Zhao et al. (2026) Global Warming Potential Induced by Albedo and Greenhouse Gases Across Different Land Uses of the Saline-Alkaline Agropastoral Ecotone in the Songnen Plain

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Identification

• Journal: Agronomy
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-03-27
• Authors: Fan Zhao, Gang Dong, Z Shi, Jingyan Chen, Shicheng Jiang, Zhuwen Xu, Raffaele Lafortezza, Changliang Shao
• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy16070705

Research Groups

Information not provided in the text.

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of land-use conversion from undisturbed meadow to clipped meadow, saline-alkaline meadow, and paddy rice on global warming potential (GWP) in the saline-alkaline agropastoral transition zone of Northeast China. It finds that conversion to paddy rice results in a net warming effect primarily due to high methane emissions and lower albedo, while other conversions show warming effects offset by CO2 exchange.

Objective

• To quantify the biophysical (albedo, α) and biogeochemical (methane, CH4; nitrous oxide, N2O) impacts of land-use conversion (undisturbed meadow to clipped meadow, saline-alkaline meadow, and paddy rice) on global warming potential (GWP) in the saline-alkaline agropastoral transition zone of the western Songnen Plain, Northeast China.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Local plot-level comparison within the saline-alkaline agropastoral transition zone (APTZ) of the western Songnen Plain, Northeast China, comparing an undisturbed fenced meadow (FMD) with three adjacent converted land-use types (clipped meadow, CMD; saline-alkaline meadow, SAL; paddy rice field, PDY).
• Temporal Scale: Bi-weekly measurements of N2O and CH4 fluxes conducted during the growing season (June–September) to acquire growing season GWPN2O and GWPCH4. Land-use conversions occurred between 2018 and 2022.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Machine learning was employed to identify dominant predictors of albedo (α).
• Data sources: In situ bi-weekly measurements of N2O and CH4 fluxes, direct measurements of albedo (α), and net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE).

Main Results

• Annual α-induced GWP (GWPΔα) was positive across all converted sites (CMD, SAL, and PDY), indicating a warming effect due to lower albedo compared to the undisturbed fenced meadow (FMD).
• The paddy rice field (PDY) exhibited the highest CH4 emission, quantified as 5.04 kg CO2 equivalent per square metre per year (kg CO2 m⁻² yr⁻¹), exceeding other land uses by three orders of magnitude.
• N2O emissions remained consistently minimal and stable across all studied sites.
• When integrating the net ecosystem exchange of CO2 (NEE), the paddy rice field (PDY) functioned as a net warming source.
• In contrast, the warming effects of albedo and non-CO2 greenhouse gases were effectively offset by the NEE in other land uses (CMD and SAL).
• Soil water content (SWC) was identified as the dominant predictor of albedo (α) across all land uses during the growing season.
• A mechanistic divergence was observed: albedo in low saline-alkali ecosystems (FMD, CMD, and PDY) was controlled by coupled biotic and soil moisture factors, whereas in the degraded saline-alkaline meadow (SAL) ecosystem, albedo was almost exclusively abiotic-driven.

Contributions

• Provides a quantitative framework for integrating both biophysical (albedo) and biogeochemical (GHG emissions) impacts of land-use change on global warming potential.
• Offers novel insights into the complex land-surface feedbacks governed by land-use conversion in the under-researched saline-alkaline agropastoral transition zone of the western Songnen Plain, Northeast China.
• Demonstrates distinct mechanistic pathways controlling albedo in different land-use types within this unique ecotone.
• Contributes to optimizing land management strategies for climate resilience in saline-alkaline agropastoral ecotones.

Funding

Information not provided in the text.

Citation

@article{Zhao2026Global,
  author = {Zhao, Fan and Dong, Gang and Shi, Z and Chen, Jingyan and Jiang, Shicheng and Xu, Zhuwen and Lafortezza, Raffaele and Shao, Changliang},
  title = {Global Warming Potential Induced by Albedo and Greenhouse Gases Across Different Land Uses of the Saline-Alkaline Agropastoral Ecotone in the Songnen Plain},
  journal = {Agronomy},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.3390/agronomy16070705},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16070705}
}