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Soil Surface Carbon Dioxide Fluxes Induced by Spring, Summer, and Fall Moldboard Plowing in a Sandy Loam

Soils and Crops Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sainte-Foy, QC, G1V 2J3, Canada

^* Corresponding author (rochettep{at}em.agr.ca).

ABSTRACT

Soil tillage is believed to influence soil organic matter decomposition. We hypothesized that the short-term impacts of tillage on soil surface CO₂ emissions would vary following spring, summer, and fall moldboard plowing of a sandy loam (loamy, mixed, frigid Umbric Dystrochrept). At all dates, plowing increased CO₂ emissions by 7 to 20 µmol m^-2s^-1 during the first hours following tillage due to degassing of soil CO₂. The effects of tillage following this initial burst varied with date of plowing. Fall incorporation of fresh maize residues increased CO₂ losses by 173 kg C ha^-1 during a period of 4 d compared with a non-tilled control, until halted by a sudden drop of 6°C in soil temperature with the onset of winter. In contrast, the cumulative CO₂ fluxes following spring plowing of fall-applied residues were 186 kg C ha^-1 lower than on a non-tilled control. This effect of spring plowing on CO₂ fluxes lasted for 2 wk, during which soil temperatures in the plow layer were below 10°C. Summer plowing increased CO₂ emissions by as much as 2 µmol m^-2s^-1 for a period of 65 d, resulting in cumulative soil C losses of 685 kg C ha^-1 compared with the undisturbed control. Variations in tillage-induced CO₂ emissions between dates were attributed to differences in soil microclimatic conditions following plowing events. The study of the impact of tillage on soil organic matter decomposition should consider the time of year when the soil is tilled.

Received for publication December 22, 1997.

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