Soil NOx Emission Prediction via Recurrent Neural Networks

This paper presents designing sequence-to-sequence recurrent neural network(RNN)architectures for a novel study to predict soil NOx emissions,driven by the imperative of understanding and mitigating environmental impact.The study utilizes data collected by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)to develop two distinct RNN predictive models:one built upon the long-short term memory(LSTM)and the other utilizing the gated recurrent unit(GRU).These models are fed with a combination of historical and anticipated air temperature,air moisture,and NOx emissions as inputs to forecast future NOx emissions.Both LSTM and GRU models can capture the intricate pulse patterns inherent in soil NOx emissions.Notably,the GRU model emerges as the superior performer,surpassing the LSTM model in predictive accuracy while demonstrating efficiency by necessitating less training time.Intriguingly,the investigation into varying input features reveals that relying solely on past NOx emissions as input yields satisfactory performance,highlighting the dominant influence of this factor.The study also delves into the impact of altering input series lengths and training data sizes,yielding insights into optimal configurations for enhanced model performance.Importantly,the findings promise to advance our grasp of soil NOx emission dynamics,with implications for environmental management strategies.Looking ahead,the anticipated availability of additional measurements is poised to bolster machine-learning model efficacy.Furthermore,the future study will explore physical-based RNNs,a promising avenue for deeper insights into soil NOx emission prediction.

Impacts of Micro- and Nano-Plastics on Soil Properties and Plant Production in Agroecosystems: A Mini-Review

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are tiny plastic particles resulting from plastic product degradation. Soil MNPs have been identified as potential influential factors affecting various soil properties and crop biomass productivity. This mini-review provides a synthesis of recent findings concerning their effects on soil physicochemical properties, microorganisms, organic carbon content, soil nutrients, greenhouse gas emissions, soil fauna, and their impacts on plant ecophysiology, growth, and production. The results indicate that MNPs may markedly impede soil aggregation ability, increase porosity, decrease soil bulk density, enhance water retention capacity, influence soil pH and electrical conductivity, and escalate soil water evaporation. Exposure to MNPs may predominantly induce changes in soil microbial composition, reducing the diversity and complexity of microbial communities and microbial activity while enhancing soil organic carbon stability, influencing soil nutrient dynamics, and stimulating organic carbon decomposition and denitrification processes, leading to elevated soil respiration and methane emissions, and potentially decreasing soil nitrous oxide emission. Additionally, MNPs may adversely affect soil fauna, diminish seed germination rates, promote plant root growth, yet impair plant photosynthetic efficacy and biomass productivity. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the impacts and mechanistic foundations of MNPs. Future research avenues are suggested to further explore the impacts and economic implications.

Soil mineral nitrogen and yield-scaled soil N2O emissions lowered by reducing nitrogen application and intercropping with soybean for sweet maize production in southern China

The increasing demand for fresh sweet maize （Zea mays L. saccharata） in southern China has prioritized the need to find solutions to the environmental pollution caused by its continuous production and high inputs of chemical nitrogen fertilizers. A promising method for improving crop production and environmental conditions is to intercrop sweet maize with legumes. Here, a three-year field experiment was conducted to assess the influence of four different cropping systems （sole sweet maize （SS）, sole soybean （SB）, two rows sweet maize-three rows soybean （S2B3） intercropping, and two rows sweet maize-four rows soybean （S2B4） intercropping）, together with two rates of N fertilizer application （300 and 360 kg N ha-1） on grain yield, residual soil mineral N, and soil N2O emissions in southern China. Results showed that in most case, inter- cropping achieved yield advantages （total land equivalent ratio （TLER=0.87-1.25） was above one）. Moreover, intercropping resulted in 39.8% less soil mineral N than SS at the time of crop harvest, averaged over six seasons （spring and autumn in each of the three years of the field experiment）. Generally, intercropping and reduced-N application （300 kg N ha-1） produced lower cumulative soil N20 and yield-scaled soil N20 emissions than SS and conventionaI-N application （360 kg N ha-l）, respectively. $2B4 intercropping with reduced-N rate （300 kg N ha-~） showed the lowest cumulative soil N20 （mean value=0.61 kg ha-1） and yield-scaled soil N20 （mean value=0.04 kg t-1） emissions. Overall, intercropping with reduced-N rate maintained sweet maize production, while also reducing environmental impacts. The system of S2B4 intercropping with reduced-N rate may be the most sustainable and environmentally friendly cropping system.

