Total ecosystem carbon stocks at the marine‐terrestrial interface: Blue carbon of the Pacific Northwest Coast,United States

The coastal ecosystems of temperate North America provide a variety of ecosystem services including high rates of carbon sequestration. Yet, little data exist for the carbon stocks of major tidal wetland types in the Pacific Northwest, United States. We quantified the total ecosystem carbon stocks (TECS) in seagrass, emergent marshes, and forested tidal wetlands, occurring along increasing elevation and decreasing salinity gradients. The TECS included the total aboveground carbon stocks and the entire soil profile (to as deep as 3 m). TECS significantly increased along the elevation and salinity gradients: 217 ± 60 Mg C/ha for seagrass (low elevation/high salinity), 417 ± 70 Mg C/ha for low marsh, 551 ± 47 Mg C/ha for high marsh, and 1,064 ± 38 Mg C/ha for tidal forest (high elevation/low salinity). Soil carbon stocks accounted for >98% of TECS in the seagrass and marsh communities and 78% in the tidal forest. Soils in the 0–100 cm portion of the profile accounted for only 48%–53% of the TECS in seagrasses and marshes and 34% of the TECS in tidal forests. Thus, the commonly applied limit defining TECS to a 100 cm depth would greatly underestimate both carbon stocks and potential greenhouse gas emissions from land‐use conversion. The large carbon stocks coupled with other ecosystem services suggest value in the conservation and restoration of temperate zone tidal wetlands through climate change mitigation strategies. However, the findings suggest that long‐term sea‐level rise effects such as tidal inundation and increased porewater salinity will likely decrease ecosystem carbon stocks in the absence of upslope wetland migration buffer zones.     

Sustainable intensification of crop residue exploitation for bioenergy: Opportunities and challenges

Crop residue exploitation for bioenergy can play an important role in climate change mitigation without jeopardizing food security, but it may be constrained by impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, and market, logistic and conversion challenges. We explore opportunities to increase bioenergy potentials from residues while reducing environmental impacts, in line with sustainable intensification. Using the case study of North Rhine‐Westphalia in Germany, we employ a spatiotemporally explicit approach combined with stakeholder interviews. First, the interviews identify agronomic and environmental impacts due to the potential reduction in SOC as the most critical challenge associated with enhanced crop residue exploitation. Market and technological challenges and competition with other residue uses are also identified as significant barriers. Second, with the use of agroecosystem modelling and estimations of bioenergy potentials and greenhouse gas emissions till mid‐century, we evaluate the ability of agricultural management to tackle the identified agronomic and environmental challenges. Integrated site‐specific management based on (a) humus balancing, (b) optimized fertilization and (c) winter soil cover performs better than our reference scenario with respect to all investigated variables. At the regional level, we estimate (a) a 5% increase in technical residue potentials and displaced emissions from substituting fossil fuels by bioethanol, (b) an 8% decrease in SOC losses and associated emissions, (c) an 18% decrease in nitrous oxide emissions, (d) a 37% decrease in mineral fertilizer requirements and emissions from their production and (e) a 16% decrease in nitrate leaching. Results are spatially variable and, despite improvements induced by management, limited amounts of crop residues are exploitable for bioenergy in areas prone to SOC decline. In order to sustainably intensify crop residue exploitation for bioenergy and reconcile climate change mitigation with other sustainability objectives, such as those on soil and water quality, residue management needs to be designed in an integrated and site‐specific manner.     

Mule Deer Migrations and Highway Underpass Usage in California,USA

Roadways may pose barriers to long-distance migrators such as some ungulates. Highway underpasses mitigate wildlife-vehicle collisions and can be an important management tool for protecting migration corridors. In northern California, 3 underpasses were built on United States Route 395 (Route 395) in Hallelujah Junction Wildlife Area (HJWA) in the 1970s for a migratory mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herd that had been negatively affected by highway traffic. To determine whether these underpasses were still reducing mule deer mortalities >40 years after construction, we investigated deer use of the underpasses from 2006–2019 using cameras, global positioning system (GPS) collars, and roadkill records. We used occupancy models, approximations of GPS-collared mule deer movement paths, and roadkill locations to estimate the highway crossing patterns of deer. From camera data, there was higher use of the underpasses by deer during migration (spring [Mar–Jun], fall [Oct–Dec]) than in summer (Jul–Sep), when only resident deer were present. Higher underpass usage occurred in the spring compared to fall migrations. Eleven of 21 GPS-collared migrating mule deer crossed Route 395. We estimated 30% of the crossings (by 7 of the 11 deer) occurred south of the underpasses where deer could easily access the highway because of short (1-m high) and deteriorating highway fencing. Roadkill data confirmed that deer-vehicle collisions were occurring south of the underpasses and at the underpasses. This was likely due to deteriorating infrastructure at the underpasses that allows wildlife access to the highway. Overall, our study indicated that although underpasses can provide safe passage for migratory deer decades (>40 yr) after their construction, deteriorating infrastructure such as fencing and gates can lead to wildlife mortalities on highways near underpasses. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

