Influence of cattle wastes on nitrous oxide and methane fluxes in pasture land
- GSF-Institut fuer Bodenoekologie, Oberschleibheim (Germany)
- Univ. of Goettingen, Buesgenweg (Germany); and others
Agricultural practices are assumed to contribute significantly to the increase in atmospheric N{sub 2}O concentrations observed in the last decades, and they might influence the consumption of atmospheric CH{sub 4}. We report on measurements of N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4} exchange of a pasture soil, as influenced by droppings of a grazing cattle (Bos taurus) herd. Nitrous oxide and methane fluxes in pasture soil were largely determined by the emission rates from cattle excrement with dung patches being hot spots of CH{sub 4} production and urine-affected areas showing extremely high N{sub 2}O release rates. Methane emissions from dung patches (0.778 g CH{sub 4}-C per animal and day) were insignificant when compared with those from the rumen of the cattle. Total N{sub 2}O-N losses from the droppings were equivalent to 3.2% of the nitrogen excreted. Based on global data of total nitrogen excretion by dairy cattle, non-dairy cattle, buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and bison during grazing, we estimate the global N{sub 2}O emission from this source to be {approximately}1.18 teragrams N{sub 2}O-N per year, indicating that grazing cattle excretory products are one of the most important sources of atmospheric nitrous oxide. Our work suggests that these sources have been drastically underestimated. 27 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 430948
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 25; ISSN JEVQAA; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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