Nitrous oxide emission from soils at low moisture contents

doi:10.1016/0038-0717(79)90096-8

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Volume 11, Issue 2, 1979, Pages 167-173

https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(79)90096-8 Get rights and content

Abstract

The production of nitrous oxide by soils was studied over short periods at a range of moisture contents up to field capacity with a highly-sensitive gas Chromatographic method.

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) was emitted from all soils studied at all soil moisture contents, which ranged from air dry to field capacity. The rate of emission increased with increasing moisture content and with increasing temperature up to 37°C.

The evolution of N₂O was not due to displacement of soil air during wetting. It was inhibited by HgCl₂ and toluene, and was prevented by formaldehyde and autoclaving. Thus it appeared to be due to microbiological processes.

The results of experiments with nitrification and denitrification inhibitors suggest that a considerable part of the N₂O was produced by the oxidation of ammonia. Production by denitrification of nitrate cannot be ruled out. The relative importance of these two mechanisms probably depends on the moisture and oxygen content of the soil.

It is concluded that the microbial production of N₂O is continuous in soil at all moisture contents. The process at low moisture contents constitutes an important component in the cycle which maintains the N₂O concentration in the atmosphere.

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Cited by (73)

Coupled methane and nitrous oxide biotransformation in freshwater wetland sediment microcosms
2019, Science of the Total Environment
Citation Excerpt :
During the incubation, N2O was reduced into N2 under anoxic conditions. This result is in agreement to previous studies which showed that N2O emissions were correlated with soil moisture and oxygen content (Freney et al., 1979). The water content of the sediment microcosms used in the present study was 55.1 ± 1.3% (Table S1), supporting a favorable condition for the dissolution of N2O and denitrification.
Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to denitrification is becoming the focus of scientific inquiry due to its potential contribution to global carbon and nitrogen cycles. AOM has been previously reported to proceed with nitrate (NO₃⁻) or nitrite (NO₂⁻). However, little research has been conducted on the simultaneous use of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Here, coupled CH₄ and N₂O biotransformation in a freshwater wetland sediment was obtained in a 7-day anaerobic sediment incubation assay. The significant CO₂ accumulation and decrease of CH₄ emission in sediment microcosms was attributed to two mechanisms: inhibition of methanogenesis and N₂O-dependent AOM. To further confirm the coupled CH₄ and N₂O transformation, a ¹³C-labelled stable isotope tracer assay after anaerobic incubation was conducted with N₂O and/or CH₄ amendments. The N₂O-dependent AOM rate was 3.41 ± 0.13 nmol CO₂ g⁻¹ dry sediment·day⁻¹. According to metagenomic analysis, addition of N₂O stimulated AOM by increasing the activity and abundance of methanotrophic bacteria and by increasing enzymatic activities in the electron transport chain. Based on these results, we propose coupled CH₄ and N₂O biotransformation in the sediment microcosms for the first time, carried out by unidentified methanotroph(s) via intra‑oxygen produced in the presence of N₂O. Such a process has the potential to reduce the emission of two highly potent greenhouse gases and makes a significant contribution to the link of global carbon and nitrogen cycles in anoxic environments.
Upscaling point measurements of N<inf>2</inf>O emissions into the orchard scale under drip and microsprinkler irrigation
2018, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
Citation Excerpt :
However, the correlations between subsurface N2O concentrations and the WFPS under drip and microsprinkler irrigation, shows stronger positive correlations following the fertigation event than following the irrigation event (SI Table S2 and Table S3), although the WFPS following the fertigation event were lower (Fig. 2B). These differences suggest higher losses at lower water contents (higher oxygen availability), which contradicts our understandings of the driving mechanisms (Freney et al., 1979). Moreover, the correlation between subsurface N2O concentrations and NH4+ concentration did not show clear difference following the irrigation or fertigation events (SI Table S2 and Table S3).
