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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #389674
Research Project: Long-term Management of Water Resources in the Central Mississippi River Basin

Location: Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research

Title: Nitrous oxide emissions from a long-term research site with varying topsoil thickness

Author
item BJORN, SUMMER - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item DAVIS, MORGAN - UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
item Abendroth, Lori

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2021
Publication Date: 11/7/2021
Citation: Bjorn, S.J., Davis, M.P., Abendroth, L.J. 2021. Nitrous oxide emissions from a long-term research site with varying topsoil thickness [abstract]. ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, November 7-10, 2021, Salt Lake City, Utah. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2021am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/138579

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils in the Midwest have been intensively studied over the past two decades. However, few studies have examined the effect of topsoil depth on nitrous oxide, methane, and carbon dioxide emissions. We measured greenhouse gas emissions from long-term research plots located at the University of Missouri. Plots were initially established in 1982 with varying levels of topsoil thickness (0, 12.5, 25, and 37.5 cm) on a Mexico silt loam (Vertic Epiaqualfs). Crop rotations were replicated four times of each topsoil treatment levels, including soybean – soybean – corn, wheat – summer rye cover crop – soybean – corn, summer rye cover crop – corn – soybean – wheat, soybean – wheat – summer rye cover crop – corn. Static chamber gas flux measurements were collected weekly in 2021 from June through September. Corn and wheat treatments were analyzed for cumulative nitrous oxide emissions among top soil depth treatments. Nitrous oxide emissions from corn were similar, ranging from 3.1 to 3.6 kg N2O-N ha-1. Nitrous oxide emissions from wheat were lower on average, but had a greater range (0.6 - 2.7 kg N2O-N ha-1). The range of wheat emissions was likely driven by top soil thickness and depth to claypan, representing effects of soil organic matter and soil moisture respectively.