ARS | Publication request: Carbon Input and Soil Carbon Dioxide Emission Affected by Land Use and Management Practices

Submitted to: World Congress of Soil Science
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: February 9, 2010
Publication Date: August 1, 2010
Citation: Sainju, U.M., Stevens, W.B., Caesar, T., Jabro, J.D. 2010. Carbon Input and Soil Carbon Dioxide Emission Affected by Land Use and Management Practices. Proceedings of the 19th Congress of Soil Science. p. 12-15.

Technical Abstract: Land use and management practices may influence C inputs and soil CO2 emission, a greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Carbon inputs and soil CO2 emission were monitored from crop- and grassland with various irrigation and cropping systems from 2006 to 2008 in western North Dakota, USA. Treatments were two irrigation systems (irrigated and non-irrigated) and six cropping systems [conventional-tilled barley with N (CTBFN), conventional-tilled barley with no N (CTBON), no-tilled barley-pea with N (NTB-PN), no-tilled barley with N (NTBFN), no-tilled barley with no N (NTBON), and no-tilled Conservation Reserve Program (grassland) (NTCRP)]. Crop residue C was greater in irrigated than in non-irrigated system and greater in CTBFN and NTBFN than in other cropping systems. Soil CO2 flux varied with time of measurement in various irrigation and cropping systems. Total CO2 flux from May to October was greater in irrigated than in non-irrigated system and greater in NTCRP than in other treatments. Differences in crop C inputs, root and soil respiration, and soil temperature and water content can result in variations in CO2 emission among management practices and land use.