Urban roadside greenery as a carbon sink: Systematic assessment considering understory shrubs and soil respiration.

Roadside greenery is an efficient strategy for maximizing ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration in urban settings. However, the quantification of carbon sequestration is not comprehensive because understory shrubs and soil respiration have not been thoroughly considered. We developed an integrated methodology that combined field measurements and greenhouse incubation to comprehensively assess carbon sequestration in roadside greenery systems. The system was defined as an 8 m long section comprising a single tree (Zelkova serrata), 79 shrubs (Euonymus japonicus), and soil. Annual carbon uptake by a tree was estimated using an allometric equation derived from an official government report. For shrubs, carbon uptake was measured in the field by monitoring CO2 concentration change in the chamber enclosing the leaves and stems. Annual carbon uptake by shrubs was estimated by using the regression equation among carbon uptake, air temperature, and photosynthetically active radiation. We also estimated shrub root respiration by combining net primary production (NPP) from the greenhouse incubation and measured pruning effect in the field. This enabled us to differentiate heterotrophic respiration from the total soil respiration. The overall methodology accurately assessed net ecosystem production (NEP) from the roadside greenery system, which is 0.528 kg C m-2 yr-1. If this figure is extended to all roads in the target city, it can offset daily carbon emitted from the total registered passenger vehicles in the target city. Considering that shrubs sequester an amount equivalent to 29.3 % of the carbon sequestered by tree species, the current greenhouse gas inventory should include shrubs as an important carbon sink. As we also revealed that roadside soil has high carbon vulnerability, proper soil management is needed to enhance NEP. Our systematic approach evaluating the carbon balance within the roadside greenery system can be applied to other cities, contributing to enhance global understanding of urban carbon cycle.

A method for soil quality assessment in the metropolitan greenery: A comprehensive view of ecosystem services and soil functions.

The soils in urban greenery considerably contribute to providing ecosystem services. However, appropriate tools to assess and manage urban soil quality under consideration of ecosystem services and soil functions are unavailable. In this study, we aimed to 1) provide detailed instructions for assessing a novel urban soil quality index (uSQI) and 2) propose the application of uSQI in urban soil quality management. The uSQI is the average of the scores for six soil functions. Each soil function was estimated by several measurable indicators that have high correlation with soil functions. The measurable soil indicators are bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, litter-layer depth, mineral-associated organic matter, clay + silt content, inorganic nitrogen concentration, fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity, cation exchange capacity, concentrations of potentially toxic elements, and pH. The uSQI effectively identified the soils with low quality due to disturbances. The radar chart of six soil functions comprising uSQI could suggest the direction of management for urban stakeholders.•The uSQI represents soil functions necessary for urban greenery to provide ecosystem services.•The uSQI successfully identified the soils with low quality due to disturbances.

Particulate matter resuspension from simulated urban green floors using a wind tunnel-mounted closed chamber.

Background: Green areas are thought to reduce particulate matter (PM) concentrations in urban environments. Plants are the key to PM reduction via various mechanisms, although most mechanisms do not lead to the complete removal of PM. Ultimately, PM falls into the soil via wind and rainfall. However, the fallen PM can re-entrain the atmosphere, which can affect plants capacity to reduce PM. In this study, we simulated an urban green floor and measured the resuspension of PM from the surface using a new experimental system, a wind tunnel-mounted closed chamber. Methods: The developed system is capable of quantifying the resuspension rate at the millimeter scale, which is measured by using the 1 mm node chain. This is adequate for simulating in situ green floors, including fallen branches and leaves. This addressed limitations from previous studies which focused on micrometer-scale surfaces. In this study, the surfaces consisted of three types: bare sand soil, broadleaves, and coniferous leaves. The resuspended PM was measured using a light-scattering dust detector. Results: The resuspension rate was highest of 14.45×10-4 s-1 on broad-leaved surfaces and lowest on coniferous surfaces of 5.35×10-4 s-1 (p < 0.05) and was not proportional to the millimeter-scale surface roughness measured by the roller chain method. This might be due to the lower roughness density of the broad-leaved surface, which can cause more turbulence for PM resuspension. Moreover, the size distribution of the resuspended PM indicated that the particles tended to agglomerate at 2.5 µm after resuspension. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the management of fallen leaves on the urban green floor is important in controlling PM concentrations and that the coniferous floor is more effective than the broadleaved floor in reducing PM resuspension. Future studies using the new system can be expanded to derive PM management strategies by diversifying the PM types, surfaces, and atmospheric conditions.

