Wind farm and solar park effects on plant–soil carbon cycling: uncertain impacts of changes in ground‐level microclimate

Global energy demand is increasing as greenhouse gas driven climate change progresses, making renewable energy sources critical to future sustainable power provision. Land‐based wind and solar electricity generation technologies are rapidly expanding, yet our understanding of their operational effects on biological carbon cycling in hosting ecosystems is limited. Wind turbines and photovoltaic panels can significantly change local ground‐level climate by a magnitude that could affect the fundamental plant–soil processes that govern carbon dynamics. We believe that understanding the possible effects of changes in ground‐level microclimates on these phenomena is crucial to reducing uncertainty of the true renewable energy carbon cost and to maximize beneficial effects. In this Opinions article, we examine the potential for the microclimatic effects of these land‐based renewable energy sources to alter plant–soil carbon cycling, hypothesize likely effects and identify critical knowledge gaps for future carbon research.     

Patterns in CH4 and CO2 concentrations across boreal rivers: Major drivers and implications for fluvial greenhouse emissions under climate change scenarios

It is now widely accepted that boreal rivers and streams are regionally significant sources of carbon dioxide (CO₂), yet their role as methane (CH₄) emitters, as well as the sensitivity of these greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to climate change, are still largely undefined. In this study, we explore the large‐scale patterns of fluvial CO₂ and CH₄ partial pressure (pCO₂, pCH₄) and gas exchange (k) relative to a set of key, climate‐sensitive river variables across 46 streams and rivers in two distinct boreal landscapes of Northern Québec. We use the resulting models to determine the direction and magnitude of C‐gas emissions from these boreal fluvial networks under scenarios of climate change. River pCO₂ and pCH₄ were positively correlated, although the latter was two orders of magnitude more variable. We provide evidence that in‐stream metabolism strongly influences the dynamics of surface water pCO₂ and pCH₄, but whereas pCO₂ is not influenced by temperature in the surveyed streams and rivers, pCH₄ appears to be strongly temperature‐dependent. The major predictors of ambient gas concentrations and exchange were water temperature, velocity, and DOC, and the resulting models indicate that total GHG emissions (C‐CO₂ equivalent) from the entire network may increase between by 13 to 68% under plausible scenarios of climate change over the next 50 years. These predicted increases in fluvial GHG emissions are mostly driven by a steep increase in the contribution of CH₄ (from 36 to over 50% of total CO₂‐equivalents). The current role of boreal fluvial networks as major landscape sources of C is thus likely to expand, mainly driven by large increases in fluvial CH₄ emissions.     

温室内大花植物对天敌丰度及其控害功能的影响

【目的】大花植物(花粉和花蜜)能否为特殊的寒地温室内各种昆虫的成虫期补充营养,提供食物来源进而影响温室内天敌的控害功能是当前保护地内防控害虫的关键的科学问题之一。【方法】本实验连续两年选择调查了哈尔滨市郊区(寒地,北纬45o)三栋大型玻璃温室的花卉作物栽培引入情况并用粘虫板连续监测了温室内各种节肢动物丰度动态,分析了温室内大花植物栽培比例对各类(种)优势害虫丰度,寄生性天敌及捕食性天敌丰度的影响,探讨了不同天敌类群丰度的关系及害虫多样性与总丰度等关系。【结果】研究表明:较高比例的大花植物栽培整体上能提高害虫的多样性指数,抑制各种害虫种群的暴发,但单一种类的大花植物也会导致较为严重的害虫发生;影响寄生性天敌类群的环境因素与影响捕食性天敌的因素相似,而捕食性天敌(体型较大)对化学农药的喷洒相对更为敏感。【结论】研究结果可为田间生物控害工程的"功能植物"筛选提供信息,为设施农业害虫生物防治提供科学依据。     

Resistance and resilience of the forest soil microbiome to logging-associated compaction

