Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation
Abstract Energy derived from second generation perennial energy crops is projected to play an increasingly important role in the decarbonization of the energy sector. Such energy crops are expected to deliver net greenhouse gas emissions reductions through fossil fuel displacement and have potential...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2019-07-01
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| Series: | GCB Bioenergy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12608 |
| _version_ | 1828181719424958464 |
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| author | Ross Morrison Rebecca L Rowe Hollie M. Cooper Niall P. McNamara |
| author_facet | Ross Morrison Rebecca L Rowe Hollie M. Cooper Niall P. McNamara |
| author_sort | Ross Morrison |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Energy derived from second generation perennial energy crops is projected to play an increasingly important role in the decarbonization of the energy sector. Such energy crops are expected to deliver net greenhouse gas emissions reductions through fossil fuel displacement and have potential for increasing soil carbon (C) storage. Despite this, few empirical studies have quantified the ecosystem‐level C balance of energy crops and the evidence base to inform energy policy remains limited. Here, the temporal dynamics and magnitude of net ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange (NEE) were quantified at a mature short rotation coppice (SRC) willow plantation in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, under commercial growing conditions. Eddy covariance flux observations of NEE were performed over a four‐year production cycle and combined with biomass yield data to estimate the net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) of the SRC. The magnitude of annual NEE ranged from −147 ± 70 to −502 ± 84 g CO2‐C m−2 year−1 with the magnitude of annual CO2 capture increasing over the production cycle. Defoliation during an unexpected outbreak of willow leaf beetle impacted gross ecosystem production, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem exchange during the second growth season. The NECB was −87 ± 303 g CO2‐C m−2 for the complete production cycle after accounting for C export at harvest (1,183 g C m−2), and was approximately CO2‐C neutral (−21 g CO2‐C m−2 year−1) when annualized. The results of this study are consistent with studies of soil organic C which have shown limited changes following conversion to SRC willow. In the context of global decarbonization, the study indicates that the primary benefit of SRC willow production at the site is through displacement of fossil fuel emissions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:06:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-67916ce37ccd49d89a393a29344f7910 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1757-1693 1757-1707 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:06:09Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GCB Bioenergy |
| spelling | doaj.art-67916ce37ccd49d89a393a29344f79102022-12-22T03:44:53ZengWileyGCB Bioenergy1757-16931757-17072019-07-0111789590910.1111/gcbb.12608Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantationRoss Morrison0Rebecca L Rowe1Hollie M. Cooper2Niall P. McNamara3Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Wallingford United KingdomCentre for Ecology & Hydrology Lancaster United KingdomCentre for Ecology & Hydrology Wallingford United KingdomCentre for Ecology & Hydrology Lancaster United KingdomAbstract Energy derived from second generation perennial energy crops is projected to play an increasingly important role in the decarbonization of the energy sector. Such energy crops are expected to deliver net greenhouse gas emissions reductions through fossil fuel displacement and have potential for increasing soil carbon (C) storage. Despite this, few empirical studies have quantified the ecosystem‐level C balance of energy crops and the evidence base to inform energy policy remains limited. Here, the temporal dynamics and magnitude of net ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange (NEE) were quantified at a mature short rotation coppice (SRC) willow plantation in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom, under commercial growing conditions. Eddy covariance flux observations of NEE were performed over a four‐year production cycle and combined with biomass yield data to estimate the net ecosystem carbon balance (NECB) of the SRC. The magnitude of annual NEE ranged from −147 ± 70 to −502 ± 84 g CO2‐C m−2 year−1 with the magnitude of annual CO2 capture increasing over the production cycle. Defoliation during an unexpected outbreak of willow leaf beetle impacted gross ecosystem production, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem exchange during the second growth season. The NECB was −87 ± 303 g CO2‐C m−2 for the complete production cycle after accounting for C export at harvest (1,183 g C m−2), and was approximately CO2‐C neutral (−21 g CO2‐C m−2 year−1) when annualized. The results of this study are consistent with studies of soil organic C which have shown limited changes following conversion to SRC willow. In the context of global decarbonization, the study indicates that the primary benefit of SRC willow production at the site is through displacement of fossil fuel emissions.https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12608bioenergyeddy covariancenet ecosystem carbon balancenet ecosystem carbon dioxide exchangeshort rotation coppicewillow |
| spellingShingle | Ross Morrison Rebecca L Rowe Hollie M. Cooper Niall P. McNamara Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation GCB Bioenergy bioenergy eddy covariance net ecosystem carbon balance net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange short rotation coppice willow |
| title | Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation |
| title_full | Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation |
| title_fullStr | Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation |
| title_short | Multi‐year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation |
| title_sort | multi year carbon budget of a mature commercial short rotation coppice willow plantation |
| topic | bioenergy eddy covariance net ecosystem carbon balance net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange short rotation coppice willow |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12608 |
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