The effect of mixing organic biological waste materials and high-N crop residues on the short-time N2O emission from horticultural soil in model experiments

Manipulating the N release from high-N crop residues by simultaneous mixing of these residues with organic biological waste (OBW) materials seems to be a possible method to reduce NO₃^– leaching. The aim of this study was to examine whether the incorporation of OBW materials together with a high-N crop residue (celery) had also an effect on N₂O emission from horticultural soil under short-term and optimised laboratory conditions. A sandy loam soil and celery residues were mixed with different OBW materials and brought into PVC tubes at 80% water-filled pore space and 15°C. Every 2.5 h, a gas sample was taken and analysed by gas chromatography for its N₂O concentration. The soil amended with only celery residues had a cumulative N₂O emission of 9.6 mg N kg^–1 soil in 50 h. When the celery residues were mixed with an OBW material, the N₂O emission was each time lower than the emission from the celery-only treatment (between 3.8 and 5.9 mg N kg^–1 soil during maximum 77 h), except with paper sludge (17.2 mg N kg^–1 soil in 100 h). The higher N₂O emission from the paper sludge treatment was probably due to its unusually low C:N ratio. Straw, green waste compost 1 (GWC1) and 2 (GWC2), saw dust, and tannic acid reduced the N₂O emission of the celery treatment by 40 to 60%. Although the N₂O reduction potential can be expected to be lower and with differing dynamics under field conditions, this study indicates that apart from reducing NO₃^– leaching, OBW application may at the same time reduce N₂O emissions after incorporation of high-N crop residues.     

Effects of biochar addition on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions from two paddy soils

Impacts of biochar addition on nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from paddy soils are not well documented. Here, we have hypothesized that N₂O emissions from paddy soils could be depressed by biochar incorporation during the upland crop season without any effect on CO₂ emissions. Therefore, we have carried out the 60-day aerobic incubation experiment to investigate the influences of rice husk biochar incorporation (50 t ha⁻¹) into two typical paddy soils with or without nitrogen (N) fertilizer on N₂O and CO₂ evolution from soil. Biochar addition significantly decreased N₂O emissions during the 60-day period by 73.1% as an average value while the inhibition ranged from 51.4% to 93.5% (P < 0.05–0.01) in terms of cumulative emissions. Significant interactions were observed between biochar, N fertilizer, and soil type indicating that the effect of biochar addition on N₂O emissions was influenced by soil type. Moreover, biochar addition did not increase CO₂ emissions from both paddy soils (P > 0.05) in terms of cumulative emissions. Therefore, biochar can be added to paddy fields during the upland crop growing season to mitigate N₂O evolution and thus global warming.     

Nitrous oxide emissions after incorporation of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) residues under two different tillage treatments

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of crop residues from winter oilseed rape on N₂O emissions from a loamy soil and to determine the effect of different tillage practices on N₂O fluxes. We therefore conducted a field experiment in which crop residues of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L., OSR) were replaced with ¹⁵N labelled OSR residues. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and ¹⁵N abundance in the N₂O were determined for a period of 11 months after harvest of OSR and in the succeeding crop winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated on a Haplic Luvisol in South Germany. Measurements were carried out with the closed chamber method in a treatment with conventional tillage (CT) and in a treatment with reduced soil tillage (RT). In both tillage treatments we also determined N₂O fluxes in control plots where we completely removed the crop residues. High N₂O fluxes occurred in a short period just after OSR residue replacement in fall and after N‐fertilization to winter wheat in the following spring. Although N₂O emissions differed for distinct treatments and sub‐periods, cumulative N₂O emissions over the whole investigation period (299 days) ranged between 1.7 kg and 2.4 kg N₂O‐N ha^?1 with no significant treatment effects. More than half of the cumulative emissions occurred during the first eight weeks after OSR replacement, highlighting the importance of this post‐harvest period for annual N₂O budgets of OSR. The contribution of residue N to the N₂O emission was low and explained by the high C/N‐ratio fostering immobilization of mineral N. In total only 0.03% of the N₂O‐N emitted in the conventional tillage treatment and 0.06% in the reduced tillage treatment stemmed directly from the crop residues. The ¹⁵N recovery in the treatments with crop residues was 62.8% (CT) and 75.1% (RT) with more than 97% of the recovered ¹⁵N in the top soil. Despite our measurements did not cover an entire year, the low contribution of the OSR residues to the direct N₂O emissions shows, that the current IPCC tier 1 approach, which assumes an EF of 1%, strongly overestimated direct emissions from OSR crop residues. Furthermore, we could not observe any relationship between tillage and crop residues on N₂O emission, only during the winter period were N₂O emissions from reduced tillage significantly higher compared to conventional tillage. Annual N₂O emission from RT and CT did not differ.     

