Present-day oxidative subsidence of organic soils and mitigation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA

Deverel, Steven J.; Ingrum, Timothy; Leighton, D A

doi:10.1007/s10040-016-1391-1

Cited by 59 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Though subsidence has slowed as the organic-carbon content of Delta soils has declined and with improved landmanagement practices (e.g., ceasing of burning, and wind erosion prevention), subsidence is projected to continue, with additional land-surface elevation declines on many islands predicted to exceed 0.5 meter by 2050 if current land-management practices continue (Deverel and Leighton 2010;Deverel et al 2016a). …”

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These include rice cultivation and managed wetlands (Miller et al 2008;Hatala et al 2012;Deverel et al 2016a). Flooded land uses, such as rice and wetlands, will play a critical role in meeting ecosystem restoration and conservation goals for the Delta and California.…”

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the mid-19th century, over 2 billion cubic meters of soil disappeared, creating a large accommodation space below sea level, with elevations on Delta islands ranging from 1 to over 8 meters below sea level (Thompson 1957;Mount and Twiss 2005;Deverel et al 2016a). Though subsidence has slowed as the organic-carbon content of Delta soils has declined and with improved landmanagement practices (e.g., ceasing of burning, and wind erosion prevention), subsidence is projected to continue, with additional land-surface elevation declines on many islands predicted to exceed 0.5 meter by 2050 if current land-management practices continue (Deverel and Leighton 2010;Deverel et al 2016a).…”

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reclamation of the Delta, primarily for farming, was completed by the 1930s, and the vast majority of drained tidal marsh was sequestered behind over 1,800 km of levees that protect nearly 200,000 hectares of farmland and serve as the hub of the state's water system (DSC 2013). Farming of organic soils resulted in substantial land subsidence, caused primarily by microbial oxidation of soil organic carbon (Deverel and Rojstaczer 1996;Deverel et al 2016a), as well as compaction, burning, and wind erosion (Rojstaczer et al 1991;Rojstaczer and Deverel 1995;Deverel and Leighton 2010).…”

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The SUBCALC model was originally developed using historic land-surface elevation data collected in the central Delta to quantify and simulate subsidence rates and causes (Deverel and Leighton 2010). The model was updated and recalibrated using recent data for CO 2 emissions (Deverel et al 2016a). SUBCALC simulates aerobic microbial oxidation of organic matter, consolidation, wind erosion, and burning.…”

Section: Carbon Dioxide and Methanementioning

confidence: 99%

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Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Deverel¹,

Jacobs²,

Lucero³

et al. 2017

SFEWS

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We quantified the greenhouse-gas (GHG) emission and economic implications of alternative crop and wetland mosaics on a Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta island: Staten Island. Using existing GHG fluxes measurements for the Delta and biogeochemical models, we estimated GHG emissions for a range of scenarios, including the status quo, modified groundwater management, and incorporating rice and managed wetlands. For current land uses, emissions were predicted to vary greatly (48,000 to 105,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 ) with varying groundwater depth. GHG emissions were highest when water depth was 120 cm, the typical depth for a Delta island, and lowest if water table depth was shallowest (60 cm). In the alternate land-use scenarios, we simulated wetlands and rice cultivation in areas of highest organic-matter soils, greatest subsidence, and GHG emissions. For each scenario, we analyzed economic implications for the land-owner by determining profit changes relative to the status quo. We spatially assigned areas for rice and wetlands, and then allowed the Delta Agricultural Production (DAP) model to optimize the allocation of other crops to maximize profit. The scenario that included wetlands decreased profits 79% relative to the status quo but reduced GHG emissions by 43,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 (57% reduction). When mixtures of rice and wetlands were introduced, farm profits decreased 16%, and the GHG emission reduction was 33,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 (44% reduction). When rice was cultivated on 38% of the island, profit increased 12% and emissions were 22,000 t CO 2 -e yr -1 lower than baseline emissions (30% reduction). Conversion to a mosaic of wetlands and crops including rice could substantially reduce overall GHG emissions of cultivated lands in the Delta without greatly affecting profitability.

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Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Econmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Carbon Dioxide and Methanementioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Deverel¹,

Jacobs²,

Lucero³

et al. 2017

SFEWS

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Evaluating the Classical Versus an Emerging Conceptual Model of Peatland Methane Dynamics

Yang

McNicol

Teh

et al. 2017

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

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Methane (CH4) is a potent greenhouse gas that is both produced and consumed in soils by microbially mediated processes sensitive to soil redox. We evaluated the classical conceptual model of peatland CH4 dynamics—in which the water table position determines the vertical distribution of methanogenesis and methanotrophy—versus an emerging model in which methanogenesis and methanotrophy can both occur throughout the soil profile due to spatially heterogeneous redox and anaerobic CH4 oxidation. We simultaneously measured gross CH4 production and oxidation in situ across a microtopographical gradient in a drained temperate peatland and ex situ along the soil profile, giving us novel insight into the component fluxes of landscape‐level net CH4 fluxes. Net CH4 fluxes varied among landforms (p < 0.001), ranging from 180.3 ± 81.2 mg C m−2 d−1 in drainage ditches to −0.7 ± 1.2 mg C m−2 d−1 in the highest landform. Contrary to prediction by the classical conceptual model, variability in methanogenesis alone drove the landscape‐level net CH4 flux patterns. Consistent with the emerging model, freshly collected soils from above the water table produced CH4 within anaerobic microsites. Even in soil from beneath the water table, gross CH4 production was best predicted by the methanogenic fraction of carbon mineralization, an index of highly reducing microsites. We measured low rates of anaerobic CH4 oxidation, which may have been limited by relatively low in situ CH4 concentrations in the hummock/hollow soil profile. Our study revealed complex CH4 dynamics better represented by the emerging heterogeneous conceptual model than the classical model based on redox strata.

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Models Created as3‐DCellular Voxel Arrays

Stafleu¹,

Maljers²,

Busschers³

et al. 2021

Applied Multidimensional Geological Modeling

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Present-day oxidative subsidence of organic soils and mitigation in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California, USA

Cited by 59 publications

References 41 publications

Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Implications for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Economics of a Changing Agricultural Mosaic in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta

Evaluating the Classical Versus an Emerging Conceptual Model of Peatland Methane Dynamics

Models Created as3‐DCellular Voxel Arrays

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