Ecosystem services-based soil quality index tailored to the metropolitan environment for soil assessment and management.

The soils in urban greenery provide essential ecosystem services. However, only a few studies have assessed urban soil quality based on a comprehensive view of ecosystem services and soil multi-functionality. In this study, we suggest an urban soil quality index (uSQI) to evaluate soil status in various spatial types of urban greenery. Our objectives are 1) to develop an uSQI incorporating a range of urban soil ecosystem services in metropolitan environments and 2) to test the efficacy of the developed uSQI by applying it to nine different sites. To fully consider ecosystem services provided by the urban soil, a DPSC (drivers and pressures, state, and changes) framework was constructed. Drivers and pressures are influencing factors that continuously alter the state of the urban greenery, eventually leading to changes in ecosystem services and soil functions. The six soil functions considered were physical stability and support, water storage and infiltration, habitat provision, organic matter stabilization, nutrient supply and retention, and pollutant immobilization and decomposition. These functions were measured using ten soil indicators which can be quantified: bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, litter-layer depth, mineral-associated organic matter, clay+silt content, fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity, cation exchange capacity, inorganic nitrogen concentration, pH, and concentrations of potentially toxic elements. The uSQI was calculated as the arithmetic mean of the scores of the six soil functions, obtained through the fuzzy logic functions. The uSQI successfully identified the low soil quality sites among nine urban greeneries with different spatial types (point, line, and polygon). In addition, we could examine the degraded soil function of each site and suggest a management guideline using our uSQI. Our novel index can help urban stakeholders evaluate and monitor the soil quality of urban greenery.

Nitrous oxide emission and sweet potato yield in upland soil: Effects of different type and application rate of composted animal manures.

The aims of this study were to determine type and application rate of composted animal manure to optimize sweet potato yield relative to N2O emissions from upland soils. To this end, the study was conducted on upland soils amended with different types and rates of composted animal manure and located at two geographically different regions of South Korea. Field trials were established at Miryang and Yesan in South Korea during the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) growing season over 2 years: 2017 (Year 1) and 2018 (Year 2). Three composted animal manures (chicken, cow, and pig) were applied at the rates of 0, 10, and 20 Mg ha-1 to upland soils in both locations. In both Years and locations, manure type did not affected significantly cumulative N2O emissions from soil during the sweet potato growing season or the belowground biomass of sweet potato. However, application rate of animal manures affected significantly the cumulative N2O emission, nitrogen (N) in soil, and belowground biomass of sweet potato. An increase in cumulative N2O emission with application rates of animal manures was related to total N and inorganic N concentration in soil. The belowground biomass yield of sweet potato but also the cumulative N2O emission increased with increasing application rate of composted animal manures up to 7.6 and 16.0 Mg ha-1 in Miryang and Yesan, respectively. To reduce N2O emission from arable soil while increasing crop yield, composted animal manures should be applied at less than application rate that produce the maximum belowground biomass of sweet potato.

Evaluation of effective quantum yields of photosystem II for CO2 leakage monitoring in carbon capture and storage sites.

