Carbon sequestration in soils of SW-Germany as affected by agricultural management—Calibration of the EPIC model for regional simulations

Global emissions trading allows for agricultural measures to be accounted for the carbon sequestration in soils. The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model was tested for central European site conditions by means of agricultural extensification scenarios. Results of soil and management analyses of different management systems (cultivation with mouldboard plough, reduced tillage, and grassland/fallow establishment) on 13 representative sites in the German State Baden-Württemberg were used to calibrate the EPIC model. Calibration results were compared to those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) prognosis tool. The first calibration step included adjustments in (a) N depositions, (b) N₂-fixation by bacteria during fallow, and (c) nutrient content of organic fertilisers according to regional values. The mixing efficiency of implements used for reduced tillage and four crop parameters were adapted to site conditions as a second step of the iterative calibration process, which should optimise the agreement between measured and simulated humus changes. Thus, general rules were obtained for the calibration of EPIC for different criteria and regions. EPIC simulated an average increase of +0.341 Mg humus-C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ for on average 11.3 years of reduced tillage compared to land cultivated with mouldboard plough during the same time scale. Field measurements revealed an average increase of +0.343 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ and the IPCC prognosis tool +0.345 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹. EPIC simulated an average increase of +1.253 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ for on average 10.6 years of grassland/fallow establishment compared to an average increase of +1.342 Mg humus-C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ measured by field measurements and +1.254 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ according to the IPCC prognosis tool. The comparison of simulated and measured humus C stocks was r² ≥ 0.825 for all treatments. However, on some sites deviations between simulated and measured results were considerable. The result for the simulation of yields was similar. In 49% of the cases the simulated yields differed from the surveyed ones by more than 20%. Some explanations could be found by qualitative cause analyses. Yet, for quantitative analyses the available information from farmers was not sufficient. Altogether EPIC is able to represent the expected changes by reduced tillage or grassland/fallow establishment acceptably under central European site conditions of south-western Germany.     

Modeling carbon sequestration under zero tillage at the regional scale. I. The effect of soil erosion

Zero tillage is recognized as a potential measure to sequester carbon dioxide in soils and to reduce CO₂ emissions from arable lands. An up-scaling approach of the output of the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model with the information system SLISYS-BW has been used to estimate the CO₂-mitigation potential in the state of Baden-Württemberg (SW-Germany). The state territory of 35,742 km² is subdivided into eight agro-ecological zones (AEZ), which have been further subdivided into a total of 3976 spatial response units. Annual CO₂-mitigation rates where estimated from the changes in soil organic carbon content comparing 30 years simulations under conventional and zero tillage. Special attention was given to the influence of tillage practices on the losses of organic carbon through soil erosion, and consequently on the calculation of CO₂-mitigation rates. Under conventional tillage, mean carbon losses through erosion in the AEZ were estimated to be up to 0.45 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹. The apparent CO₂-mitigation rate for the conversion from conventional to zero tillage ranges from 0.08 to 1.82 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ in the eight AEZ, if the carbon losses through soil erosion are included in the calculations. However, the higher carbon losses under conventional tillage compared to zero tillage are composed of both, losses through enhanced CO₂ emissions, and losses through intensified soil erosion. The adjusted net CO₂-mitigation rates of zero tillage, subtracting the reduced carbon losses through soil erosion, are between 0.07 and 1.27 Mg C ha⁻¹ a⁻¹ and the estimated net mitigation rate for the entire state amounts to 285 Gg C a⁻¹. This equals to 1045 Gg CO₂-equivalents per year with the cropping patterns in the reference year 2000. The results call attention to the necessity to revise those estimation methods for CO₂-mitigation which are exclusively or predominantly based on the measurements of differential changes in total soil organic carbon without taking into account the tillage effects on carbon losses through soil erosion.     

Climate change impact and potential adaptation strategies under alternate climate scenarios for yam production in the sub-humid savannah zone of West Africa

Globally, yam (Dioscorea spp.) is the fifth most important root crop after sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas L.) and the second most important crop in Africa in terms of production after cassava (Manihot esculenta L.) and has long been vital to food security in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Climate change is expected to have its most severe impact on crops in food insecure regions, yet very little is known about impact of climate change on yam productivity. Therefore, we try estimating the effect of climate change on the yam (variety: Florido) yield and evaluating different adaptation strategies to mitigate its effect. Three regional climate models REgional MOdel (REMO), Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute Regional Climate Model (SMHIRCA), and Hadley Regional Model (HADRM3P) were coupled to a crop growth simulation model namely Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) version 3060 to simulate current and future yam yields in the Upper Ouémé basin (Benin Republic). For the future, substantial yield decreases were estimated varying according to the climate scenario. We explored the advantages of specific adaptation strategies suggesting that changing sowing date may be ineffective in counteracting adverse climatic effects. Late maturing cultivars could be effective in offsetting the adverse impacts. Whereas, by coupling irrigation and fertilizer application with late maturing cultivars, highest increase in the yam productivity could be realized which accounted up to 49 % depending upon the projection of the scenarios analyzed.     

