Comparative assessment of ecosystem C exchange in Miscanthus and reed canary grass during early establishment

Land‐use change to bioenergy crop production can contribute towards addressing the dual challenges of greenhouse gas mitigation and energy security. Realisation of the mitigation potential of bioenergy crops is, however, dependent on suitable crop selection and full assessment of the carbon (C) emissions associated with land conversion. Using eddy covariance‐based estimates, ecosystem C exchange was studied during the early‐establishment phase of two perennial crops, C3 reed canary grass (RCG) and C4 Miscanthus, planted on former grassland in Ireland. Crop development was the main determinant of net carbon exchange in the Miscanthus crop, restricting significant net C uptake during the first 2 years of establishment. The Miscanthus ecosystem switched from being a net C source in the conversion year to a strong net C sink (−411 ± 63 g C m−2) in the third year, driven by significant above‐ground growth and leaf expansion. For RCG, early establishment and rapid canopy development facilitated a net C sink in the first 2 years of growth (−319 ± 57 (post‐planting) and −397 ± 114 g C m−2, respectively). Peak seasonal C uptake occurred three months earlier in RCG (May) than Miscanthus (August), however Miscanthus sustained net C uptake longer into the autumn and was close to C‐neutral in winter. Leaf longevity is therefore a key advantage of C4 Miscanthus in temperate climates. Further increases in productivity are projected as Miscanthus reaches maturity and are likely to further enhance the C sink potential of Miscanthus relative to RCG.

[1]  Leaf Photosynthesis , 2019, Climate Change and Terrestrial Ecosystem Modeling.

[2]  J. Wyngaard,et al.  The Atmospheric Boundary Layer , 2019, Wind Effects on Structures.

[3]  J. Dunn,et al.  Soil carbon sequestration and land use change associated with biofuel production: empirical evidence , 2016 .

[4]  N. Shurpali,et al.  Carbon dioxide exchange of a perennial bioenergy crop cultivation on a mineral soil , 2015 .

[5]  R. Ceulemans,et al.  Biophysical drivers of the carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy exchanges of a short-rotation poplar coppice , 2015 .

[6]  Iain S. Donnison,et al.  Environmental costs and benefits of growing Miscanthus for bioenergy in the UK , 2015, Global change biology. Bioenergy.

[7]  V. Kakani,et al.  Net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange of dedicated bioenergy feedstocks: Switchgrass and high biomass sorghum , 2015 .

[8]  S. Yue,et al.  Sensitivity of soil organic carbon stocks and fractions to soil surface mulching in semiarid farmland , 2015 .

[9]  A. Don,et al.  Soil carbon changes under Miscanthus driven by C4 accumulation and C3 decompostion – toward a default sequestration function , 2014 .

[10]  Alain Peeters,et al.  Grasslands and herbivore production in Europe and effects of common policies , 2014 .

[11]  Thomas B. Voigt,et al.  Yields of Miscanthus × giganteus and Panicum virgatum decline with stand age in the Midwestern USA , 2014 .

[12]  S. Hamilton,et al.  From set-aside grassland to annual and perennial cellulosic biofuel crops: Effects of land use change on carbon balance , 2013 .

[13]  G. Kiely,et al.  A data-driven analysis of energy balance closure across FLUXNET research sites: The role of landscape-scale heterogeneity , 2013 .

[14]  Tanka P. Kandel,et al.  Biomass Yield and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Drained Fen Peatland Cultivated with Reed Canary Grass under Different Harvest and Fertilizer Regimes , 2013, BioEnergy Research.

[15]  M. Aubinet,et al.  Fluxes of the greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) above a short-rotation poplar plantation after conversion from agricultural land , 2013 .

[16]  M. Z. Hussain,et al.  Altered Belowground Carbon Cycling Following Land-Use Change to Perennial Bioenergy Crops , 2013, Ecosystems.

[17]  Corinne Le Quéré,et al.  Carbon emissions from land use and land-cover change , 2012 .

