Speaker
Description
Background and objectives
Regenerative agriculture based on no-till management, cover crops, and organic amendments is increasingly promoted as a climate-smart strategy improving soil health and drought resilience. However, its short-term impacts on greenhouse gas (GHG) exchange under future climate conditions remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated how regenerative technology (RT) affects soil fluxes of CO2, N2O, CH4 and NH3 compared with conventional tillage-based technology (CT) under elevated atmospheric CO2 and drought conditions.
Methods
The experiment was conducted in 2025 in an open-top chamber (OTC) facility at Domanínek, Czech Republic, using winter wheat. RT (no-till, species-rich cover crop mixture, compost application) and CT (ploughing without cover crops and compost) were combined with two atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (~425 and ~700 μmol CO2 mol-1) and two water regimes (well-watered and drought). Soil CO2, N2O, CH4 and NH3 fluxes were measured repeatedly during the growing season using LI-COR gas analysers (Li-7810, Li-7820 and Li-7825). Stable isotopic signatures of emitted CO2 (δ13C and δ18O) were measured using a LI-7825 analyser to gain insights into soil carbon cycling processes.
Results
RT significantly increased soil CO2 efflux and amplified respiration stimulation under elevated CO2.Seasonal CO2 emissions were approximately 52% higher under RT than CT, while drought reduced emissions by about 17%. RT also increased N2O emissions by about 153%, particularly under well-watered conditions, indicating enhanced mineralisation and denitrification potential. In contrast, RT strengthened the soil CH4 sink by approximately 42%, with drought further enhancing CH4 uptake. NH3 emissions were substantially higher under RT during the early season, whereas CT frequently acted as a net sink. Stable isotope analyses revealed lower δ13C discrimination under RT, suggesting a greater contribution of fungal-driven decomposition, while δ18O patterns indicated a relatively larger contribution of root respiration under drought conditions.
Conclusions
Regenerative management substantially altered both the magnitude and mechanisms of soil GHG exchange. Although RT enhanced methane uptake and indicated greater microbial resilience, these benefits were accompanied by increased CO2, N2O and episodic NH3 emissions during the transition phase.
Keywords
Regenerative agriculture;greenhouse gas fluxes;elevated CO2;drought stress;stable isotopes