Nitrous oxide emissions from an irrigated soil as affected by fertilizer and straw management

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission from farmland is a concern for both environmental quality and agricultural productivity. Field experiments were conducted in 1996–1997 to assess soil N₂O emissions as affected by timing of N fertilizer application and straw/tillage practices for crop production under irrigation in southern Alberta. The crops were soft wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) in 1996 and canola (Brassica napusL.) in 1997. Nitrous oxide flux from soil was measured using a vented chamber technique and calculated from the increase in concentration with time. Nitrous oxide fluxes for all treatments varied greatly during the year, with the greatest fluxes occurring in association with freeze-thaw events during March and April. Emissions were greater when N fertilizer (100 kg N ha⁻¹) was applied in the fall compared to spring application. Straw removal at harvest in the fall increased N₂O emissions when N fertilizer was applied in the fall, but decreased emissions when no fertilizer was applied. Fall plowing also increased N₂O emissions compared to spring plowing or direct seeding. The study showed that N₂O emissions may be minimized by applying N fertilizer in spring, retaining straw, and incorporating it in spring. The estimates of regional N₂O emissions based on a fixed proportion of applied N may be tenuous since N₂O emission varied widely depending on straw and fertilizer management practices. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Effect of Future Climate Perturbations on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O Emissions from a Fertilized Humid Grassland

N₂O emissions from a fertilized humid grassland near Cork, Ireland were continuously measured during 2003 using an eddy covariance system. For most of the year emissions were close to zero and 60% of the emissions occurred in eight major events of 2–20 days’ duration. Two hundred and seven kg ha⁻¹ of synthetic N and 130 kg ha⁻¹ organic N were applied over the year and the total measured annual N₂O emission was 11.6 kg N ha⁻¹. The flux data were used to test the prediction of N₂O emissions by the DNDC (DeNitrification – DeComposition) model. The model predicted total emissions of 15.4 kg N ha⁻¹, 32 % more than the observed emissions. On this basis the model was further used to simulate (a) background (non-anthropogenic) N₂O emissions and (b) the effect on N₂O emissions of future climate perturbations based on the Hadley Center model output of the IS92a scenario for Ireland. DNDC predicts 1.7 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ of background N₂O emissions, accounting for 15% of the observed emissions. Climate shifts will increase total annual modeled N₂O emissions from 15.4 kg N ha⁻¹ to 22.4 kg N ha⁻¹ if current levels of N applications are maintained, or to 21.2 kg N ha⁻¹ if synthetic N applications are reduced to 170 kg N ha⁻¹ to comply with recent EU water quality legislation. Thus the projected increase in N₂O emissions due to climate change is far larger than the decrease expected from reduced fertilizer applications.     

Two-year field study on the emission of N2O from coarse and middle-textured Belgian soils with different land use

In the following study N₂O emissions from 3 different grasslands and from 3 different arable lands, representing major agriculture areas with different soil textures and normal agricultural practices in Belgium, have been monitored for 1 to 2 years. One undisturbed soil under deciduous forest was also included in the study. Nitrous oxide emission was measured directly in the field from vented closed chambers through photo-acoustic infrared detection. Annual N₂O emissions from the arable lands ranged from 0.3 to 1.5 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ and represent 0.3 to 1.0% of the fertilizer N applied. Annual N₂O emissions from the intensively managed grasslands and an arable land sown with grass were significantly larger than those from the cropped arable lands. Emissions ranged from 14 to 32 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, representing fertilizer N losses between 3 and 11%. At the forest soil a net N₂O uptake of 1.3 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹ was recorded over a 2-year period. It seems that the N₂O-N loss per unit of fertilizer N applied is larger for intensively managed and heavily fertilized (up to 500 kg N ha⁻¹) grasslands than for arable lands and is substantially larger than the 1.25% figure used for the global emission inventory. Comparison of the annual emission fluxes from the different soils also indicated that land use rather than soil properties influenced the N₂O emission. Our results also show once again the importance of year-round measurements for a correct estimate of N₂O losses from agricultural soils: 7 to 76% of the total annual N₂O was emitted during the winter period (October–February). Disregarding the emission during the off-season period can lead to serious underestimation of the actual annual N₂O flux. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Emissions of N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O from fertilized and grazed grassland on organic soil in relation to groundwater level