N_2O emissions from forest and grassland soils in northern China

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Soil Carbon Stock and Flux in Plantation Forest and Grassland Ecosystems in Loess Plateau, China

Carbon sequestration occurs when cultivated soils are re-vegetated. In the hilly area of the Loess Plateau, China, black locust （Robinia pseudoacacia） plantation forest and grassland were the two main vegetation types used to mitigate soil and water loss after cultivation abandonment. The purpose of this study was to compare the soil carbon stock and flux of these two types of vegetation which restored for 25 years. The experiment was conducted in Yangjuangou catchment in Yah＇an City, Shaanxi Province, China. Two adjacent slopes were chosen for this study. Six sample sites were spaced every 35-45 m from summit to toe slope along the hill slope, and each sample site contained three sampling plots. Soil organic carbon and related physicochemical properties in the surface soil layer （0-10 cm and 10-20 cm） were measured based on soil sampling and laboratory analysis, and the soil carbon dioxide （CO2） emissions and environmental factors were measured in the same sample sites simultaneously. Results indicated that in general, a higher soil carbon stock was found in the black locust plantation forest than that in grassland throughout the hill slope. Meanwhile, significant differences in the soil carbon stock were observed between these two vegetation types in the upper slope at soil depth 0-10 cm and lower slope at soil depth 10-20 cm. The average daily values of the soil CO2 emissions were 1.27 μmol/（m2·s） and 1.39 μmol/（m2·s） for forest and grassland, respectively. The soil carbon flux in forest covered areas was higher in spring and less variation was detected between different seasons, while the highest carbon flux was found in grassland in summer, which was about three times higher than that in autumn and spring. From the carbon sequestration point of view, black locust plantation forest on hill slopes might be better than grassland because of a higher soil carbon stock and lower carbon flux.

Variation in Total Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in Relation to Some Land Use Systems in the Bamenda Highlands, Cameroon

Climate change and food security are among the pressing challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. Soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, total nitrogen (TN), texture, and bulk density (BD) are important soil properties, which control climate change. Three land use systems (smallholder farmlands, grazing lands, and forest lands) that coexist in the Bamenda Highlands (BH) influence ecosystem services and induce soil degradation with the loss of SOC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation of SOC and some soil physicochemical properties as affected by the three land use systems (LUS). A total of 21 composite soil samples collected from 7 microclimatic zones of BH following “S” shape plots to the depth of 0 - 30 cm, were analysed for moisture content (MC), SOC, TN, BD, available phosphorus (Av.P), pH and texture. The results revealed that grazing land had the lowest mean sand content (40.79 ± 4.07). Mean MC, TN and SOC (%) content were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in forest land than those in the grazing land and smallholder farmlands. Conversely, BD and Av.P were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in smallholder farmlands than grazing and forest lands probably due to different litter accumulation and agricultural practices. Moisture content and TN revealed positive significant correlations (p < 0.05) with SOC, while BD and Av.P revealed negative significant correlations (p < 0.05). Mean SOC density in smallholder farmlands (132.91 ± 9.48 tC/ha) was the lowest among the three land use types. Losses in CO2 equivalence, as a result of land use change from forest lands to smallholder farmlands were 137.33 t/ha while that from grazing lands to smallholder farmlands were 109.13 t/ha. Total organic carbon (TOC) stocks differed significantly (p < 0.05) from smallholder farmlands (10.73 Mt) to forest lands (91.13 Mt). A sustainable farming technique that enhances SOC sequestration and minimizes soil CO2 emissions is therefore recommended to replace tillage ridges formation commonly practiced by smallholder farmers.

