Search results for " Carbon Sequestration"
showing 10 items of 21 documents
Soil organic carbon stock on the Majorca Island: temporal change in agricultural soil over the last 10 years
2019
8 Pags.- 5 Tabls.- 3 Figs.
Seagrass ecosystem response to long-term high CO2 in a Mediterranean volcanic vent
2014
We examined the long-term effect of naturally acidified water on a Cymodocea nodosa meadow growing at a shallow volcanic CO2 vent in Vulcano Island (Italy). Seagrass and adjacent unvegetated habitats growing at a low pH station (pH = 7.65 ± 0.02) were compared with corresponding habitats at a control station (pH = 8.01 ± 0.01). Density and biomass showed a clear decreasing trend at the low pH station and the below- to above-ground biomass ratio was more than 10 times lower compared to the control. C content and δ13C of leaves and epiphytes were significantly lower at the low pH station. Photosynthetic activity of C. nodosa was stimulated by low pH as seen by the significant increase in Chla…
Effect of cactus pear cultivation after Mediterranean maquis on soil carbon stock, δ13C spatial distribution and root turnover
2014
Abstract Mediterranean ecosystems are characterized by nearly complete replacement of natural vegetation by intensive croplands and orchards leading to strong soil degradation. Organic carbon is usually accumulated in soils under maquis leading to partial regeneration of fertility for future agricultural use. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of land use change from maquis to agriculture on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock and its spatial distribution in a Mediterranean system. Three Mediterranean land use systems (seminatural vegetation, cactus pear crop and olive grove) were selected in Sicily and analysed for soil C stocks and their δ13C. Total SOC and δ13C were measured …
In situ polymerization of soil organic matter by oxidative biomimetic catalysis
2017
Abstract Background Agricultural practices that enhance organic matter content in soil can play a central role in sequestering soil organic carbon (SOC) and reducing greenhouse gases emissions. Methods We used a water-soluble iron-porphyrin to catalyze directly in situ oxidative polymerization of soil organic matter in the presence of H2O2 oxidant, with the aim to enhance OC stabilization, and, consequently, reduce CO2 emissions from soil. The occurred SOC stabilization was assessed by monitoring soil aggregate stability, OC distribution in water-soluble aggregates, soil respiration, and extraction yields of humic and fulvic acids. Results Soil treatment with H2O2 and iron-porphyrin increas…
Cactus pear (O. ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) fruit production: Ecophysiology, orchard and fresh-cut fruit management
2015
Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Mill.) is cultivated in wide range of environments with the consequence of large differences in crop potential, orchard systems and management. These differences may be related to temperature and rainfall range (water availability) but also to the day/night length and, of course, to soil characteristics. This leads to considerable variability in the field and in fruit quality. Crop value much depends in crop variability in terms of fruit size, which is the major factor for fruit price in Europe. The increase of crop value very much depends on regular cultural practices such as irrigation and fruit thinning, but it is also dependent on plant crop yield an…
A cropland application of Enhanced Weathering in the Mediterranean area to face climate change and preserve natural resources
2023
The goal of limiting the use of natural resources and combatting climate change has led to the improvement of agricultural techniques and the development of some Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) techniques, given their proficiency to sequester carbon from the atmospheric CO2 and to store it in more stable forms within oceans, plants, soil, or other terrestrial environments. Among them, Enhanced Weathering (EW) is regarded as one of the most promising. This consists of amending soils with silicate minerals, such as olivine, so as to speed up the weathering process that naturally occurs in soils. This work aims to couple a model for the resolution of the agro-hydrological balance in the active so…
The Role of Hydrological Processes on Enhanced Weathering for Carbon Sequestration in Cropland Areas: An Application to Italy
2022
Aiming at facing climate change, some CDR (Carbon Dioxide Removal) techniques are currently studied given their capability to sequester carbon from the atmospheric CO2 and to store it within oceans, plants, soil, or other terrestrial environments. Among them, Enhanced Weathering (EW), that acts in speeding up the chemical weathering naturally occurring in soils through the amendments of highly reactive silicate minerals, is referred to as one of the most promising. Hot and humid climates provide the best conditions for EW, since reactions are faster at high temperature, high soil water content and low soil pH. This study presents a dynamic mass balance model that explores ecohydrological, b…
THE ROLE OF HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES ON ENHANCED WEATHERING FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN AGRICULTURAL SOILS
2021
With the aim to face climate change, some NCS (Natural Climate Solutions) are currently studied given their capability to sequester carbon from the atmospheric CO2, by means of some natural processes, and to store it within oceans, plants, soil, or other terrestrial environments. Among all the existing NCS, Enhanced Weathering (EW) acts in speeding up the chemical weathering that naturally occurs in soils. This is achieved by amending soils with crushed highly reactive silicate minerals, such as forsterite, better known as olivine. In general, EW reactions are faster at high temperature and soil water content and low soil pH, demonstrating that the most suitable places in the world to apply…
Nitrogen input effectiveness on carbon sequestration in rainfed cropping system
2016
The combined effect of total N and C/N ratio had a large influence on the decomposition rate and consequently on potential soil organic carbon sequestration. The aim of the work was to evaluate Carbon sequestration potentiality under three mineral N fertilization levels in interaction with two cropping systems characterized by addition of N input due to leguminous species in the rotation. The study was carried out in the semiarid Mediterranean environment in a 18years long-term experiment. Is well know that in the semiarid environment the excess of N fertilization reduces biomass yield and the consequent C input. On the contrary, both N and C input determine high difference in C/N input rat…
From the old agroforestry systems of the modern high-density olive groves: which Carbon sequestration?
2019
Olive tree (Olea europaea L) represents one of the most important evergreen tree species. In Sicily agroforestry systems based on the olive tree, named traditional olive orchard, are common and often are grown together to other tree crops, such as vineyards, or with cereals or forages. This last are usually grown in the interspace between rows and particularly in olive groves were planting density is rather low (less than 200 trees/ha). To increase crop efficiency and to reduce costs of harvesting, by using proper machines, in the last 20 years in the olive industry have been developed new planting systems: Intensive (up to 400 trees/ha), and the Superintensive (up to 2000 trees/ha). Within…