Evaluating the Potential of Legumes to Mitigate N<sub>2</sub>O Emissions From Permanent Grassland Using Process‐Based Models

Fuchs, Kathrin; Merbold, Lutz; Buchmann, Nina; Bellocchi, Gianni; Bindi, Marco; Brilli, Lorenzo; Conant, Richard T.; Dorich, C.; Ehrhardt, Fiona; Fitton, Nuala; Grace, Peter R.; Klumpp, Katja; Liebig, Mark A.; Lieffering, Mark; Martin, Raphaël; McAuliffe, Russell; Newton, Paul C. D.; Rees, Robert M.; Recous, Sylvie; Smith, Pete; Soussana, J. F.; Topp, Cairistiona F. E.; Snow, Val

doi:10.1029/2020gb006561

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 83 publications

(180 reference statements)

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“…Whereas, the N applied and N input correlated positively (but weakly; r = 0.27-0.33), while the dry matter yield, legume proportion, and BFN correlated more strongly (r = 0.63-0.76). This observation confirmed the critical role of BFN in the dry matter production and supported the assertion that legumes deliver a more synchronized N to meet plant demand compared with the N supply from external sources and stimulate the over-yielding of biomass [19,48]. The relatively high dry matter yield from the control plots compared with dung and urine treatments (Table 3) further corroborates this assertion.…”

Section: Plant Yields Botanical Composition and Soil Residual Nsupporting

confidence: 76%

“…Multispecies pastures of different functional traits (particularly grasses and legumes) have the potential to provide ecological services, including the provision of primary productivity with fewer nutrient inputs due to the improved niche complementarity and inter-species facilitation, resulting in "overyielding" effects compared to monocultures [18]. Legumes derived nitrogen has the additional advantage, where it provides a continuous and hence more synchronized N flow to meet the plants' requirements, thus reducing the N 2 O emission intensity [19]. The additional inclusion of herb species in the pastures can further increase both above and belowground biomass by increasing the share of deep-rooted non-leguminous species [20].…”

Section: Of 26mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some plant species, such as Plantago lanceolata may influence the soil N cycling processes through root exudation of secondary plant metabolites, including biological nitrification inhibitors [21,22]. However, the soil-environment interaction effect might influence the degree to which plants mediate N cycling [23], and the potential of these species in mixtures is not yet fully understood [19]. Therefore, there is high uncertainty regarding the effects of the botanical composition of pastures on the GHG balance [24].…”

Section: Of 26mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, legume proportions ranging from 30-50% resulted in N 2 O-N EFs ranging from 0.17-0.25% (Figure 7b). At the same time, legume proportions up to 30% have been widely promoted in New Zealand and Switzerland as a norm [19].…”

Section: Factors That Controlled N 2 O Emission and Ef At The Site 4mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nitrous Oxide Emission from Grazing Is Low across a Gradient of Plant Functional Diversity and Soil Conditions

et al. 2021

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Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from pastures can vary significantly depending on soil and environmental conditions, nitrogen (N) input, as well as the plant’s ability to take up the N. We tested the hypothesis that legume-based N sources are characterized by significantly lower emission factors than mineral N based dairy systems. Therefore, this study monitored N2O emissions for a minimum of 100 days and up to two growing seasons across a gradient of plant species diversity. Emissions were measured from both, grazed pastures and a controlled application of urine and dung using the static chamber method. About 90% of the accumulated N2O emissions occurred during the first 60–75 days. The average accumulated N2O emissions were 0.11, 0.87, 0.99, and 0.21 kg ha−1 for control, dung, urine patches, and grazed pastures, respectively. The N uptake efficiency at the excreta patch scale was about 70% for both dung and urine. The highest N2O-N emission factor was less than half compared with the IPCC default (0.3 vs. 0.77), suggesting an overestimation of N2O-N emissions from organically managed pastures in temperate climates. Plant diversity showed no significant effect on the N2O emissions. However, functional groups were significant (p < 0.05). We concluded that legume-containing pasture systems without a fertilizer addition generally appear capable of utilizing nitrogen inputs from excreta patches efficiently, resulting in low N2O emissions.

