?1 y^?1 in the same LU categories, respectively. A single land-clearing fire would result in additional emissions of 493.6?±?156.0 Mg CO₂-equivalent ha^?1.