[18]  Gerard Kiely,et al.  Management and climate effects on carbon dioxide and energy exchanges in a maritime grassland , 2012 .

[19]  A. Hastings,et al.  Land‐use change to bioenergy production in Europe: implications for the greenhouse gas balance and soil carbon , 2012 .

[20]  J. Dauber,et al.  Soil carbon sequestration during the establishment phase of Miscanthus × giganteus: a regional‐scale study on commercial farms using 13C natural abundance , 2012 .

[21]  Ü. Mander,et al.  Reed canary grass cultivation mitigates greenhouse gas emissions from abandoned peat extraction areas , 2012 .

[22]  M. Zeri,et al.  Carbon exchange by establishing biofuel crops in Central Illinois , 2011 .

[23]  Cara A. Augustenborg,et al.  Carbon dioxide emissions from spring ploughing of grassland in Ireland , 2011 .

[24]  Ruth Sanderson,et al.  Thermal requirements for seed germination in Miscanthus compared with Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinaceae), Maize (Zea mays) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) , 2011 .

[25]  S. Hamilton,et al.  CO2 fluxes of transitional bioenergy crops: effect of land conversion during the first year of cultivation , 2011 .

[26]  Andreas Gensior,et al.  Temporal dynamics of soil organic carbon after land‐use change in the temperate zone – carbon response functions as a model approach , 2011 .

[27]  D. Styles,et al.  A proposed framework for determining the environmental impact of replacing agricultural grassland with Miscanthus in Ireland , 2011 .

[28]  D. Price,et al.  Carbon, Water, and Energy Exchanges of a Hybrid Poplar Plantation During the First Five Years Following Planting , 2011, Ecosystems.

[29]  Klaus Kaiser,et al.  Dissolved carbon leaching from soil is a crucial component of the net ecosystem carbon balance , 2011 .

[30]  J. Yeluripati,et al.  Measurements necessary for assessing the net ecosystem carbon budget of croplands , 2010 .

[31]  Matthew Saunders,et al.  Key questions and uncertainties associated with the assessment of the cropland greenhouse gas balance , 2010 .

[32]  Jan Vanderborght,et al.  Within‐Field Variability of Bare Soil Evaporation Derived from Eddy Covariance Measurements , 2010 .

[33]  P. Adler,et al.  Carbon dioxide and water fluxes from switchgrass managed for bioenergy production , 2010 .

[34]  MICHAEL B. Jones,et al.  Assessing the effects of agricultural management practices on carbon fluxes: Spatial variation and the need for replicated estimates of Net Ecosystem Exchange , 2010 .

[35]  Michael Taylor,et al.  An overview of second generation biofuel technologies. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[36]  G. Fischer,et al.  Biofuel production potentials in Europe: sustainable use of cultivated land and pastures. Part II: Land use scenarios , 2010 .

[37]  T. Kätterer,et al.  Carbon-allocation dynamics in reed canary grass as affected by soil type and fertilization rates in northern Sweden , 2010 .

[38]  Enver Doruk Özdemir,et al.  Land substitution effects of biofuel side products and implications on the land area requirement for EU 2020 biofuel targets , 2009 .

[39]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  More Productive Than Maize in the Midwest: How Does Miscanthus Do It?1[W][OA] , 2009, Plant Physiology.

[40]  Georg Wohlfahrt,et al.  Open-path vs. closed-path eddy covariance measurements of the net ecosystem carbon dioxide and water vapour exchange: A long-term perspective , 2009 .

[41]  N. Shurpali,et al.  Cultivation of a perennial grass for bioenergy on a boreal organic soil – carbon sink or source? , 2009 .

[42]  B. Coulman,et al.  The potential use of reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) as a biofuel crop , 2009 .

[43]  Andrew B. Riche,et al.  Growth, yield and mineral content of Miscanthus × giganteus grown as a biofuel for 14 successive harvests , 2008 .

[44]  N. Brunsell,et al.  Surface boundary layer of cattle feedlots: Implications for air emissions measurement § , 2008 .

