U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Northeast Area University Park, Pennsylvania Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Adler, Paulitem
                                            Del Grosso, Stephen

                                                         - *Steve*item
                                            POURHASHEM, GHASIDEH - Drexel Universityitem
                                            SPATARI, SABRINA - Drexel Universityitem
                                            ROTH, GREGORY - Pennsylvania State Universityitem
                                            PARTON, WILLIAM - Colorad0 State University
  Submitted to: Ecological Society of America (ESA)
                                    Publication Type: Abstract Only
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 7/22/2010
                                    Publication  Date: 8/1/2010
                                    Citation: Adler, P.R., Del Grosso, S.J., Pourhashem, G., Spatari, S., Roth, G.W., Parton, W.J. 2010. Quantifying and mitigating the environmental impacts of using corn stover as a biofuel feedstock. Ecological Society of America (ESA). p. 1.Interpretive Summary: An interpretive summary is not required.
                                Technical Abstract: Background/Question/Methods
Corn stover has been suggested as a viable biomass feedstock for bioenergy production. However, unharvested corn stover provides two important ecosystem services: it reduces soil erosion and replenishes soil carbon, both of which help maintain soil productivity. There are several strategies which could help maintain these services. To mitigate soil erosion, 1) the amount of corn stover harvested could be constrained so the quantity needed to mitigate soil erosion is met or 2) a winter cover crop could be planted to protect the soil from erosion losses. To mitigate for soil carbon losses 1) corn stover harvest could be constrained so soil carbon needs are met, 2) a cover crop could be planted to substitute for carbon removed with corn stover, or 3) a high lignin residue can be separated from the cellulose/hemicelluloses fractions in the biorefinery and then land applied. We used the biogeochemical model DAYCENT to quantify the changes in soil carbon with each of these scenarios and their impact on soil N2O emissions across the Corn Belt. We then compare the net life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of each strategy by coupling DAYCENT and farm operations with a biorefinery model.

Results/Conclusions
Soil carbon decreased for some locations when corn stover was removed. Locations with higher corn grain and stover yields could withstand higher corn stover harvests while maintaining biomass inputs for sustaining soil carbon. Rye biomass carbon inputs could mitigate for removal of carbon from corn stover. With reduced soil nitrate losses, indirect soil N2O losses were lower. However, when the rye winter cover crop was fertilized to increase potential yields for use as a biomass feedstock rather than for mitigation of soil carbon and nitrate losses, nitrate losses increased and consequently indirect N2O losses increased. When high lignin residue from the biorefinery was returned and applied to the field, these carbon inputs mitigated the soil carbon losses from corn stover removal. The recently recognized need to maintain soil carbon in addition to protecting from soil erosion losses limits the near term potential of corn stover as a bioenergy feedstock. However, with future increases in corn yield, greater amounts of corn stover could potentially be harvested while maintaining soil carbon. Although winter cover crops have great potential for reducing the environmental impacts of corn production, the inability to monetize these benefits and provide a return to the farmer for the costs incurred have limited the adoption of this practice to those areas receiving government subsidy.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov