Comparing Biochar Application Methods for Switchgrass Yield and C Sequestration on Contrasting Marginal Lands in Pennsylvania,USA

To avoid competition with food crops, biofuel feedstocks may need to be produced on economically marginal lands where yields are limited and replacement of existing vegetation will reduce soil C, foregoing some CO₂ emission savings. Therefore, our first goal was to determine whether biochar application to marginal lands could improve switchgrass yield while sequestering sufficient soil C to eliminate the negative impact of cultivation. Because it may be difficult to obtain large quantities of biochar, our second goal was to compare small, incremental and large, all-at-once biochar applications. Our third goal was to determine whether biochar had any negative effects on earthworms, mycorrhizal fungi, soil bacteria, soil fungi, and soil enzyme activity. We grew switchgrass at two sites with poorly drained soils and two sites with excessively drained soils. Irrespective of site, biochar significantly increased yield when we rototilled in the entire amount before planting but not when we applied it incrementally between crop rows using a chisel plow. Biochar increased soil C stocks, in some cases increasing it beyond that found in soils of intact marginal land vegetation. Nevertheless, mixing biochar with soil had little or no impact on earthworm activity, mycorrhizal colonization, soil bacterial and fungal communities, and soil enzyme activities. We conclude that biochar may be part of an effective strategy for producing switchgrass on marginal lands, but the choice of application method depends on the relative importance of several considerations including biochar availability, switchgrass yield, C sequestration, soil erosion, and ease of application.     

Quantifying the effects of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) on deep organic C stocks using natural abundance 14C in three marginal soils

Perennial bioenergy crops have been shown to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, potentially offsetting anthropogenic C emissions. The effects of perennial bioenergy crops on SOC are typically assessed at shallow depths (<30 cm), but the deep root systems of these crops may also have substantial effects on SOC stocks at greater depths. We hypothesized that deep (>30 cm) SOC stocks would be greater under bioenergy crops relative to stocks under shallow‐rooted conventional crop cover. To test this, we sampled soils to between 1‐ and 3‐m depth at three sites in Oklahoma with 10‐ to 20‐year‐old switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) stands, and collected paired samples from nearby fields cultivated with shallow rooted annual crops. We measured root biomass, total organic C, ¹⁴C, ¹³C, and other soil properties in three replicate soil cores in each field and used a mixing model to estimate the proportion of recently fixed C under switchgrass based on ¹⁴C. The subsoil C stock under switchgrass (defined over 500–1500 kg/m² equivalent soil mass, approximately 30–100 cm depth) exceeded the subsoil stock in neighboring fields by 1.5 kg C/m² at a sandy loam site, 0.6 kg C/m² at a site with loam soils, and showed no significant difference at a third site with clay soils. Using the mixing model, we estimated that additional SOC introduced after switchgrass cultivation comprised 31% of the subsoil C stock at the sandy loam site, 22% at the loam site, and 0% at the clay site. These results suggest that switchgrass can contribute significantly to subsoil organic C—but also indicated that this effect varies across sites. Our analysis shows that agricultural strategies that emphasize deep‐rooted grass cultivars can increase soil C relative to conventional crops while expanding energy biomass production on marginal lands.     

Chemistry and Microbial Functional Diversity Differences in Biofuel Crop and Grassland Soils in Multiple Geographies

