Abstract:
Vegetated land areas play a significant
role in determining the fate of carbon (C) in the
global C cycle. Riparian buffer vegetation is primarily
implemented for water quality purposes as they attenuate
pollutants from immediately adjacent croplands
before reaching freashwater systems. However, their
prevailing conditions may sometimes promote the
production and subsequent emissions of soil carbon
dioxide (
CO2). Despite this, the understanding of soil
CO2
emissions from riparian buffer vegetation and a
direct comparison with adjacent croplands they serve
remain elusive. In order to quantify the extent of CO2
emissions in such an agro system, we measured CO2
emissions simultaneously with soil and environmental
variables for six months in a replicated plot-scale facility comprising of maize cropping served by three
vegetated riparian buffers, namely: (i) a novel grass
riparian buffer; (ii) a willow riparian buffer, and; (iii)
a woodland riparian buffer. These buffered treatments
were compared with a no-buffer control. The woodland
(322.9 ± 3.1 kg ha−
1) and grass (285 ± 2.7 kg
ha−
1) riparian buffer treatments (not significant to
each other) generated significantly (p = < 0.0001) the
largest CO2
compared to the remainder of the treatments.
Our results suggest that during maize production
in general, the woodland and grass riparian
buffers serving a maize crop pose a CO2
threat. The
results of the current study point to the need to consider
the benefits for gaseous emissions of mitigation
measures conventionally implemented for improving
the sustainability of water resources.
