Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil CO2 flux in an alley-cropping system composed of black locust and poplar trees, Germany

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Understanding of soil carbon dynamics after establishment of alley-cropping systems is crucial for mitigation of greenhouse CO2 gas. This study investigates soil CO2 fluxes in an alley-cropping system composed of tree strips of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and poplar (Populus nigra × P. maximowiczii, Max 1) trees and adjacent to them crop strips (Lupinus/Solarigol). Soil CO2 flux was measured monthly over a period from March to November 2012, using a LI-COR LI-8100A automated device. Concurrently with CO2 flux measurements, soil and air temperature, soil moisture, microbial C and hot water-extractable C were determined for the soils nearby soil collars. Root biomass was determined to a depth of 15 cm. In all sampling areas, soil CO2 flux increased from May to July, showing a significant positive correlation with air and soil temperature, which can be a reflection of increase in photosynthesis, and therefore supply of carbohydrates from leaves to rhizosphere, over the warm summer months. A positive correlation between CO2 flux and soil moisture over the warm period indicates an enhancing role of soil moisture on microbial mineralization and root respiration. Average CO2 flux values observed over March–November period did not differ significantly between sampling areas, showing 2.5, 3.2, and 2.9 µmol m−2 s−1 values for black locust, poplar and crops, respectively. Significantly higher CO2 flux values over the summer period in trees could be attributed to the higher photosynthetic activity and higher root density compared to crops.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bailey N, Motavalli PP, Udawatta RP, Nelson K (2009) Soil CO2 emissions in agricultural watersheds with agroforestry and grass contour buffer strips. Agrofor Syst 77(2):143–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bajracharya RM, Lal R, Kimble JM (2000) Diurnal and seasonal CO2-C flux from soil as related to erosion phases in central Ohio. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:286–293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Asher J, Cardon GE, Peters D, Rolston DE, Biggar JW, Phene CJ, Ephrath JE (1994) Determining root activity distribution by measuring surface carbon dioxide fluxes. Soil Sci Soc Am J 58:926–930

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bohn HL (1982) Estimate of organic carbon in world soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 40:468–470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchmann N (2000) Biotic and abiotic factors controlling soil respiration rates in Picea abies stands. Soil Biol Biochem 32:1625–1635

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cantu-Silva I, Gonzalez-Rodriguez H, Gomez-Meza MV (2010) CO2 efflux in vertisol under different land use systems. Trop Subtrop Agroecosyst 12:389–403

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson EA, Belk E, Boone RD (1998) Soil water content and temperature as independent or confounded factors controlling soil respiration in a temperate mixed hardwood forest. Glob Change Biol 4:217–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson EA, Verchot LV, Cattanio JH (2000) Effect of soil water content on soil respiration in forests and cattle pastures of eastern Amazonia. Biogeochem 48:53–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dörr H, Münnich KO (1986) Annual variations in the 14C content of soil CO2. Radiocarb 28:338–345

    Google Scholar 

  • Frank AB, Liebig MA, Tanaka DL (2006) Management effects on soil CO2 efflux in northern semiarid grassland and cropland. Soil Tillage Res 89:78–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghani A, Dexter M, Perrott KW (2003) Hot-water extractable carbon in soils: a sensitive measurement for determining impacts of fertilization, grazing and cultivation. Soil Biol Biochem 35:1231–1243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guner S, Tufekcioglu A, Gulenay S, Kucuk M (2010) Land-use type and slope position effects on soil respiration in black locust plantations in Artvin, Turkey. Afr J Agric Res 5(8):719–724

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson PJ, Edwards NT, Garten CT, Andrews JA (2000) Separating root and soil microbial contributions to soil respiration: a review of methods and observations. Biogeochem 48:115–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Islam KR, Weil RR (1998) Microwave irradiation of soil for routine measurement of microbial biomass carbon. Biol Fertil Soils 27:408–416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jabro JD, Sainju UM, Stevens WB, Evans RG (2008) Carbon dioxide flux as affected by tillage and irrigation in soil converted from perennial forages to annual crops. J Env Manag 88(4):1478–1484