We obtained soil samples from geographically diverse switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) crop sites and from nearby reference grasslands and compared their edaphic properties, microbial gene diversity and abundance, and active microbial biomass content. We hypothesized that soils under switchgrass, a perennial, would be more similar to reference grassland soils than sorghum, an annual crop. Sorghum crop soils had significantly higher NO₃ ^? -N, NH₄ ⁺ -N, SO₄ ^2? -S, and Cu levels than grassland soils. In contrast, few significant differences in soil chemistry were observed between switchgrass crop and grassland soils. Active bacterial biomass was significantly lower in sorghum soils than switchgrass soils. Using GeoChip 4.0 functional gene arrays, we observed that microbial gene diversity was significantly lower in sorghum soils than grassland soils. Gene diversity at sorghum locations was negatively correlated with NO₃ ^? -N, NH₄ ⁺ -N, and SO₄ ^2? -S in C and N cycling microbial gene categories. Microbial gene diversity at switchgrass sites varied among geographic locations, but crop and grassland sites tended to be similar. Microbial gene abundance did not differ between sorghum crop and grassland soils, but was generally lower in switchgrass crop soils compared to grassland soils. Our results suggest that switchgrass has fewer adverse impacts on microbial soil ecosystem services than cultivation of an annual biofuel crop such as sorghum. Multi-year, multi-disciplinary regional studies comparing these and additional annual and perennial biofuel crop and grassland soils are recommended to help define sustainable crop production and soil ecosystem service practices.     

Switchgrass Biofuel Production on Reclaimed Surface Mines: I. Soil Quality and Dry Matter Yield

Growing food crops for biofuel on productive agricultural lands may become less viable as requirements to feed a growing human population increase. This has increased interest in growing cellulosic biofuel feedstocks on marginal lands. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a warm-season perennial, is a viable bioenergy crop candidate because it produces high yields on marginal lands under low fertility conditions. In other studies, switchgrass dry matter (DM) yields on marginal croplands varied from 5.0 to 10.0 Mg ha^?1 annually. West Virginia contains immense areas of reclaimed surface mined lands that could support a switchgrass-based biofuel industry, but yield data on these lands are lacking. Field experiments were established in 2008 to determine yields of three switchgrass cultivars on two West Virginia mine sites. One site reclaimed with topsoil and municipal sludge produced biomass yields of 19.0 Mg DM ha^?1 for Cave-in-Rock switchgrass after the sixth year, almost double the varieties Shawnee and Carthage, at 10.0 and 5.7 Mg ha^?1, respectively. Switchgrass yields on another site with no topsoil were 1.0 Mg ha^?1 after the sixth year, with little variation among cultivars. A second experiment was conducted at two other mine sites with a layer of topsoil over gray overburden. Cave-in-Rock was seeded with fertilizer applications of 0, 34, and 68 kg N-P₂O₅-K₂O ha^?1. After the third year, the no fertilizer treatment averaged biomass yields of 0.3 Mg ha^?1, while responses to the other two rates averaged 1.1 and 2.0 Mg ha^?1, respectively. Fertilization significantly increased yields on reclaimed mine soils. Where mine soil fertility was good, yields were similar to those reported on agricultural soils in the Northeastern USA.     

Global warming intensity of biofuel derived from switchgrass grown on marginal land in Michigan

Energy crops for biofuel production, especially switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), are of interest from a climate change perspective. Here, we use outputs from a crop growth model and life cycle assessment (LCA) to examine the global warming intensity (GWI; g CO₂ MJ⁻¹) and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential (Mg CO₂ year⁻¹) of biofuel systems based on a spatially explicit analysis of switchgrass grown on marginal land (abandoned former cropland) in Michigan, USA. We find that marginal lands in Michigan can annually produce over 0.57 hm³ of liquid biofuel derived from nitrogen-fertilized switchgrass, mitigating 1.2–1.5 Tg of CO₂ year⁻¹. About 96% of these biofuels can meet the Renewable Fuel Standard (60% reduction in lifecycle GHG emissions compared with conventional gasoline; GWI ≤37.2 g CO₂ MJ⁻¹). Furthermore, 73%–75% of these biofuels are carbon-negative (GWI less than zero) due to enhanced soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. However, simulations indicate that SOC levels would fail to increase and even decrease on the 11% of lands where SOC stocks >>200 Mg C ha⁻¹, leading to carbon intensities greater than gasoline. Results highlight the strong climate mitigation potential of switchgrass grown on marginal lands as well as the needs to avoid carbon rich soils such as histosols and wetlands and to ensure that productivity will be sufficient to provide net mitigation.     