Effect of crop residue returns on N2O emissions from red soil in China

For a long time, farmers in the red soil region of southern China have returned crop residues to the soil, but how various crop residues influence nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions is not well understood. We compared the influence of returning different crop residues [rapeseed cake (RC), maize straw, rice straw and wheat straw (WS)] in combination with different levels of nitrogen (N) fertilizer (nil, low and high) on red soil N₂O emissions. Results confirmed the inverse relationship between cumulative N₂O emissions and residue C:N ratio in red soil under different levels of N fertilizer. However, N‐fertilizer application did not significantly influence N₂O emissions in the WS (which had the highest C:N ratio) and corresponding control treatments, while it enhanced N₂O emissions in the RC (which had the lowest C:N ratio) treatment and displayed significantly higher cumulative N₂O emissions with low N fertilizer application. This phenomenon may be attributed to the poor nutrient content in red soil, which leads to ‘Liebig's Law of the Minimum’ on available C. N fertilizer application provided sufficient available N, while the readily available C, which was mainly dependent on the degradability of the residue, became the crucial factor influencing N₂O emissions. Additional experiments, which showed that the addition of glucose and sucrose could increase N₂O emissions when N () was sufficient, confirmed this hypothesis. Thus, to reduce N₂O emissions when returning residues to red soil, we suggest that both the residue C:N ratio and the quality should be considered when deciding whether to apply N fertilizer.     

The effect of moisture on nitrous oxide emissions from soil and the N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O/(N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O+N<Subscript>2</Subscript>) ratio under laboratory conditions

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) contributes to greenhouse effect; however, little information on the consequences of different moisture levels on N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio is available. The aim of this work was to analyze the influence of different soil moisture values and thus of redox conditions on absolute and relative emissions of N₂O and N₂ at intact soil cores from a Vertic Argiudoll. For this reason, the effect of water-filled porosity space (WFPS) values of soil cores of 40, 80,100, and 120% (the last one with a 2-cm surface water layer) was investigated. The greatest N₂O emission occurred at 80% WFPS treatment where conditions were not reductive enough to allow the complete reduction to N₂. The N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio was lowest (0–0.051) under 120% WFPS and increased with decreasing soil moisture content. N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio values significantly correlated with soil Eh; redox conditions seemed to control the proportion of N gases emitted as N₂O. N₂O emissions did not correlate satisfactorily with N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio values, whereas they were significantly explained by the amount of total N₂O+N₂ emissions.     

Soil N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emissions and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O/(N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O+N<Subscript>2</Subscript>) ratio as affected by different fertilization practices and soil moisture

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the chemical nature and application frequency of N fertilizers at different moisture contents on soil N₂O emissions and N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio. The research was based on five fertilization treatments: unfertilized control, a single application of 80 kg ha⁻¹ N-urea, five split applications of 16 kg ha⁻¹ N-urea, a single application of 80 kg ha⁻¹ N–KNO₃, five split applications of 16 kg ha⁻¹ N–KNO₃. Cumulative N₂O emissions for 22 days were unaffected by fertilization treatments at 32% water-filled pore space (WFPS). At 100% and 120% WFPS, cumulative N₂O emissions were highest from soil fertilized with KNO₃. The split application of N fertilizers decreased N₂O emissions compared to a single initial application only when KNO₃ was applied to a saturated soil, at 100% WFPS. Emissions of N₂O were very low after the application of urea, similar to those found at unfertilized soil. Average N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio values were significantly affected by moisture levels (p = 0.015), being the lowest at 120% WFPS. The N₂O/(N₂O+N₂) ratio averaged 0.2 in unfertilized soil and 0.5 in fertilized soil, although these differences were not statistically significant.     

