Belowground links between root properties of grassland species and N2O concentration across the topsoil profile

Arlete S. Barneze; Søren O. Petersen; Jørgen Eriksen; Gerlinde B. De Deyn; Jan Willem van Groenigen; Diego Abalos

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498

Belowground links between root properties of grassland species and N₂O concentration across the topsoil profile

Arlete S. Barneze^*, Søren O. Petersen, Jørgen Eriksen, Gerlinde B. De Deyn, Jan Willem van Groenigen, Diego Abalos

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

Abstract

Plants can affect N₂O emissions by enhancing nitrogen (N) uptake and other below-ground interactions. However, the specific effect of the root systems of different plant species on the production and accumulation of N₂O within the soil profile remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate how plant species from different functional groups, their productivity and root traits affect N₂O emissions and N₂O concentrations within the soil profile in a fertilised grassland. We conducted a field experiment with two grasses (Phleum pratense, Lolium perenne), two legumes (Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense), two forbs (Cichorium intybus, Plantago lanceolata), and the six-species mixture in a fertilised grassland. The effects of these plant communities on N-cycling processes were then assessed through the measurement of above- and below-ground plant traits, plant productivity, soil nutrient availability, N₂O emissions and its distribution in the soil profile. We found that C. intybus and P. pratense had the lowest N₂O emissions from the soil, which was mainly related to higher root biomass. The six-species mixture also showed lower N₂O emissions compared to L. perenne monoculture which was explained by complementary effects between the different plant species. We did not find a relationship between N₂O emission and its concentration in the soil profile. Higher specific root length and root length density coincided with higher N₂O concentrations at 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil depths. Since these two traits have been previously linked to reductions in N₂O emissions emitted from the soil, our results show that the relationships between root traits and N₂O emissions may not be reflected down in the soil profile. Overall, this study underscores the often-neglected importance of root traits for N-cycling and emphasises the need to better understand how root traits modify N₂O consumption within the soil profile to design more sustainable grasslands.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Artikelnummer	109498
Tidsskrift	Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Vol/bind	196
ISSN	0038-0717
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498
Status	Udgivet - sep. 2024

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10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498Licens: CC BY

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title = "Belowground links between root properties of grassland species and N2O concentration across the topsoil profile",

abstract = "Plants can affect N2O emissions by enhancing nitrogen (N) uptake and other below-ground interactions. However, the specific effect of the root systems of different plant species on the production and accumulation of N2O within the soil profile remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate how plant species from different functional groups, their productivity and root traits affect N2O emissions and N2O concentrations within the soil profile in a fertilised grassland. We conducted a field experiment with two grasses (Phleum pratense, Lolium perenne), two legumes (Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense), two forbs (Cichorium intybus, Plantago lanceolata), and the six-species mixture in a fertilised grassland. The effects of these plant communities on N-cycling processes were then assessed through the measurement of above- and below-ground plant traits, plant productivity, soil nutrient availability, N2O emissions and its distribution in the soil profile. We found that C. intybus and P. pratense had the lowest N2O emissions from the soil, which was mainly related to higher root biomass. The six-species mixture also showed lower N2O emissions compared to L. perenne monoculture which was explained by complementary effects between the different plant species. We did not find a relationship between N2O emission and its concentration in the soil profile. Higher specific root length and root length density coincided with higher N2O concentrations at 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil depths. Since these two traits have been previously linked to reductions in N2O emissions emitted from the soil, our results show that the relationships between root traits and N2O emissions may not be reflected down in the soil profile. Overall, this study underscores the often-neglected importance of root traits for N-cycling and emphasises the need to better understand how root traits modify N2O consumption within the soil profile to design more sustainable grasslands.",

keywords = "Grassland, Nitrous oxide concentration in the soil profile, Nitrous oxide emissions, Plant species mixtures, Root biomass, Root traits",

author = "Barneze, {Arlete S.} and Petersen, {S{\o}ren O.} and J{\o}rgen Eriksen and {De Deyn}, {Gerlinde B.} and {van Groenigen}, {Jan Willem} and Diego Abalos",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Authors",

year = "2024",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498",

language = "English",

volume = "196",

journal = "Soil Biology and Biochemistry",

issn = "0038-0717",

publisher = "Pergamon Press",

}

Belowground links between root properties of grassland species and N₂O concentration across the topsoil profile. / Barneze, Arlete S.; Petersen, Søren O.; Eriksen, Jørgen et al.
I: Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Bind 196, 109498, 09.2024.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Belowground links between root properties of grassland species and N2O concentration across the topsoil profile

AU - Barneze, Arlete S.