Influence of corn,switchgrass, and prairie cropping systems on soil microbial communities in the upper Midwest of the United States

Because soil microbes drive many of the processes underpinning ecosystem services provided by soils, understanding how cropping systems affect soil microbial communities is important for productive and sustainable management. We characterized and compared soil microbial communities under restored prairie and three potential cellulosic biomass crops (corn, switchgrass, and mixed prairie grasses) in two spatial experimental designs – side‐by‐side plots where plant communities were in their second year since establishment (i.e., intensive sites) and regionally distributed fields where plant communities had been in place for at least 10 years (i.e., extensive sites). We assessed microbial community structure and composition using lipid analysis, pyrosequencing of rRNA genes (targeting fungi, bacteria, archaea, and lower eukaryotes), and targeted metagenomics of nifH genes. For the more recently established intensive sites, soil type was more important than plant community in determining microbial community structure, while plant community was the more important driver of soil microbial communities for the older extensive sites where microbial communities under corn were clearly differentiated from those under switchgrass and restored prairie. Bacterial and fungal biomasses, especially biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, were higher under perennial grasses and restored prairie, suggesting a more active carbon pool and greater microbial processing potential, which should be beneficial for plant acquisition and ecosystem retention of carbon, water, and nutrients.     

Mechanisms of soil carbon accrual and storage in bioenergy cropping systems

Annual row cropping systems converted to perennial bioenergy crops tend to accrue soil C, likely a function of increased root production and decreased frequency of tillage; however, very little is known about the mechanisms governing the accrual and stability of this additional soil C. To address this uncertainty, we assessed the formation and stability of aggregates and soil organic C (SOC) pools under switchgrass, giant miscanthus, a native perennial grass mix and continuous corn treatments in Michigan and Wisconsin soils differing in both texture and mineralogy. We isolated different aggregate size fractions, >2 mm, 0.5–2 mm, and <0.5 mm, using a procedure intended to minimize alterations to aggregate biological and chemical properties. We determined SOC, permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), and microbial activities (i.e. enzyme activities and soil respiration rates) associated with these aggregates. Soil type strongly influenced the trajectory of aggregate formation and stabilization with differences between sites in mean aggregate size, stability, SOC and microbial activity under perennial vs. corn cropping systems. At the Michigan site, soil microbial activities were highest in the >2 mm aggregates, and higher under the perennial grasses compared to corn. Contrastingly, in Wisconsin soils, microbial activities were highest in the <0.5 mm aggregates and evidence for soil C accrual under perennial grasses was observed only in a fast turnover pool in the <0.5 mm aggregate class. Our results help explain cross‐site variability in soil C accrual under perennial bioenergy crops by demonstrating how interactions between belowground productivity, soil type, aggregation processes and microbial communities influence the rates and extent of SOC stabilization. Bioenergy cropping systems have the potential to be low‐C energy sources but first we must understand the complex interactions controlling the formation and stabilization of SOC if we are to maximize soil C accrual.     

Perennial Grass Bioenergy Cropping on Wet Marginal Land: Impacts on Soil Properties,Soil Organic Carbon,and Biomass During Initial Establishment

The control of soil moisture, vegetation type, and prior land use on soil health parameters of perennial grass cropping systems on marginal lands is not well known. A fallow wetness-prone marginal site in New York (USA) was converted to perennial grass bioenergy feedstock production. Quadruplicate treatments were fallow control, reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinaceae L. Bellevue) with nitrogen (N) fertilizer (75 kg N ha^?1), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L. Shawnee), and switchgrass with N fertilizer (75 kg N ha^?1). Based on periodic soil water measurements, permanent sampling locations were assigned to various wetness groups. Surface (0–15 cm) soil organic carbon (SOC), active carbon, wet aggregate stability, pH, total nitrogen (TN), root biomass, and harvested aboveground biomass were measured annually (2011–2014). Multi-year decreases in SOC, wet aggregate stability, and pH followed plowing in 2011. For all years, wettest soils had the greatest SOC and active carbon, while driest soils had the greatest wet aggregate stability and lowest pH. In 2014, wettest soils had significantly (p?<?0.0001) greater SOC and TN than drier soils, and fallow soils had 14 to 20% greater SOC than soils of reed canarygrass + N, switchgrass, and switchgrass + N. Crop type and N fertilization did not result in significant differences in SOC, active carbon, or wet aggregate stability. Cumulative 3-year aboveground biomass yields of driest switchgrass + N soils (18.8 Mg ha^?1) were 121% greater than the three wettest switchgrass (no N) treatments. Overall, soil moisture status must be accounted for when assessing soil dynamics during feedstock establishment.     