Spatial variability and biophysicochemical controls on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emissions from differently tilled arable soils

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, soil microbial community structure, bulk density, total pore volume, total C and N, aggregate mean weight diameter and stability index were determined in arable soils under three different types of tillage: reduced tillage (RT), no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Thirty intact soil cores, each in a 25 × 25-m² grid, were collected to a depth of 10 cm at the seedling stage of winter wheat in February 2008 from Maulde (50°3′ N, 3°43′ W), Belgium. Two additional soil samples adjacent to each soil core were taken to measure the spatial variance in biotic and physicochemical conditions. The microbial community structure was evaluated by means of phospholipid fatty acids analysis. Soil cores were amended with 15 kg NO₃⁻-N ha⁻¹, 15 kg NH₄⁺-N ha⁻¹ and 30 kg ha⁻¹ urea-N ha⁻¹ and then brought to 65% water-filled pore space and incubated for 21 days at 15°C, with regular monitoring of N₂O emissions. The N₂O fluxes showed a log-normal distribution with mean coefficients of variance (CV) of 122%, 78% and 90% in RT, NT and CT, respectively, indicating a high spatial variation. However, this variability of N₂O emissions did not show plot scale spatial dependence. The N₂O emissions from RT were higher (p < 0.01) than from CT and NT. Multivariate analysis of soil properties showed that PC1 of principal component analysis had highest loadings for aggregate mean weight diameter, total C and fungi/bacteria ratio. Stepwise multiple regression based on soil properties explained 72% (p < 0.01) of the variance of N₂O emissions. Spatial distributions of soil properties controlling N₂O emissions were different in three different tillages with CV ranked as RT > CT > NT.     

An assessment of factors controlling N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emissions from crop residues using different measurement approaches

Management of plant residues plays an important role in maintaining soil quality and nutrient availability for plants and microbes. However, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the factors controlling residue decomposition and their effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the soil. This uncertainty is created both by the complexity of the processes involved and limitations in the methodologies commonly used to quantify GHG emissions. We therefore investigated the addition of two soil residues (durum wheat and faba bean) with similar C/N ratios but contrasting fibres, lignin and cellulose contents on nutrient dynamics and GHG emission from two contrasting soils: a low-soil organic carbon (SOC), high pH clay soil (Chromic Haploxerert) and a high-SOC, low pH sandy-loam soil (Eutric Cambisol). In addition, we compared the effectiveness of the use of an infrared gas analyser (IRGA) and a photoacoustic gas analyser (PGA) to measure GHG emissions with more conventional gas chromatography (GC). There was a strong correlation between the different measurement techniques which strengthens the case for the use of continuous measurement approaches involving IRGA and PGA analyses in studies of this type. The unamended Cambisol released 286% more CO₂ and 30% more N₂O than the Haploxerert. Addition of plant residues increased CO₂ emissions more in the Haploxerert than Cambisol and N₂O emission more in the Cambisol than in the Haploxerert. This may have been a consequence of the high N stabilization efficiency of the Haploxerert resulting from its high pH and the effect of the clay on mineralization of native organic matter. These results have implication management of plant residues in different soil types.     

Straw preservation reduced total N2O emissions from a sugarcane field

Post‐harvest biomass can be used as feedstock for energy production and alter N₂O emissions from the soil, which is among the main issues determining bioethanol sustainability. To assess the effects of sugarcane straw return on gas emissions, we established a field experiment in which 0, 50, 75 or 100% (0, 5.65, 8.47 and 11.30 Mg/ha dry biomass, respectively) of the crop residues (straw) was left in the field during the first two ratoon crops. As fertilizer is applied in bands to sugarcane, we also investigated the contribution of different positions to the N₂O emissions within the field. There was an interactive effect between straw and inorganic fertilizer, leading to a nonlinear effect of crop residues on the fertilizer emission factor (EF). However, straw consistently reduced N₂O emissions from the field, acting mainly in the unfertilized areas in the field (P < 0.05). We observed that considering the typical EF used in the literature, the N₂O‐N emissions attributed to fertilizer ranged from 0.19 to 0.79 kg/ha, while the total emissions ranged from 3.3 to 5.2 kg/ha, from the highest amount of straw to the lowest. We conclude that overall, the fertilizer EF is not as relevant as the total emissions, based on this and other studies. Consequently, management practices might be more effective in improving the GHG balance than changing inorganic fertilizer use. We conclude that keeping up to 11 Mg/ha of straw with a large C:N ratio (>100:1) on site might increase sugarcane production sustainability by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from the field.     