Using dynamic relative climate impact curves to quantify the climate impact of bioenergy production systems over time

The climate impact of bioenergy is commonly quantified in terms of CO₂ equivalents, using a fixed 100‐year global warming potential as an equivalency metric. This method has been criticized for the inability to appropriately address emissions timing and the focus on a single impact metric, which may lead to inaccurate or incomplete quantification of the climate impact of bioenergy production. In this study, we introduce Dynamic Relative Climate Impact (DRCI) curves, a novel approach to visualize and quantify the climate impact of bioenergy systems over time. The DRCI approach offers the flexibility to analyze system performance for different value judgments regarding the impact category (e.g., emissions, radiative forcing, and temperature change), equivalency metric, and analytical time horizon. The DRCI curves constructed for fourteen bioenergy systems illustrate how value judgments affect the merit order of bioenergy systems, because they alter the importance of one‐time (associated with land use change emissions) versus sustained (associated with carbon debt or foregone sequestration) emission fluxes and short‐ versus long‐lived climate forcers. Best practices for bioenergy production (irrespective of value judgments) include high feedstock yields, high conversion efficiencies, and the application of carbon capture and storage. Furthermore, this study provides examples of production contexts in which the risk of land use change emissions, carbon debt, or foregone sequestration can be mitigated. For example, the risk of indirect land use change emissions can be mitigated by accompanying bioenergy production with increasing agricultural yields. Moreover, production contexts in which the counterfactual scenario yields immediate or additional climate impacts can provide significant climate benefits. This paper is accompanied by an Excel‐based calculation tool to reproduce the calculation steps outlined in this paper and construct DRCI curves for bioenergy systems of choice.     

Fixing a snag in carbon emissions estimates from wildfires

Wildfire is an essential earth‐system process, impacting ecosystem processes and the carbon cycle. Forest fires are becoming more frequent and severe, yet gaps exist in the modeling of fire on vegetation and carbon dynamics. Strategies for reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from wildfires include increasing tree harvest, largely based on the public assumption that fires burn live forests to the ground, despite observations indicating that less than 5% of mature tree biomass is actually consumed. This misconception is also reflected though excessive combustion of live trees in models. Here, we show that regional emissions estimates using widely implemented combustion coefficients are 59%–83% higher than emissions based on field observations. Using unique field datasets from before and after wildfires and an improved ecosystem model, we provide strong evidence that these large overestimates can be reduced by using realistic biomass combustion factors and by accurately quantifying biomass in standing dead trees that decompose over decades to centuries after fire (“snags”). Most model development focuses on area burned; our results reveal that accurately representing combustion is also essential for quantifying fire impacts on ecosystems. Using our improvements, we find that western US forest fires have emitted 851 ± 228 Tg CO₂ (~half of alternative estimates) over the last 17 years, which is minor compared to 16,200 Tg CO₂ from fossil fuels across the region.     

Ocean acidification refugia in variable environments

Climate change refugia in the terrestrial biosphere are areas where species are protected from global environmental change and arise from natural heterogeneity in landscapes and climate. Within the marine realm, ocean acidification, or the global decline in seawater pH, remains a pervasive threat to organisms and ecosystems. Natural variability in seawater carbon dioxide (CO₂) chemistry, however, presents an opportunity to identify ocean acidification refugia (OAR) for marine species. Here, we review the literature to examine the impacts of variable CO₂ chemistry on biological responses to ocean acidification and develop a framework of definitions and criteria that connects current OAR research to management goals. Under the concept of managing vulnerability, the most likely mechanisms by which OAR can mitigate ocean acidification impacts are by reducing exposure to harmful conditions or enhancing adaptive capacity. While local management options, such as OAR, show some promise, they present unique challenges, and reducing global anthropogenic CO₂ emissions must remain a priority.     

Combating biotic stresses in plants by synthetic microbial communities: Principles,applications and challenges

Presently, agriculture worldwide is facing the major challenge of feeding the increasing population sustainably. The conventional practices have not only failed to meet the projected needs, but also led to tremendous environmental consequences. Hence, to ensure a food-secure and environmentally sound future, the major thrust is on sustainable alternatives. Due to challenges associated with conventional means of application of biocontrol agents in the management of biotic stresses in agroecosystems, significant transformations in this context are needed. The crucial role played by soil microbiome in efficiently and sustainably managing the agricultural production has unfolded a newer approach of rhizosphere engineering that shows immense promise in mitigating biotic stresses in an eco-friendly manner. The strategy of generating synthetic microbial communities (SynComs), by integrating omics approaches with traditional techniques of enumeration and in-depth analysis of plant–microbe interactions, is encouraging. The review discusses the significance of the rhizospheric microbiome in plant's fitness, and its manipulation for enhancing plant attributes. The focus of the review is to critically analyse the potential tools for the design and utilization of SynComs as a sustainable approach for rhizosphere engineering to ameliorate biotic stresses in plants. Furthermore, based on the synthesis of reports in the area, we have put forth possible solutions to some of the critical issues that impair the large-scale application of SynComs in agriculture.     

