Management swing potential for bioenergy crops
Open accessAbstract
Bioenergy crops are often classified (and subsequently regulated) according to species that have been evaluated as environmentally beneficial or detrimental, but in practice, management decisions rather than species per se can determine the overall environmental impact of a bioenergy production system. Here, we review the greenhouse gas balance and ‘management swing potential’ of seven different bioenergy cropping systems in temperate and tropical regions. Prior land use, harvesting techniques, harvest timing, and fertilization are among the key management considerations that can swing the greenhouse gas balance of bioenergy from positive to negative or the reverse. Although the management swing potential is substantial for many cropping systems, there are some species (e.g., soybean) that have such low bioenergy yield potentials that the environmental impact is unlikely to be reversed by management. High‐yielding bioenergy crops (e.g., corn, sugarcane, Miscanthus, and fast‐growing tree species), however, can be managed for environmental benefits or losses, suggesting that the bioenergy sector would be better informed by incorporating management‐based evaluations into classifications of bioenergy feedstocks.
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On heavily contaminated or saline soils, energy crops such as perennial grasses and short-rotation woody species including poplar and mallee can be strategically planted to improve soil conditions and contribute to phytoremediation.
“In addition, on heavily contaminated or saline soils, energy crops such as perennial grasses and short-rotation woody species including poplar and mallee can be strategically planted to improve soil conditions and contribute to phytoremediation (107, 108).”
From Restoring Degraded Lands (2021) · cites this paper as [107]
The temperate short-rotation coppice case study describes planting mallee energy crops where salinity is evident and identifies dryland salinity mediation as an environmental objective. The tropical fast-growing legume tree case study also describes revegetating mine wastes and tailings. Our copy does not establish that poplar or perennial grasses are planted on heavily contaminated or saline soils for phytoremediation. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredBioenergy crop production can result in a net sink or net source of GHGs, depending on prior land use and management decisions.
“Bioenergy crop production can result in a net sink or net source of GHGs, depending on prior land use and management decisions (Davis et al., 2013).”
From Decadal change in soil carbon and nitrogen with a <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> crop on abandoned agricultural land in southeast Ohio (2024) · cites this paper as Davis et al., 2013
The diverse site conditions, geographical locations, soil types, management strategies, and prior land use histories may provide an explanation for the range in C accumulation.
“The diverse site conditions, geographical locations, soil types, management strategies, and prior land use histories may provide an explanation for the range in C accumulation (Adjuik & Davis, 2022; Anderson- Teixeira et al., 2009; Davis etal.,2013; Zimmermann etal.,2013).”
From Decadal change in soil carbon and nitrogen with a <i>Miscanthus</i> × <i>giganteus</i> crop on abandoned agricultural land in southeast Ohio (2024) · cites this paper as Davis et al., 2013
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“The location and management choices for a bioenergy crop can determine whether C is sequestered or released to the atmosphere (Davis et al., 2013).”
BackgroundInfluentialSelf-citation
- Authors
- Davis, S. C., Boddey, R. M., Alves, B. J. R., Cowie, A. L., George, B. H., Ogle, S. M., Smith, P., van Noordwijk, M., & van Wijk, M. T.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Embrapa (BR)
- University of New England (AU)
- Colorado State University (US)
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Department of Plant Sciences, World Agroforestry Centre ICRAF Bogor Indonesia
- Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
- Corresponding author
- Davis, Sarah C.
- ORCID
- Venue
- GCB Bioenergy
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-01-11
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 623-638
- ISSN
- 1757-1693 (ISSN-L)
- 1757-1707
- OpenAlex
- W2170862387
- Cited by
- 127
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 5
- FWCI
- 31.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- public-domain
- onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
- Locations
- GCB Bioenergy (publishedVersion, public-domain)
- Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
- CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- RUNE (Research UNE) (submittedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Directorate for Biological Sciences
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Bioenergy crop production and management
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Keywords
- energy crops, greenhouse gas balance, land use, harvesting methods, harvest time, fertilization, soybean, maize, sugarcane, Miscanthus, fast-growing trees
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