AU - Petersen, Søren O.

AU - Eriksen, Jørgen

AU - De Deyn, Gerlinde B.

AU - van Groenigen, Jan Willem

AU - Abalos, Diego

PY - 2024/9

Y1 - 2024/9

N2 - Plants can affect N2O emissions by enhancing nitrogen (N) uptake and other below-ground interactions. However, the specific effect of the root systems of different plant species on the production and accumulation of N2O within the soil profile remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate how plant species from different functional groups, their productivity and root traits affect N2O emissions and N2O concentrations within the soil profile in a fertilised grassland. We conducted a field experiment with two grasses (Phleum pratense, Lolium perenne), two legumes (Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense), two forbs (Cichorium intybus, Plantago lanceolata), and the six-species mixture in a fertilised grassland. The effects of these plant communities on N-cycling processes were then assessed through the measurement of above- and below-ground plant traits, plant productivity, soil nutrient availability, N2O emissions and its distribution in the soil profile. We found that C. intybus and P. pratense had the lowest N2O emissions from the soil, which was mainly related to higher root biomass. The six-species mixture also showed lower N2O emissions compared to L. perenne monoculture which was explained by complementary effects between the different plant species. We did not find a relationship between N2O emission and its concentration in the soil profile. Higher specific root length and root length density coincided with higher N2O concentrations at 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil depths. Since these two traits have been previously linked to reductions in N2O emissions emitted from the soil, our results show that the relationships between root traits and N2O emissions may not be reflected down in the soil profile. Overall, this study underscores the often-neglected importance of root traits for N-cycling and emphasises the need to better understand how root traits modify N2O consumption within the soil profile to design more sustainable grasslands.

AB - Plants can affect N2O emissions by enhancing nitrogen (N) uptake and other below-ground interactions. However, the specific effect of the root systems of different plant species on the production and accumulation of N2O within the soil profile remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate how plant species from different functional groups, their productivity and root traits affect N2O emissions and N2O concentrations within the soil profile in a fertilised grassland. We conducted a field experiment with two grasses (Phleum pratense, Lolium perenne), two legumes (Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense), two forbs (Cichorium intybus, Plantago lanceolata), and the six-species mixture in a fertilised grassland. The effects of these plant communities on N-cycling processes were then assessed through the measurement of above- and below-ground plant traits, plant productivity, soil nutrient availability, N2O emissions and its distribution in the soil profile. We found that C. intybus and P. pratense had the lowest N2O emissions from the soil, which was mainly related to higher root biomass. The six-species mixture also showed lower N2O emissions compared to L. perenne monoculture which was explained by complementary effects between the different plant species. We did not find a relationship between N2O emission and its concentration in the soil profile. Higher specific root length and root length density coincided with higher N2O concentrations at 10–20 and 20–30 cm soil depths. Since these two traits have been previously linked to reductions in N2O emissions emitted from the soil, our results show that the relationships between root traits and N2O emissions may not be reflected down in the soil profile. Overall, this study underscores the often-neglected importance of root traits for N-cycling and emphasises the need to better understand how root traits modify N2O consumption within the soil profile to design more sustainable grasslands.

KW - Grassland

KW - Nitrous oxide concentration in the soil profile

KW - Nitrous oxide emissions

KW - Plant species mixtures

KW - Root biomass

KW - Root traits

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U2 - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498

DO - 10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109498

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85196139963

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VL - 196

JO - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

JF - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

M1 - 109498

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