Investigation of Daily to Seasonal Variation in Greenhouse Gas Emission and Cycling in Agricultural Riparian Zone Soils

Abstract

Agricultural riparian zone microecosystems provide opportunity for mitigation of pollution transport and greenhouse gas emissions. In order to make recommendations to farmers as to best management practices, temporal variations in gas fluxes between the soil and atmosphere must be considered, and the controls on soil-gas behaviour must be better understood. In this study, CO2, O2, CH4, and N2O subsurface concentrations and surface fluxes were monitored with an average temporal resolution of 4 hours, along with soil temperature, soil moisture content, and barometric pressure from the beginning of May until the end of November 2021 at an active, arborous, agricultural riparian zone in St. Albert, Ontario. The results show varying control of barometric pressure, soil temperature, and moisture content on short-term changes in soil gas concentrations and emissions depending on the overall environmental conditions under which these changes in controlling parameters occur.iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:Firstly, thanks are due to my supervisor, Richard Amos, who has led by example in being thorough, methodical, and curious, helping develop my abilities in scientific research. Steadfast, calm, and even-tempered in his encouragement and advice, he has played a large part in the completion of this work and has been an invaluable mentor and role model. Additional sources of scientific inspiration, valuable insight, and support include