Automated Monitoring of Soil Respiration: an Improved Automatic Chamber System

We designed, constructed and tested an automated chamber system for continuously monitoring soil respiration. Our objective was to design a system that would permit monitoring of CO2 efflux rates over long time periods without altering microclimate inside the chamber. The measuring principle is based on the measurement of the increase in CO2 concentration within an automated chamber in a fixed amount of time using a non linear regression method. The chamber operates by closing over the soil in response to a control signal and remains closed for a fixed amount of time. In this way, the chamber allows normal drying and wetting of the soil between measurements. We report results that show the reliability of soil CO2 efflux measurements in comparison with Li-Cor 6400. The system holds great potential for long term continuous measurements campaigns in natural environments

Assessing the contribution of beach-cast seagrass wrack to global GHGs emissions: experimental models, problems and perspectives

6openopenGloria Misson, Guido Incerti, Giorgio Alberti, Gemini Delle Vedove, Tiziana Pirelli, Alessandro PeressottiMisson, Gloria; Incerti, Guido; Giorgio, Alberti; Gemini Delle Vedove, ; Tiziana, Pirelli; Alessandro, Peressott

Biochars in soils : towards the required level of scientific understanding

Key priorities in biochar research for future guidance of sustainable policy development have been identified by expert assessment within the COST Action TD1107. The current level of scientific understanding (LOSU) regarding the consequences of biochar application to soil were explored. Five broad thematic areas of biochar research were addressed: soil biodiversity and ecotoxicology, soil organic matter and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil physical properties, nutrient cycles and crop production, and soil remediation. The highest future research priorities regarding biochar's effects in soils were: functional redundancy within soil microbial communities, bioavailability of biochar's contaminants to soil biota, soil organic matter stability, GHG emissions, soil formation, soil hydrology, nutrient cycling due to microbial priming as well as altered rhizosphere ecology, and soil pH buffering capacity. Methodological and other constraints to achieve the required LOSU are discussed and options for efficient progress of biochar research and sustainable application to soil are presented.Peer reviewe

UAV remote sensing of agronomic parameters and yield in chickpea and lentil

Grain legumes cropping has been purposed as a pivotal practise for facing future issues in terms of food security and agroecosystem stability. Despite the importance of such cultures, the literature is lacking in knowledge of monitoring grain legumes performance with remote sensing data. Hence, this study investigated these aspects in chickpea (CH) and lentil (LN), grown in Udine (Italy) during the growing season 2022. Crop dry biomass (BMAG), dry matter content (DMC) and leaf area index (LAI) were correlated with multispectral data acquired by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on seven dates during the growing season. Near-infrared (NIR) band performed as the best proxy of LAI, while for DMC, best correlation was obtained with normalized difference chlorophyll index (NDI). BMAG also was correlated with NDI, and correlation strength improved by implementing the cumulative elaboration of the index. Cumulative indices performed also as proxies of yield; best index was modified green-red vegetation index (MGRVI)

UAV remote sensing of agronomic parameters and yield in chickpea and lentil

Grain legumes cropping has been purposed as a pivotal practise for facing future issues in terms of food security and agroecosystem stability. Despite the importance of such cultures, literature lack of knowledge in monitoring grain legumes performance with remote sensing data. Hence, this study investigates these aspects in Chickpea (CH) and Lentil (LN), grown in Udine (Italy) during the growing season 2022. Crop dry biomass (BMAG), dry matter content (DMC) and leaf area index (LAI) were correlated with multispectral data acquired by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on seven dates during the growing season. Near-infrared (NIR) band performed as the best proxy of LAI, while for DMC, best correlation was obtained with Normalized Difference Chlorophyll index (NDI). BMAG also was correlated with NDI, and correlation strength improved by implementing the cumulative elaboration of the index. Cumulative indices performed also as proxies of yield; best index was Modified Green-Red Vegetation Index (MGRVI)

GreenHouse Gases Emissions from Soils

This protocol addresses the measurement of greenhouse gases (GHGs) soil ef\ufb02 ux by soil chamber methodology. The GHGs considered are CO2, N2O or CH4. The two most used chamber based methods are presented: the Non-Steady-State Through-Flow System (NSS_TFS, also referred as closed dynamic chamber) and the Non-Steady-State Non-Through-Flow closed system (NSS_NTFS, also called closed static chamber). The difference between the two methods is related only to the presence (Through-Flow), or not presence (Non-Through-Flow), of an in-situ analyzer connected to the chamber by a closed pneumatic circuit. The NSS_TFS has the best performance in term of precision and accuracy, but the availability of in-\ufb01 eld operated analyzer limits its use. At present time, only CO2 soil ef\ufb02 ux is normally measured using the closed dynamic system, thanks to the availability of low cost CO2 IRGAs (Infrared Gas Analyzer). N2O and CH4 \ufb02uxes are normally measured using closed static systems by collecting gas samples to be analyzed later in the laboratory. It is expected that all three gases will be measured routinely in-\ufb01 eld (e.g. using NSS_TFS) once non dispersive close-path GHG analyzers become more affordable (Venterea et al. 2009). The protocol considers the most important precautions to guarantee accurate measure-ments of soil GHGs ef\ufb02 ux. These include: 1) Chamber design and deployment.2) Sampling frequency and intensity. 3) Data collection and quality check of \ufb02ux calculations

Biochar mineralization and priming effect in a poplar short rotation coppice from a 3-year field experiment

The present study assesses the stability of biochar, its effect on original soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition, and the interactions with plant roots over a 3-year period in a short rotation coppice plantation in Northern Italy. Biochar produced from gasification of maize silage (\u3b413C of biochar 48 - 13.8\u2030) was applied into the soil of the plantation (\u3b413C of SOM 48 -23.5\u2030). Total and heterotrophic respirations were measured in control and biochar-treated plots, and the amount of biochar-derived carbon dioxide (CO2) was calculated using an isotopic mass balance method. Biochar mean residence time (MRT) was assessed using exponential decay models. The remaining amount of biochar at the end of the experiment was estimated by a soil isotopic mass balance. In the absence of plant roots, MRT of the more recalcitrant biochar fraction (96% of the total) was 24.3 years, significantly lower than expected from previous shorter-term studies or laboratory incubations. In the presence of plant roots, MRT decreased to 12.6 years, confirming the previously observed positive effect of roots on biochar decomposition. However, in the absence of roots, the biochar decreased the decomposition of original SOM by 16%, indicating long-lasting protective effect on SOM (negative priming effect). The soil isotopic mass balance suggested that part of the applied biochar could have been lost by downward migration. This study provides the first estimation of the biochar stability and priming effect on SOM in field conditions in the medium term0