Soil compaction is a major disturbance associated with logging, but we lack a fundamental understanding of how this affects the soil microbiome. We assessed the structural resistance and resilience of the microbiome using a high-throughput pyrosequencing approach in differently compacted soils at two forest sites and correlated these findings with changes in soil physical properties and functions. Alterations in soil porosity after compaction strongly limited the air and water conductivity. Compaction significantly reduced abundance, increased diversity, and persistently altered the structure of the microbiota. Fungi were less resistant and resilient than bacteria; clayey soils were less resistant and resilient than sandy soils. The strongest effects were observed in soils with unfavorable moisture conditions, where air and water conductivities dropped well below 10% of their initial value. Maximum impact was observed around 6–12 months after compaction, and microbial communities showed resilience in lightly but not in severely compacted soils 4 years post disturbance. Bacteria capable of anaerobic respiration, including sulfate, sulfur, and metal reducers of the Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, were significantly associated with compacted soils. Compaction detrimentally affected ectomycorrhizal species, whereas saprobic and parasitic fungi proportionally increased in compacted soils. Structural shifts in the microbiota were accompanied by significant changes in soil processes, resulting in reduced carbon dioxide, and increased methane and nitrous oxide emissions from compacted soils. This study demonstrates that physical soil disturbance during logging induces profound and long-lasting changes in the soil microbiome and associated soil functions, raising awareness regarding sustainable management of economically driven logging operations.     

Implications of emissions timing on the cost‐effectiveness of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies: application to forest bioenergy systems

Conventional cost‐effectiveness calculations ignore the implications of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions timing and thus may not properly inform decision‐makers in the efficient allocation of resources to mitigate climate change. To begin to address this disconnect with climate change science, we modify the conventional cost‐effectiveness approach to account for emissions timing. GHG emissions flows occurring over time are translated into an ‘Equivalent Present Emission’ based on radiative forcing, enabling a comparison of system costs and emissions on a consistent present time basis. We apply this ‘Present Cost‐Effectiveness’ method to case studies of biomass‐based electricity generation (biomass co‐firing with coal, biomass cogeneration) to evaluate implications of forest carbon trade‐offs on the cost‐effectiveness of emission reductions. Bioenergy production from forest biomass can reduce forest carbon stocks, an immediate emissions source that contributes to atmospheric greenhouse gases. Forest carbon impacts thereby lessen emission reductions in the near‐term relative to the assumption of biomass ‘carbon neutrality’, resulting in higher costs of emission reductions when emissions timing is considered. In contrast, conventional cost‐effectiveness approaches implicitly evaluate strategies over an infinite analytical time horizon, underestimating nearer term emissions reduction costs and failing to identify pathways that can most efficiently contribute to climate change mitigation objectives over shorter time spans (e.g. up to 100 years). While providing only a simple representation of the climate change implications of emissions timing, the Present Cost‐Effectiveness method provides a straightforward approach to assessing the cost‐effectiveness of emission reductions associated with any climate change mitigation strategy where future GHG reductions require significant initial capital investment or increase near‐term emissions. Timing is a critical factor in determining the attractiveness of any investment; accounting for emissions timing can better inform decisions related to the merit of alternative resource uses to meet near‐, mid‐, and long‐term climate change mitigation objectives.     

Elevated methane emissions from a paddy field in southeast China occur after applying anaerobic digestion slurry

One hundred million tons of farm stalk waste and livestock and poultry excrement are used every year in China for the production of clean energy (biogas) by anaerobic digestion. Consequently, a large amount of fermented liquid is produced, and if disposed of improperly, it will result in secondary pollution. Agricultural application of this anaerobic slurry as a liquid fertilizer would reduce possible eutrophication of water sources from random slurry discharge and supply a superior organic fertilizer for farming. This study investigated the effect of applying anaerobic digestion slurry as a liquid fertilizer on the methane emitted from a paddy field. A two‐year (2008–2009) field experiment replacing chemical fertilizer with liquid fertilizer from anaerobically digested pig manure slurry was conducted in a paddy field in Yixing, Jiangsu, China. A static closed chamber method was used to measure methane fluxes over the period from June 2008 to October 2009. All fertilizer treatments increased methane emissions relative to untreated controls, with increases in methane ranging from 40–70% in 2008 to 48–84% in 2009. Paddy fields treated with anaerobically digested pig manure slurry had greater methane emissions (8–84% in 2008 and 3–26% in 2009) than those treated with chemical fertilizer. This suggests that the anaerobic digestion slurry would increase methane emission and so is unsuitable as a liquid fertilizer in paddy fields without development of cultivation practices to limit these emissions.     