Effect of Stover Management and Nitrogen Fertilization on N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Emissions from Irrigated Maize in a High Nitrate Mediterranean Soil

A high soil nitrogen (N) content in irrigated areas quite often results in environmental problems. Improving the management practices of intensive agriculture can mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study compared the effect of maize stover incorporation or removal together with different mineral N fertilizer rates (0, 200 and 300 kg N ha^?1) on the emission of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) on a sprinkler-irrigated maize (Zea mays L.). The trail was conducted in the Ebro Valley (NE Spain) in a high nitrate-N soil (i.e. 200 g NO₃–N kg^?1). Nitrous oxide and CO₂ emissions were sampled weekly using a semi-static closed chamber and quantified using the photoacoustic technique in 2011 and 2012. Applying sidedress N fertilizer tended to increase N₂O emissions whereas stover incorporation did not have any clear effect. Nitrification was probably the main process leading to N₂O. Denitrification was limited by the low soil moisture content (WFPS <?54%), due to an adequate irrigation management. Emissions ranged from ??0.11 to 0.36% of the N applied, below the IPCC (2007) values. Nitrogen fertilization tended to reduce CO₂ emission, but only in 2011. Stover incorporation increased CO₂ emission. Nitrogen use efficiency decreased with increasing mineral fertilizer supply. The application of N in high N soils of the Ebro Valley is not necessary until the soil restores a normal mineral N content, regardless of stover management. This will combine productivity with keeping N₂O and CO₂ emissions under control provided irrigation is adequately managed. Testing soil NO₃ ^?–N contents before fertilizing would improve N fertilizer recommendations.     

施肥方式对紫色土农田生态系统N2O和NO排放的影响

依托紫色土施肥方式与养分循环长期试验平台(2002年—),采用静态箱-气相色谱法开展紫色土冬小麦-夏玉米轮作周期(2013年10月至2014年10月)农田生态系统N_2O和NO排放的野外原位观测试验。长期施肥方式包括单施氮肥(N)、传统猪厩肥(OM)、常规氮磷钾肥(NPK)、猪厩肥配施氮磷钾肥(OMNPK)和秸秆还田配施氮磷钾肥(RSDNPK)等5种,氮肥用量相同[小麦季130 kg(N)×hm~(-2),玉米季150 kg(N)×hm~(-2)],不施肥对照(CK)用于计算排放系数,对比不同施肥方式对紫色土典型农田生态系统土壤N_2O和NO排放的影响,以期探寻紫色土农田生态系统N_2O和NO协同减排的施肥方式。结果表明,所有施肥方式下紫色土N_2O和NO排放速率波动幅度大,且均在施肥初期出现峰值;强降雨激发N_2O排放,但对NO排放无明显影响。在整个小麦-玉米轮作周期,N、OM、NPK、OMNPK和RSDNPK处理的N_2O年累积排放量分别为1.40 kg(N)×hm~(-2)、4.60 kg(N)×hm~(-2)、0.95 kg(N)×hm~(-2)、2.16kg(N)×hm~(-2)和1.41 kg(N)×hm~(-2),排放系数分别为0.41%、1.56%、0.25%、0.69%、0.42%;NO累积排放量分别为0.57 kg(N)×hm~(-2)、0.40 kg(N)×hm~(-2)、0.39 kg(N)×hm~(-2)、0.46 kg(N)×hm~(-2)和0.17 kg(N)×hm~(-2),排放系数分别为0.21%、0.15%、0.15%、0.17%、0.07%。施肥方式对紫色土N_2O和NO累积排放量具有显著影响(P0.05),与NPK处理比较,OM和OMNPK处理的N_2O排放分别增加384%和127%,同时NO排放分别增加3%和18%;RSDNPK处理的NO排放减少56%。表明长期施用猪厩肥显著增加N_2O和NO排放,而秸秆还田有效减少NO排放。研究表明,土壤温度和水分条件均显著影响小麦季N_2O和NO排放(P0.01),对玉米季N_2O和NO排放没有显著影响(P0.05),土壤无机氮含量则是在小麦-玉米轮作期N_2O和NO排放的主要限制因子(P0.01)。全量秸秆还田与化肥配合施用是紫色土农田生态系统N_2O和NO协同减排的优化施肥方式。     

