Protection from wintertime rainfall reduces nutrient losses and greenhouse gas emissions during the decomposition of poultry and horse manure-based amendments

Abstract

The impact of rainfall protection on nutrient losses and GHG emissions was monitored during the decomposition of broiler chicken, turkey, and horse manure-based soil amendments. Amendments exposed to rainfall had large ammonium and potassium losses, resulting in a 37-74% decrease in N inputs when compared with amendments protected from rainfall. Nitrous oxide emissions were also higher with rainfall exposure, although it had no effect on carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Overall, this work highlights the benefits of rainfall protection during amendment decomposition to reduce nutrient losses and GHG emissions.

Greater Impacts of Incubation Temperature and Moisture on Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in Poultry Relative to Horse Manure‐based Soil Amendments

“…Carbon dioxide emissions appeared to be higher in poultry relative to horse MBSAs, which is consistent with temporal changes in C concentration measured with FTIR, and the greater CO 2 emissions and mineralization rates previously reported for poultry MBSAs (Castellanos and Pratt, 1981;Gagnon and Simard, 1999). In contrast, the seemingly higher CH 4 emissions observed in horse as opposed to poultry MBSAs are similar to field observations made by Maltais-Landry et al (2018) and provide valuable information on GHG emissions from understudied horse and turkey MBSAs. Finally, a lower contribution of CH 4 emissions to C losses than CO 2 in solid manures is consistent with Hao et al (2004).…”

“…The effects of the M20 treatment were substantial for horse MBSA, where high CO 2 emissions and C losses combined with low N losses increased total N and lowered C/N. These apparent benefits of decomposition in understudied horse MBSA are similar to field observations made by Maltais-Landry et al (2018). However, high O 2 availability in the M20 treatments resulted in high CCE, especially in poultry MBSAs, similar to what Chowdhury et al (2014) observed, highlighting potential tradeoffs between maintaining the nutrient value of MBSAs during decomposition and minimizing CCE.…”

“…Incubation temperatures were selected to be representative of conditions within the Vancouver area, where the average monthly temperature ranges between 4.2°C in January and 19.3°C in August (Maltais‐Landry et al, 2018). These conditions are similar to what is observed throughout the Pacific Northwest.…”

“…These conditions are similar to what is observed throughout the Pacific Northwest. Furthermore, whereas 60% WHC is representative of moisture content measured during MBSA composting (Hao et al, 2004), 120% WHC represents waterlogged conditions that can occur when MBSAs are stored unprotected from the heavy winter precipitation that are typical of this area (Maltais‐Landry et al, 2018). …”

Food-Based Composts Provide More Soil Fertility Benefits Than Cow Manure-Based Composts in Sandy Soils

“…However, when comparing the food waste composts, less TN was recovered as PAN in the industrial compost than the non-industrial food waste compost (Table 3), which could be due to the addition of wood residues in the Ecoscraps product, similar to yard waste municipal composts that release little PAN [14,16]. Alternatively, this may be due to N losses occurring during longer composting and/or storage periods for industrial products, especially if piles were not protected from rainfall [34]. Furthermore, the industrial cow manure-based compost (Black Kow) likely immobilized N in the Lake soil whereas it had little effect on the other soil, consistent with the lower impact on soil N of industrial as opposed to non-industrial manure products reported by Gagnon and Simard [31].…”