Response patterns of simulated corn yield and soil nitrous oxide emission to precipitation change

Background Precipitation plays an important role in crop production and soil greenhouse gas emissions.However,how crop yield and soil nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emission respond to precipitation change,particularly with different background precipitations(dry,normal,and wet years),has not been well investigated.In this study,we examined the impacts of precipitation changes on corn yield and soil N_(2)O emission using a long-term(1981-2020,40 years)climate dataset as well as seven manipulated precipitation treatments with different background precipitations using the DeNitrification-DeComposition(DNDC)model.Results Results showed large variations of corn yield and precipitation but small variation of soil N_(2)O emission among 40 years.Both corn yield and soil N_(2)O emission showed near linear relationships with precipitation based on the long-term precipitation data,but with different response patters of corn yield and soil N_(2)O emission to precipitation manipulations.Corn yield showed a positive linear response to precipitation manipulations in the dry year,but no response to increases in precipitation in the normal year,and a trend of decrease in the wet year.The extreme drought treatments reduced corn yield sharply in both normal and wet years.In contrast,soil N_(2)O emission mostly responded linearly to precipitation manipulations.Decreases in precipitation in the dry year reduced more soil N_(2)O emission than those in the normal and wet years,while increases in precipitation increased more soil N_(2)O emission in the normal and wet years than in the dry year.Conclusions This study revealed different response patterns of corn yield and soil N_(2)O emission to precipitation and highlights that mitigation strategy for soil N_(2)O emission reduction should consider different background climate conditions.

Unique genes carried by abundant species enhance CH_(4) emissions during the growing season at the Tibetan Plateau

CH_(4) emission rates followed an increased pattern during the growing season at Tibetan Plateau.•Unique genes carried by abundant species were positively correlated with CH_(4) emission rates.•Climate factors influenced CH_(4) emission rates by regulating microbial community and their genes.Microorganisms play pivotal roles in soil methane(CH_(4))emissions and their functional genes are origins of a key mechanism for soil CH4-cycling.However,understanding of the roles of specific genes(e.g.,unique or shared genes carried by species)underlying CH_(4)-cycling remains elusive.Here,we measured CH_(4) emission rates and investigated variations in microbial community and the abundance of genes carried by species during the growing season in alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau.We discovered that CH_(4) emission rates increased from 394.4,745.9,and 1092.7µg CH4 m−2 h−1,in April,June,and August,respectively,and had a positive correlation with unique genes carried by abundant species during the growing season.Moreover,we found that unique genes carried by abundant species involved in methanogenesis processes have a higher abundance than methanotrophic processes.Further analysis indicated that climate factors(i.e.,mean monthly temperature(MMT)and mean monthly precipitation(MMP))influenced microbial community and their functional genes,and therefore affected the CH_(4) emission rates.Overall,the present study provides a novel insight into the variation of soil CH4 emissions from a functional gene perspective,highlighting the important roles of unique genes carried by abundant species in CH4 emissions in the Tibetan Plateau under seasonal variation.

Predicting plant-soil N cycling and soil N_(2)O emissions in a Chinese old-growth temperate forest under global changes:uncertainty and implications

Soil-emitted N_(2)O contributes to two-thirds of global N_(2)O emissions,and is sensitive to global change.We used DayCent model to simulate major plant-soil N cycling processes under different global change scenarios in a typical temperate mixed forest in north-eastern China.Simulated scenarios included warming(T),elevated atmospheric CO_(2) concentration([CO_(2)])(C),increased N deposition(N)and precipitation(P),and their full factorial combinations.The responses of plant-soil nitrogen cycling processes including net N mineralization,plant N uptake,gross nitrification,denitrification and soil N_(2)O emission were examined.Concurrent increase of elevated[CO_(2)]and N deposition displayed most strong interactive effects on most fluxes.Using the results from experimental studies for evaluation,simulation uncertainty was highest under elevated[CO_(2)]and increased precipitation among the four global change factors.N deposition had a fundamental impact on soil N cycle and N_(2)O emission in our studied forest.Despite forest soil acting as a N sink for added N,scenarios which included increased N deposition showed higher cumulative soil N_(2)O emissions(summed up from 2001 to 2100).In particular,the scenario which included T,P,and N had the largest cumulative soil N_(2)O emission,which was a 24.4% increase over that under ambient conditions.Our study points to the importance of the interactive effects of global change factors on plant-soil N cycling and the necessity of multi-factor manipulation experiments.