施肥方式对冬小麦—夏玉米轮作土壤N_2O排放的影响

氧化亚氮(N_2O)是一种重要的农田温室气体,本研究利用紫色土长期施肥试验平台,采用静态箱/气相色谱法对紫色土旱作农田冬小麦—夏玉米轮作系统的N_2O排放进行了定位观测(2012年11月至2013年9月),研究单施氮肥(N)、常规氮磷钾肥(NPK)、猪厩肥(OM)、猪厩肥配施氮磷钾肥(OMNPK)和秸秆还田配施氮磷钾肥(ICRNPK)等施肥方式对紫色土N_2O排放特征的影响;不施肥(NF)作为对照计算排放系数,以探寻紫色土地区可操作性强、环境友好的施肥方式。结果表明,所有施肥方式的N_2O排放均呈现双峰排放,峰值出现在施肥初期;玉米季N_2O排放峰值显著高于小麦季(p0.05)。在相同的施氮水平(小麦季130 kg hm~(~(-2)),玉米季150 kg hm~(~(-2)))下,施肥方式对N_2O排放和作物产量均有显著影响(p0.05)。N、OM、NPK、OMNPK和ICRNPK处理的土壤N_2O周年累积排放量分别为1.93、1.96、1.12、1.50和0.79 kg hm~(~(-2)),排放系数分别为0.62%、0.63%、0.33%、0.47%和0.21%,全年作物产量分别为4.35、11.95、8.39、9.77、10.93 t hm~(~(-2))。施用猪厩肥显著增加N_2O排放量,而秸秆还田在保证作物产量的同时显著降低N_2O排放量,可作为紫色土地区环境友好的施肥方式。土壤无机氮(NO_3~--N和NH_4~+-N)是N_2O排放的主要限制因子。因此,在施氮水平相同时,施肥方式对紫色土活性氮含量的影响导致N_2O排放差异显著,是土壤N_2O排放差异的根本原因。土壤孔隙充水率也是影响N_2O排放的重要环境因子,并且其对N_2O排放的影响存在阈值效应。     

Long-term animal impact modifies potential production of N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O from pasture soil

At cattle overwintering areas, inputs of nutrients in animal excrements create conditions favourable for intensive microbial activity in soil. During nitrogen transformations, significant amounts of N₂O are released, which makes overwintering areas important sources of N₂O emission. In previous studies, however, increasing intensity of long-term cattle impact did not always increase emissions of N₂O from the soil: in some cases, N₂O emissions from the soil were lower at the most impacted area than at the moderately impacted one. Thus, the relationships between the level of long-term animal impact and potential production of N₂O from soil by denitrification were investigated in field and laboratory experiments. Field measurements indicated that the production of N₂O after glucose and nitrate amendments was greater in severely and moderately impacted locations than in an unimpacted location, while differences between the severely and moderately impacted locations were not significant. In laboratory experiments, the potential production of N₂O (measured as anaerobic production of N₂O after addition of glucose and nitrate) was highest in the moderately impacted soil. Surprisingly, potential N₂O production was lower in the most impacted than in the moderately impacted soil, and the net N₂O production in the highly impacted soil was further decreased by a significant reduction of N₂O to N₂. The expected stimulating effect of an increasing ratio of glucose C to nitrate N on the reduction of N₂O to N₂ during denitrification was not confirmed. The results show that cattle increase the denitrification potential of the soil but suggest that the denitrification potential does not increase indefinitely with increasing cattle impact.     