Aboveground productivity and soil carbon storage of biofuel crops in Ohio

Biofuel crops may help achieve the goals of energy‐efficient renewable ethanol production and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation through carbon (C) storage. The objective of this study was to compare the aboveground biomass yields and soil organic C (SOC) stocks under four crops (no‐till corn, switchgrass, indiangrass, and willow) 7 years since establishment at three sites in Ohio to determine if high‐yielding biofuel crops are also capable of high levels of C storage. Corn grain had the highest potential ethanol yields, with an average of more than 4100 L ha^?1, and ethanol yields increased if both corn grain and stover were converted to biofuel, while willow had the lowest yields. The SOC concentration in soils under biofuels was generally unaffected by crop type; at one site, soil in the top 10 cm under willow contained nearly 13 Mg C ha^?1 more SOC (or 29% more) than did soils under switchgrass or corn. Crop type affected SOC content of macroaggregates in the top 10 cm of soil, where macroaggregates in soil under corn had lower C, N and C : N ratios than those under perennial grasses or trees. Overall, the results suggest that no‐till corn is capable of high ethanol yields and equivalent SOC stocks to 40 cm depth. Long‐term monitoring and measurement of SOC stocks at depth are required to determine whether this trend remains. In addition, ecological, energy, and GHG assessments should be made to estimate the C footprint of each feedstock.     

Bioenergy crop productivity and potential climate change mitigation from marginal lands in the United States: An ecosystem modeling perspective

Growing biomass feedstocks from marginal lands is becoming an increasingly attractive choice for producing biofuel as an alternative energy to fossil fuels. Here, we used a biogeochemical model at ecosystem scale to estimate crop productivity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from bioenergy crops grown on marginal lands in the United States. Two broadly tested cellulosic crops, switchgrass, and Miscanthus, were assumed to be grown on the abandoned land and mixed crop‐vegetation land with marginal productivity. Production of biomass and biofuel as well as net carbon exchange and nitrous oxide emissions were estimated in a spatially explicit manner. We found that, cellulosic crops, especially Miscanthus could produce a considerable amount of biomass, and the effective ethanol yield is high on these marginal lands. For every hectare of marginal land, switchgrass and Miscanthus could produce 1.0–2.3 kl and 2.9–6.9 kl ethanol, respectively, depending on nitrogen fertilization rate and biofuel conversion efficiency. Nationally, both crop systems act as net GHG sources. Switchgrass has high global warming intensity (100–390 g CO₂eq l^?1 ethanol), in terms of GHG emissions per unit ethanol produced. Miscanthus, however, emits only 21–36 g CO₂eq to produce every liter of ethanol. To reach the mandated cellulosic ethanol target in the United States, growing Miscanthus on the marginal lands could potentially save land and reduce GHG emissions in comparison to growing switchgrass. However, the ecosystem modeling is still limited by data availability and model deficiencies, further efforts should be made to classify crop‐specific marginal land availability, improve model structure, and better integrate ecosystem modeling into life cycle assessment.     