MODEL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SOIL NO EMISSIONS ON SURFACE OZONE

The effect of soil NO emissions on surface ozone in autumn in East China has been studied by using TCTM(Troposphere Chemical Transport Model)with the input of meteorological variables from RAMS.The chemical mechanism for ozone variation caused by soil emissions has also been investigated.The model results reveal that soil NO emissions are important to regional ozone formation and distribution and the effect of soil NO emissions shows spatial inhomogeneity.Ozone over most areas in northern China decreases with maximum average decrement reaching 5 ppb while it increases over most areas of central and southern China with maximum average increment reaching 7 ppb caused by soil NO emissions.This situation of ozone variation is mainly determined by nonlinear photochemical mechanism.For the low NOx areas(≤3 ppb),ozone increases as NOx increases;for the high NOx areas(>3 ppb),ozone decreases as NOx increases.The effect of soil NO emissions on ozone depends on the transition value and NOx concentrations.

Spatio-temporal Distributions of Tropospheric NO_2 over Oases in Taklimakan Desert, China

Soil biogenic NO emission is one of the most important sources of atmospheric nitrogen oxides(NOx) worldwide. However, the estimation of soil source, especially in arid areas presents large uncertainties because of the substantial lack of measurements. In this study, we selected the Ruoqiang oases on the southeastern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, China as the study area and applied Ozone Monitoring Instrument(OMI) NO2 retrievals(DOMINO v2.0, 2005–2011) to investigate the spatial distribution and seasonal variations in tropospheric NO2 vertical column density(VCD). High NO2 VCDs were observed over the oases(farmlands and natural vegetation), with the highest value obtained during summer, and lowest during winter. Pulses were observed during spring. We conducted in-situ measurements in June 2011 in Milan oasis and employed ground-based multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy(MAX-DOAS) instruments to validate satellite NO2 retrievals. The findings are as follows: 1) in the study area soil biogenic NO emission is the dominant source of tropospheric NO2; 2) oases(farmlands) are hotspots of tropospheric NO2, and a higher increase in tropospheric NO2 is found in oases from winter to summer; and 3) enhancement of soil biogenic NO emission due to soil managements is predictable. Given the rapid agricultural development in the southern Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, researches on soil biogenic NO emission and increase in tropospheric NOx should be given more importance.

Volatile organic compound emissions from straw-amended agricultural soils and their relations to bacterial communities:A laboratory study

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate volatile organic compound（VOC） emissions from agricultural soil amended with wheat straw and their associations with bacterial communities for a period of 66 days under non-flooded and flooded conditions. The results indicated that ethene, propene, ethanol, i-propanol, 2-butanol, acetaldehyde, acetone,2-butanone, 2-pentanone and acetophenone were the 10 most abundant VOCs, making up over 90% of the total VOCs released under the two water conditions. The mean emission of total VOCs from the amended soils under the non-flooded condition（5924 ng C/（kg·hr）） was significantly higher than that under the flooded condition（2211 ng C/（kg·hr））. One ＂peak emission window＂ appeared at days 0–44 or 4–44, and over 95% of the VOC emissions occurred during the first month under the two water conditions. Bacterial community analysis using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（DGGE） showed that a relative increase of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and γ-Proteobacteria but a relative decrease of Acidobacteria with time were observed after straw amendments under the two water conditions. Cluster analysis revealed that the soil bacterial communities changed greatly with incubation time, which was in line with the variation of the VOC emissions over the experimental period. Most of the above top 10 VOCs correlated positively with the predominant bacterial species of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia but correlated negatively with the dominant bacterial species of Actinobacteria under the two water conditions. These results suggested that bacterial communities might play an important role in VOC emissions from straw-amended agricultural soils.

