In:
Journal of Environmental Quality, Wiley, Vol. 45, No. 6 ( 2016-11), p. 2038-2043
Abstract:
When liquid manure is removed from storages for land application, “sludge” generally remains at the bottom of the tank. This may serve as an inoculum when fresh manure is subsequently added, thereby increasing methane (CH 4 ) emissions. Previous pilot‐scale studies have shown that completely emptying storages can decrease CH 4 emissions; however, no farm‐scale studies have been conducted to quantify the effect of sludge removal. In this study, a commercial dairy farm removed as much manure and sludge from their concrete storage as possible in the fall (∼2% by volume remained). Emissions of CH 4 were measured during the following winter, spring, and summer, and compared with emissions measured the preceding 2 yr when most of the sludge had not been removed (∼14% of tank volume remained). Emissions were measured using a micrometeorological technique, utilizing open‐path CH 4 lasers. Contrary to what was hypothesized, removing the majority of sludge in fall did not delay the onset of CH 4 emissions and did not decrease emissions the following summer. In fact, annual CH 4 emissions were ∼16% higher. It is possible that fall removal provided sufficient time for microbial dynamics to be restored before the following summer when emissions were high. Future farm‐scale research should examine the effect of spring (rather than fall) emptying for on‐farm CH 4 mitigation in both concrete tanks and earthen storages. Core Ideas Pilot‐scale studies suggest that complete manure storage emptying reduces CH 4 emissions. The effect of fall sludge removal for on‐farm concrete tanks was evaluated. Sludge removal in fall did not reduce subsequent CH 4 emissions over the next 240 d. Fall removal of sludge did not delay the onset of CH 4 emissions in summer storage. Methane fluxes increased with temperature in July.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0047-2425
,
1537-2537
DOI:
10.2134/jeq2016.03.0083
Language:
English
Publisher:
Wiley
Publication Date:
2016
detail.hit.zdb_id:
120525-0
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2050469-X
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