Author
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Follett, Ronald |
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Submitted to: GRACEnet Sampling Protocols
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2011 Publication Date: 1/10/2011 Citation: Follett, R.F. 2011. GRACEnet sampling protocols. 69 pages. www.ars.usda.gov/research/GRACEnet Interpretive Summary: GRACEnet Sampling Protocols R. F. Follett (editor) Contents: I. Introduction Ronald F. Follett II. Sampling Protocols Chapter 1. Soil Sampling Guidelines. Pages 1-1 to 1-5 Mark Liebig, Gary Varvel, and Wayne Honeycutt. Chapter 2. Plant Sampling Guidelines. Page 2-1 to 2-10 Jane Johnson and Jack Morgan. Chapter 3. Trace Gas Sampling Guidelines. Page 3-1 to 3-39 Tim Parkin and Rod Venterea. Chapter 4. Micrometeorological Measurement Guidelines. Page 4-1 to 4-10 John Baker and Bruce Kimball. Chapter 5. Guidelines to Populate the Database Template. Page 5-1 to 5-4 Steve Del Grosso, Jeff White and David James Technical Abstract: I. INTRODUCTION1 Ronald F. Follett (Editor) U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service Soil-Plant-Nutrient Research Unit Fort Collins, CO GRACEnet is an acronym derived by contraction of the project’s title, “Greenhouse Gas Reduction through Agricultural Carbon Enhancement network.” GRACEnet represents a coordinated national effort that was established in 2005 by the Agricultural Research Service of USDA. As part of this effort guidelines were established to allow research collaborations across many locations and within different agro-ecosystems as appropriate to assess the role of agricultural management systems at local, regional, and national scale. Agricultural systems and their management are assessed for their ability to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the enhancement of soil carbon sequestration and the reduction of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Project planning was done by a highly qualified research team and includes their best efforts to describe the use improved approaches and best standardizing protocols, within the capabilities of current technology, for the collection of soil, plant, and gaseous samples so that valid comparisons can be made across many experiments, many locations, and many cropping and land use systems. The emphasis within the GRACEnet effort is to allow comparisons among common management scenarios at each location. Although the soils, crops and condition will be location specific, consistent methods and detailed record keeping will facilitate cross-location and cross-regional comparisons and ensure quality control. GRACEnet OBJECTIVES/Hypotheses 1 Evaluate the soil C status and direction of change of soil C in existing typical and alternative agricultural systems. Hypothesis: Soil and agronomic management practices can be developed that sequester more soil C than those currently and/or typically used. 2 Determine net GHG emission (CO2, CH4 and N2O) of current agricultural systems in existing typical and alternative agricultural systems. Hypothesagricultural systems can be developed that will decrease net GHG emission while increasing soil C storage. 3 Determine the environmental effects (water, air and soil quality) of the new agricultural systems developed to reduce GHG emission and increase soil C 1 Citation: Ronald Follett. 2010. Sampling Protocols. Introduction. In Sampling Protocols. R.F. Follett, editor. p. I-1 to I-4. Available at: www.ars.usda.gov/research/GRACEnet storage. Hypothesis: The development of agricultural systems that reduce GHG emission while increasing soil C storage will also improve water, air, and soil quality. Note: All participating units will address objective 1. Those units with the capacity to measure trace gases will also address objective 2. While those with the capacity to measure other environmental parameters will also address objective 3. APPROACH: The GRACEnet experimental concept is based on four location-specific scenarios or treatments as follows: 1. Business as usual What is the C accumulation rate under typical agricultural management practices? These business as usual systems should be economically viable or at least used by the majority of producers that are able to continue in production agriculture in that area of the country. Each unit will determine the number of sub treatments it will research, since there may be many variations on typical practices within a geographic area. 2. Maximizing C sequestration rate What has to be done to achieve the highest rate of soil carbon sequestration in that production system? These treatments may be either economically feasible or technically feasible. The only constraint is that they remain in a agriculturally feasible production system. Each unit will determine the number of sub treatments it will research, since there will be many variations on pr |
