Transcript Slide 1

N2O-It’s No Laughing Matter!
Leilei Ruan and Sandy Erwin
Introduction
 Surface temperature has increased to
0.74 oC from 1906 to 2005 and are
expected to rise to 1.1-6.4 oC by 2100.
 The increases of greenhouse gas (CO2,
CH4 and N2O) since 1750 are dramatic
compared with antecedent concentrations
CO2 concentration 280 ppm
CH4 715 ppb
1774 ppb
N2O 270 ppb
319 ppb
379 ppm
Biofuels
Question: can biofuels really mitigate Greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions?
Question: can biofuels really mitigate Greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions?
Biofuels are not 100% “GHG neutral” due to cultivation
 Soil CO2 will release when soil carbon is oxidized
following cultivation
 CH4 oxidation is reduced
 N2O is released
Concentratio
Global warming potential by time
n
horizon
20 years
100 years
500
years
CO2
379 ppm
1
1
1
CH4
1774 ppb
72
25
7.6
N 2O
319 ppb
289
298
153
Nitrogen cycle
N2
N2
NOx, N2O
NOx, N2O
Nitrogen in animals
and microbes
Nitrogen
back to soil
Nitrogen
in plants
+
NH4+
NO3denitrification
nitrification
Bacteria
fix N2
6
 Extra source for nitrogen cycle:
http://youtu.be/6GLIzlUD-zw
 Soil Safari :
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schoolad
ventures/soil/down_dirty.html
www.glbrc.org
The impacts of nitrogen fertilizer management on
GHG emissions in switchgrass
Hypothesis:
The response in soil N2O emissions to the inputs of N fertilizer
in switchgrass will be non-linear; in particular, fluxes will
increase sharply after biomass yields no longer increase.
Total N2O emissions
Conceptual model
IPCC linear response
N fertilizer applied
Objective 1 : To determine the Impacts of nitrogen
fertilizer management on GHG emissions in
switchgrass
Hypothesis:
The response in soil N2O emissions to the inputs of N fertilizer
in switchgrass will be non-linear; in particular, fluxes will
increase sharply after biomass yields no longer increase.
Total N2O emissions
Conceptual model
Hypothesized non-linear response
maximum plant demand
IPCC linear response
N fertilizer applied
Experimental design
http://lter.kbs.msu.edu/photos/index.php
4.75m
140
56
196
112
84
168
0
28
196
168
140
Block 1
112
56
Block
2 84
28
196
Block 3
112
84
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28
0
Block 2
168
140
0
0
56
Block
1
168 112
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Block 4
15m
10m
28
140
84
N-Rate( kg ha-1)
Experimental materials and methods
Static Chamber - 4
samples taken during an
hour-long closure.
Gas Chromatograph:
N2O (ECD) (CV=2.4%),
CH4 (FID), and CO2 (IRGA) analysis
13
Field time
www.glbrc.org
14
Data nugget and discussion
www.glbrc.org
Biomass yield in Switchgrass during 2009
5
d
c
c
56
84
cd
cd
cd
-1
Biomass yield (Mg ha )
4
b
3
a
2
1
0
0
28
112
140
168
196
-1
N rate( kg N ha )
Biomass yield in Switchgrass during 2010
12
c
-1
Biomass yield (Mg ha )
10
8
bc
bc
ab
bc
bc
bc
140
168
196
a
6
4
2
0
0
28
56
84
112
-1
N rate( kg N ha )