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Long‐Term Effects of Clipping and Nitrogen Management in Turfgrass on Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
Author(s) -
Qian Y. L.,
Bandaranayake W.,
Parton W. J.,
Mecham B.,
Harivandi M. A.,
Mosier A. R.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2003.1694
Subject(s) - environmental science , carbon sequestration , soil carbon , loam , poa pratensis , agronomy , leaching (pedology) , clipping (morphology) , soil organic matter , nitrogen , soil water , soil science , biology , poaceae , chemistry , linguistics , philosophy , organic chemistry
Experiments to document the long‐term effects of clipping management on N requirements, soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil organic nitrogen (SON) are difficult and costly and therefore few. The CENTURY ecosystem model offers an opportunity to study long‐term effects of turfgrass clipping management on biomass production, N requirements, SOC and SON, and N leaching through computer simulation. In this study, the model was verified by comparing CENTURY‐predicted Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis L.) clipping yields with field‐measured clipping yields. Long‐term simulations were run for Kentucky bluegrass grown under home lawn conditions on a clay loam soil in Colorado. The model predicted that compared with clipping‐removed management, returning clippings for 10 to 50 yr would increase soil C sequestration by 11 to 25% and nitrogen sequestration by 12 to 28% under a high (150 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ) nitrogen (N) fertilization regime, and increase soil carbon sequestration by 11 to 59% and N sequestration by 14 to 78% under a low (75 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ) N fertilization regime. The CENTURY model was further used as a management supporting system to generate optimal N fertilization rates as a function of turfgrass age. Returning grass clippings to the turf–soil ecosystem can reduce N requirements by 25% from 1 to 10 yr after turf establishment, by 33% 11 to 25 yr after establishment, by 50% 25 to 50 yr after establishment, and by 60% thereafter. The CENTURY model shows potential for use as a decision‐supporting tool for maintaining turf quality and minimizing negative environmental impacts.