Intensively managed grasslands on organic soils are a major source of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) therefore has set the default emission factor at 8 kg N–N₂O ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for cultivation and management of organic soils. Also, the Dutch national reporting methodology for greenhouse gases uses a relatively high calculated emission factor of 4.7 kg N–N₂O ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. In addition to cultivation, the IPCC methodology and the Dutch national methodology account for N₂O emissions from N inputs through fertilizer applications and animal urine and faeces deposition to estimate annual N₂O emissions from cultivated and managed organic soils. However, neither approach accounts for other soil parameters that might control N₂O emissions such as groundwater level. In this paper we report on the relations between N₂O emissions, N inputs and groundwater level dynamics for a fertilized and grazed grassland on drained peat soil. We measured N₂O emissions from fields with different target groundwater levels of 40 cm (‘wet’) and 55 cm (‘dry’) below soil surface in the years 1992, 1993, 2002, 2006 and 2007. Average emissions equalled 29.5 kg N₂O–N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 11.6 kg N–N₂O ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the dry and wet conditions, respectively. Especially under dry conditions, measured N₂O emissions exceeded current official estimates using the IPCC methodology and the Dutch national reporting methodology. The N₂O–N emissions equalled 8.2 and 3.2% of the total N inputs through fertilizers, manure and cattle droppings for the dry and wet field, respectively and were strongly related to average groundwater level (R ² = 0.74). We argue that this relation should be explored for other sites and could be used to derive accurate emission data for fertilized and grazed grasslands on organic soils.     

Nitrous oxide emissions and herbage accumulation in smooth bromegrass pastures with nitrogen fertilizer and ruminant urine application

Agricultural soils contribute significantly to nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, but little data is available on N₂O emissions from smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) pastures. This study evaluated soil N₂O emissions and herbage accumulation from smooth bromegrass pasture in eastern Nebraska, USA. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured biweekly from March to October in 2011 and 2012 using vented static chambers on smooth bromegrass plots treated with a factorial combination of five urea nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates (0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg ha^?1) and two ruminant urine treatments (distilled water and urine). Urine input strongly affected daily and cumulative N₂O emissions, but responses to N fertilizer rate depended on growing season rainfall. In 2011, when rainfall was normal, cumulative N₂O emissions increased exponentially with N fertilizer rate. In 2012, drought reduced daily and cumulative N₂O emission responses to N fertilizer rate. Herbage accumulation ranged from 4.46 Mg ha^?1 in unfertilized pasture with distilled water to 16.01 Mg ha^?1 in pasture with 180 kg N ha^?1 and urine in 2011. In 2012, plots treated with urine had 2.2 times more herbage accumulation than plots treated with distilled water but showed no response to N fertilizer rate. Total applied N lost as N₂O ranged from 0–0.6 to 0.5–1.7 % across N fertilizer rates in distilled water and urine treatments, respectively, and thus, support the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change default direct emission factors of 1.0 % for N fertilizer additions and 2.0 % for urine excreted by cattle on pasture.     

Impact of different forms of N fertilizer on N2O emissions from intensive grassland

