Nitrous oxide production throughout the year from fertilized and manured maize fields
Two field sites on a loam soil were established to monitor N/sub 2/O concentration in the soil atmosphere and rate of emission from the soil surface. The sites were cropped to maize (Zea mays L.) and managed at two high-N levels (181 or 237 kg N ha/sup -1/). Both sites received 168 kg N ha/sup -1/ as feedlot cattle manure and 13 kg N ha/sup -1/ as NH/sub 4/NO/sub 3/ fertilizer in the row at planting. One site (Site B) received additional soil-incorporated N as urea. Fluctuations in N/sub 2/O emissions from the two sites were temporally similar, and differed only in magnitude with Site A (no additional fertilizer), emitting about 3.6 kg N/sub 2/O-N ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/ and Site B about 5.2 kg N/sub 2/O-N ha/sup -1/ yr/sup -1/, or about 2% of the N applied. Most of the N/sub 2/O was emitted between mid-June and the end of July when the soil was warm and NH/sub 4//sup +/-N was present, and at spring thaw (late March the following year) when soils were cold and near water-saturated. High N/sub 2/O emissions during the growing season occurred following precipitation events, and hence were associated with high soil water and probably with the initiation of soil drying. Nitrous oxide production was continuous during winter months, presumably a result of denitrification. The N/sub 2/O concentration in the profile of the frozen soil increased to high levels before spring thaw. At thaw, nearly 330 d after application of the N amendments, an apparent physical release period occurred and N/sub 2/O flux was far higher (about 50 g N/sub 2/O-N ha/sup -1/ d/sup -1/) than at most times during the growing season.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
- OSTI ID:
- 5405970
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 16:4; ISSN JEVQA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
510200 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
CEREALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DENITRIFICATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FERTILIZERS
GRASS
MAIZE
MANURES
NITRIFICATION
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS OXIDE
ORGANIC WASTES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOILS
VARIATIONS
WASTES