Quesungual agroforestry system as a natural source of greenhouse gas emissions in the Tecomapa micro-basin, Somotillo-Nicaragua

Abstract

 In order to evaluate the emissions of methane and nitrous oxide in the soil through the closed static chamber method in three systems of use; secondary forest, Quesungual agroforestry system and traditional agricultural system, in the Tecomapa micro basin, Somotillo, Nicaragua, seventy-two closed static chambers were established in six farms located in the Tecomapa hydrographic unit, Nicaragua in 2014, to evaluate the emissions of Methane (CH₄) and Nitrous Oxide (N₂O), in the land use systems: Secondary forest, Quesungual and Traditional agricultural systems. As a result, higher N₂O and CH₄ emissions were observed in the rainiest month (September 2014). The Quesungual system was CH₄ sinks at the level of accumulated net flows (p> F = 0.0133), and the traditional system was the largest emitter of this gas. The greatest emission of N₂O tends to occur in the traditional system. Finally, methane gas was positively associated with N₂O (r² = 1; p> F = 0.0533), and WFPS tends to be negatively associated with temperature and CH₄ and N₂O gases.