[45]  S. Long,et al.  Cool C4 Photosynthesis: Pyruvate Pi Dikinase Expression and Activity Corresponds to the Exceptional Cold Tolerance of Carbon Assimilation in Miscanthus × giganteus12[W][OA] , 2008, Plant Physiology.

[46]  S. Polasky,et al.  Land Clearing and the Biofuel Carbon Debt , 2008, Science.

[47]  N. Shurpali,et al.  Bare soil and reed canary grass ecosystem respiration in peat extraction sites in Eastern Finland , 2008 .

[48]  John Clifton-Brown,et al.  Carbon mitigation by the energy crop, Miscanthus , 2007 .

[49]  J. Fuhrer,et al.  The carbon budget of newly established temperate grassland depends on management intensity , 2007 .

[50]  R. Rees,et al.  Full accounting of the greenhouse gas (CO2, N2O, CH4) budget of nine European grassland sites , 2007 .

[51]  M. Nieuwenhuis,et al.  Inventory and eddy covariance-based estimates of annual carbon sequestration in a Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) forest ecosystem , 2007, European Journal of Forest Research.

[52]  C. Bernhofer,et al.  The Energy Balance Experiment EBEX-2000. Part I: overview and energy balance , 2007 .

[53]  C. Wirth,et al.  Reconciling Carbon-cycle Concepts, Terminology, and Methods , 2006, Ecosystems.

[54]  Gerard Kiely,et al.  Net ecosystem exchange of grassland in contrasting wet and dry years , 2006 .

[55]  Matthias Mauder,et al.  Innovative gap-filling strategy for annual sums of CO2 net ecosystem exchange , 2006 .

[56]  C. R. Adams,et al.  Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass): Rapid growth and growth pattern in conditions approximating newly restored wetlands , 2005 .

[57]  T. Vesala,et al.  On the separation of net ecosystem exchange into assimilation and ecosystem respiration: review and improved algorithm , 2005 .

[58]  MICHAEL B. Jones,et al.  Carbon sequestration in temperate grassland ecosystems and the influence of management, climate and elevated CO2 , 2004 .

[59]  T. Meyers,et al.  An assessment of storage terms in the surface energy balance of maize and soybean , 2004 .

[60]  J. Molofsky,et al.  Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) as a Biological Model in the Study of Plant Invasions , 2004 .

[61]  Pete Smith,et al.  Carbon sequestration in the agricultural soils of Europe , 2004 .

[62]  P. Kuikman,et al.  The impact of grassland ploughing on CO2 and N2O emissions in the Netherlands , 2004, Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems.

[63]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  Potential mechanisms of low-temperature tolerance of C4 photosynthesis in Miscanthus × giganteus: an in vivo analysis , 2004, Planta.

[64]  J. Scurlock,et al.  The development and current status of perennial rhizomatous grasses as energy crops in the US and Europe , 2003 .

[65]  W. Oechel,et al.  Energy balance closure at FLUXNET sites , 2002 .

[66]  M. Aubinet,et al.  Long term carbon dioxide exchange above a mixed forest in the Belgian Ardennes , 2001 .

[67]  R. Kormann,et al.  An Analytical Footprint Model For Non-Neutral Stratification , 2001 .

[68]  Ü. Rannik,et al.  Gap filling strategies for defensible annual sums of net ecosystem exchange , 2001 .

[69]  J. Eriksen,et al.  Soil respiration, nitrogen mineralization and uptake in barley following cultivation of grazed grasslands , 2001, Biology and Fertility of Soils.

[70]  John Clifton-Brown,et al.  The modelled productivity of Miscanthus×giganteus (GREEF et DEU) in Ireland. , 2000 .

[71]  J. Norman,et al.  Correcting eddy-covariance flux underestimates over a grassland , 2000 .

[72]  Dean Vickers,et al.  Quality Control and Flux Sampling Problems for Tower and Aircraft Data , 1997 .