延安市日光温室蔬菜施肥现状与环境效应

调查分析延安市日光温室蔬菜目前的施肥现状和存在问题,结果表明蔬菜主要施肥问题是偏施氮磷肥,而且用量超过蔬菜的需肥量,忽视钾肥和微量元素的施用。过量施肥造成土壤NO3^-—N累积和地下水NO3^-—N含量超标,地下水NO3^-—N含量达142mg／L。根据西红柿和黄瓜的需肥要求,提出了黄瓜和西红柿合理的N、P、K肥和有机肥用量。日光温室黄瓜产量150000kg／hm^2的施用量为N750—840kg／hm^2,P2O5 450—540kg／hm^2,K2O 450—750kg/hm^2,有机肥60-80t/hm^2较为合理。日光温室西红柿180 000kg/hm^2产量的施用量为N810-960kg/hm^2,P2O5 420-510kg／hm^2,K2O 540-690kg／hm^2,有机肥50-80t/hm^2较为合理。分析了施肥对土壤环境和地下水NO3^-—N含量的影响,并提出了日光温室蔬菜施肥的改进措施。     

施肥对日光温室土壤硝酸盐分布特征的影响

在陕北延安研究了施肥对日光温室土壤硝酸盐分布的影响。结果表明,日光温室土壤的NO3^--N的动态分布与剖面淋洗深度与施肥关系密切,施用化肥、有机肥和沼肥都会导致土壤剖面的NO3^--N累积。而累积时期与黄瓜的生长发育过程有关,在黄瓜的生长前期和后期,土壤的NO3^--N高,易出现NO3^--N累积和淋洗;生长中期,土壤的NO3^--N含量低,不会出现NO3^--N累积和淋洗。0～20cm和20～40cm土层的土壤氮索对黄瓜生长都有效。     

Predation of Clitostethus arcuatus (Col.: Coccinellidae) on Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hem.: Aleyrodidae)

Greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, is a serious pest of glasshouse crops. It shows resistance to different insecticides and growers are interested in finding other useful control methods. This research was carried out to study the predation potential and biology of Clitostethus arcuatus (Rossi) as one of the most important predators of this pest. Adult C. arcuatus were reared on tobacco leaves bearing colonies of greenhouse whitefly eggs under controlled conditions (25±2°C, 65±5% RH and 16 h L:8 h D). Results showed that the average developmental time of the egg, first through fourth instar larva and pupa were 2.82±0.12, 4.47±0.14, 4.54±0.1, 6.3±0.2, 7±0.22 and 3.8±0.13 days, respectively; and longevity of female and male were 66.4±2.6 and 54.9±2.5 days, respectively. The average feeding rates of female, male and larvae (first through fourth) were 61.4±0.7, 27.6±0.9 eggs/day and 12±1.03, 30.3±2.4, 41.3±2, 68.04±2 eggs/day, respectively. The larvae consumed an average of 992.2±36 eggs during the total larval developmental period with a daily mean of 45.8±0.5. A significant difference was shown between the feeding rate of fourth instar larval stages and between sexes. Females, males and one pair of C. arcuatus (♀,♂) consumed an average of 17.2±0.4, 10.6±0.8, 23.1±0.5 nymph/day; 28.5±0.9, 20.3±0.6, 47.2±0.6 pupa/day and 8±0.3, 6.5±0.54, 13.6±0.4 adult/day, respectively. The feeding rate was significantly different among whitefly life stages. Females laid an average of 3±0.23 eggs/day.