Vegetation monitoring can be used to detect CO2 leakage in carbon capture and storage (CCS) sites because it can monitor a large area at a relatively low cost. However, a rapidly responsive, sensitive, and cost-effective plant parameters must be suggested for vegetation monitoring to be practically utilized as a CCS management strategy. To screen the proper plant parameters for leakage monitoring, a greenhouse experiment was conducted by exposing kale (Brassica oleracea var. viridis), a sensitive plant, to 10%, 20%, and 40% soil CO2 concentrations. Water and water with CO2 stress treatments were also introduced to examine the parameters differentiating CO2 stress from water stresses. We tested the hypothesis that chlorophyl fluorescence parameters would be early and sensitive indicator to detect CO2 leakage. The results showed that the fluorescence parameters of effective quantum yield of photosystem II (Y(II)), detected the difference between CO2 treatments and control earlier than any other parameters, such as chlorophyl content, hyperspectral vegetation indices, and biomass. For systematic comparison among many parameters, we proposed an indicator evaluation score (IES) method based on four categories: CO2 specificity, early detection, field applicability, and cost. The IES results showed that fluorescence parameters (Y(II)) had the highest IES scores, and the parameters from spectral sensors (380-800 nm wavelength) had the second highest values. We suggest the IES system as a useful tool for evaluating new parameters in vegetation monitoring.

Understanding the role of biochar in mitigating soil water stress in simulated urban roadside soil.

Biochar has been proposed as a promising amendment that may improve soil structure. However, our understanding how it mitigates extreme soil water stress in roadside soils is limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of biochar on soil properties and plant growth under extreme water stress conditions. A greenhouse experiment was conducted on two-year-old Gingko biloba saplings planted in pots with sandy soil only (CON) and with sandy soil mixed with biochar (BC). To simulate excessive water stress conditions, we increased the soil water-filled pore space up to the saturation level throughout the experimental period. We also simulated the switching water conditions by maintaining the saturation condition for 30 days, followed by no addition of water. The BC treatment significantly influenced the aggregate distribution and enhanced the proportion of macroaggregates (>250 µm). The biochar itself also functioned as a macroaggregate and contributed to increased aeration under the excessive water condition. Under the switching water condition, the micropores within the biochar might have helped maintain the available water for plant roots and soil microbes. Plant growth was significantly higher in the BC than CON soils for both the excessive and switching water sets. In the BC soils, plant growth was higher in the excessive than in the switching water sets, indicating that the soil water status in our BC treatment for the excessive water set was not stressful enough to inhibit plant growth. The % optimal water condition, which is defined as the proportion of days when the soil water status is within the least limiting water range, had a very high explanatory power to explain the plant growth (r = 0.7172, p < 0.0001). Our results indicate that biochar can alleviate water stresses in urban roadside soils by retaining plant available water under the wet and dry conditions.

Changes in soil N2O and CH4 emissions and related microbial functional groups in an artificial CO2 gassing experiment.

Potential CO2 leakage is a major concern for carbon capture and storage (CCS). The effects of high soil CO2 concentration on microbes is a major element of impact assessments of CO2 leakage on terrestrial ecosystems. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the responses of microbial functional groups of ammonia-oxidizers, methanogens, and methanotrophs in high soil CO2 conditions. A single-point injection gassing plot (2.5 m × 2.5 m in size), which had 52.2% CO2 in the center (radius = 0.5 m) and 5.5% in the edge (radius = 1.7 m) at 10 cm depth, was employed. N2O and CH4 emissions increased after 1 day of injection because injected CO2 was instantly utilized by nitrifiers and methanogens. This suggests that the activities of the selected microbes could be stimulated by high soil CO2 concentrations. Prolonged CO2 injection has toxic effects on aerobic nitrifiers, but may favor anaerobic methanogens. However, the early stimulatory effects of high soil CO2 on N2O and CH4 production did not last to the end of injection. These results imply that increased N2O and CH4 emissions could be the minor side effects of high soil CO2. Microbes responded faster than plants to high soil CO2, with responses observed as late as 7 days after injection. The inhibition of plant absorption of soil water and nutrients by high soil CO2 concentrations may also influence microbial responses. Moreover, high soil water content could retard underground CO2 diffusion, which would magnify CO2 impacts on plants and microbes. Our results suggest that microbial response could be used as an early indicator of the impact assessments of CO2 leakage on soil ecosystems. An understanding of the interaction among soils, plants, and microbes would be helpful in assessing the biological risks of potential CO2 leakage.

