Summary
This field study demonstrates that the history of organic amendment application to soil exerts stronger control over post-digestate greenhouse gas emissions than contemporary soil chemical and physical properties alone. Whilst legacy effects were dominant predictors of CO₂ and N₂O flux, CH₄ emissions responded differently to soil conditions. The findings suggest that robust prediction of soil GHG response to digestate application requires knowledge of long-term site management history, not merely current soil characteristics.
UK applicability
The findings are directly applicable to UK agricultural practice, where digestate application from anaerobic digestion is increasingly promoted as a nutrient recycling strategy. UK farm managers and policy makers should recognise that predictive models for GHG emissions must account for historical management regimes, particularly prior organic amendment use, to improve accuracy of environmental impact assessments.
Key measures
Soil greenhouse gas flux (CO₂, N₂O, CH₄ emissions); soil edaphic properties; site management history with organic amendments
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil CO₂, N₂O, and CH₄ fluxes following digestate application to soil under different management histories. The research quantified how previous organic amendment history influences greenhouse gas emissions independently of current soil properties.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.