Effects of nitrogen addition on carbonate-derived CO_(2) emission after biochar addition

●We studied the effect of nitrogen and biochar on CO_(2) emission from SOC and SIC.●Nitrogen increased SIC-derived CO_(2) by 41%but decreased SOC-derived CO_(2) by 20%.●Biochar reduced total soil-derived CO_(2) by neutralizing nitrogen-induced acidity.●We proposed a method for 3-or 4-source partitioning CO_(2) emission from calcareous soils.Biochar addition generally increases the alkalinity regeneration to resist soil acidification driven by nitrogen(N)fertilization.Calcareous soils contain soil organic carbon(SOC)and inorganic C(SIC).Owing to technical limitations in three-source partitioning CO_(2),how biochar addition affects SOC-and SIC-derived CO_(2) emission has not been clarified yet.Therefore,we conducted a 70-day incubation experiment of ammonium-N and maize-straw-derived biochar additions to investigate the N plus biochar impacts on SOC-and SIC-derived CO_(2) emission.Over the 70-day incubation,we found that the N-only addition increased the SIC-derived CO_(2) emission by approximately 41%compared with the control,but decreased the SOC-derived CO_(2) emission by approximately 20%.This suggests that the distinct responses of SIC-and SOC-derived CO_(2) emission to N-only addition come from N-induced acidification and preferential substrate(N)utilization of soil microorganisms,respectively.Compared with N-only addition,N plus biochar addition decreased the SIC-derived CO_(2) emission by 17%−20%during the first 20 days of incubation,but increased it by 54%during the next 50 days.This result suggested that biochar addition reduced the SIC-derived CO_(2) emission likely due to the alkalization capacity of biochar exceeding the acidification capacity of ammonium-N in the short term,but it may increase the SIC-derived CO_(2) emission induced by the weak acidity produced from biochar mineralization in the long term.This study is helpful to improve the quantification of CO_(2) emission from calcareous soils.

Soil Respiration of Biologically-Crusted Soils in Response to Simulated Precipitation Pulses in the Tengger Desert, Northern China

Soil respiration(SR) is a major process of carbon loss from dryland soils, and it is closely linked to precipitation which often occurs as a discrete episodic event. However, knowledge on the dynamic patterns of SR of biologically-crusted soils in response to precipitation pulses remains limited. In this study, we investigated CO_2 emissions from a moss-crusted soil(MCS) and a cyanobacterialichen-crusted soil(CLCS) after 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 mm precipitation during the dry season in the Tengger Desert, northern China.Results showed that 2 h after precipitation, the SR rates of both MCS and CLCS increased up to 18-fold compared with those before rewetting, and then gradually declined to background levels; the decrease was faster at lower precipitation amount and slower at higher precipitation amount. The peak and average SR rates over the first 2 h in MCS increased with increasing precipitation amount, but did not vary in CLCS. Total CO_2 emission during the experiment(72 h) ranged from 1.35 to 5.67 g C m-2 in MCS, and from 1.11 to3.19 g Cm^(-2) in CLCS. Peak and average SR rates, as well as total carbon loss, were greater in MCS than in CLCS. Soil respiration rates of both MCS and CLCS were logarithmically correlated with gravimetric soil water content. Comparisons of SR among different precipitation events, together with the analysis of long-term precipitation data, suggest that small-size precipitation events have the potential for large short-term carbon losses, and that biological soil crusts might significantly contribute to soil CO_2 emission in the water-limited desert ecosystem.