Switchgrass nitrogen response and estimated production costs on diverse sites

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been the principal perennial herbaceous crop investigated for bioenergy production in North America given its high production potential, relatively low input requirements, and potential suitability for use on marginal lands. Few large trials have determined switchgrass yields at field scale on marginal lands, including analysis of production costs. Thus, a field‐scale study was conducted to develop realistic yield and cost estimates for diverse regions of the USA. Objectives included measuring switchgrass response to fertility treatments (0, 56, and 112 kg N ha^?1) and generating corresponding estimates of production costs for sites with diverse soil and climatic conditions. Trials occurred in Iowa, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Virginia, USA. Cultivars and management practices were site specific, and field‐scale equipment was used for all management practices. Input costs were estimated using final harvest‐year (2015) prices, and equipment operation costs were estimated with the MachData model ($2015). Switchgrass yields generally were below those reported elsewhere, averaging 6.3 Mg ha^?1 across sites and treatments. Establishment stand percent ranged from 28% to 76% and was linked to initial year production. No response to N was observed at any site in the first production year. In subsequent seasons, N generally increased yields on well‐drained soils; however, responses to N were nil or negative on less well‐drained soils. Greatest percent increases in response to 112 kg N ha^?1 were 57% and 76% on well‐drained South Dakota and Virginia sites, where breakeven prices to justify N applications were over $70 and $63 Mg^?1, respectively. For some sites, typically promoted N application rates may be economically unjustified; it remains unknown whether a bioenergy industry can support the breakeven prices estimated for sites where N inputs had positive effects on switchgrass yield.     

The impacts of four potential bioenergy crops on soil carbon dynamics as shown by biomarker analyses and DRIFT spectroscopy

Perennial bioenergy crops accumulate carbon (C) in soils through minimally disturbing management practices and large root inputs, but the mechanisms of microbial control over C dynamics under bioenergy crops have not been clarified. Root‐derived C inputs affect both soil microbial contribution to and degradation of soil organic matter resulting in differing soil organic carbon (SOC) concentrations, storage, and stabilities under different vegetation regimes. Here, we measured biomarker amino sugars and neutral sugars and used diffuse reflectance mid‐infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to explore microbial C contributions, degradation ability, and SOC stability, respectively, under four potential bioenergy crops, M.×giganteus (Miscanthus × giganteus), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a mixed prairie, and a maize (Zea mays L.)–maize–soybean (Glycine max(L.) Merr.) (MMS) rotation over six growing seasons. Our results showed that SOC concentration (g/kg) increased by 10.6% in mixed prairie over the duration of this experiment and SOC storage (Mg/ha) increased by 17.0% and 15.6% in switchgrass and mixed prairie, respectively. Conversion of row crops to perennial grasses maintained SOC stability and increased bacterial residue contribution to SOC in M.×giganteus and switchgrass by 20.0% and 15.0%, respectively, after 6 years. Degradation of microbe‐derived labile SOC was increased in M.×giganteus, and degradation of both labile and stable SOC increased in MMS rotation. These results demonstrate that microbial communities under perennial grasses maintained SOC quality, while SOC quantity increased under switchgrass and mixed prairie. Annual MMS rotation displayed decreases in aspects of SOC quality without changes in SOC quantity. These findings have implications for understanding microbial control over soil C quantity and quality under land‐use shift from annual to perennial bioenergy cropping systems.     