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions were measured over two years from an intensively managed grassland site in the UK. Emissions from ammonium nitrate (AN) and urea (UR) were compared to those from urea modified by various inhibitors (a nitrification inhibitor, UR(N), a urease inhibitor, UR(U), and both inhibitors together, SU), as well as a controlled release urea (CR). N₂O fluxes varied through time and between treatments. The differences between the treatments were not consistent throughout the year. After the spring and early summer fertilizer applications, fluxes from AN plots were greater than fluxes from UR plots, e.g. the cumulative fluxes for one month after N application in June 1999 were 5.2 ± 1.1 kg N₂O-N ha^–1 from the AN plots, compared to 1.4 ± 1.0 kg N₂O-N ha^–1 from the UR plots. However, after the late summer application, there was no difference between the two treatments, e.g. cumulative fluxes for the month following N application in August 2000 were 3.3 ± 0.7 kg N₂O-N ha^–1 from the AN plots and 2.9 ± 1.1 kg N₂O-N ha^–1 from the UR plots. After all N applications, fluxes from the UR(N) plots were much less than those from either the AN or the UR plots, e.g. 0.2 ± 0.1 kg N₂O-N ha^–1 in June 1999 and 1.1 ± 0.3 kg N₂O-N ha^–1 in August 2000. Combining the results of this experiment with earlier work showed that there was a greater N₂O emission response to rainfall around the time of fertilizer application in the AN plots than in the UR plots. It was concluded that there is scope for reducing N₂O emissions from N-fertilized grassland by applying UR instead of AN to wet soils in cool conditions, e.g. when grass growth begins in spring. Applying UR with a nitrification inhibitor could cut emissions further.     

Impacts of Water Table Management on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O and N<Subscript>2</Subscript> from a Sandy Loam Soil in Southwestern Quebec,Canada

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is primarily produced as intermediate in denitrification and, to a lesser extent, through nitrification processes. Nitrous oxide emission and, consequently, its atmospheric impacts depend on the extent to which N₂O is reduced to dinitrogen gas (N₂) by denitrifiers. Field experiments were conducted from 1998 through 2000 growing seasons at St. Emmanuel, Quebec, Canada, to investigate the combined impact of water table management (WTM) and N fertilization rate on the soil denitrification (N₂O + N₂) rate, rate of N₂O production, and the N₂O:N₂O + N₂ ratio. Water table treatments included subirrigation (SI) with a target water table depth of 0.6 m and free drainage (FD) with open drains. The tile drains (75 mm diameter) were laid at a 1.0 m depth from the soil surface. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied at two rates:120 and 200 kg N ha⁻¹ as ammonium nitrate (34-0-0). The N₂O + N₂ evolution rates were greater in SI (12.9 kg N ha⁻¹) than in FD (5.8 kg N ha⁻¹) plots. The percentages of N₂O relative to overall N₂O + N₂ evolution were 35 and 11% for 1998, 29 and 8% for 1999, and 37 and 20% for 2000, under FD and SI, respectively. The reduced N₂O production under SI was due to a greater reduction of N₂O to N₂. Results indicate that greater N₂O + N₂ evolution under shallow water tables are not necessarily accompanied by higher N₂O emissions.     

Effect of crop-specific field management and N fertilization on N2O emissions from a fine-loamy soil

Agricultural soils are a major source of atmospheric N₂O. This study was conducted to determine the effect of different crop-specific field management and N fertilization rates on N₂O emissions from a fine-loamy Dystric Eutrochrept. Fluxes of N₂O were measured for two years at least once a week on plots cropped with potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) fertilized with 50 or 150 kg N ha⁻¹ a⁻¹, winterwheat (Triticum aestivum) fertilized with 90 or 180 kg N ha⁻¹ a⁻¹, corn (Zea mays) fertilized with 65 or 130 kg N ha⁻¹ a⁻¹, and on an unfertilized, set-aside soil planted with grass (mainly Lolium perenne and Festuca rubra). The mean N₂O emission rate from the differently managed plots was closely correlated to the mean soil nitrate content in the Ap horizon for the cropping period (April to October, r ² = 0.74), the winter period (November to March, r ² = 0.93, one outlier excluded), and the whole year (r ² = 0.81). N₂O emissions outside the cropping period accounted for up to 58% of the annual emissions and were strongly affected by frost-thaw cycles. There was only a slight relationship between the amount of fertilizer N applied and the annual N₂O emission (r ² = 0.20). The mean annual N₂O-N emission from the unfertilized set-aside soil was 0.29 kg ha⁻¹. The annual N₂O-N emission from the fertilized crops for the low and the recommended rates of N fertilization were 1.34 and 2.41 kg ha⁻¹ for corn, 2.70 and 3.64 kg ha⁻¹ for wheat, and 5.74 and 6.93 kg ha⁻¹ for potatoes. The high N₂O emissions from potato plots were due to (i) high N₂O losses from the interrow area during the cropping season and (ii) high soil nitrate contents after the potato harvest. The reduction of N fertilization (fertilizer was applied in spring and early summer) resulted in decreased N₂O emissions during the cropping period. However, the emissions during the winter were not affected by the rate of N fertilization. The results show that the crop-specific field management had a great influence on the annual N₂O emissions. It also affected the emissions per unit N fertilizer applied. The main reasons for this crop effect were crop-specific differences in soil nitrate and soil moisture content. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Method and timing of grassland renovation affects herbage yield,nitrate leaching,and nitrous oxide emission in intensively managed grasslands

