Management scheme influence and nitrogen addition effects on soil CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes in a Moso bamboo plantation

Abstract

Background: It is still not clear whether the effects of N deposition on soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are influenced by plantation management schemes. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of conventional management (CM) versus intensive management (IM), in combination with simulated N deposition levels of control (ambient N deposition), 30 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1 (N30, ambient + 30 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1), 60 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1 (N60, ambient + 60 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1), or 90 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1 (N90, ambient + 90 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1) on soil CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes. For this, 24 plots were set up in a Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) plantation from January 2013 to December 2015. Gas samples were collected monthly from January 2015 to December 2015. Results: Compared with CM, IM significantly increased soil CO2 emissions and their temperature sensitivity (Q10) but had no significant effects on soil CH4 uptake or N2O emissions. In the CM plots, N30 and N60 significantly increased soil CO2 emissions, while N60 and N90 significantly increased soil N2O emissions. In the IM plots, N30 and N60 significantly increased soil CO2 and N2O emissions, while N60 and N90 significantly decreased soil CH4 uptake. Overall, in both CM and IM plots, N30 and N60 significantly increased global warming potentials, whereas N90 did not significantly affect global warming potential. However, N addition significantly decreased the Q10 value of soil CO2 emissions under IM but not under CM. Soil microbial biomass carbon was significantly and positively correlated with soil CO2 and N2O emissions but significantly and negatively correlated with soil CH4 uptake. Conclusion: Our results indicate that management scheme effects should be considered when assessing the effect of atmospheric N deposition on GHG emissions in bamboo plantations.