Effects of different biochar amendments on carbon loss and leachate characterization from an agricultural soil.

Selection of an appropriate biochar as a soil amendment requires a thorough investigation of the effects on soil ecosystems and adjacent water systems via leaching. Different biochar characteristics influence retention or leaching of different soil and biochar components. A lab lysimeter study was conducted to investigate carbon (C) balance and leachate quality with biochar additions. Biochar made from wood pellets (WP) and sewage sludge (SS) produced at 400 °C (WP400 and SS400) and 700 °C (WP700 and SS700), respectively, were applied to silt loam soil at an application rate of 4%. Fluorescence excitation-emission spectrophotometry (EEMs) was utilized to understand the compositional changes in leachate dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Our results show that DOC contributed the largest portion of C leaching loss. The WP treatments increased DOC mass loss, but did not significantly change leachate DOC quality. SS400, in comparison, increased mass loss of DOC and SS700 decreased it probably due to its higher adsorptive capacity to DOC. Unlike WP treatments, SS treatments significantly changed leachate DOC quality. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced with SS400 and SS700 biochar additions, which is assumed to be related to SS biochar's high oxygen-containing surface functional groups. Reduction in total nitrogen (TN) leaching by WP700 and SS700 treatments might be related to the higher micropore surface area. Over all, our findings imply that changes in the different components of the leachate from biochar-amended soil are related to different biochar properties, such as labile matter content, total surface area, micropore volume and cation exchange capacity.

Impact assessment of high soil CO2 on plant growth and soil environment: a greenhouse study.

To ensure the safety of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, insight into the potential impacts of CO2 leakage on the ecosystem is necessary. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to investigate the effects of high soil CO2 on plant growth and the soil environment. Treatments comprised 99.99% CO2 injection (CG), 99.99% N2injection (NG), and no injection (BG). NG treatment was employed to differentiate the effects of O2 depletion from those of CO2 enrichment. Soil CO2 and O2 concentrations were maintained at an average of 53% and 11%, respectively, under CG treatment. We verified that high soil CO2 had negative effects on root water absorption, chlorophyll, starch content and total biomass. Soil microbial acid phosphatase activity was affected by CG treatment. These negative effects were attributed to high soil CO2 instead of low O2 or low pH. Our results indicate that high soil CO2 affected the root system, which in turn triggered further changes in aboveground plant tissues and rhizospheric soil water conditions. A conceptual diagram of CO2 toxicity to plants and soil is suggested to act as a useful guideline for impact assessment of CCS technology.

Variable effects of biochar application to soils on nitrification-mediated N2O emissions.

Although a meta-analysis on biochar's effects on N2O emission reported an overall reduction in N2O emission by adding biochar to the soils, there are still variations in the changes in N2O emission, especially from field results. The objectives of this study are 1) to compare the effects of biochar addition on N2O emission between three agricultural upland field experiments, where soil water status was dry favoring nitrification and 2) to identify main factors explaining biochar's variable effects on N2O emission. Three field experiments were conducted: Exp A in the cultivated grassland treated with rice husk biochar at 2 ton ha-1 + urea (CHAR) and with urea only (CON); Exp B in the cabbage field with CHAR and CON treatments; and Exp C in the pepper field with CHAR, CON, and CHAR + DCD (dicyandiamide, nitrification inhibitor) treatments. In Exp A and C, cumulative N2O emissions significantly increased by 82.5% and 55.8% in the CHAR than CON treatments, respectively, while in Exp B, there was no difference in cumulative N2O emission between the CHAR and CON. Based on results from using nitrification inhibitor and soil % water filled pore space (WFPS), we assumed that the main N2O production mechanism was nitrification. Our results suggest that soil water status right after urea application is the primary determinant of different effects of biochar on N2O emission in addition to soil C status and biochar's adsorption. Principal component analysis using the 25 compiled data also supported our results. This study identified the specific field conditions under which biochar could have stimulating effects on N2O emission. Mitigation potential of biochar application should be reconsidered if biochar and urea were amended to dry soils with low C contents.

