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Title: Greenhouse gas emissions in an agroforestry system in the southeastern U.S.

Author
item CHAPPELL, JANET - North Carolina State University
item Franzluebbers, Alan
item SHI, WEI - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2014
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Agroforestry systems can provide diverse ecosystem services and economic benefits that conventional farming practices cannot. Importantly, these systems have the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the need for external inputs, enhancing nutrient cycling and promoting C sequestration in woody biomass and soil carbon stocks. Unfortunately, data are not currently available to estimate the quantitative contribution of these services to greenhouse gas mitigation, thus limiting our ability to optimize agroforestry management strategies. We evaluated greenhouse gas fluxes and C stocks in a 17-acre, 7 year old agroforestry research site established at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro, NC. The experimental design was a factorial arrangement of three tree species (Pinus palustris, Pinus taeda, and Quercus pagoda) and two alley widths (12 and 24 m) with five replications. We examined the influence of soil texture, soil C and N, and environmental factors on soil greenhouse gas fluxes. Emissions of CO2, N2O and CH4 were measured using closed static chambers, one to three times per week for 12 months. We also investigated the nutrient dynamics of the site by quantifying seasonal changes in soil organic C, soil microbial biomass C and N, and mineralizable C and N. Our results will provide a more complete process- oriented description of how agroforestry systems in the southeastern U.S might reduce greenhouse gas emissions and serve as carbon sinks.