Agricultural activity is one of the major sources of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission into the natural environment. Yet, due to the soil’s spatial heterogeneities it is hard to accurately upscale point N₂O emission measurements into the orchard scale. This study aims to introduce a simple, yet robust, way for upscaling point N₂O emission measurements into the orchard scale, under drip and micro-sprinkler irrigation systems. Surface point measurements of N₂O emissions were performed at five distances from drip and micro-sprinkler emitters in two almond orchards, following irrigation and fertigation events. Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear regression were used to study the correlations between the soil water filled pore-space (WFPS), and subsurface N₂O, NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ concentrations down to depth of 60 cm. The correlation tables indicated that most of the N₂O emission resulted from microbial nitrification in the top soil (< 10 cm). However, in many cases the correlations did not provide meaningful explanations to the relations between the subsurface parameters and the surface N₂O emission flux. It was suggested that the main limitation of the analysis results from the current soil sampling method, where soil samples are not taken from the profile inside the collar in-order to keep the soil profile undisturbed over long measuring periods. In the microsprinkler irrigation, relative water application depth of the emitter, showed strong positive linear correlation to the soil NH₄⁺ concentration and surface N₂O emission flux. These correlations could be used for upscaling the point measurements into the tree and orchard scale. In the drip irrigation, the N₂O emission flux was found to follow the water and NH₄⁺ distribution pattern, and could be upscaled to the tree and orchard level using a sinusoidal function using only measurement of the peak emission and the radius of the wetting pattern. These results improve current understanding on the dynamics of N₂O production in orchards irrigated with micro-irrigation systems in arid and semi-arid ecosystems and might contribute to modeling of N₂O emissions using less rigorous methods.
Saline–Sodic Soils: Potential Sources of Nitrous Oxide and Carbon Dioxide Emissions?
2017, Pedosphere
Increasing salt–affected agricultural land due to low precipitation, high surface evaporation, irrigation with saline water, and poor cultural practices has triggered the interest to understand the influence of salt on nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from soil. Three soils with varying electrical conductivity of saturated paste extract (EC_e) (0.44–7.20 dS m⁻¹) and sodium adsorption ratio of saturated paste extract (SAR_e) (1.0–27.7), two saline–sodic soils (S2 and S3) and a non–saline, non–sodic soil (S1), were incubated at moisture levels of 40%, 60%, and 80% water–filled pore space (WFPS) for 30 d, with or without nitrogen (N) fertilizer addition (urea at 525 µg g⁻¹ soil). Evolving CO₂ and N₂O were estimated by analyzing the collected gas samples during the incubation period. Across all moisture and N levels, the cumulative N₂O emissions increased significantly by 39.8% and 42.4% in S2 and S3, respectively, compared to S1. The cumulative CO₂ emission from the three soils did not differ significantly as a result of the complex interactions of salinity and sodicity. Moisture had no significant effect on N₂O emissions, but cumulative CO₂ emissions increased significantly with an increase in moisture. Addition of N significantly increased cumulative N₂O and CO₂ emissions. These showed that saline–sodic soils can be a significant contributor of N₂O to the environment compared to non–saline, non–sodic soils. The application of N fertilizer, irrigation, and precipitation may potentially increase greenhouse gas (N₂O and CO₂) releases from saline–sodic soils.
Effects of temperature change and tree species composition on N<inf>2</inf>O and NO emissions in acidic forest soils of subtropical China
2014, Journal of Environmental Sciences (China)
Tree species and temperature change arising from seasonal variation or global warming are two important factors influencing N₂O and NO emissions from forest soils. However, few studies have examined the effects of temperatures (5–35°C) on the emissions of forest soil N₂O and NO in typical subtropical region. A short-term laboratory experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of temperature changes (5–35°C) on soil N₂O and NO emissions under aerobic conditions in two contrasting (broad-leaved and coniferous) subtropical acidic forest types in China. The results showed that the temporal pattern of N₂O and NO emissions between the three lower temperatures (5°C, 15°C, and 25°C) and 35°C was significantly different for both broad-leaved and coniferous forest soils. The effects of temperature on soil N₂O and NO emission rates varied between broad-leaved and coniferous forest soils. Both N₂O and NO emissions increased exponentially with an increase in temperature in the broad-leaved forest soil. However, N₂O and NO emissions in the coniferous forest soil were not sensitive to temperature change between 5°C and 25°C. N₂O and NO emission rates were significantly higher in the broad-leaved forest soil as compared with the coniferous forest soil at all incubation temperatures except 5°C. These results suggest that the broad-leaved forest could contribute more N₂O and NO emissions than the coniferous forest for most of the year in the subtropical region of China.
