Nitrous oxide emissions along a gradient of tropical forest disturbance on mineral soils in Sumatra

Fitri Khusyu Aini; Kristell Hergoualc'h; Jo U. Smith; Louis Verchot

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.022

Nitrous oxide emissions along a gradient of tropical forest disturbance on mineral soils in Sumatra

Fitri Khusyu Aini^* (Corresponding Author)
, Kristell Hergoualc'h
, Jo U. Smith
, Louis Verchot

^*Corresponding author for this work

Center for International Forestry Research

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Forest conversion to oil palm and rubber plantations is a common land-use change in Jambi, Sumatra due to the high economic demand of forest border communities. The environmental effects of such conversions have raised global concerns due to the potential to increase nitrous oxide emissions (N₂O) to the atmosphere. To quantify this effect, we conducted a series of monthly N₂O flux measurements between July 2010 and August 2011 using a static chamber method in an undisturbed forest, a disturbed forest, a one year old rubber plantation, a twenty year old rubber plantation and an eight year old oil palm plantation. All plantations belonged to smallholders and were usually not fertilized. In order to understand the effect of management intensification on N₂O fluxes, we applied nitrogen (N) as urea (33.3 kg Nha^-1) in the oil palm plantation in April 2011 and monitored the emissions intensively until 28 days after fertilizer application. Nitrous oxide consumption was significant in these weathered soils, accounting for 30% of recorded flux data, although 17% of the negative fluxes fell below detection limits. Most of these happened in the oil palm plantation and undisturbed forest. Annual N₂O emission rates amounted to 1.73±0.48, 1.22±0.27, 1.34±0.36, 1.02±0.27 and 1.04±0.39 kg Nha^-1y^-1 in the undisturbed forest, disturbed forest, one year old rubber plantation, twenty year old rubber plantation and oil palm plantation, respectively. Forest disturbance and conversion to rubber and oil palm plantation did not significantly affect annual N₂O emission rates. However in the oil palm plantation, the amount of N emitted as N₂O was high (3.1±1.2% of the fertilizer N applied), so at a typical fertilizer application rate of 141 kg Nha^-1y^-1, annual emissions would have amounted to 4.4±1.6 kg Nha^-1y^-1, more than twice the emission rate in the undisturbed forest. Dry mass and nitrogen mass in standing litter, distance to the nearest termite nest, rainfall on the day of measurement and air temperature were the key factors that predicted annual N₂O fluxes across the land-use change transitions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	107-117
Number of pages	11
Journal	Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
Volume	214
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.022
Publication status	Published - 27 Dec 2015

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was conducted as part of a PhD study and was generously supported by the contributions of the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013](REDD-ALERT project, Grant Agreement # 226310 ), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) (Grant Agreement # QZA-10/0468 ), and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) (Grant Agreement # 46167 ). This work was carried out as part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research programs on Trees, Forests and Agroforestry (FTA) and Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The authors are grateful to the farmers of Pasir Mayang for providing access to their plantations, for their hospitality and for helping during field work. We would like to thank the Indonesia Soil Research Institute (ISRI), Balai Lingkungan Pertanian Jakenan, Brawijaya University and all assistants for their help during field and laboratory measurements. We would also like to thank the REDD-ALERT Indonesia team, the modelling team of the School of Biological and Environmental Science from the University of Aberdeen and anonymous reviewers for providing supports, comments and recommendations during the writing process.

Funding

This study was conducted as part of a PhD study and was generously supported by the contributions of the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013](REDD-ALERT project, Grant Agreement # 226310 ), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) (Grant Agreement # QZA-10/0468 ), and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) (Grant Agreement # 46167 ). This work was carried out as part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research programs on Trees, Forests and Agroforestry (FTA) and Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The authors are grateful to the farmers of Pasir Mayang for providing access to their plantations, for their hospitality and for helping during field work. We would like to thank the Indonesia Soil Research Institute (ISRI), Balai Lingkungan Pertanian Jakenan, Brawijaya University and all assistants for their help during field and laboratory measurements. We would also like to thank the REDD-ALERT Indonesia team, the modelling team of the School of Biological and Environmental Science from the University of Aberdeen and anonymous reviewers for providing supports, comments and recommendations during the writing process.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 2 Zero Hunger
SDG 15 Life on Land

