Simulated watershed scale impacts of corn stover removal for biofuel on hydrology and water quality

Cibin, Raj; Chaubey, Indrajeet; Engel, Bernard A.

doi:10.1002/hyp.8280

Cited by 69 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Tile flow measured using undisturbed lysimeters at WQFS demonstrated reduction in drainage event volume with cropping system transition from corn/soybean to Miscanthus similar to current study results, while switchgrass response varied across replicates (Trybula, ). Residue removal scenarios also predicted reduced stream flow at the watershed outlet, which may be caused by increased evaporation from loss of soil cover (van Donk et al ., ; Cibin et al ., ) during the nongrowing season. Residue removal also tends to reduce the water‐holding capacity of soil (van Donk et al ., ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Miscanthus ( Miscanthus × giganteus ) and Shawnee, an upland switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L .) variety, were included as dedicated bioenergy crops and corn ( Zea mays L.) stover as crop residue for biofuel production (70% mass removal rate, Cibin et al ., ). The corn and soybean ( Glycine max L. Merril) areas with >2% slope were considered as potential highly erodible areas.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The SWAT model for both study watersheds were developed as methodology discussed in Cibin et al . () and was calibrated/validated for crop growth, stream flow and water quality (sediment, nitrate‐nitrogen and total phosphorus) using basin‐level model parameters as discussed in Cibin & Chaubey () (SI Table S3). A detailed description of SWAT model development, calibration and validation is provided in supplementary information.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Watershed‐scale impacts of bioenergy crops on hydrology and water quality using improvedSWATmodel

et al. 2016

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Cellulosic bioenergy feedstock such as perennial grasses and crop residues are expected to play a significant role in meeting US biofuel production targets. We used an improved version of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to forecast impacts on watershed hydrology and water quality by implementing an array of plausible land-use changes associated with commercial bioenergy crop production for two watersheds in the Midwest USA. Watershed-scale impacts were estimated for 13 bioenergy crop production scenarios, including: production of Miscanthus 9 giganteus and upland Shawnee switchgrass on highly erodible landscape positions, agricultural marginal land areas and pastures, removal of corn stover and combinations of these options. Water quality, measured as erosion and sediment loading, was forecasted to improve compared to baseline when perennial grasses were used for bioenergy production, but not with stover removal scenarios. Erosion reduction with perennial energy crop production scenarios ranged between 0.2% and 59%. Stream flow at the watershed outlet was reduced between 0 and 8% across these bioenergy crop production scenarios compared to baseline across the study watersheds. Results indicate that bioenergy production scenarios that incorporate perennial grasses reduced the nonpoint source pollutant load at the watershed outlet compared to the baseline conditions (0-20% for nitrate-nitrogen and 3-56% for mineral phosphorus); however, the reduction rates were specific to site characteristics and management practices.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Watershed‐scale impacts of bioenergy crops on hydrology and water quality using improvedSWATmodel

et al. 2016

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“…Management without tillage and aggressive stover harvest reduced particulate organic matter, increased the erodible-sized dry aggregates, and left the soil surface exposed to erosive forces compared to returning all stover (Johnson et al, 2013). Harvesting stover can impact soil hydrological properties negatively because of changes in physical characteristics, such as reduced porosity and aggregation (BlancoCanqui and Lal, 2009;Cibin et al, 2012;Osborne et al, 2014), and increased surface sealing or crusting (Blanco-Canqui and Lal, 2009). As reviewed by Blanco-Canqui and Lal (2009) and by Johnson et al (2010), less stover on the soil surface can impact soil microclimate increasing soil temperature and evapotranspiration; thus, if coupled with less infiltration crop production could be adversely impacted during periods of limited rainfall.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corn stover harvest changes soil hydrology and soil aggregation

Johnson

Strock

Tallaksen

et al. 2016

Soil and Tillage Research

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A B S T R A C TIn the United States, commercial-scale cellulosic-ethanol production using corn (Zea mays L.) stover has become a reality. As the industry matures and demand for stover increases, it is important to determine the amount of biomass that can be sustainably harvested while safe-guarding soil quality and productivity. Specific study objectives were to measure indices of soil hydrological and aggregate stability responses to harvesting stover; since stover harvest may negatively impact soil hydrological and physical properties. Responses may differ with tillage management; thus, this paper reports on two independent studies on a tilled (Chisel field) and untilled field (NT1995 field). Each field was managed in a corn/soybean (Glycine max [Merr.]) rotation and with two rates of stover return: (1) all returned (Full Return Rate) and (2) an aggressive residue harvest leaving little stover behind (Low Return Rate). Unconfined field soil hydraulic properties and soil aggregate properties were determined. Hydrological response to residue treatments in the Chisel field resulted in low water infiltration for both rates of residue removal. In NT1995 field, Full Return Rate had greater capacity to transmit water via conductive pathways, which were compromised in Low Return Rate. Collectively, indices of soil aggregation in both experiments provided evidence that the aggregates were less stable, resulting in a shift toward more small aggregates at the expense of larger aggregates when stover is not returned to the soil. In both fields, aggressive stover harvest degraded soil physical and hydrological properties. No tillage management did not protect soil in absence of adequate residue.2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.

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“…SWAT nutrient calibration requires continuous daily data to be aggregated into monthly loads for two or three years to be compared with SWAT's simulation of nutrient loads. Thus, the USGS load estimator (Loadest) program (Runkel et al, 2004) was used to extrapolate the monthly observations into average monthly nutrient loadings (Cibin et al, 2011;Jha et al, 2007;Jha et al, 2010;Maringanti et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2011). Due to data limitations, calibration and validation for sediment was based on the literature on sediment loading in Tennessee.…”

Section: Swat Model Calibration and Validationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental and economic analysis of using SWAT to simulate the effects of switchgrass production on water quality in an impaired watershed

Zhou

Clark

Nair

et al. 2015

Agricultural Water Management

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Simulated watershed scale impacts of corn stover removal for biofuel on hydrology and water quality

Cited by 69 publications

References 43 publications

Watershed‐scale impacts of bioenergy crops on hydrology and water quality using improvedSWATmodel

Watershed‐scale impacts of bioenergy crops on hydrology and water quality using improvedSWATmodel

Corn stover harvest changes soil hydrology and soil aggregation

Environmental and economic analysis of using SWAT to simulate the effects of switchgrass production on water quality in an impaired watershed

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