Plant roots and GHG mitigation in native perennial bioenergy cropping systems

Native perennial bioenergy crops can mitigate greenhouse gases (GHG) by displacing fossil fuels with renewable energy and sequestering atmospheric carbon (C) in soil and roots. The relative contribution of root C to net GHG mitigation potential has not been compared in perennial bioenergy crops ranging in species diversity and N fertility. We measured root biomass, C, nitrogen (N), and soil organic carbon (SOC) in the upper 90 cm of soil for five native perennial bioenergy crops managed with and without N fertilizer. Bioenergy crops ranged in species composition and were annually harvested for 6 (one location) and 7 years (three locations) following the seeding year. Total root biomass was 84% greater in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and a four‐species grass polyculture compared to high‐diversity polycultures; the difference was driven by more biomass at shallow soil depth (0–30 cm). Total root C (0–90 cm) ranged from 3.7 Mg C ha^?1 for a 12‐species mixture to 7.6 Mg C ha^?1 for switchgrass. On average, standing root C accounted for 41% of net GHG mitigation potential. After accounting for farm and ethanol production emissions, net GHG mitigation potential from fossil fuel offsets and root C was greatest for switchgrass (?8.4 Mg CO2e ha^?1 yr^?1) and lowest for high‐diversity mixtures (?4.5 Mg CO2e ha^?1 yr^?1). Nitrogen fertilizer did not affect net GHG mitigation potential or the contribution of roots to GHG mitigation for any bioenergy crop. SOC did not change and therefore did not contribute to GHG mitigation potential. However, associations among SOC, root biomass, and root C : N ratio suggest greater long‐term C storage in diverse polycultures vs. switchgrass. Carbon pools in roots have a greater effect on net GHG mitigation than SOC in the short‐term, yet variation in root characteristics may alter patterns in long‐term C storage among bioenergy crops.     

Soil properties and C dynamics in abandoned and cultivated farmlands in a semi-arid ecosystem

Background and Aims

Land abandonment might be an alternative management for restoring soil conditions and C from prolonged cultivation and agricultural practices. In the present study, the influence of 18–22?years of land abandonment on soil properties, C dynamics and microbial biomass was evaluated in closely situated wheat and alfalfa farmlands, and abandoned lands on calcareous soils, Central Iran.

Methods

Soil properties of the 0–15 and 15–30?cm depths from abandoned lands were compared to those from conventionally cultivated lands (i.e., continuous wheat–fallow and alfalfa–wheat rotation) common in calcareous soils of Central Zagros Mountains.

Results

Soil bulk density in the 0–15 and 15–30?cm layers decreased significantly while total porosity increased significantly in abandoned lands. Generally, soil aggregate stability tended to increase within the abandoned fields owing to increased water-stable macro-aggregates. Soil organic C (OC) contents (g kg^?1) and pools (Mg ha^?1) in the 0–15?cm soil layer increased significantly in abandoned lands compared with cultivated lands, with no effect in the 15–30?cm soil layer after 18–22?years of land abandonment, suggesting the restoration of C is pronounced in the upper 0–15?cm soil depth . The total C accumulation in abandoned lands was 7.0?Mg?C?ha^?1 for the entire sampling depth (0–30?cm) over the 18–22?years of land abandonment, which was 26% greater relative to cultivated lands. Carbon mineralization (Cmin) followed a trend similar to organic C, whereas C turnover (Cmin/OC ratio) was slightly greater in wheat fields. However, soil microbial biomass C (MBC) did not vary considerably among the three land uses.

Conclusions

In brief, improvements, albeit slowly, in soil properties of the top layer with the cessation of cultivation indicated that land abandonment may result in enhanced soil C sequestration, and would maintain fertility and productivity of the farmlands of semi-arid climates.     

Impact of fire on active layer and permafrost microbial communities and metagenomes in an upland Alaskan boreal forest

Permafrost soils are large reservoirs of potentially labile carbon (C). Understanding the dynamics of C release from these soils requires us to account for the impact of wildfires, which are increasing in frequency as the climate changes. Boreal wildfires contribute to global emission of greenhouse gases (GHG—CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O) and indirectly result in the thawing of near-surface permafrost. In this study, we aimed to define the impact of fire on soil microbial communities and metabolic potential for GHG fluxes in samples collected up to 1 m depth from an upland black spruce forest near Nome Creek, Alaska. We measured geochemistry, GHG fluxes, potential soil enzyme activities and microbial community structure via 16SrRNA gene and metagenome sequencing. We found that soil moisture, C content and the potential for respiration were reduced by fire, as were microbial community diversity and metabolic potential. There were shifts in dominance of several microbial community members, including a higher abundance of candidate phylum AD3 after fire. The metagenome data showed that fire had a pervasive impact on genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, methanogenesis and the nitrogen cycle. Although fire resulted in an immediate release of CO₂ from surface soils, our results suggest that the potential for emission of GHG was ultimately reduced at all soil depths over the longer term. Because of the size of the permafrost C reservoir, these results are crucial for understanding whether fire produces a positive or negative feedback loop contributing to the global C cycle.     