Effect of crop residue C:N ratio on N2O emissions from Gray Lowland soil in Mikasa,Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

We studied the effect of crop residues with various C:N ratios on N₂O emissions from soil. We set up five experimental plots with four types of crop residues, onion leaf (OL), soybean stem and leaf (SSL), rice straw (RS) and wheat straw (WS), and no residue (NR) on Gray Lowland soil in Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan. The C:N ratios of these crop residues were 11.6, 14.5, 62.3, and 110, respectively. Based on the results of a questionnaire survey of farmer practices, we determined appropriate application rates: 108, 168, 110, 141 and 0 g C m^?2 and 9.3, 11.6, 1.76, 1.28 and 0 g N m^?2, respectively. We measured N₂O, CO₂ and NO fluxes using a closed chamber method. At the same time, we measured soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm, water-filled pore space (WFPS), and the concentrations of soil NH⁺ ₄-N, NO^? ₃-N and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Significant peaks of N₂O and CO₂ emissions came from OL and SSL just after application, but there were no emissions from RS, WS or NR. There was a significant relationship between N₂O and CO₂ emissions in each treatment except WS, and correlations between CO₂ flux and temperature in RS, soil NH⁺ ₄-N and N₂O flux in SSL and NR, soil NH⁺ ₄-N and CO₂ flux in SSL, and WSOC and CO₂ flux in WS. The ratio of N₂O-N/NO-N increased to approximately 100 in OL and SSL as N₂O emissions increased. Cumulative N₂O and CO₂ emissions increased as the C:N ratio decreased, but not significantly. The ratio of N₂O emission to applied N ranged from ?0.43% to 0.86%, and was significantly correlated with C:N ratio (y = ?0.59 ln [x] + 2.30, r ² = 0.99, P < 0.01). The ratio of CO₂ emissions to applied C ranged from ?5.8% to 45% and was also correlated with C:N ratio, but not significantly (r ² = 0.78, P = 0.11).     

Nitrous oxide emissions as influenced by amendment of plant residues with different C:N ratios

To investigate the influence of plant residues decomposition on N₂O emission, laboratory incubations were carried out for a period of 21 days using urea and five plant residues with a wide range of C:N ratios from 8 to 118. Incorporation of plant residues enhanced N₂O and CO₂ emissions. The two gas fluxes were significantly correlated (R²=0.775, p<0.001). Cumulative emissions of N₂O and CO₂ were negatively correlated with the C:N ratio in plant residues (R²=0.783 and 0.986 for N₂O, and 0.854 for CO₂, respectively). A negative relationship between the N₂O-N/NO₃⁻-N ratio and the C:N ratio was observed (R²=0.867) when residue plus urea was added. We calculated the changes in dissolved organic C (DOC) and the relevant changes in N₂O emission. The incorporation of residues increased DOC when compared with the control, while the incorporation of residue plus urea decreased DOC. Cumulative emissions of N₂O and CO₂ were positively correlated with DOC concentration measured at the end of the incubation. In addition, the N₂O emission fraction, defined as N₂O-N emissions per unit N input, was not found to be a constant for either residue-N or urea-N amendment but dependent on C:N ratio when plant residue was incorporated.     

Nitrous oxide emissions from arable soils in Germany — An evaluation of six long‐term field experiments

