Manure type affects manure degradation rate, soil biogeochemistry, and greenhouse gas emissions

Citation

Weber, T. Chang S, Hao X and Beauchimen K. 2018. Manure type affects manure degradation rate, soil biogeochemistry, and greenhouse gas emissions. An abstract submitted to 21st World Congress of Soil Science, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 12-17, 2018.

Résumé en langage clair

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture is an important way to mitigate climate change. Diet manipulation influences enteric fermentation and has the potential to reduce GHG emissions; however, few studies have examined the effect of diet composition on GHG emissions after manure is applied to the soil. We conducted a 70-day lab incubation experiment to investigate this knowledge gap and analyze how different manure types affect soil biogeochemical cycling and GHG emissions. We are analyzing the results now and a poster will be prepared and presented at the 21st World Congress of Soil Science in August 2018.

Résumé

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture is an important way to mitigate climate change. Diet manipulation influences enteric fermentation and has the potential to reduce GHG emissions; however, few studies have examined the effect of diet composition on GHG emissions after manure is applied to the soil. We conducted a 70-day lab incubation experiment to investigate this knowledge gap and analyze how different manure types affect soil biogeochemical cycling and GHG emissions. Soil samples from three sites in Alberta, Canada were treated with manure from beef cattle fed corn or barley, and no manure was applied. The flux of nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) was measured. Nitrogen (N) mineralization to ammonium (NH4+) under 60% water filled pore space (WFPS) conditions and the nitrification and denitrification roles of N2O under 80% WFPS conditions were tested using soil incubations. Ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-), microbial biomass, carbon (C) to N ratio, and the activity of β -1,4-Glucosidase (N cycling) and β-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (C cycling) were measured to better understand the relationships between soil biogeochemical cycling and GHG emissions. We hypothesize that manure from corn diets reduces GHG emissions correlated to lower levels of nitrification and denitrification due to lower levels of nitrogen excretion from the animal. The results of this study will be used to develop best manure management practices for current and future feeding practices in the beef industry.

Date de publication

2018-08-12