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Section: Plant Yields Botanical Composition and Soil Residual Nsupporting

confidence: 76%

Section: Of 26mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Of 26mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Factors That Controlled N 2 O Emission and Ef At The Site 4mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nitrous Oxide Emission from Grazing Is Low across a Gradient of Plant Functional Diversity and Soil Conditions

et al. 2021

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“…In vitro testing could enable rigorous pre-screening of blends prior to field experimentation and commercial use. Once a sufficient empirical knowledge base has been established, process-based models can be added as a predictive tool [67]. Taken together, our study confirms that formulating organic waste-sorbent or compost blends has to strike the right balance between the release of adequate amounts of N in synchrony with crop needs, while preventing the N lossinducing accumulation of inorganic N. This is illustrated here by biochar which caused the lowest inorganic N concentrations in the field but also resulted in a trend towards lower sugarcane yield.…”

Section: Implications and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organic Wastes Amended with Sorbents Reduce N2O Emissions from Sugarcane Cropping

et al. 2021

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Nutrient-rich organic wastes and soil ameliorants can benefit crop performance and soil health but can also prevent crop nutrient sufficiency or increase greenhouse gas emissions. We hypothesised that nitrogen (N)-rich agricultural waste (poultry litter) amended with sorbents (bentonite clay or biochar) or compost (high C/N ratio) attenuates the concentration of inorganic nitrogen (N) in soil and reduces emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O). We tested this hypothesis with a field experiment conducted on a commercial sugarcane farm, using in vitro incubations. Treatments received 160 kg N ha−1, either from mineral fertiliser or poultry litter, with additional N (2–60 kg N ha−1) supplied by the sorbents and compost. Crop yield was similar in all N treatments, indicating N sufficiency, with the poultry litter + biochar treatment statistically matching the yield of the no-N control. Confirming our hypothesis, mineral N fertiliser resulted in the highest concentrations of soil inorganic N, followed by poultry litter and the amended poultry formulations. Reflecting the soil inorganic N concentrations, the average N2O emission factors ranked as per the following: mineral fertiliser 8.02% > poultry litter 6.77% > poultry litter + compost 6.75% > poultry litter + bentonite 5.5% > poultry litter + biochar 3.4%. All emission factors exceeded the IPCC Tier 1 default for managed soils (1%) and the Australian Government default for sugarcane soil (1.25%). Our findings reinforce concerns that current default emissions factors underestimate N2O emissions. The laboratory incubations broadly matched the field N2O emissions, indicating that in vitro testing is a cost-effective first step to guide the blending of organic wastes in a way that ensures N sufficiency for crops but minimises N losses. We conclude that suitable sorbent-waste formulations that attenuate N release will advance N efficiency and the circular nutrient economy.

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Feasibility of mitigation measures for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. A systematic review

Jebari,

Pereyra-Goday,

Kumar

et al. 2023

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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The UK Government has set an ambitious target of achieving a national “net-zero” greenhouse gas economy by 2050. Agriculture is arguably placed at the heart of achieving net zero, as it plays a unique role as both a producer of GHG emissions and a sector that has the capacity via land use to capture carbon (C) when managed appropriately, thus reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Agriculture’s importance, particularly in a UK-specific perspective, which is also applicable to many other temperate climate nations globally, is that the majority of land use nationwide is allocated to farming. Here, we present a systematic review based on peer-reviewed literature and relevant “grey” reports to address the question “how can the agricultural sector in the UK reduce, or offset, its direct agricultural emissions at the farm level?” We considered the implications of mitigation measures in terms of food security and import reliance, energy, environmental degradation, and value for money. We identified 52 relevant studies covering major foods produced and consumed in the UK. Our findings indicate that many mitigation measures can indeed contribute to net zero through GHG emissions reduction, offsetting, and bioenergy production, pending their uptake by farmers. While the environmental impacts of mitigation measures were covered well within the reviewed literature, corresponding implications regarding energy, food security, and farmer attitudes towards adoption received scant attention. We also provide an open-access, informative, and comprehensive dataset for agri-environment stakeholders and policymakers to identify the most promising mitigation measures. This research is of critical value to researchers, land managers, and policymakers as an interim guideline resource while more quantitative evidence becomes available through the ongoing lab-, field-, and farm-scale trials which will improve the reliability of agricultural sustainability modelling in the future.

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Evaluating the Potential of Legumes to Mitigate N₂O Emissions From Permanent Grassland Using Process‐Based Models

Cited by 20 publications

References 83 publications

Nitrous Oxide Emission from Grazing Is Low across a Gradient of Plant Functional Diversity and Soil Conditions

Nitrous Oxide Emission from Grazing Is Low across a Gradient of Plant Functional Diversity and Soil Conditions

Organic Wastes Amended with Sorbents Reduce N2O Emissions from Sugarcane Cropping

Feasibility of mitigation measures for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. A systematic review

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Evaluating the Potential of Legumes to Mitigate N2O Emissions From Permanent Grassland Using Process‐Based Models

Cited by 20 publications

References 83 publications

Nitrous Oxide Emission from Grazing Is Low across a Gradient of Plant Functional Diversity and Soil Conditions

Nitrous Oxide Emission from Grazing Is Low across a Gradient of Plant Functional Diversity and Soil Conditions

Organic Wastes Amended with Sorbents Reduce N2O Emissions from Sugarcane Cropping

Feasibility of mitigation measures for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. A systematic review

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Evaluating the Potential of Legumes to Mitigate N₂O Emissions From Permanent Grassland Using Process‐Based Models