Nitrous oxide production in natural and agricultural ecosystem soils of Wisconsin
The possible link between nitrous oxide (N/sub 2/O) in the troposphere and the catalytic destruction of stratospheric ozone as well as continued concern over losses of fixed nitrogen (N) from soils, have stimulated interest in measuring gaseous N/sub 2/O losses from soils. This thesis reports, as a series of papers, the results of up to three years of in situ sampling of seven natural and ten agricultural ecosystems for N/sub 2/O production and emissions and laboratory studies to evaluate the effects of environmental factors (temperature, aeration, water, and pH) and N/sub 2/O production. For natural ecosystem soils, N/sub 2/O losses were highest from the drained marsh (2 to 7 kg ha/sup -1/yr/sup -1/) and lowest from the tallgrass prairie and undrained marsh sites (0.05 to 0.2 kg ha/sup -1/yr/sup -1/). Losses from the deciduous and coniferous forest sites were less than 0.8 and 2.1 kg ha/sup -1/yr/sup -1/, respectively. The highest N/sub 2/O fluxes occurred in the spring as the soil thawed and during the summer following heavy rainfalls. Agricultural sites (all on Plano silt loam) had similar patterns of N/sub 2/O emissions. The addition of inorganic N fertilizers increased N/sub 2/O losses, especially when mixed with crop residue in minimum tillage corn (Zea mays L.). Laboratory studies showed increased N/sub 2/O production in samples of Plano silt loam with increased temperatures (10 to 30/sup 0/C), water (10 to 30% v/v) and pH (4.7 to 6.7). At lower temperatures and water contents, N/sub 2/O production was related to NO/sub 3//sup -/ production; another mechanism, possibly denitrification, resulted in higher N/sub 2/O production at 30/sup 0/C and 30% water. Experiments with frozen soils demonstrated release of N/sub 2/O by physical and biological processes upon thawing.
- OSTI ID:
- 6002944
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Nitrous oxide production throughout the year from fertilized and manured maize fields
Acidic soil amendment with a magnesium-containing fluidized bed combustion by-product
Related Subjects
NITROUS OXIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
MONITORING
EMISSION
FERTILIZERS
NITROGEN
OZONE
PH VALUE
SAMPLING
SOILS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
WISCONSIN
CHALCOGENIDES
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION V
MASS TRANSFER
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
USA
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)