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Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Response to Corn Stover Removal and Tillage Management Across the US Corn Belt

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Abstract

In-field measurements of direct soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions provide critical data for quantifying the net energy efficiency and economic feasibility of crop residue-based bioenergy production systems. A major challenge to such assessments has been the paucity of field studies addressing the effects of crop residue removal and associated best practices for soil management (i.e., conservation tillage) on soil emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4). This regional survey summarizes soil GHG emissions from nine maize production systems evaluating different levels of corn stover removal under conventional or conservation tillage management across the US Corn Belt. Cumulative growing season soil emissions of CO2, N2O, and/or CH4 were measured for 2–5 years (2008–2012) at these various sites using a standardized static vented chamber technique as part of the USDA-ARS’s Resilient Economic Agricultural Practices (REAP) regional partnership. Cumulative soil GHG emissions during the growing season varied widely across sites, by management, and by year. Overall, corn stover removal decreased soil total CO2 and N2O emissions by -4 and -7 %, respectively, relative to no removal. No management treatments affected soil CH4 fluxes. When aggregated to total GHG emissions (Mg CO2 eq ha−1) across all sites and years, corn stover removal decreased growing season soil emissions by −5 ± 1 % (mean ± se) and ranged from -36 % to 54 % (n = 50). Lower GHG emissions in stover removal treatments were attributed to decreased C and N inputs into soils, as well as possible microclimatic differences associated with changes in soil cover. High levels of spatial and temporal variabilities in direct GHG emissions highlighted the importance of site-specific management and environmental conditions on the dynamics of GHG emissions from agricultural soils.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provide by the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), as part of the USDA-ARS-Renewable Energy Assessment Project (REAP), renamed USDA-ARS-Resilient Economic Agricultural Practices (REAP). Additional funding was from the North Central Regional SunGrant Center at South Dakota State University through a grant provided by the United States Department of Energy—Office of Biomass Programs under award number DE-FC36-05GO85041. Technical assistance in the field and/or laboratory is acknowledged from Kayla Miller, Meggan Kowalski, Kurt Dagel, Amy Christie, Sharon Nichols, Don Watts, Joe Million, Jerry Martin, Ray Winans, Anthony Shriner, Warren Busscher, Carla Ahlschwede, Chris Bauer, Aaron Bereuter, Todd Boman, Robert Harrington, Molly Hoffbauer, Angel Iverson, Tanner Lockhorn, Paul Koerner, Nate Mellor, Dan Miller, Sara Murray, Marty Schmer, Susan Siragusa-Ortman, Steve Swanson, Tyler Goeschel, David Walla, Kevin Jensen, Dawn Schroeder, Gary Radke, Tim Parkin, Amy Morrow, and Bryan Woodbury. Special thanks to Nancy Barbour, Jon Starr, and Greg Wilson for the assistance with the REAP database. The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the United States Department of Agriculture or the Agricultural Research Service of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS), 137 Keim Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus, Lincoln, NE, 68583-0937, USA

    Virginia L. Jin, Gary E. Varvel, Marty R. Schmer & Brian J. Wienhold

  2. USDA-ARS, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    John M. Baker & Rodney T. Venterea

  3. USDA-ARS, 803 Iowa Avenue, Morris, MN, 56267, USA

    Jane M.-F. Johnson

  4. USDA-ARS, 2110 University Boulevard, Ames, IA, 50011, USA

    Douglas L. Karlen & Thomas J. Sauer

  5. USDA-ARS, 2923 Medary Avenue, Brookings, SD, 57006, USA

    R. Michael Lehman & Shannon L. Osborne

  6. USDA-ARS, 275 South Russell Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Diane E. Stott

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  1. Virginia L. Jin
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Correspondence to Virginia L. Jin.

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Jin, V.L., Baker, J.M., Johnson, J.MF. et al. Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Response to Corn Stover Removal and Tillage Management Across the US Corn Belt. Bioenerg. Res. 7, 517–527 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-014-9421-0

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