Transformation and Transport Processes of Nitrogen in Agricultural Systems
2008, Nitrogen in the Environment
This chapter reviews the fate and transport of nitrogen from the various sources used to supply the nitrogen-requirements of crops in the context of the nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen is ubiquitous in the environment. It is also one of the most important nutrients and is central to the growth of all crops and other plants. However, nitrogen also forms some of the most mobile compounds in the soil-plant-atmosphere system; and there is mounting concern about agriculture's role in nitrogen delivery into the environment. Nitrogen represents the mineral fertilizer most applied to agricultural land. This is because available soil-nitrogen supplies are often inadequate for optimum crop production. Use of nitrogen budgets or a mass-balance approach is needed to understand the options for improving management of nitrogen in farming and livestock systems and for mitigating the environmental impacts of nitrogen. Fertilizing crops for crop nitrogen-uptake that will be near the point of maximum yield generally is an economically and environmentally acceptable practice.
Nitrous oxide emissions from an intensively cultivated maize-wheat rotation soil in the North China Plain
2007, Science of the Total Environment
N₂O emissions from a maize–wheat rotation field were monitored in the Fengqiu State Key Agro-Ecological Experimental Station (Fengqiu County, Henan Province, China) from June 2004 to June 2005. The experiment included four treatments: a bare (crop-absent) soil treated with 150 kg N ha^− 1 (WN150) and soils fertilized with 0 (N0), 150 (N150), and 250 (N250) kg N ha^− 1 and cropped with maize or wheat. The bulk of the N₂O emissions occurred in pulses following the application of fertilizer N at soil temperatures of 15 °C or more. The application of fertilizer N significantly increased the N₂O emission, from 636 g N₂O–N ha^− 1 year^− 1 in the N0 treatment to 4480 g N₂O–N ha^− 1 year^− 1 in the N250 treatment. However, this increase primarily occurred during the maize growing season. The emission factor of applied fertilizer N as N₂O was 1.05–1.34% and 0.24–0.26% during the 105-day maize and 241-day wheat growing seasons, respectively, and was on average 0.61–0.77%. Increasing the rate of fertilizer application increased the emission factor during the maize growing season. The presence of maize appears to increase N₂O emission by 45% versus bare soil during the maize growing season. And, N₂O emission during the maize season were significantly related to CO₂ production (R = 0.43–0.81, n = 30, P < 0.05). N₂O emission was greatly affected by soil moisture during the maize growing season and by soil temperature during the wheat growing season. The maximum rates of nitrification occurred when soil moisture was in the range of 45–60% WFPS, with the optimum value being approximately 50%. However, soil moisture influenced N₂O emission only when the soil temperature was at the optimum level. It is suggested that reducing the application rate of basal fertilizer N during the maize growing season could decrease N₂O emission.

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Nitrous oxide emission from soils at low moisture contents

Abstract

Soil Biol. Biochem.

Soil Biol. Biochem.

Denitrification potential and pattern of gaseous N loss in tropical Hawaiian soils

Trop. Agric. Trinidad

Determination and isotope-ratio analysis of different forms of nitrogen in soils. III. Exchangeable ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite by extraction-distillation methods

Denitrification

The nitrogen cycle

Effect of Increased Nitrogen Fixation on Stratospheric Ozone

The influence of nitrogen oxides on the atmospheric ozone content

Q. J. R. Met. Soc.

Ozone production rates in an oxygen-hydrogen-nitrogen oxide atmosphere

J. geophys. Res.

Estimates of possible variations in total ozone due to natural causes and human activities

Ambio

Chamber systems for measuringnitrous oxide emission from soils in the field

Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.