The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid region
Background Agriculture is essential for food security. However, conventional agriculture alters the water and carbon cycle and soil properties. We investigated the effect of conventional management (CM) and sustainable management (SM) on the carbon and water cycle in crops of nopal (Np) and wheat (W...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PeerJ Inc.
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | PeerJ |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/14542.pdf |
| _version_ | 1827610852326375424 |
|---|---|
| author | Gabriela Guillen-Cruz Roberto Torres-Arreola Zulia Sanchez-Mejia Dulce Flores-Renteria |
| author_facet | Gabriela Guillen-Cruz Roberto Torres-Arreola Zulia Sanchez-Mejia Dulce Flores-Renteria |
| author_sort | Gabriela Guillen-Cruz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Agriculture is essential for food security. However, conventional agriculture alters the water and carbon cycle and soil properties. We investigated the effect of conventional management (CM) and sustainable management (SM) on the carbon and water cycle in crops of nopal (Np) and wheat (Wh). Methods A micrometeorological eddy covariance tower was installed to measure water use through evapotranspiration (ET) and the net exchange of CO2 during the crop’s development. Gross primary productivity (GPP), water use efficiency (WUE), and soil properties were obtained. Results The results showed that both agricultural managements influenced the carbon flux of the ecosystem, with a lower GPP and Reco in the nopal field (1.85 and 0.99 mmol C m−2 s−1, respectively), compared to the wheat field (6.34 and 1.8 mmol C m−2 s−1, respectively). It was mainly attributed to the metabolic plant differences, phenological stages, and wheat biomass developed during the winter. On the other hand, the accumulated ET in the SM-Wh plots was lower than SM-Np. Therefore, the crops subjected to sustainable practices use water more efficiently with 1.42 and 1.03 g C m−3 H2O for nopal and wheat, respectively. In regard to soil properties, it was observed that tillage alters microbial activity affecting organic matter and carbon. It can be concluded that the differences in agricultural management for both crops altered the carbon and water cycle and soil quality. In addition, implementing good agricultural practices allows more efficient use of water by the plant, higher retention of water in the soil, and less ET. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:57:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8e1cb17a1efb4660975d186077755a84 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:57:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-8e1cb17a1efb4660975d186077755a842023-12-03T00:55:26ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592022-12-0110e1454210.7717/peerj.14542The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid regionGabriela Guillen-Cruz0Roberto Torres-Arreola1Zulia Sanchez-Mejia2Dulce Flores-Renteria3Departamento Sustentabilidad de los Recursos Naturales y Energía, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, MexicoDepartamento Sustentabilidad de los Recursos Naturales y Energía, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, MexicoDepartamento de Ciencias del Agua y Medio Ambiente, Instituto Tecnologico de Sonora, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, MexicoConacyt-Sustentabilidad de los Recursos Naturales y Energía, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Saltillo, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, MexicoBackground Agriculture is essential for food security. However, conventional agriculture alters the water and carbon cycle and soil properties. We investigated the effect of conventional management (CM) and sustainable management (SM) on the carbon and water cycle in crops of nopal (Np) and wheat (Wh). Methods A micrometeorological eddy covariance tower was installed to measure water use through evapotranspiration (ET) and the net exchange of CO2 during the crop’s development. Gross primary productivity (GPP), water use efficiency (WUE), and soil properties were obtained. Results The results showed that both agricultural managements influenced the carbon flux of the ecosystem, with a lower GPP and Reco in the nopal field (1.85 and 0.99 mmol C m−2 s−1, respectively), compared to the wheat field (6.34 and 1.8 mmol C m−2 s−1, respectively). It was mainly attributed to the metabolic plant differences, phenological stages, and wheat biomass developed during the winter. On the other hand, the accumulated ET in the SM-Wh plots was lower than SM-Np. Therefore, the crops subjected to sustainable practices use water more efficiently with 1.42 and 1.03 g C m−3 H2O for nopal and wheat, respectively. In regard to soil properties, it was observed that tillage alters microbial activity affecting organic matter and carbon. It can be concluded that the differences in agricultural management for both crops altered the carbon and water cycle and soil quality. In addition, implementing good agricultural practices allows more efficient use of water by the plant, higher retention of water in the soil, and less ET.https://peerj.com/articles/14542.pdfMinimum tillageEcosystem respirationGross primary productivityEddy covarianceWater use efficiency |
| spellingShingle | Gabriela Guillen-Cruz Roberto Torres-Arreola Zulia Sanchez-Mejia Dulce Flores-Renteria The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid region PeerJ Minimum tillage Ecosystem respiration Gross primary productivity Eddy covariance Water use efficiency |
| title | The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid region |
| title_full | The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid region |
| title_fullStr | The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid region |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid region |
| title_short | The effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a Mexican semi-arid region |
| title_sort | effect of conventional and sustainable agricultural management practices on carbon and water fluxes in a mexican semi arid region |
| topic | Minimum tillage Ecosystem respiration Gross primary productivity Eddy covariance Water use efficiency |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/14542.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gabrielaguillencruz theeffectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion AT robertotorresarreola theeffectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion AT zuliasanchezmejia theeffectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion AT dulcefloresrenteria theeffectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion AT gabrielaguillencruz effectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion AT robertotorresarreola effectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion AT zuliasanchezmejia effectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion AT dulcefloresrenteria effectofconventionalandsustainableagriculturalmanagementpracticesoncarbonandwaterfluxesinamexicansemiaridregion |