Bioenergy crop greenhouse gas mitigation potential under a range of management practices

Perennial grasses have been proposed as viable bioenergy crops because of their potential to yield harvestable biomass on marginal lands annually without displacing food and to contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction by storing carbon in soil. Switchgrass, miscanthus, and restored native prairie are among the crops being considered in the corn and agricultural regions of the Midwest and eastern United States. In this study, we used an extensive dataset of site observations for each of these crops to evaluate and improve the DayCent biogeochemical model and make predictions about how both yield and GHG fluxes would respond to different management practices compared to a traditional corn‐soy rotation. Using this model‐data integration approach, we found 30–75% improvement in our predictions over previous studies and a subsequent evaluation with a synthesis of sites across the region revealed good model‐data agreement of harvested yields (r² > 0.62 for all crops). We found that replacement of corn‐soy rotations would result in a net GHG reduction of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 Mg C ha^?1 yr^?1 with average annual yields of 3.6, 9.2, and 17.2 Mg of dry biomass per year for native prairie, switchgrass, and miscanthus respectively. Both the yield and GHG balance of switchgrass and miscanthus were affected by harvest date with highest yields occurring near onset of senescence and highest GHG reductions occurring in early spring before the new crops emergence. Addition of a moderate length rotation (10–15 years) caused less than a 15% change to yield and GHG balance. For policy incentives aimed at GHG reduction through onsite management practices and improvement of soil quality, post‐senescence harvests are a more effective means than maximizing yield potential.     

Ecosystem model parameterization and adaptation for sustainable cellulosic biofuel landscape design

Renewable fuel standards in the US and elsewhere mandate the production of large quantities of cellulosic biofuels with low greenhouse gas (GHG) footprints, a requirement which will likely entail extensive cultivation of dedicated bioenergy feedstock crops on marginal agricultural lands. Performance data for such systems is sparse, and non‐linear interactions between the feedstock species, agronomic management intensity, and underlying soil and land characteristics complicate the development of sustainable landscape design strategies for low‐impact commercial‐scale feedstock production. Process‐based ecosystem models are valuable for extrapolating field trial results and making predictions of productivity and associated environmental impacts that integrate the effects of spatially variable environmental factors across diverse production landscapes. However, there are few examples of ecosystem model parameterization against field trials on both prime and marginal lands or of conducting landscape‐scale analyses at sufficient resolution to capture interactions between soil type, land use, and management intensity. In this work we used a data‐diverse, multi‐criteria approach to parameterize and validate the DayCent biogeochemistry model for upland and lowland switchgrass using data on yields, soil carbon changes, and soil nitrous oxide emissions from US field trials spanning a range of climates, soil types, and management conditions. We then conducted a high‐resolution case study analysis of a real‐world cellulosic biofuel landscape in Kansas in order to estimate feedstock production potential and associated direct biogenic GHG emissions footprint. Our results suggest that switchgrass yields and emissions balance can vary greatly across a landscape large enough to supply a biorefinery in response to variations in soil type and land‐use history, but that within a given land base both of these performance factors can be widely modulated by changing management intensity. This in turn implies a large sustainable cellulosic biofuel landscape design space within which a system can be optimized to meet economic or environmental objectives.     

