Soil carbon dynamics and management history in CarboEurope cropland sites

Werner Kutsch, MPI-BGC, Jena

Cropland near Kiel (Northern Germany) 30 years scenario

Kutsch and Kappen 1997, Biogeochemistry

CO

RG (

t h

a-1)

Years10 20 300 40

20

40

60

0

80

First idea for an integrated study at the CarboEurope agricultural sites.

Gebesee Cropsite• Landuse history since 1973• Crop rotation (Potatoes, Winter Wheat,

Rapeseed, Winter barley, Sugar beet,

Winter Wheat)• Low tillage since 1990ties• EC measurements since 2000• Soil respiration since 2004• SR partitioning• Repeated stocktaking• Few historical soil data• Baseline ???

• NitroEurope site• IMECC site

Soi

l org

anic

car

bon

(0 -

45

cm)

(g C

m-2)

Baseline

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Crop rotation known

Change in management

History of the site: agriculture (at least) since mediaeval times

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

So

il re

spira

tion

(µ

mo

l CO

2 m

-2 s

-1)

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Current fluxes: soil respiration in 2006

y = 0.9869xR2 = 0.841

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Mo

de

lled

soil

resp

ira

tion

(µm

ol C

O2 m

-2 s

-1)

Measured soil respiration (µmol CO2 m-2 s-1)

Current fluxes: soil respiration in 2006

Soil balance 2006:

Input plant residues: - 312 g C ha-1

Fine root turnover: ???

Mineralisation (according to model): 354 g C ha-1

Total soil balance: << 42 g C ha-1

(with fine root turnover: ~ neutral)

Current fluxes: soil respiration in 2006

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

RS

oil a

nd R

Eco

(g

C m

-2 d

ay-1

)

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Soil respiration (orange) vs. total ecosystem respiration (blue) in 2006

-800

-600

-400

-200

0

200

400

NE

P (

g C

m-2)

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Cumulative fluxes in 2006

H A

R V

E S

T

Soil respiration and soil modelling suggest: neutral – small source

EC and harvest suggest: big source (300 g m-2 y-1)(Harvest overestimated?)

Soi

lorg

anic

carb

on(0

-45

cm

) (g

C m

-2)

Baseline

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Crop rotation known

Conclusion for Gebesee 2006

Site History Soil properties, i.p. soil carbon

Soil respiration

Baseline soil

Aurade, F Old aerial and satellite pictures (since 1954), details since 2003

yes since 2007 yes

Lamasquère, F Old aerial and satellite pictures (since 1946), details since 2003

yes since 2006 yes

Lonzee, B Cropland since 70 years, CR since 2000, details since 2004

yes yes ?*

Oensingen, Ch CR for last 10-15 years yes (C ?) 2005/2006 ?

Klingenberg, D Details since 2004, farmer may provide more information

no no ?*

Gebesee, D CR and basic info about manure since 1973, details since 2000

yes yes Hainich, or forest near Burgtonna, Gierstädt

Borgo Cioffi, I Details since 2001 yes yes, but few no

* Due to Google Earth there are forests around.

Results from questionnaire June 2007

Site History Soil properties, i.p. soil carbon

Soil respiration

Baseline soil

Dijkgraaf, NL Not available yet Not available yet since 2007 ?

Langerak, NL Since 2000 Soil description, C not available yet

few in 2005 ?

Lutjewad, NL Since 2005 Soil description, C not available yet

no ?

Molenweg, NL Since 2000 Soil description, C not available yet

few in 2005 ?

Vreedepeel, NL Not available yet Not available yet few in 2006 ?

Results from questionnaire June 2007