Cascading ecological effects of low-level phosphorus enrichment in the Florida everglades

Few studies have examined long-term ecological effects of sustained low-level nutrient enhancement on wetland biota. To determine sustained effects of phosphorus (P) addition on Everglades marshes we added P at low levels (5, 15, and 30 microg L(-1) above ambient) for 5 yr to triplicate 100-m flow-through channels in pristine marsh. A cascade of ecological responses occurred in similar sequence among treatments. Although the rate of change increased with dosing level, treatments converged to similar enriched endpoints, characterized most notably by a doubling of plant biomass and elimination of native, calcareous periphyton mats. The full sequence of biological changes occurred without an increase in water total P concentration, which remained near ambient levels until Year 5. This study indicates that Everglades marshes have a near-zero assimilative capacity for P without a state change, that ecosystem responses to enrichment accumulate over time, and that downstream P transport mainly occurs through biota rather than the water column.     

Slow-release nitrogen fertilizers enhance growth,yield, NUE in wheat crop and reduce nitrogen losses under an arid environment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Higher demands of food led to higher nitrogen application to promote cropping intensification and produce more which may have negative effects on the...     

Evaluation of water quality in the Ouémé River (Bénin)

Water is an essential element for humankind, animals, and plants. It is also an important element of the aquatic environment (the natural habitat of multiple species), where its quality plays a determining role in their protection and conservation. Unfortunately, the water quality of natural environments has worsened in the last decades. In sub-Saharan Africa and particularly in Bénin, in contrast to river discharges, monitoring the quality of surface water is a very rare activity. Thus, knowledge about physical and chemical properties as a basis for evaluation of the state of the environment and protection measures needed is almost absent. This article presents the results of the first structured, regular monitoring campaign on surface waters in the whole basin of the Ouémé River in Bénin Republic. With 510 km, the Ouémé River’s water quality fluctuates from upstream (Taneka Koko mountains in the north) to downstream (gauging station Bonou in the south) sources. This is due to soil erosion, lack of water treatment plants, and the use of significant quantities of fertilizer in the cotton zone. The present research was initiated to study the resource degradation of this area through chemical and physical water analysis. The monitoring of water quality has been followed for 5 years on twenty physicochemical parameters, from samples taken at four gauging stations on the main channel of the Ouémé River. Means and standard deviations of water analysis results were compared to both the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Maximum Permissible Concentrations (MPC) for drinking water (WHO 1987). Thus, high values were observed for physical parameters, i.e., color and turbidity had peaks of 697.5 uC and 129 FTU at Bétérou station in the wet season, although certain parameters, such as total hardness, present low values compared to the recommended standards. Moreover, excluding the concentrations of NO₂ ⁻ and NH₄ ⁺ with values above the MPC, nutrient concentrations posed no direct risk for human consumption. However, together with phosphate concentrations (which are up to ten times higher than permissible ecological thresholds), they can cause eutrophication of the aquatic ecosystem. Due to the current flow regime, which has very low discharge rates in the dry season and torrential rainfall and high sediment loads in the wet season, the risk of eutrophication, i.e., excessive concentrations of ammonium and phosphates, is present throughout the year. Accumulation of ammonium and the distribution of nitrate and nitrites in the river water suggest that nitrification is impeded due to a lack of oxygen in both dry and wet seasons. Finally, the investigations show that the risk of water pollution exists and it is necessary to take measures of sanitation and water treatment to prevent the further degradation of water along the Ouémé River.     

Effects of silver and cerium dioxide micro- and nano-sized particles on Daphnia magna

Acute (96 h) and chronic (21 d) exposures of Daphnia magna neonates were carried out with nano- and micro-sized Ag and CeO(2) particles to assess the influence of both material and size of particles on mortality and moulting. Mortality rates for silver in the acute exposures were: AgNP, 56.7 ± 23.3% at 0.1 mg L(-1) and 100 ± 20% at 1 mg L(-1), and micro-Ag, 13.3 ± 6.7% at 0.1 mg L(-1) and 80 ± 20% at 1 mg L(-1). CeO(2) was not acutely toxic at concentrations up to 10 mg L(-1). Mortality for Ag over 21d at concentrations of up to 0.05 mg L(-1) was low, while mortality of 30% was observed for 0.001 mg L(-1) of nano-Ag. CeO(2), with the exception of the 10 mg L(-1) of nano-CeO(2) (100% mortality by day 7), was non-toxic. Inhibition of moulting and growth in the acute study occurred at toxic concentrations (Ag particles), and at 10 mg L(-1) of nano-CeO(2). The chronic study revealed reduced moulting at 0.001 mg L(-1) of nano-Ag and 0.01 and 0.05 mg L(-1) of both sizes of Ag, but there was no impact on D. magna size, and no effects of CeO(2). The toxicity of nano-CeO(2) may be attributed to reduced feeding and physical interference with the daphnids' carapace, resulting in reduced swimming ability. Our results suggest that Ag NPs in particular have the potential to be harmful to aquatic invertebrates after release into the environment, whereas CeO(2) particles appear to cause little adverse effects, and only at environmentally irrelevant concentrations.