Publications by authors named "Chiara Bertora"

The recycling of agricultural wastes, co-products, and by-products is necessary for creating circular economic (closed loop) agro-food chains and more sustainable agro-ecosystems. The substitution of N mineral fertilisers with recycled organic fertiliser promotes a circular economy, makes the agricultural system more environmentally sustainable, and guarantees food security. Results from a continuous maize experiment and four-year rotation cropping systems (maize, winter wheat, maize, and soybean) were used in a three-year study that replaced part or all mineral fertilisers with Municipal Solid Waste Compost (MSWC).

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This protocol describes the measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from paddy soils using the static closed chamber technique. This method is based on the diffusion theory. A known volume of air overlaying a defined soil area is enclosed within a parallelepiped cover (named "chamber"), for a defined period of time.

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The study of ecosystem processes over multiple scales of space and time is often best achieved using comparable data from multiple sites. Yet, long-term ecological observatories have often developed their own data collection protocols. Here, we address this problem by proposing a set of ecological protocols suitable for widespread adoption by the ecological community.

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Manure-derived biochars can offer a potential option for the stabilization of manure, while mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration and the attenuation of nitrous oxide emission. A laboratory incubation study was conducted to assess the effects of four different manure-derived biochars produced from different feedstocks (poultry litter and swine manure) at different temperatures (400 or 600 °C). A commonly available standard wood chip biochar, produced at a greater temperature (1000 °C), and non-amended treatments were used as references.

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