Cruse, M.J., B.E. Laube, and C.J. Kucharik
Presented at the GLBRC Sustainability Retreat (2010-02-10 to 2010-02-12 )
Understanding the movement of carbon through agroecosystems is critical, as agriculture systems are predicted to be potentially large sinks for atmospheric CO2. The introduction of a biofuels cropping system experiment at Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI, provided a unique opportunity to assess the input of bioenergy cropping systems on carbon cycling. An indirect modeling method will be used to scale carbon flows, based on measurements of direct and diffuse photosynthetically active radiation, soil temperature and moisture, leaf area index, soil respiration, and leaf level photosynthesis. Preliminary data was collected in 2009 to modify the future experimental design. Soil temperature, taken at a 10cm depth, had a strong impact on soil respiration rates, while soil moisture had a weaker but still relevant impact on soil respiration rates. Diurnal soil respiration measurements were taken on two days and clearly indicated that time of day impacts soil respiration rates. Also, there was evidence of an in-row vs. between-row effect on soil respiration in hybrid poplar. Future goals include comparing data to older, similar systems and integrating data with agricultural models to improve predictions of Midwest carbon cycling.
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