Managed grasslands are occasionally ploughed up and reseeded in order to maintain or increase the sward productivity. It has been reported that this renovation of grassland is associated with a flush of soil organic nitrogen (N) mineralization and with a temporary increase in soil mineral N contents. Here, we report on the effects of method and time of grassland renovation on herbage yield, nitrate (NO₃ ⁻) leaching and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission. Field experiments were carried out at three sites (two sandy soils and a clay soil) in the Netherlands for three years. Renovation of grassland increased the percentage of Perennial ryegrass from 48–70% up to more than 90%. However, averaged over three years, dry matter yields were higher for the reference (not reseeded) swards (on average 13.6 Mg ha⁻¹ for the highest N application rate) than for the renovated grasslands (12.2–13.1 Mg ha⁻¹ dry matter). Grassland renovation in April did not increase N leaching in comparison to the reference. However, renovation in September increased the risk of leaching, because mineral N contents in the 0–90 cm were in November on average 46–77 kg N ha⁻¹ higher than in the reference. Contents of dissolved organic N (DON) in the soil were not affected by renovation. Renovation increased N₂O emissions by a factor of 1.8–3.0 relative to the reference grassland. Emissions of N₂O were on average higher after renovation in April (8.2 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹) than in September (5.8 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹). Renovation without ploughing (i.e. only chemically destruction of the sward) resulted in a lower percentage of perennial ryegrass (60–84%) than with ploughing (>90%). Moreover, N₂O emissions were higher after renovation without ploughing than with ploughing. Clearly, farmers need better recommendations and tools for determining when grassland renovation has beneficial agronomic effects. Losses of N via leaching and N₂O emission after renovation can probably not be avoided, but renovation in spring in stead of autumn in combination with ploughing and proper timing of fertilizer application can minimize N losses.     

Effects of fertiliser type and the presence or absence of plants on nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated soils

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and denitrification losses from an irrigated sandy loam soil amended with composted municipal solid waste (MSW), sheep manure (SM), surface applied pig slurry (SPS), incorporated pig slurry (IPS) or urea (U) were studied under Mediterranean conditions. We quantified emissions, in both the presence and absence of maize and N₂O production, via denitrification and nitrification pathways using varying concentrations of acetylene. Discounting the N₂O lost in the Control, the percentages of N₂O lost in relation to the total N applied were greater for urea (1.80%) than for MSW (0.50%), SM (0.46%), SPS (1.02%) or IPS (1.27%). In general, plots treated with organic fertilisers emitted higher amounts of N₂O when under maize than bare soil plots. On the other hand, greater denitrification losses were also recorded for plots in the absence of plants (between 9.7 and 29.3 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹) than for areas with plants (between 7.1 and 24.1 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹). The proportion of N₂O produced via denitrification was greater from fertiliser treatments than for the controls and also greater without plants (between 66 and 91 % of the N₂O emitted) than with plants (between 48 and 81%).     