Increased N2O emission by inhibited plant growth in the CO2 leaked soil environment: Simulation of CO2 leakage from carbon capture and storage (CCS) site.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations is continuing to increase due to anthropogenic activity, and geological CO2 storage via carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology can be an effective way to mitigate global warming due to CO2 emission. However, the possibility of CO2 leakage from reservoirs and pipelines exists, and such leakage could negatively affect organisms in the soil environment. Therefore, to determine the impacts of geological CO2 leakage on plant and soil processes, we conducted a greenhouse study in which plants and soils were exposed to high levels of soil CO2. Cabbage, which has been reported to be vulnerable to high soil CO2, was grown under BI (no injection), NI (99.99% N2 injection), and CI (99.99% CO2 injection). Mean soil CO2 concentration for CI was 66.8-76.9% and the mean O2 concentrations in NI and CI were 6.6-12.7%, which could be observed in the CO2 leaked soil from the pipelines connected to the CCS sites. The soil N2O emission was increased by 286% in the CI, where NO3--N concentration was 160% higher compared to that in the control. This indicates that higher N2O emission from CO2 leakage could be due to enhanced nitrification process. Higher NO3--N content in soil was related to inhibited plant metabolism. In the CI treatment, chlorophyll content decreased and chlorosis appeared after 8th day of injection. Due to the inhibited root growth, leaf water and nitrogen contents were consistently lowered by 15% under CI treatment. Our results imply that N2O emission could be increased by the secondary effects of CO2 leakage on plant metabolism. Hence, monitoring the environmental changes in rhizosphere would be very useful for impact assessment of CCS technology.

Effects of Biochar Addition on CO2 and N2O Emissions following Fertilizer Application to a Cultivated Grassland Soil.

Carbon (C) sequestration potential of biochar should be considered together with emission of greenhouse gases when applied to soils. In this study, we investigated CO2 and N2O emissions following the application of rice husk biochars to cultivated grassland soils and related gas emissions tos oil C and nitrogen (N) dynamics. Treatments included biochar addition (CHAR, NO CHAR) and amendment (COMPOST, UREA, NO FERT). The biochar application rate was 0.3% by weight. The temporal pattern of CO2 emissions differed according to biochar addition and amendments. CO2 emissions from the COMPOST soils were significantly higher than those from the UREA and NO FERT soils and less CO2 emission was observed when biochar and compost were applied together during the summer. Overall N2O emission was significantly influenced by the interaction between biochar and amendments. In UREA soil, biochar addition increased N2O emission by 49% compared to the control, while in the COMPOST and NO FERT soils, biochar did not have an effect on N2O emission. Two possible mechanisms were proposed to explain the higher N2O emissions upon biochar addition to UREA soil than other soils. Labile C in the biochar may have stimulated microbial N mineralization in the C-limited soil used in our study, resulting in an increase in N2O emission. Biochar may also have provided the soil with the ability to retain mineral N, leading to increased N2O emission. The overall results imply that biochar addition can increase C sequestration when applied together with compost, and might stimulate N2O emission when applied to soil amended with urea.

Effects of biochar addition on greenhouse gas emissions and microbial responses in a short-term laboratory experiment.