[73]  A. Verhoef,et al.  A system to measure surface fluxes of momentum, sensible heat, water vapour and carbon dioxide , 1997 .

[74]  R. B. Jackson,et al.  A global analysis of root distributions for terrestrial biomes , 1996, Oecologia.

[75]  J. William Munger,et al.  Measurements of carbon sequestration by long‐term eddy covariance: methods and a critical evaluation of accuracy , 1996 .

[76]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  Leaf photosynthesis in the C4-grass Miscanthus x giganteus, growing in the cool temperate climate of southern England , 1996 .

[77]  S. B. McLaughlin,et al.  Evaluating environmental consequences of producing herbaceous crops for bioenergy. , 1995 .

[78]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  Can perennial C4 grasses attain high efficiencies of radiant energy conversion in cool climates , 1995 .

[79]  J. Lloyd,et al.  On the temperature dependence of soil respiration , 1994 .

[80]  Eric A. Davidson,et al.  Changes in soil carbon inventories following cultivation of previously untilled soils , 1993 .

[81]  J. M. Norman,et al.  Plant Canopies: Their Growth, Form and Function: The description and measurement of plant canopy structure , 1989 .

[82]  Stephen P. Long,et al.  C4 photosynthesis at low temperatures , 1983 .

[83]  John L. Monteith,et al.  Reassessment of Maximum Growth Rates for C3 and C4 Crops , 1978, Experimental Agriculture.

[84]  J. Monteith.  Climate and the efficiency of crop production in Britain , 1977 .

[85]  D. S. Munro,et al.  Aerodynamic boundary-layer adjustment over a crop in neutral stability , 1975 .

[86]  J. Kaimal,et al.  Spectral Characteristics of Surface-Layer Turbulence , 1972 .

[87]  J. Finnan,et al.  Nitrogen dynamics in a mature Miscanthus x giganteus crop fertilized with nitrogen over a five year period , 2014 .

[88]  Axel Don,et al.  Sensitivity of soil organic carbon stocks and fractions to different land-use changes across Europe , 2013 .

[89]  Elizabeth Pattey,et al.  Eddy Covariance Measurements over Crops , 2012 .

[90]  Thomas Foken,et al.  Documentation and Instruction Manual of the Eddy-Covariance Software Package TK3 (update) , 2011 .

[91]  Gerard Kiely,et al.  Six-year Stable Annual Uptake of Carbon Dioxide in Intensively Managed Humid Temperate Grassland , 2010, Ecosystems.

[92]  M. Isolahti.  Reed canary grass. , 2006 .

[93]  Martial Bernoux,et al.  Soil Carbon Sequestration , 2006 .

[94]  H. Schmid,et al.  A Simple Parameterisation for Flux Footprint Predictions , 2004 .

[95]  R. Kormann,et al.  COMPARISON OF THE LANGRANGIAN FOOTPRINT MODEL LPDM-B WITH AN ANALYTICAL FOOTPRINT MODEL Research Note , 2003 .

[96]  Thomas Foken,et al.  The energy balance experiment EBEX-2000 , 2002 .

[97]  Katri Saijonkari-Pahkala.  Non-wood plants as raw material for pulp and paper , 2001 .

[98]  H. D. Scott.  Soil physics: agricultural and environmental applications. , 2000 .

[99]  T. Dao.  Tillage and crop residue effects on carbon dioxide evolution and carbon storage in a paleustoll , 1998 .

[100]  Staffan Landström,et al.  Harvest in spring improves yield and quality of reed canary grass as a bioenergy crop , 1996 .

[101]  P. Mason.  Atmospheric boundary layer flows: Their structure and measurement , 1995 .

[102]  E. K. Webb,et al.  Correction of flux measurements for density effects due to heat and water vapour transfer , 1980 .

[103]  J. Scurlock,et al.  Miscanthus : European experience with a novel energy crop , 2000 .

[104]  Gu Lb,et al.  Soil carbon stocks and land use change : a meta analysis , 2022 .