Selenium as an adjuvant for modification of radiation response

Ionizing radiation plays a central role in several medical and industrial purposes. In spite of the beneficial effects of ionizing radiation, there are some concerns related to accidental exposure that could pose a threat to the lives of exposed people. This issue is also very critical for triage of injured people in a possible terror event or nuclear disaster. The most common side effects of ionizing radiation are experienced in cancer patients who had undergone radiotherapy. For complete eradication of tumors, there is a need for high doses of ionizing radiation. However, these high doses lead to severe toxicities in adjacent organs. Management of normal tissue toxicity may be achieved via modulation of radiation responses in both normal and malignant cells. It has been suggested that treatment of patients with some adjuvant agents may be useful for amelioration of radiation toxicity or sensitization of tumor cells. However, there are always some concerns for possible severe toxicities and protection of tumor cells, which in turn affect radiotherapy outcomes. Selenium is a trace element in the body that has shown potent antioxidant and radioprotective effects for many years. Selenium can potently stimulate antioxidant defense of cells, especially via upregulation of glutathione (GSH) level and glutathione peroxidase activity. Some studies in recent years have shown that selenium is able to mitigate radiation toxicity when administered after exposure. These studies suggest that selenium may be a useful radiomitigator for an accidental radiation event. Molecular and cellular studies have revealed that selenium protects different normal cells against radiation, while it may sensitize tumor cells. These differential effects of selenium have also been revealed in some clinical studies. In the present study, we aimed to review the radiomitigative and radioprotective effects of selenium on normal cells/tissues, as well as its radiosensitive effect on cancer cells.     

Net carbon flux from agriculture: Carbon emissions, carbon sequestration, crop yield, and land-use change

There is a potential to sequester carbon in soil by changing agricultural management practices. These changes in agricultural management can also result in changes in fossil-fuel use, agricultural inputs, and the carbon emissions associated with fossil fuels and other inputs. Management practices that alter crop yields and land productivity can affect the amount of land used for crop production with further significant implications for both emissions and sequestration potential. Data from a 20-year agricultural experiment were used to analyze carbon sequestration, carbon emissions, crop yield, and land-use change and to estimate the impact that carbon sequestration strategies might have on the net flux of carbon to the atmosphere. Results indicate that if changes in management result in decreased crop yields, the net carbon flux can be greater under the new system, assuming that crop demand remains the same and additional lands are brought into production. Conversely, if increasing crop yields lead to land abandonment, the overall carbon savings from changes in management will be greater than when soil carbon sequestration alone is considered.     

Carbon emission and sequestration by agricultural land use: a model study for Europe

A model was developed to calculate carbon fluxes from agricultural soils. The model includes the effects of crop (species, yield and rotation), climate (temperature, rainfall and evapotranspiration) and soil (carbon content and water retention capacity) on the carbon budget of agricultural land. The changes in quality of crop residues and organic material as a result of changes in CO₂ concentration and changed management were not considered in this model. The model was parameterized for several arable crops and grassland. Data from agricultural, meteorological, soil, and land use databases were input to the model, and the model was used to evaluate the effects of different carbon dioxide mitigation measures on soil organic carbon in agricultural areas in Europe. Average carbon fluxes under the business as usual scenario in the 2008–2012 commitment period were estimated at 0.52 tC ha^?1 y^?1 in grassland and ?0.84 tC ha^?1 y^?1 in arable land. Conversion of arable land to grassland yielded a flux of 1.44 tC ha^?1 y^?1. Farm management related activities aiming at carbon sequestration ranged from 0.15 tC ha^?1 y^?1 for the incorporating of straw to 1.50 tC ha^?1 y^?1 for the application of farmyard manure. Reduced tillage yields a positive flux of 0.25 tC ha^?1 y^?1. The indirect effect associated with climate was an order of magnitude lower. A temperature rise of 1 °C resulted in a ?0.05 tC ha^?1 y^?1 change whereas the rising CO₂ concentrations gave a 0.01 tC ha^?1 y^?1 change. Estimates are rendered on a 0.5 × 0.5° grid for the commitment period 2008–2012. The study reveals considerable regional differences in the effectiveness of carbon dioxide abatement measures, resulting from the interaction between crop, soil and climate. Besides, there are substantial differences between the spatial patterns of carbon fluxes that result from different measures.