Biochar application to soil has drawn much attention as a strategy to sequester atmospheric carbon in soil ecosystems. The applicability of this strategy as a climate change mitigation option is limited by our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the observed changes in greenhouse gas emissions from soils, microbial responses, and soil fertility changes. We conducted an 8-wk laboratory incubation using soils from PASTURE (silt loam) and RICE PADDY (silt loam) sites with and without two types of biochar (biochar from swine manure [CHAR-M] and from barley stover [CHAR-B]). Responses to addition of the different biochars varied with the soil source. Addition of CHAR-B did not change CO and CH evolution from the PASTURE or the RICE PADDY soils, but there was a decrease in NO emissions from the PASTURE soil. The effects of CHAR-M addition on greenhouse gas emissions were different for the soils. The most substantial change was an increase in NO emissions from the RICE PADDY soil. This result was attributed to a combination of abundant denitrifiers in this soil and increased net nitrogen mineralization. Soil phosphatase and N-acetylglucosaminidase activity in the CHAR-B-treated soils was enhanced compared with the controls for both soils. Fungal biomass was higher in the CHAR-B-treated RICE PADDY soil. From our results, we suggest CHAR-B to be an appropriate amendment for the PASTURE and RICE PADDY soils because it provides increased nitrogen availability and microbial activity with no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Application of CHAR-M to RICE PADDY soils could result in excess nitrogen availability, which may increase NO emissions and possible NO leaching problems. Thus, this study confirms that the ability of environmentally sound biochar additions to sequester carbon in soils depends on the characteristics of the receiving soil as well as the nature of the biochar.

Effects of elevated CO(2) and Pb on the microbial community in the rhizosphere of Pinus densiflora.

Rising levels of atmospheric CO(2) may stimulate forest productivity in the future, resulting in increased carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems. However, heavy metal contamination may interfere with this, though the response is not yet known. In this study, we investigated the effect of elevated CO(2) and Pb contamination on microorganisms and decomposition in pine tree forest soil. Three-year old pine trees (Pinus densiflora) were planted in Pb contaminated soils (500 mg/kg-soil) and uncontaminated soils and cultivated for three months in a growth chamber where the CO(2) concentration was controlled at 380 or 760 mg/kg. Structures of the microbial community were comparatively analyzed in bulk and in rhizosphere soil samples using community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) and 16S rRNA gene PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). Additionally, microbial activity in rhizospheric soil, growth and the C/N ratio of the pine trees were measured. Elevated CO(2) significantly increased microbial activities and diversity in Pb contaminated soils due to the increase in carbon sources, and this increase was more distinctive in rhizospheric soil than in bulk soils. In addition, increased plant growth and C/N ratios of pine needles at elevated CO(2) resulted in an increase in cation exchange capacity (CEC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of the rhizosphere in Pb contaminated soil. Taken together, these findings indicate that elevated CO(2) levels and heavy metals can affect the soil carbon cycle by changing the microbial community and plant metabolism.

Use of physical properties to predict the effects of tillage practices on organic matter dynamics in three Illinois soils.

This work builds on a previous study of long-term tillage trials that found use of no-tillage (NT) practices increased soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration at Monmouth, IL (silt loam soil) by increasing the soil's protective capacity, but did not alter SOC storage in DeKalb, IL (silty clay loam), where higher clay contents provided a protective capacity not affected by tillage. The least limiting water range (LLWR), a multi-factor index of structural quality, predicted observed soil CO2 efflux patterns. Here we consider whether LLWR can predict sequestration trends at a third site, Perry, IL (silt loam soil) where SOC content is lower and bulk density is higher than in previously considered sites, and determine whether pore size characteristics can help explain the influence use of NT practices has had on SOC sequestration at all three locations. At Perry, LLWR was again related with differences in specific soil organic carbon mineralization rates (RESPsp) (2000-2001). Reduced RESPsp rates explain increases in SOC storage under NT management observed only after 17 yr. Trends in RESPsp suggest use of NT practices only enhance physical protection of SOC where soil bulk density is relatively high (approximately 1.4 g cm(-3)). In those soils (Monmouth and Perry), use of NT management reduced the volume of small macropores (15-150 microm) thought to be important for microbial activity. Physical properties appear to determine whether or not use of NT practices will enhance C storage by increasing physical protection of SOC. By refining the functions used to compute the LLWR and our understanding of the interactions between management, pore structure, and SOC mineralization, we should be able to predict the influence of tillage practices on SOC sequestration.