Catch Crop Known to Decrease N-leaching also Counteracts Soil CO2 Emissions

CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere were studied in a fertilized sandy agricultural soil with and without a catch crop sown into the main crop. The catch crop was grown primarily with the purpose to decrease N-leaching but this study also wanted to find out if the catch crop could have an effect in a climate change perspective. Plots with catch crop showed decreased CO₂ emissions from the soil. Since previous results have shown that catch crops effectively decrease N-leaching we recommend growing catch crops as an effective measure for helping both the climate and the eutrophication issue. Seasonal variations in CO₂ emissions were pronounced with maximum emissions from the fertilized agricultural soil in June and from an adjacent unmanaged grassland in August. From the plot with catch crop emissions decreased in July and August but somewhat increased later in the autumn. Fertilized agricultural soil showed a within-soil CO₂ sink after harvest, i.e. within-soil CO₂ uptake. Availability of NH₄⁺ or NO₃^- in the soil seems to influence the within-soil CO₂ sink, with NH₄⁺ enforcing the sink while the same amount of NO₃^- instead increased CO₂ emissions.     

土壤中氮碳间相互作用对全球碳循环的影响(英文)

氮循环中的能量产生过程构成与全球碳循环间的重要关联。例如,氮投入土壤,一开始导致CO2排放降低。这一众所周知的效应被理解为土壤呼吸作用受到阻碍或延缓。然而,当把冗余考虑在内便知,氮投入并不使最初得到的CO2最低排放量保持不变,而是逐渐导致排放增加。土壤中硝化作用对CO2消耗过程的特异性抑制,加上铵冗余投入或乙炔作用,往往导致额外的CO2排放量。这种总自养性呼吸(GHR)与CO2净排放(NHR)之间的差就是土壤内CO2汇。土壤呼吸作用单纯由NHR产生的CO2排放量(通常情况)来决定会导致对土壤系统的曲解,特别是在氮沉降量高的地区。因此,必须重新考虑温暖区域土壤呼吸作用的"适应环境"问题。可能也需要质疑氮投入带来的"呼吸抑制"概念。无视这些过程,包括上述氮驱动下的土壤内CO2汇过程,也许会有碍于采取足够的措施来对抗气候变化。     

New insights into the mineralogy and weathering of the Meridiani Planum meteorite,Mars

Meridiani Planum is the first officially recognized meteorite find on the surface of Mars. It was discovered at and named after the landing site of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Based on its composition, it was classified as a IAB complex iron meteorite. Mössbauer spectra obtained by Opportunity are dominated by kamacite (α‐Fe‐Ni) and exhibit a small contribution of ferric oxide. Several small features in the spectra have been neglected to date. To shed more light on these features, five iron meteorite specimens were investigated as analogs to Meridiani Planum with a laboratory Mössbauer setup. Measurements were performed on (1) their metallic bulk, (2) troilite (FeS) inclusions, (3) cohenite ((Fe,Ni,Co)₃C) and schreibersite ((Fe,Ni)₃P), and (4) corroded rims. In addition to these room‐temperature measurements, a specimen from the Mundrabilla IAB‐ungrouped meteorite was measured at Mars‐equivalent temperatures. Based on these measurements, the features in Meridiani Planum spectra can be explained with the presence of small amounts of schreibersite and/or cohenite and iron oxides. The iron oxides can be attributed to a previously reported coating on Meridiani Planum. Their presence indicates weathering through the interaction of the meteorite with small amounts of water.