Nitrous oxide emissions from fertilized and unfertilized grasslands on peat soil

Emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) from managed and grazed grasslands on peat soils are amongst the highest emissions in the world per unit of surface of agriculturally managed soil. According to the IPCC methodology, the direct N₂O emissions from managed organic soils is the sum of N₂O emissions derived from N input, including fertilizers, urine and dung of grazing cattle, and a constant ‘background’ N₂O emission from decomposition of organic matter that depends on agro-climatic zone. In this paper we questioned the constant nature of this background emission from peat soils by monitoring N₂O emissions, groundwater levels, N inputs and soil NO₃ ⁻–N contents from 4 grazed and fertilized grassland fields on managed organic peat soil. Two fields had a relatively low groundwater level (‘dry’ fields) and two fields had a relatively high groundwater level (‘wet’ fields). To measure the background N₂O emission, unfertilized sub-plots were installed in each field. Measurements were performed monthly and after selected management events for 2 years (2008–2009). On the managed fields average cumulative emission equaled 21 ± 2 kg N ha⁻¹y⁻¹ for the ‘dry’ fields and 14 ± 3 kg N ha⁻¹y⁻¹ for the ‘wet’ fields. On the unfertilized sub-plots emissions equaled 4 ± 0.6 kg N ha⁻¹y⁻¹ for the ‘dry’ fields and 1 ± 0.7 kg N ha⁻¹y⁻¹ for the ‘wet’ fields, which is below the currently used estimates. Background emissions were closely correlated with groundwater level (R ² = 0.73) and accounted for approximately 22% of the cumulative N₂O emission for the dry fields and for approximately 10% of the cumulative N₂O emissions from the wet fields. The results of this study demonstrate that the accuracy of estimating direct N₂O emissions from peat soils can be improved by approximately 20% by applying a background emission of N₂O that depends on annual average groundwater level rather than applying a constant value.     

Effect of increased N use and dry periods on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emission from a fertilized grassland

To better understand the effects of increased N input and dry periods on soil nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission, we examined a unique data-set of weather, soil microclimate, N input, and N₂O emissions (using the eddy covariance method), measured at a fertilized grassland over the period 2003–2008. We found that the N₂O emission (11.5 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), the ratio of N₂O emission to N input (3.4), and the duration of elevated N₂O flux (57 days) in 2003 were about two times greater than those of the following years. 2003 had the highest annual N input (343 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) which exceeded the agronomical requirements for Irish grasslands (up to 306 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). In the summer of 2003, the site had a significantly higher soil temperature, lower WFPS and lowest rainfall of all years. Large N₂O emission events followed rainfall after a long dry period in the summer of 2003, attributed to dominant nitrification processes. Furthermore, in the non summer periods, when temperature was lower and WFPS was higher and when there were prior N applications, lower N₂O emissions occurred and were attributed to dominant denitrification processes. Throughout the study period, the N input and soil dryness related factors (duration of WFPS under 50%, summer average WFPS, and low rainfall) showed exponential relationships with N₂O emission and the ratio of N₂O emission to N input. Based on these findings, we infer that the observed anomalously high N₂O emission in 2003 may have been caused by the combined effects of excess N input above the plant uptake rate, elevated soil temperature, and N₂O flux bursts that followed the rewetting of dry soil after an unusually long dry summer period. These results suggest that high N input above plant uptake rate and extended dry periods may cause abnormal increases in N₂O emissions.     

Relationship Between Gross Nitrogen Cycling and Nitrous Oxide Emissionin Grass-clover Pasture

Replacement of high-input N fertilized pastures with low-input grass-legume pastures may provide a mitigation option to reduce agricultural N₂O emissions. This study examined the relationship between N-cycling rates and N₂O production and evolution from the root zone of grass-clover pastures of various ages (production year 1, 2 and 8). The experimental approach included cross-labelling pasture monoliths with ¹⁵N-enriched substrates to identify sources of N₂O, in combination with assessment of gross N mineralization and nitrification. Nitrous oxide emissions were generally low, fluctuating between 82 and 136μg N₂O–N m⁻² d⁻¹, independent of pasture age. The ¹⁵N labelling indicated that at least 50% of the N₂O was derived from the soil NH₄⁺ pool, approaching 100% in June. In the two year old pasture the NH₄⁺ pool contributions to N₂O emissions varied significantly with sampling time. Emission rates of N₂O correlated positively with soil NH₄⁺ concentrations and the NH₄⁺ supply as expressed by gross mineralization. The N₂O emissions showed a significant inverse relationship with soil NO₃⁻, but was not correlated with the supply of NO₃⁻ as expressed by gross nitrification. The ratio N₂O vs. nitrification averaged 0.05% (range 0.004 to 0.29%) and varied with sampling time showing the lowest value in wet soil conditions.     

