Bio-energy retains its mitigation potential under elevated CO2

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Abstract

Background: If biofuels are to be a viable substitute for fossil fuels, it is essential that they retain their potential to mitigate climate change under future atmospheric conditions. Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration [CO2] stimulates plant biomass production; However, the beneficial effects of increased production may be offset by higher energy costs in crop management. Methodology/Main Findings: We maintained full size poplar short rotation coppice (SRC) systems under both current ambient and future elevated [CO2] (550 ppm) and estimated their net energy and greenhouse gas balance. We show that a poplar SRC system is energy efficient and produces more energy than required for coppice management. Even more, elevated [CO2] will increase the net energy production and greenhouse gas balance of a SRC system with 18%. Managing the trees in shorter rotation cycles (i.e., 2 year cycles instead of 3 year cycles) will further enhance the benefits from elevated [CO2] on both the net energy and greenhouse gas balance. Conclusions/Significance: Adapting coppice management to the future atmospheric [CO2] is necessary to fully benefit from the climate mitigation potential of bio-energy systems. Further, a future increase in potential biomass production due to elevated [CO2] outweighs the increased production costs resulting in a northward extension of the area where SRC is greenhouse gas neutral. Currently, the main part of the European terrestrial carbon sink is found in forest biomass and attributed to harvesting less than the annual growth in wood. Because SRC is intensively managed, with a higher turnover in wood production than conventional forest, northward expansion of SRC is likely to erode the European terrestrial carbon sink. © 2010 Liberloo et al.

Figures

  • Figure 1. Change in above- and belowground ecosystem carbon (C) storage and its standard error (g C m22) in a poplar short rotation coppice system (SRC) growing under ambient (checked area) and elevated (white area) [CO2]. Carbon storage aboveground consisted of the carbon in stems and branches that were harvested every three years for the production of bio-energy. Belowground carbon storage, shown below the x-axis to stress its belowground character but indicating an increase, was the total sum of the carbon contained in the fine and coarse roots, stumps, litter and the soil. Average yield in ambient and elevated [CO2] was 44 and 53 ton DM ha 21 respectively after the first rotation and 74 and 87 ton DM ha21 after the second rotation. Data adapted from [12,24,25,26,27,35]. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011648.g001
  • Table 1. Greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction (positive values) or release (negative value) of a poplar SRC (ton CO2-equivalent ha 21) (6 SD) under current and elevated [CO2], managed for six rotations of two or three years.
  • Figure 2. Biomass production (ton DM ha21 yr21) of fertilized and irrigated poplar SRC in Europe. Whether the predicted biomass production can be realized at a given location will depend on the availability of nutrients and water. Red and orange indicate production levels for which an SRC emits more GHG than it absorbs (a) Areal extent of GHG-neutral SRC system under 1991–2000 [CO2] and climate conditions. Under current conditions the minimal biomass production to obtain a GHG-neutral bio-energy system was estimated at 2.060.1 ton DM ha21 yr21 (production indicated as red). (b) Areal extent of GHG-neutral SRC system under future [CO2] and climate conditions (IPCC scenario A1B in 2059– 2068). Under these conditions the minimal biomass production to obtain a GHG-neutral bio-energy system was estimated at 3.260.1 ton DM ha21 yr21 (production indicated as red plus orange). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011648.g002
  • Table 2. Observed (POP/EUROFACE) and modeled (ORCHIDEE-FM and BIOME-BGC) changes in soil carbon (ton CO2 ha 21) under current ambient and future elevated [CO2].

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CITATION STYLE

APA

Liberloo, M., Luyssaert, S., Bellassen, V., Djomo, S. N., Lukac, M., Calfapietra, C., … Ceulemans, R. (2010). Bio-energy retains its mitigation potential under elevated CO2. PLoS ONE, 5(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011648

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