Factors determining soil microbial biomass and nutrient immobilization in desert soils

We examined the 10-day response of soil microbial biomass-N to additions of carbon (dextrose) and nitrogen (NH₄NO₃) to water-amended soils in a factorial experiment in four plant communities of the Chihuahuan desert of New Mexico (U.S.A.). In each site, microbial biomass-N and soil carbohydrates increased and extractable soil N decreased in response to watering alone. Fertilization with N increased microbial biomass-N in grassland soils; whereas, fertilization with C increased microbial biomass-N and decreased extractable N and P in all communities dominated by shrubs, which have invaded large areas of grassland in the Chihuahuan desert during the last 100 years. Our results support the hypothesis that the control of soil microbial biomass shifts from N to C when the ratio of C to N decreases during desertification.     

Soil Biological and Chemical Properties in Restored Perennial Grassland in California

Restoration of California native perennial grassland is often initiated with cultivation to reduce the density and cover of non‐native annual grasses before seeding with native perennials. Tillage is known to adversely impact agriculturally cultivated land; thus changes in soil biological functions, as indicated by carbon (C) turnover and C retention, may also be negatively affected by these restoration techniques. We investigated a restored perennial grassland in the fourth year after planting Nassella pulchra, Elymus glaucus, and Hordeum brachyantherum ssp. californicum for total soil C and nitrogen (N), microbial biomass C, microbial respiration, CO₂ concentrations in the soil atmosphere, surface efflux of CO₂, and root distribution (0‐ to 15‐, 15‐ to 30‐, 30‐ to 60‐, and 60‐ to 80‐cm depths). A comparison was made between untreated annual grassland and plots without plant cover still maintained by tillage and herbicide. In the uppermost layer (0‐ to 15‐cm depth), total C, microbial biomass C, and respiration were lower in the tilled, bare soil than in the grassland soils, as was CO₂ efflux from the soil surface. Root length near perennial bunchgrasses was lower at the surface and greater at lower depths than in the annual grass–dominated areas; a similar but less pronounced trend was observed for root biomass. Few differences in soil biological or chemical properties occurred below 15‐cm depth, except that at lower depths, the CO₂ concentration in the soil atmosphere was lower in the plots without vegetation, possibly from reduced production of CO₂ due to the lack of root respiration. Similar microbiological properties in soil layers below 15‐cm depth suggest that deeper microbiota rely on more recalcitrant C sources and are less affected by plant removal than in the surface layer, even after 6 years. Without primary production, restoration procedures with extended periods of tillage and herbicide applications led to net losses of C during the plant‐free periods. However, at 4 years after planting native grasses, soil microbial biomass and activity were nearly the same as the former conditions represented by annual grassland, suggesting high resilience to the temporary disturbance caused by tillage.     

Atmospheric impact of bioenergy based on perennial crop (reed canary grass,Phalaris arundinaceae,L.) cultivation on a drained boreal organic soil

Marginal organic soils, abundant in the boreal region, are being increasingly used for bioenergy crop cultivation. Using long‐term field experimental data on greenhouse gas (GHG) balance from a perennial bioenergy crop [reed canary grass (RCG), Phalaris arundinaceae L.] cultivated on a drained organic soil as an example, we show here for the first time that, with a proper cultivation and land‐use practice, environmentally sound bioenergy production is possible on these problematic soil types. We performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) for RCG on this organic soil. We found that, on an average, this system produces 40% less CO₂‐equivalents per MWh of energy in comparison with a conventional energy source such as coal. Climatic conditions regulating the RCG carbon exchange processes have a high impact on the benefits from this bioenergy production system. Under appropriate hydrological conditions, this system can even be carbon‐negative. An LCA sensitivity analysis revealed that net ecosystem CO₂ exchange and crop yield are the major LCA components, while non‐CO₂ GHG emissions and costs associated with crop production are the minor ones. Net bioenergy GHG emissions resulting from restricted net CO₂ uptake and low crop yields, due to climatic and moisture stress during dry years, were comparable with coal emissions. However, net bioenergy emissions during wet years with high net uptake and crop yield were only a third of the coal emissions. As long‐term experimental data on GHG balance of bioenergy production are scarce, scientific data stemming from field experiments are needed in shaping renewable energy source policies.