Larger floods reduce soil CO_(2)efflux during the post-flooding phase in seasonally flooded forests of Western Amazonia

Seasonally flooded várzea forests of Western Amazonia are one of the most productive and biodiverse wetland forests in the world.However,data on their soil CO_(2)emissions,soil organic matter decomposition rates,and soil C stocks are scarce.This is a concern because hydrological changes are predicted to lead to increases in the height,extent,and duration of seasonal floods,which are likely to have a significant effect on soil C stocks and fluxes.However,with no empirical data,the impact of altered flood regimes on várzea soil C cycles remains uncertain.This study quantified the effects of maximum annual flood height and soil moisture on soil CO_(2)efflux rate(R_(s))and soil organic matter decomposition rate(k)in the várzea forests of Pacaya Samiria National Reserve,Peru.The study was conducted between May and August 2017.The results showed that R_(s)(10.6–182.7 mg C m^(-2)h^(-1))and k(0.016–0.078)varied between and within sites,and were considerably lower than the values reported for other tropical forests.In addition,R_(s)was negatively affected by flood height(P<0.01)and soil moisture(P<0.001),and it decreased with decreasing river levels post flooding(P<0.001).In contrast,k was not affected by any of the above-mentioned factors.Soil moisture was the dominant factor influencing R_(s),and it was significantly affected by maximum flood height,even after the floods had subsided(P<0.001).Consequently,we concluded that larger floods will likely lead to reduced R_(s),whilst k could remain unchanged but with decomposition processes becoming more anaerobic.

Substrate availability regulates the suppressive effects of Canada goldenrod invasion on soil respiration

Invasive alien plants not only decrease riparian vegetation diversity but also alter wetland ecosystem carbon processes,especially when they displace the original vegetation.Invasive Canada goldenrod(Solidago canadensis L.)has colonized large areas of disturbed and undisturbed land in southeastern China,yet little is known regarding how it affects soil carbon cycling.To explore the response patterns of soil respiration following S.canadensis invasion and their driving mechanisms,an observational field study and a greenhouse experiment simulating invasion were performed.In the field study,soil respiration was measured weekly from 21th July 2018 to 15th December 2018.In the greenhouse experiment,soil,autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration were measured every 1st and 15th of the month from 15th July 2019 to 15th December 2019.Soil,autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration were measured using a closed-chamber system with the deep gauze collar root exclusion method.Solidago canadensis invasion appeared to decrease the total soil CO_(2) emissions in both the field study and the greenhouse experiment.The suppressive effects on soil respiration may be attributed to S.canadensis invasion-induced alterations in the quality and quantity of available soil substrate,suggesting that S.canadensis invasion may impact soil carbon cycling via plant-released substrates and by competing for the soil available substrate with native plant and/or soil microbes.These results have substantial implications for estimations of the effects of invasive plants on belowground carbon dynamics and their contribution to the warming world.

Belowground Tritrophic Food Chain Modulates Soil Respiration in Grasslands

Edaphic biota significantly affects several essential ecological functions such as C-storage, nutrient turnover, and productivity.However, it is not completely understood how belowground animal contribution to these functions changes in grasslands subject to different land use types. A microcosm experiment was carried out to test the effect of a tritrophic food chain on CO_2 release from grassland soils. Soil was collected from three differently managed grassland systems(meadow, pasture, and mown pasture) located in three distinct German regions that cover a north-south gradient of approximately 500 km. The tritrophic food chain comprised natural edaphic microflora, nematodes, and predatory gamasid mites. The experimental design involved a full factorial combination of the presence and absence of nematodes and gamasid mites. Nematodes significantly increased the CO_2 emissions in most treatments,but the extent of this effect varied with land use type. The fact that grazing by nematodes stimulated the metabolic activity of the edaphic microflora over a wide range of grassland soils highlighted the critical impact of the microfauna on ecosystem services associated with soil organic matter dynamics. Gamasids slightly amplified the effect of nematodes on microbial metabolic activity,but only in the pastures. This effect was most probably due to the control of nematode abundance. The fact that gamasid addition also augmented the impact of environmental conditions on nematode-induced modulation of soil respiration highlighted the need for including land use differences while evaluating soil fauna contribution to soil processes. To conclude, the differential response of the investigated tritrophic food chain to different grassland management systems suggests that adverse effects of land use intensification on important soil processes such as atmospheric C-release could potentially be reduced by using management methods that preserve essential features of the belowground food web.