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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Morris, Minnesota » Soil Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #207513
Title: Tillage-induced CO2 loss across an eroded and restored landscape

Author
item Reicosky, Donald
item Schneider, Sharon
item Lindstrom, Michael

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/9/2007
Publication Date: 9/6/2007
Citation: Reicosky, D.C., Papiernik, S.K., Lindstrom, M.J. 2007. Tillage-induced CO2 loss across an eroded and restored landscape. In: Proceedings of the 50th Manitoba Soil Science Society Meetings, February 8-9, 2007, Winnipeg, Mantioba, Canada. p. 25-30.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere related to concerns about potential global warming and prospects of using soil as a sink for carbon has attracted interest. Recent studies involving tillage methods indicate major gaseous loss of carbon immediately after tillage. This presentation describes spatial variation and differences in CO2 losses as a result of tillage methods across an eroded landscape that were related to tillage intensity on the Skogstad site. The measured CO2 fluxes were largest with the moldboard plow > chisel plow > not tilled (before tillage). The spatial variation in CO2 flux in the north-south transect was nearly four-fold immediately after plowing. A second part of the report evaluates soil CO2 emissions after landscape restoration on the Retzlaff site. The CO2 loss was partially related to soil chemical properties with lower CO2 flux on the severely-eroded sites. The CO2 loss partially reflected the degradation of soil properties from tillage-induced soil translocation as a result of wind and water erosion. This information will be of direct benefit to the farmers to enable them to maintain crop production with minimal impact on air quality and the environment.