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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Crops Pathology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #328090
Title: Precipitation events and management practices affect greenhouse gas emissions from vineyards in a Mediterranean climate (Lodi American Viticulture Area, California)

Author
item YU, OLIVIA - University Of California
item GREENHUT, RACHEL - University Of California
item O'GEEN, ANTHONY - University Of California
item Mackey, Bruce
item HORWATH, WILLIAM - University Of California
item Steenwerth, Kerri

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2016
Publication Date: 2/28/2017
Citation: Yu, O.T., Greenhut, R.F., O'Geen, A.T., Mackey, B.E., Horwath, W.R., Steenwerth, K.L. 2017. Precipitation events and management practices affect greenhouse gas emissions from vineyards in a Mediterranean climate (Lodi American Viticulture Area, California). Soil Science Society of America Journal. 81:138-152. doi: 10.2136/sssaj2016.04.0098.

Interpretive Summary: To evaluate the effect of precipitation events, management practices, and soil type in wine grape (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. vinifera) vineyard systems and provide data for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculators, we monitored nine vineyards in the Lodi wine grape district, California, from April 2011 to December 2012. These commercial vineyards exist on three soil series (Redding, San Joaquin, and Tokay), representing a spectrum of soil textures and degrees of soil development. We hypothesized that soil characteristics would be a dominating factor affecting GHG fluxes, but the magnitude of fluxes would be influenced by precipitation and management events. We measured N2O fluxes, soil NO3–N and NH4–N, and gravimetric water content (GWC) from vine and intervine (alleys) rows bimonthly (April–October) and monthly (November–March). Monthly, we collected soil samples for dissolved organic C (DOC) and dissolved organic N (DON) determination. Path analysis revealed that the effects of soil type and vineyard zone on N2O emissions were influenced by soil texture (i.e., gravel and clay contents) but that this effect was mediated by GWC through soil temperature and soil inorganic N content. Management practices such as irrigation, fertigation, cover cropping, and tillage affected differences between vine rows and alleys for soil inorganic pools, DOC, and DON from June to October 2012. This 20-mo study indicated that precipitation events strongly influenced N2O fluxes.

Technical Abstract: We monitored greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from nine vineyards in Lodi, California from April 2011 – December 2012. These commercial vineyards are replicates of three soil series (Redding, San Joaquin, and Tokay), representing a spectrum of soil texture. We hypothesized that soil characteristics would influence the magnitude of GHG fluxes from precipitation and management events in a Mediterranean climate. During each field visit – every other week from April to October and monthly from November to March – we measured carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes, soil nitrate (NO3-N) and ammonium (NH4-N), and gravimetric water content (GWC) from vine and inter-vine (alleys) rows. Monthly, we collected soil samples for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). Additionally, we simulated early spring tillage in March 2012 and first precipitation event of a wet season in September 2012. The first precipitation event in October 2011 resulted in higher N2O fluxes at San Joaquin (35.6 ' 10.7 g N2O-N ha-1, n = 30) and Redding (30.1 ' 10.0 g N2O-N ha-1, n = 30) than Tokay (8.5 ' 3.9 g N2O-N ha-1 day-1, n = 30). In mid-May and mid-October 2012, CO2 fluxes were higher at Tokay than San Joaquin or Redding due to seasonal floor management practices, such as cultivation and mowing of cover crops. Management practices effected differences between vine rows and alleys for soil inorganic pools, DOC, and DON from June to October 2012. Precipitation and tillage simulations depicted similar magnitudes of GHG fluxes as monitoring data. Results from this 20-month study suggested differences in N2O fluxes among soils were due to precipitation events, while CO2 fluxes were related to soil disturbance from management practices at the beginning and end of the dry season.