Articles | Volume 23, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2787-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2787-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Nitrous oxide emissions from pigeon pea–maize rotation in response to conservation agriculture and biochar amendments in a Ferralsol, northern Uganda
Talent Namatsheve
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway
Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, vån 5, Umeå 90183, Sweden
Vegard Martinsen
Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway
Jan Mulder
Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway
Alfred Obia
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda
Peter Dörsch
Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway
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Anfisa Pismeniuk, Peter Dörsch, Mats Ippach, Clarissa Willmes, Sunniva Sheffield, Norbert Pirk, and Sebastian Westermann
Biogeosciences, 23, 1497–1514, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1497-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1497-2026, 2026
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Thermokarst ponds in high latitudes are important methane (CH4) sources in summer. Meanwhile, these ponds are ice-covered for around 60 % of the year and can accumulate CH4 in the ice and within the underlying water column, which potentially results in high emissions during the ice-off. Here, we present data on wintertime CH4 storage of ponds located within two peat plateaus in Northern Norway. Our results show that the wintertime CH4 storage can contribute up to 40 % to the annual CH4 budget.
Sigrid Trier Kjær and Peter Dörsch
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-210, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-210, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for SOIL (SOIL).
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We studied how changes in precipitation affect the production of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, from farmland soils along a hillslope in Norway. By reducing precipitation, we reduced nitrous oxide emissions. Under normal precipitation, soil properties like carbon and clay affected the emissions. Our findings shows that shifts in precipitation patterns had a stronger effect on nitrous oxide production from agricultural soils than the natural variation between soils.
Jacqueline K. Knutson, François Clayer, Peter Dörsch, Sebastian Westermann, and Heleen A. de Wit
Biogeosciences, 22, 3899–3914, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3899-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-3899-2025, 2025
Short summary
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Thawing permafrost at Iškoras in northern Norway is transforming peat plateaus into thermokarst ponds and wetlands. These small ponds show striking oversaturation of dissolved greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), partly owing to organic matter processing. Streams nearby emit CO2, driven by turbulence. As permafrost disappears, carbon dynamics will change, potentially increasing emissions of CH4. This study highlights the need to integrate these changes into climate models.
Sigrid Trier Kjær, Sebastian Westermann, Nora Nedkvitne, and Peter Dörsch
Biogeosciences, 21, 4723–4737, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4723-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-4723-2024, 2024
Short summary
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Permafrost peatlands are thawing due to climate change, releasing large quantities of carbon that degrades upon thawing and is released as CO2, CH4 or dissolved organic carbon (DOC). We incubated thawed Norwegian permafrost peat plateaus and thermokarst pond sediment found next to permafrost for up to 350 d to measure carbon loss. CO2 production was initially the highest, whereas CH4 production increased over time. The largest carbon loss was measured at the top of the peat plateau core as DOC.
François Clayer, Jan Erik Thrane, Kuria Ndungu, Andrew King, Peter Dörsch, and Thomas Rohrlack
Biogeosciences, 21, 1903–1921, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1903-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-1903-2024, 2024
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Determination of dissolved greenhouse gas (GHG) in freshwater allows us to estimate GHG fluxes. Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) is used to preserve water samples prior to GHG analysis despite its environmental and health impacts and interferences with water chemistry in freshwater. Here, we tested the effects of HgCl2, two substitutes and storage time on GHG in water from two boreal lakes. Preservation with HgCl2 caused overestimation of CO2 concentration with consequences for GHG flux estimation.
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Short summary
Subsistence farmers in sub Saharan Africa do not apply inroganic fertilizers, leading to infertile soils and poor yields. We studied whether conservation agriculture with crop rotation and biochar could improve yields and reduce greenhouse gas losses in Uganda over two growing seasons. Our results showed that conservation agriculture and biochar amendments reduced nitrous oxide emissions by 33 % and 66 % compared to Conventional treatment in the first and second season, respectively.
Subsistence farmers in sub Saharan Africa do not apply inroganic fertilizers, leading to...
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