Nitrogen transformation and nitrous oxide emissions from various types of farm effluents

With land disposal of the farm effluents as an accepted practice, concerns are viewed for its effect on the nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. This study was undertaken to determine the effect land application of different farm effluents (treated farm dairy effluent (TFDE), untreated farm dairy effluent (UFDE), treated piggery farm effluent (TPFE) and treated meat effluent (TME)) have on N₂O emissions from soil. N₂O emissions were measured in the field using closed chamber technique. Effluents were added to the plots at a constant hydraulic loading of 25 mm with total volume of effluent applied for each plot being 50 l. Some soil properties like Soil bulk density, water filled pore space, oxygen diffusion rate (ODR), mineral nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon were measured along with the N₂O flux measurement to assess their correlation with variation observed in N₂O flux. The emissions rate was affected by the type of the effluent with TPFE emitting the highest (0.585 kg N₂O–N ha⁻¹ or 2.17% of the total added effluent-N) during autumn application and TME emitting the highest (0.286 kg N ha⁻¹ 0.84% of the total effluent-N added) during winter application. The difference in the N₂O emissions among the effluents could be attributed to the difference in their C:N ratio. The return to pre-application N₂O emissions rates within 2 weeks of autumn effluent application and 3 weeks of winter effluent application indicates that the effect of effluent application on flux is short lived. Correlation studies indicate that N₂O flux was affected by some of the above mentioned soil properties.     

Simulation of Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Wheat-cropped Soils using CERES

Estimation of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from arable soils, in relation to crop fertilization, is essential to devise strategies to mitigate the impact of agriculture on global warming. This paper presents the development and test of a N₂O model resulting from the linkage of a dynamic soil-crop simulation model (CERES) with two sub-models of N₂O production and reduction in soils. These sub-models (NOE and NGAS) account for both the nitrification and denitrification pathways. The resulting models (CERES–NOE and CERES–NGAS) were tested against experimental data collected on three contrasting wheat-cropped soils representative of the Beauce agricultural region in France. Although the input variables for the N₂O modules were correctly simulated, CERES–NGAS was over-responsive to soil water content in a Haplic Calcisol, and strongly over-estimated the N₂O fluxes as a result. On the other hand, CERES–NOE predicted correct mean N₂O emission levels for all sites, but failed to simulate the peak fluxes observed in the weeks following fertilizer application in the most N₂O-productive soil. Both models achieved root mean squared errors in the 23–26 g N–N₂O ha⁻¹ day⁻¹ range, significantly higher than the average experimental error on the measurements. On the other hand, their mean deviations were acceptable, being lower than 2.2 g N–N₂O ha⁻¹ day⁻¹, compared with a mean observed flux of 7.9 g N–N₂O ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. Overall, the response of CERES–NOE to soil type was more accurate, but this came at the cost of costly, site-specific characterization on the soils’ biological properties. The development of pedo-transfer functions to infer these parameters from basic soil characteristics appears as a pre-requisite for the use of CERES–NOE on a wider scale.     

Nitrogen Cycling in an Irrigated Wheat System in Sonora, Mexico: Measurements and Modeling

