Protection from wintertime rainfall reduces nutrient losses and greenhouse gas emissions during the decomposition of poultry and horse manure-based amendments

Abstract

Manure-based soil amendments (herein “amendments”) are important fertility sources, but differences among amendment types and management can significantly affect their nutrient value and environmental impacts. A 6-month in situ decomposition experiment was conducted to determine how protection from wintertime rainfall affected nutrient losses and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in poultry (broiler chicken and turkey) and horse amendments. Changes in total nutrient concentration were measured every 3 months, changes in ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) concentrations every month, and GHG emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) every 7–14 days. Poultry amendments maintained higher nutrient concentrations (except for K), higher emissions of CO2and N2O, and lower CH4emissions than horse amendments. Exposing amendments to rainfall increased total N and NH4+losses in poultry amendments, P losses in turkey and horse amendments, and K losses and cumulative N2O emissions for all amendments. However, it did not affect CO2or CH4emissions. Overall, rainfall exposure would decrease total N inputs by 37% (horse), 59% (broiler chicken), or 74% (turkey) for a given application rate (wet weight basis) after 6 months of decomposition, with similar losses for NH4+(69–96%), P (41–73%), and K (91–97%). This study confirms the benefits of facilities protected from rainfall to reduce nutrient losses and GHG emissions during amendment decomposition. Implications: The impact of rainfall protection on nutrient losses and GHG emissions was monitored during the decomposition of broiler chicken, turkey, and horse manure-based soil amendments. Amendments exposed to rainfall had large ammonium and potassium losses, resulting in a 37–74% decrease in N inputs when compared with amendments protected from rainfall. Nitrous oxide emissions were also higher with rainfall exposure, although it had no effect on carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Overall, this work highlights the benefits of rainfall protection during amendment decomposition to reduce nutrient losses and GHG emissions.