To what extent can zero tillage lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from temperate soils?

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2014 papers

Abstract

Soil tillage practices have a profound influence on the physical properties of soil and the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. However there have been very few integrated studies on the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) and soil biophysical and chemical characteristics under different soil management systems. We recorded a significantly higher net global warming potential under conventional tillage systems (26-31% higher than zero tillage systems). Crucially the 3-D soil pore network, imaged using X-ray Computed Tomography, modified by tillage played a significant role in the flux of CO2 and CH4. In contrast, N2O flux was determined mainly by microbial biomass carbon and soil moisture content. Our work indicates that zero tillage could play a significant role in minimising emissions of GHGs from soils and contribute to efforts to mitigate against climate change.

Related Papers

• → Tillage translocation and tillage erosion in the complex upland landscapes of southwestern Ontario, Canada1Paper presented at International Symposium on Tillage Translocation and Tillage Erosion held in conjunction with the 52nd Annual Conference of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, Toronto, Canada, 24–25 July 19971(1999)121 cited
• → Energy efficiency and soil conservation in conventional, minimum tillage and no-tillage(2014)77 cited
• → Identification of important factors in the process of tillage erosion: the case of mouldboard tillage(2002)73 cited
• → An investigation of soil translocation and erosion by conservation hoeing tillage on steep lands using a magnetic tracer(2009)52 cited
• Effect of different conservational tillage of sloping land on the activity of soil enzyme(2012)