An improved version of an ecosystem nitrogen cycling model (NLOSS) is described, tested, and used to analyze nitrogen cycling in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora, Mexico. In addition to previously described modules in NLOSS that simulate soil water and solute fluxes, soil evaporation, soil energy balance, and denitrification, modules were added to estimate crop growth, soil carbon cycling, urea hydrolysis, and nitrification. We first tested the model against season-long measurements of soil NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, and NH₄⁺ aqueous concentrations; NO and N₂O soil effluxes; and crop biomass accumulation in three fertilizer treatments. We used NLOSS to test the sensitivity of wheat production, NO₃⁻ losses, and trace-gas emissions to fertilizer application rate. With the␣model, we compared the typical farmer’s fertilization of 250 kg N ha⁻¹ with five other fertilization scenarios, ranging from 110 to 220 kg N ha⁻¹. The typical farmer’s practice produced higher wheat yield than the lower fertilization treatments. However, the increase in yield per increase in kg N applied decreased with increasing fertilizer addition as a result of higher leaching losses, higher residual N, and higher trace-gas emissions. In addition, with respect to the lowest fertilization treatment, the highest fertilization treatment resulted in an 11% decrease, a 10% increase, and a 157% increase in N₂, N₂O, and NO emissions, respectively, and a 41% increase in leached NO₃⁻ + NO₂⁻. These results demonstrate that a small decrease in fertilizer application rate can increase N-use efficiency for wheat growth, while reducing leaching losses and emissions of harmful trace gas fluxes.     

Fertilizer dynamics in different tillage and crop rotation systems in a Vertisol in Central Mexico

N-fertilization dynamics and agronomic practices on a Vertisol in central Mexico were evaluated under irrigated conditions: (1) wheat-maize rotation with conventional tillage (CT) and burning of residues (W-M/CT/B, regional control); (2) wheat-beans rotation with CT and incorporation of residues into the soil (W-P/CT/I); (3) wheat-maize rotation with CT and incorporation of residues into the soil (W-M/CT/I); (4) maize-beans rotation bi-annual with CT and incorporation of residues into the soil (M-P/CT/Bi); and (5) wheat-maize, no tillage (NT) and residues left on the soil surface as mulch (W-M/NT/S). ¹⁵N and acetylene inhibition techniques were used to estimate N fertilizer efficiency and losses (N₂ + N₂O). Treatments received 240, 60, and 300 kg N ha⁻¹ for spring maize, beans and winter wheat, as ammonium sulphate enriched with 5.468% atoms ¹⁵N excess. In the spring summer cycle, the fertilizer N recovery ranged from 27% for W-M/NT/S to 68% for M-P/CT/Bi. From the total N-fertilizer applied, only 3 to 9% remained in soil after harvest (W-M/NT/S and W-M/CT/I being the respective extremes). Unaccounted N-fertilizer ranged between 27 and 69%, the highest losses corresponding to W-M/NT/S treatment. Fertilizer N recovery in wheat varied from 19 to 37% (W-M/NT/S–W-M/CT/B). N-fertilizer remaining in soil was 14 to 24% (W-M/NT/S – W-M/CT/I). N₂ and N₂O emissions were higher in the no tillage system. Emissions ranged from 3 to 28 kg N ha⁻¹ for W-P/CT/I and W-M/NT/S, respectively. The best treatments were those in which residues were incorporated resulting in N immobilization in top soil (0–15 cm), small N gas losses, and higher soil organic matter, these treatments were W-P/CT/I, W-M/CT/I.     

Effect of timing and duration of midseason aeration on CH<Subscript>4</Subscript> and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emissions from irrigated lowland rice paddies in China

Midseason aeration (MSA) of rice paddy fields functions to mitigate CH₄ emission by a large margin, while simultaneously promoting N₂O emission. Alternation of timing and duration of MSA would affect CH₄ and N₂O emissions from intermittently irrigated rice paddies. A pot trial and a field experiment were conducted to study the effect of timing and duration of MSA on CH₄ and N₂O emissions from irrigated lowland rice paddy soils in China. Four different water regimes, i.e., early aeration, normal aeration (the same as the local practice in timing and duration of aeration), delayed aeration, and prolonged aeration, were adopted separately and compared with respect to global warming potential (GWP) of CH₄ and N₂O emissions and rice yields as well. Total emission of CH₄ from the rice fields ranged from 28.6 to 64.1 kg CH₄ ha⁻¹, while that of N₂O did from 1.71 to 6.30 kg N₂O–N ha⁻¹ during the study periods. Compared with the local practice, early aeration reduced CH₄ emission by 13.3–16.2% and increased N₂O emission by 19.1–68.8%, while delayed aeration reduced N₂O emission by 6.8–26.0% and increased CH₄ emission by 22.1–47.3%. The lowest GWP of CH₄ and N₂O emissions occurred in prolonged aeration treatment, however, rice grain yield was reduced by 15.3% in this condition when compared with normal practice. It was found in the experiments that midseason aeration starting around D 30 after rice transplanting, just like the local practice, would optimize rice yields while simultaneously limiting GWPs of CH₄ and N₂O emissions from irrigated lowland rice fields in China.     

