Effect of biochar addition on short-term N2O and CO2emissions during repeated drying and wetting of an anthropogenic alluvial soil.
Agricultural soils are an important source of greenhouse gases (GHG). Biochar application to such soils has the potential of mitigating global anthropogenic GHG emissions. Under irrigation, the topsoils in arid regions experience repeated drying and wetting during the crop growing season. Biochar incorporation into these soils would change the soil microbial environment and hence affect GHG emissions. Little information, however, is available regarding the effect of biochar addition on carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural soils undergoing repeated drying and wetting. Here, we report the results of a 49-day aerobic incubation experiment, incorporating biochar into an anthropogenic alluvial soil in an arid region of Xinjiang Province, China, and measuring CO2and N2O emissions. Under both drying-wetting and constantly moist conditions, biochar amendment significantly increased cumulative CO2emission. At the same time, there was a significant reduction (up to ~20 %) in cumulative N2O emission, indicating that the addition of biochar to irrigated agricultural soils may effectively slow down global warming in arid regions of China.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China.|Chengdu Hydrogeological and Engineering Geological Team, Chengdu, 610072, China.
Fang
F
Yang
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China. Lee@mails.gyig.ac.cn.
Xinqing
X
Lee
Landcare Research, Private Bag, 11052, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand.
Benny K G
BKG
Theng
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China. wangbing@vip.gyig.ac.cn.
Bing
B
Wang
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China.
Jianzhong
J
Cheng
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550081, China.|Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
Qian
Q
Wang
D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002681:China; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation; D005308:Fertilizers; D000074382:Greenhouse Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D017155:Wettability
D005308:Fertilizers; D000074382:Greenhouse Gases; D012987:Soil; C540010:biochar; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002606:Charcoal; D009609:Nitrous Oxide
Biochar; CO2; Drying and wetting; N2O