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jinsong Z, Ping M, Hesong W, Jun G, Qingfu R, Changrong J, Yingfeng R (2008) Soil respiration of Robinia pseudoacacia plantation in the rocky mountainous area of north China. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 44(2):8–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Joslin JD, Wolfe MH, Hanson PJ (2001) Factors controlling the timing of root elongation intensity in a mature upland oak stand. Plant Soil 228:201–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Körschens M, Schulz E, Behm R (1990) Heißwasserlöslicher C and N im Boden als Kriterium für das N-Nachlieferungsvermögen. Zentralblatt Mikrobiol 145:305–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y (2006) Sources of CO2 efflux from soil and review of partitioning methods. Soil Biol Biochem 38:425–448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y, Gavrichkova O (2010) Time lag between photosynthesis and carbon dioxide efflux from soil: a review of mechanisms and controls. Glob Change Biol 16:3386–3406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lai R, Lagomarsino A, Ledda L, Roggero PP (2014) Variation in soil C and microbial functions across tree canopy projection and open grassland microenvironments. Turk J Agric For 38:62–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee KH, Jose S (2003) Soil respiration and microbial biomass in a pecan-cotton alley cropping system in souther USA. Agroforst Syst 58(1):45–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martius C, Höfer H, Garcia MVB, Römbke J, Förster B, Hanagarth W (2004) Microclimate in agroforestry systems in central Amazonia: does canopy closure matter to soil organisms? Agrofor Syst 60(3):291–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nii-Annang S, Grünewald H, Freese D, Hüttl RF, Dilly O (2009) Microbial activity, organic C accumulation and 13C abundance in soils under alley cropping systems after 9 years of recultivation of quaternary deposits. Biol Fertil Soils 45:531–538

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parkin TB, Kaspar TC (2003) Temperature controls on diurnal carbon dioxide flux: implication for estimating soil carbon loss. Soil Sci Soc Am J 67:1763–1772

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peichl M, Thevathasan NV, Gordon AM, Huss J, Abohassan RA (2006) Carbon sequestration potentials in temperate tree-based indercropping systems, southern Ontario, Canada. Agrofor Syst 66:243–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raich JW, Schlesinger WH (1992) The global carbon dioxide flux in soil respiration and its relationship to vegetation and climate. Tellus 44B:81–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rochette P, Flangan LB (1997) Quantifying rhizosphere respiration in a corn crop under field conditions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 61:466–474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rochette P, Desjardings L, Gregorich EG, Pattey E, Lessard R (1992) Soil respiration in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and fallow fields. J Soil Sci 72:591–603

    Google Scholar 

  • Sainju UM, Jabro JD, Stevens WB (2008) Soil carbon dioxide emission and carbon content as affected by irrigation, tillage, cropping system, and nitrogen fertilization. J Env Qual 37:98–106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sainju UM, Stevens WB, Caesar T, Jabro JD (2010) Land use and management practices impact on plant biomass carbon and soil carbon dioxide emission. Soil Sci Soc Am J 74(5):1613–1622

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salimon CI, Davidson EA, Victoria RL, Melo AWF (2004) CO2 flux from soil in pastures and forests in southwestern Amazonia. Glob Change Biol 10:833–843

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schimel DS, Braswell BH, Holland EA (1994) Climatic, edaphic and biotic controls over storage and turnover of carbon in soils. Glob Biogeochem Cycles 8:279–293

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi WY, Zhang JG, Yan MJ, Yamanaka N, Du S (2012) Seasonal and diurnal dynamics of soil respiration fluxes in two typical forests on the semiarid Loess Plateau of China: temperature sensitivities of autotrophs and heterotrophs and analyses of integrated driving factors. Soil Biol Biochem 52:99–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsonkova P, Böhm C, Quinkenstein A, Freese D (2012) Ecological benefits provided by alley cropping systems for production of woody biomass in the temperate region: a review. Agrofor Syst 85:133–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Gestel BP, Merkx MR, Vlassak K (1993) Microbial biomass responses to soil drying and wetting: the fast- and slow-growing microorganisms in soils from different climates. Soil Biol Biochem 25:109–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (Project “AgroForstEnergie II”, project number: 22000312), and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Project “INKA BB”, project number: 01LR0803D). The authors extend their grateful thanks to the farm company AG Forst e.V. for allowing measurements and soil sampling, as well as to technical assistants Sebastian Heller and Katja Westphal, for the help with field measurements and laboratory analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Soil Protection and Recultivation, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 6, 03046, Cottbus, Germany

    T. V. Medinski, D. Freese & C. Böhm

Authors
  1. T. V. Medinski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Freese
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. Böhm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. V. Medinski.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Medinski, T.V., Freese, D. & Böhm, C. Soil CO2 flux in an alley-cropping system composed of black locust and poplar trees, Germany. Agroforest Syst 89, 267–277 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-014-9764-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-014-9764-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation