Data Set Citation
Scheer C of QUT.Effect of biochar amendment on the soil-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases from an intensive subtropical pasture in northern New South Wales, Australia.
Scheer.3.1 (http://www.n2o.net.au/knb/metacat/Scheer.3.1/default).
Metadata download:Ecological Metadata Language (EML) File
Data Set Owner(s):
Individual: Clemens Scheer
Organization:QUT
Position:researcher
Abstract:
 
We assessed the effect of biochar incorporation into the soil on the soil-atmosphere exchange of the greenhouse gases (GHG) from an intensive subtropical pasture. For this, we measured N2O, CH4 and CO2 emissions with high temporal resolution from April to June 2009 in an existing factorial experiment where cattle feedlot biochar had been applied at 10 t ha-1 in November 2006. Over the whole measurement period, significant emissions of N2O and CO2 were observed, whereas a net uptake of CH4 was measured. N2O emissions were found to be highly episodic with one major emission pulse (up to 502 µg N2O-N m-2 h 1) following heavy rainfall. There was no significant difference in the net flux of GHGs from the biochar amended vs. the control plots. Our results demonstrate that intensively managed subtropical pastures on ferrosols in northern New South Wales of Australia can be a significant source of GHG. Our hypothesis that the application of biochar would lead to a reduction in emissions of GHG from soils was not supported in this field assessment. Additional studies with longer observation periods are needed to clarify the long term effect of biochar amendment on soil microbial processes and the emission of GHGs under field conditions.
Keywords:
 
  • N2O, biochar, subtropical pasture, Australia
Geographic Coverage:
Geographic Description:Wollongbar Agricultural Institute
Bounding Coordinates:
West:  153.41666666666666  degrees
East:  153.41666666666666  degrees
North:  -28.833333333333332  degrees
South:  -28.833333333333332  degrees
Temporal Coverage:
Begin:
2009-04-15
End:
2009-06-15
Contact:
Individual: Grace
Organization:QUT
Position:Professor for Global Change
Access Control:
Auth System:knb
Order:allowFirst
Access Rules:
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