Nitrous oxide emissions from a light-textured arable soil of North-Western Russia: effects of crops,fertilizers, manures and climate parameters

Direct nitrous oxide emissions from a light-textured arable soil typical of North-Western Russia and subject to different management systems were measured during three growing seasons (May–September) in 2003–2005. Cumulative fluxes varied between 0.26 ± 0.06 and 2.98 ± 1.56 kg N₂O–N ha⁻¹, with the lowest flux produced where no N was added as mineral fertilizers/manures or where green manure/low inputs of mineral fertilizer were used as a source of N. Highest cumulative fluxes were measured from the plots where high inputs of farmyard manure were used. Of the crops studied, potatoes produced the highest N₂O fluxes; this was attributed to the use of furrows, in which the soil tended to be more compact with higher water-filled pore space, making the soil more prone to denitrification than that in fields without furrows. The available N content of the soil at the start of each growing season was quite low and cumulative N₂O fluxes were significantly affected by N-fertilizer application within one growing season. However, for different growing seasons with highly changeable rainfall patterns and with different soil management for different crops, the quite high yearly correlation between N application and N₂O fluxes was much reduced.     

Integrated management practices significantly affect N2O emissions and wheat–maize production at field scale in the North China Plain

In the North China Plain, a field experiment was conducted to measure nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) fluxes from a typical winter wheat–summer maize rotation system under five integrated agricultural management practices: conventional regime [excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization, flood irrigation, and rotary tillage before wheat sowing; CON], recommended regime 1 (balanced N fertilization, decreased irrigation, and deep plowing before wheat sowing; REC-1), recommended regime 2 (balanced N fertilization, decreased irrigation, and no tillage; REC-2), recommended regime 3 (controlled release N fertilizer, decreased irrigation, and no tillage; REC-3), and no N fertilizer (CK). Field measurements indicated that pulse emissions after N fertilization and irrigation contributed 19–49 % of annual N₂O emissions. In contrast to CON (2.21 kg N₂O-N ha^?1 year^?1), the other treatments resulted in significant declines in cumulative N₂O emissions, which ranged from 0.96 to 1.76 kg N₂O-N ha^?1 year^?1, indicating that the recommended practices (e.g., balanced N fertilization, controlled release N fertilizer, and decreased irrigation) offered substantial benefits for both sustaining grain yield and reducing N₂O emissions. Emission factors of N fertilizer were 0.21, 0.22, 0.23, and 0.37 % under CON, REC-1, REC-3, and REC-2, respectively. Emissions of N₂O during the freeze–thaw cycle period and the winter freezing period accounted for 9.7 and 5.1 % of the annual N₂O budget, respectively. Thus, we recommend that the monitoring frequency should be increased during the freeze–thaw cycle period to obtain a proper estimate of total emissions. Annual CH₄ fluxes from the soil were low (?1.54 to ?1.12 kg CH₄-C ha^?1 year^?1), and N fertilizer application had no obvious effects on CH₄ uptake. Values of global warming potential were predominantly determined by N₂O emissions, which were 411 kg CO₂-eq ha^?1 year^?1 in the CK and 694–982 kg CO₂-eq ha^?1 year^?1 in the N fertilization regimes. When comprehensively considering grain yield, global warming potential intensity values in REC-1, REC-2, and REC-3 were significantly lower than in CON. Meanwhile, grain yield increased slightly under REC-1 and REC-3 compared to CON. Generally, REC-1 and REC-3 are recommended as promising management regimes to attain the dual objectives of sustaining grain yield and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the North China Plain.