Keywords

Fertilizer
Forest conversion
Land-use change
NO
Oil palm
Rubber

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10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.022Licence: Unspecified

Cite this

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title = "Nitrous oxide emissions along a gradient of tropical forest disturbance on mineral soils in Sumatra",

abstract = "Forest conversion to oil palm and rubber plantations is a common land-use change in Jambi, Sumatra due to the high economic demand of forest border communities. The environmental effects of such conversions have raised global concerns due to the potential to increase nitrous oxide emissions (N2O) to the atmosphere. To quantify this effect, we conducted a series of monthly N2O flux measurements between July 2010 and August 2011 using a static chamber method in an undisturbed forest, a disturbed forest, a one year old rubber plantation, a twenty year old rubber plantation and an eight year old oil palm plantation. All plantations belonged to smallholders and were usually not fertilized. In order to understand the effect of management intensification on N2O fluxes, we applied nitrogen (N) as urea (33.3 kg Nha-1) in the oil palm plantation in April 2011 and monitored the emissions intensively until 28 days after fertilizer application. Nitrous oxide consumption was significant in these weathered soils, accounting for 30\% of recorded flux data, although 17\% of the negative fluxes fell below detection limits. Most of these happened in the oil palm plantation and undisturbed forest. Annual N2O emission rates amounted to 1.73±0.48, 1.22±0.27, 1.34±0.36, 1.02±0.27 and 1.04±0.39 kg Nha-1y-1 in the undisturbed forest, disturbed forest, one year old rubber plantation, twenty year old rubber plantation and oil palm plantation, respectively. Forest disturbance and conversion to rubber and oil palm plantation did not significantly affect annual N2O emission rates. However in the oil palm plantation, the amount of N emitted as N2O was high (3.1±1.2\% of the fertilizer N applied), so at a typical fertilizer application rate of 141 kg Nha-1y-1, annual emissions would have amounted to 4.4±1.6 kg Nha-1y-1, more than twice the emission rate in the undisturbed forest. Dry mass and nitrogen mass in standing litter, distance to the nearest termite nest, rainfall on the day of measurement and air temperature were the key factors that predicted annual N2O fluxes across the land-use change transitions.",

keywords = "Fertilizer, Forest conversion, Land-use change, NO, Oil palm, Rubber",

author = "Aini, \{Fitri Khusyu\} and Kristell Hergoualc'h and Smith, \{Jo U.\} and Louis Verchot",

note = "Funding Information: This study was conducted as part of a PhD study and was generously supported by the contributions of the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013](REDD-ALERT project, Grant Agreement \# 226310 ), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) (Grant Agreement \# QZA-10/0468 ), and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) (Grant Agreement \# 46167 ). This work was carried out as part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research programs on Trees, Forests and Agroforestry (FTA) and Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The authors are grateful to the farmers of Pasir Mayang for providing access to their plantations, for their hospitality and for helping during field work. We would like to thank the Indonesia Soil Research Institute (ISRI), Balai Lingkungan Pertanian Jakenan, Brawijaya University and all assistants for their help during field and laboratory measurements. We would also like to thank the REDD-ALERT Indonesia team, the modelling team of the School of Biological and Environmental Science from the University of Aberdeen and anonymous reviewers for providing supports, comments and recommendations during the writing process. ",

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doi = "10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.022",

language = "English",

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T1 - Nitrous oxide emissions along a gradient of tropical forest disturbance on mineral soils in Sumatra

AU - Aini, Fitri Khusyu

AU - Hergoualc'h, Kristell

AU - Smith, Jo U.

AU - Verchot, Louis

N1 - Funding Information: This study was conducted as part of a PhD study and was generously supported by the contributions of the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013](REDD-ALERT project, Grant Agreement # 226310 ), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) (Grant Agreement # QZA-10/0468 ), and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) (Grant Agreement # 46167 ). This work was carried out as part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research programs on Trees, Forests and Agroforestry (FTA) and Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The authors are grateful to the farmers of Pasir Mayang for providing access to their plantations, for their hospitality and for helping during field work. We would like to thank the Indonesia Soil Research Institute (ISRI), Balai Lingkungan Pertanian Jakenan, Brawijaya University and all assistants for their help during field and laboratory measurements. We would also like to thank the REDD-ALERT Indonesia team, the modelling team of the School of Biological and Environmental Science from the University of Aberdeen and anonymous reviewers for providing supports, comments and recommendations during the writing process.

