Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppice
The production of bioenergy in Europe is one of the strategies conceived to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The suitability of the land use change from a cropland (REF site) to a short-rotation coppice plantation of hybrid poplar (SRC site) was investigated by comparing the GHG budgets of the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2016-01-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/95/2016/bg-13-95-2016.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818197128365735936 |
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| author | S. Sabbatini N. Arriga T. Bertolini S. Castaldi T. Chiti C. Consalvo S. Njakou Djomo B. Gioli G. Matteucci D. Papale |
| author_facet | S. Sabbatini N. Arriga T. Bertolini S. Castaldi T. Chiti C. Consalvo S. Njakou Djomo B. Gioli G. Matteucci D. Papale |
| author_sort | S. Sabbatini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The production of bioenergy in Europe is one of the strategies conceived to
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The suitability of the land use
change from a cropland (REF site) to a short-rotation coppice plantation of
hybrid poplar (SRC site) was investigated by comparing the GHG budgets of
these two systems over 24 months in Viterbo, Italy. This period corresponded
to a single rotation of the SRC site. The REF site was a crop rotation
between grassland and winter wheat, i.e. the same management of the SRC site
before the conversion to short-rotation coppice. Eddy covariance
measurements were carried out to quantify the net ecosystem exchange of
CO<sub>2</sub> (<i>F</i><sub>CO<sub>2</sub></sub>), whereas chambers were used to measure N<sub>2</sub>O and
CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from soil. The measurements began 2 years after the
conversion of arable land to SRC so that an older poplar plantation was
used to estimate the soil organic carbon (SOC) loss due to SRC
establishment and to estimate SOC recovery over time. Emissions from
tractors and from production and transport of agricultural inputs
(<i>F</i><sub>MAN</sub>) were modelled. A GHG emission offset, due to the substitution of natural gas with SRC biomass, was credited to the GHG budget of the SRC site. Emissions generated by the use of biomass (<i>F</i><sub>EXP</sub>) were also
considered. Suitability was finally assessed by comparing the GHG budgets of
the two sites. CO<sub>2</sub> uptake was 3512 ± 224 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup>
at the SRC site in 2 years, and 1838 ± 107 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> at
the REF site. <i>F</i><sub>EXP</sub> was equal to 1858 ± 240 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup>
at the REF site, thus basically compensating for <i>F</i><sub>CO<sub>2</sub></sub>, while it was
1118 ± 521 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> at the SRC site. The SRC site could
offset 379.7 ± 175.1 g CO<sub>2</sub>eq m<sup>−2</sup> from fossil fuel
displacement. Soil CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes were negligible. <i>F</i><sub>MAN</sub>
made up 2 and 4 % in the GHG budgets of SRC and REF sites
respectively, while the SOC loss was 455 ± 524 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup>
in 2 years. Overall, the REF site was close to neutrality from a GHG
perspective (156 ± 264 g CO<sub>2</sub>eq m<sup>−2</sup>), while the SRC site was
a net sink of 2202 ± 792 g CO<sub>2</sub>eq m<sup>−2</sup>. In conclusion the
experiment led to a positive evaluation from a GHG viewpoint of the
conversion of cropland to bioenergy SRC. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:45:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6ac84effbbf481d8367e2900b0061d8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:45:03Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6ac84effbbf481d8367e2900b0061d82022-12-22T00:42:36ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892016-01-011319511310.5194/bg-13-95-2016Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppiceS. Sabbatini0N. Arriga1T. Bertolini2S. Castaldi3T. Chiti4C. Consalvo5S. Njakou Djomo6B. Gioli7G. Matteucci8D. Papale9University of Tuscia, Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo (VT), ItalyUniversity of Antwerp, Department of Biology, Research Group of Plant and Vegetation Ecology, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, BelgiumSecond University of Naples, Department of Environmental, Biological, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta (CE), ItalySecond University of Naples, Department of Environmental, Biological, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta (CE), ItalyUniversity of Tuscia, Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo (VT), ItalyUniversity of Tuscia, Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo (VT), ItalyHasselt University, Department of Economic, Research Group of Environmental Economics, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500 Hasselt, BelgiumInstitute of Biometeorology, National Research Council, Via G. Caproni 8, 50145 Firenze (FI), ItalyInstitute for Agricultural and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean, National Research Council, Via Cavour 4-6, 87036 Rende (CS), ItalyUniversity of Tuscia, Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo (VT), ItalyThe production of bioenergy in Europe is one of the strategies conceived to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The suitability of the land use change from a cropland (REF site) to a short-rotation coppice plantation of hybrid poplar (SRC site) was investigated by comparing the GHG budgets of these two systems over 24 months in Viterbo, Italy. This period corresponded to a single rotation of the SRC site. The REF site was a crop rotation between grassland and winter wheat, i.e. the same management of the SRC site before the conversion to short-rotation coppice. Eddy covariance measurements were carried out to quantify the net ecosystem exchange of CO<sub>2</sub> (<i>F</i><sub>CO<sub>2</sub></sub>), whereas chambers were used to measure N<sub>2</sub>O and CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from soil. The measurements began 2 years after the conversion of arable land to SRC so that an older poplar plantation was used to estimate the soil organic carbon (SOC) loss due to SRC establishment and to estimate SOC recovery over time. Emissions from tractors and from production and transport of agricultural inputs (<i>F</i><sub>MAN</sub>) were modelled. A GHG emission offset, due to the substitution of natural gas with SRC biomass, was credited to the GHG budget of the SRC site. Emissions generated by the use of biomass (<i>F</i><sub>EXP</sub>) were also considered. Suitability was finally assessed by comparing the GHG budgets of the two sites. CO<sub>2</sub> uptake was 3512 ± 224 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> at the SRC site in 2 years, and 1838 ± 107 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> at the REF site. <i>F</i><sub>EXP</sub> was equal to 1858 ± 240 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> at the REF site, thus basically compensating for <i>F</i><sub>CO<sub>2</sub></sub>, while it was 1118 ± 521 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> at the SRC site. The SRC site could offset 379.7 ± 175.1 g CO<sub>2</sub>eq m<sup>−2</sup> from fossil fuel displacement. Soil CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes were negligible. <i>F</i><sub>MAN</sub> made up 2 and 4 % in the GHG budgets of SRC and REF sites respectively, while the SOC loss was 455 ± 524 g CO<sub>2</sub> m<sup>−2</sup> in 2 years. Overall, the REF site was close to neutrality from a GHG perspective (156 ± 264 g CO<sub>2</sub>eq m<sup>−2</sup>), while the SRC site was a net sink of 2202 ± 792 g CO<sub>2</sub>eq m<sup>−2</sup>. In conclusion the experiment led to a positive evaluation from a GHG viewpoint of the conversion of cropland to bioenergy SRC.http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/95/2016/bg-13-95-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | S. Sabbatini N. Arriga T. Bertolini S. Castaldi T. Chiti C. Consalvo S. Njakou Djomo B. Gioli G. Matteucci D. Papale Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppice Biogeosciences |
| title | Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppice |
| title_full | Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppice |
| title_fullStr | Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppice |
| title_short | Greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short-rotation coppice |
| title_sort | greenhouse gas balance of cropland conversion to bioenergy poplar short rotation coppice |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/13/95/2016/bg-13-95-2016.pdf |
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