PY - 2015/12/27

Y1 - 2015/12/27

N2 - Forest conversion to oil palm and rubber plantations is a common land-use change in Jambi, Sumatra due to the high economic demand of forest border communities. The environmental effects of such conversions have raised global concerns due to the potential to increase nitrous oxide emissions (N2O) to the atmosphere. To quantify this effect, we conducted a series of monthly N2O flux measurements between July 2010 and August 2011 using a static chamber method in an undisturbed forest, a disturbed forest, a one year old rubber plantation, a twenty year old rubber plantation and an eight year old oil palm plantation. All plantations belonged to smallholders and were usually not fertilized. In order to understand the effect of management intensification on N2O fluxes, we applied nitrogen (N) as urea (33.3 kg Nha-1) in the oil palm plantation in April 2011 and monitored the emissions intensively until 28 days after fertilizer application. Nitrous oxide consumption was significant in these weathered soils, accounting for 30% of recorded flux data, although 17% of the negative fluxes fell below detection limits. Most of these happened in the oil palm plantation and undisturbed forest. Annual N2O emission rates amounted to 1.73±0.48, 1.22±0.27, 1.34±0.36, 1.02±0.27 and 1.04±0.39 kg Nha-1y-1 in the undisturbed forest, disturbed forest, one year old rubber plantation, twenty year old rubber plantation and oil palm plantation, respectively. Forest disturbance and conversion to rubber and oil palm plantation did not significantly affect annual N2O emission rates. However in the oil palm plantation, the amount of N emitted as N2O was high (3.1±1.2% of the fertilizer N applied), so at a typical fertilizer application rate of 141 kg Nha-1y-1, annual emissions would have amounted to 4.4±1.6 kg Nha-1y-1, more than twice the emission rate in the undisturbed forest. Dry mass and nitrogen mass in standing litter, distance to the nearest termite nest, rainfall on the day of measurement and air temperature were the key factors that predicted annual N2O fluxes across the land-use change transitions.

AB - Forest conversion to oil palm and rubber plantations is a common land-use change in Jambi, Sumatra due to the high economic demand of forest border communities. The environmental effects of such conversions have raised global concerns due to the potential to increase nitrous oxide emissions (N2O) to the atmosphere. To quantify this effect, we conducted a series of monthly N2O flux measurements between July 2010 and August 2011 using a static chamber method in an undisturbed forest, a disturbed forest, a one year old rubber plantation, a twenty year old rubber plantation and an eight year old oil palm plantation. All plantations belonged to smallholders and were usually not fertilized. In order to understand the effect of management intensification on N2O fluxes, we applied nitrogen (N) as urea (33.3 kg Nha-1) in the oil palm plantation in April 2011 and monitored the emissions intensively until 28 days after fertilizer application. Nitrous oxide consumption was significant in these weathered soils, accounting for 30% of recorded flux data, although 17% of the negative fluxes fell below detection limits. Most of these happened in the oil palm plantation and undisturbed forest. Annual N2O emission rates amounted to 1.73±0.48, 1.22±0.27, 1.34±0.36, 1.02±0.27 and 1.04±0.39 kg Nha-1y-1 in the undisturbed forest, disturbed forest, one year old rubber plantation, twenty year old rubber plantation and oil palm plantation, respectively. Forest disturbance and conversion to rubber and oil palm plantation did not significantly affect annual N2O emission rates. However in the oil palm plantation, the amount of N emitted as N2O was high (3.1±1.2% of the fertilizer N applied), so at a typical fertilizer application rate of 141 kg Nha-1y-1, annual emissions would have amounted to 4.4±1.6 kg Nha-1y-1, more than twice the emission rate in the undisturbed forest. Dry mass and nitrogen mass in standing litter, distance to the nearest termite nest, rainfall on the day of measurement and air temperature were the key factors that predicted annual N2O fluxes across the land-use change transitions.

KW - Fertilizer

KW - Forest conversion

KW - Land-use change

KW - NO

KW - Oil palm

KW - Rubber

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DO - 10.1016/j.agee.2015.08.022

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84941034894

SN - 0167-8809

VL - 214

SP - 107

EP - 117

JO - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment

JF - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment

ER -

Nitrous oxide emissions along a gradient of tropical forest disturbance on mineral soils in Sumatra

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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