In this study emissions of N₂O from arable soils are summarized using data from long‐term N₂O monitoring experiments. The field experiments were conducted at six sites in Germany between 1992 and 1997. The annual N‐application rate ranged from 0 to 350 kg N ha^—1. Mineral and organic N‐fertilizer applications were temporarily split adapted to the growth stage of each crop. N‐fertilizer input and N‐yield by the crops were used to calculate the In/Out‐balance. The closed chamber technique was applied to monitor the N₂O fluxes from soil into the atmosphere. If possible, plants were included in the covers. Annual N₂O emission values were based on flux rate measurements of an entire year. The annual N₂O losses ranged from 0.53 to 16.78 kg N₂O‐N ha^—1 with higher N₂O emissions from organically fertilized plots as compared to minerally fertilized plots. Approximately 50% of the total annual emissions occurred during winter. No significant relationship between annual N₂O emissions and the respective N‐fertilization rate was found. This was attributed to site‐ and crop‐specific effects on N₂O emission. The calculation of the N₂O emission per unit N‐yield from winter cereal plots indicates that the site effect on N₂O emission is more important than the effect of N‐fertilization. From unfertilized soils at the sites Braunschweig and Timmerlah a N‐yield of 60.0 kg N ha^—1 a^—1 and N₂O emissions of 2 kg N ha^—1 a^—1 were measured. This high background emission was assigned to the amount and turnover of soil organic matter. For a crop rotation at the sites Braunschweig and Timmerlah the N In/Out‐balance over a period of four years was identified as a suitable predictor of N₂O emissions. This parameter characterizes the efficiency of N‐fertilization for crop production and allows for N‐mineralization from the soil.     

Plant material addition affects soil nitrous oxide production differently between aerobic and oxygen-limited conditions

It is a common agricultural practice for crop residues to be plowed into the soil or left on the soil surface. Soil addition of crop residues can considerably modify soil microbial activity and net N mineralization, and in general such modifications are negatively related to the C:N ratios of crop residues. Yet, little is known on the impacts of crop residues of different C:N ratios on soil nitrous oxide (N₂O) production under different aeration conditions via nitrification and denitrification. In this study, an 84-day laboratory incubation was conducted under aerobic and O₂-limited conditions and soil N₂O production was measured every 3 days after the addition of plant materials with a wide range of C:N ratios from 14 to 297. Two aerobic conditions were created by adjusting the water content of soil at a bulk density of 1.1 g cm⁻³ to 30% water-filled pore space (WFPS) and 60% WFPS, and two O₂-limited conditions were made by 90% WFPS and fluctuation between 90% and 30% WFPS. Each fluctuation cycle lasted 9 days and soil water content was readjusted to 90% WFPS at the end of each cycle. We also measured microbial respiration activity and net N mineralization periodically (i.e., 3, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, and 84 days) during the incubation and microbial biomass C at the end of incubation. At aerobic conditions, soil amendments of plant materials, regardless of their C:N ratios, all enhanced soil N₂O production. However, net N mineralization was dependent on plant material C:N ratios, being significantly higher or lower than the control for C:N ratios ∼15 and C:N ratios ≥44, respectively. Such inconsistent responses indicated that nitrifiers mediating nitrification and therefore byproduct N₂O production could strongly compete with heterotrophic microbes for NH₄⁺ and therefore net N mineralization was not a good predictor for nitrification-associated N₂O production. Interestingly, plant material additions reduced soil N₂O production by up to ∼95% at O₂-limited conditions, perhaps due to NO₃⁻ limitation. Soil NO₃⁻ production via nitrification could be low at O₂-limited conditions, and soil NO₃⁻ availability could be further reduced due to increases in microbial biomass and thus microbial N assimilation after plant material additions. This NO₃⁻ limitation might enhance N₂O reduction to N₂, by which denitrifiers could harvest more energy from the consumption of limited NO₃⁻. Nonetheless, our results revealed contrasting differences in N₂O production between aerobic and O₂-limited conditions following soil amendments of plant materials.     

Nitrous oxide release from arable soil: importance of perennial forage crops

 N₂O emission rates from a sandy loam soil were measured in a field experiment with 2 years of perennial forage crops (ryegrass, ryegrass-red clover, red clover) and 1 year of spring barley cultivation. Spring barley was sown after the incorporation of the forage crop residues. All spring barley plots received 40 kg N ha^–1 N fertiliser. Ryegrass, ryegrass-red clover and red clover plots were fertilised with 350 kg N ha^–1, 175 kg N ha^–1 and 0 kg N ha^–1, respectively. From June 1994 to February 1997, N₂O fluxes were continuously estimated using very large, closed soil cover boxes (5.76 m²). In order to compare the growing crops, the 33 months of investigation were separated into three vegetation periods (March–September) and three winter periods (October–February). All agronomic treatments (fertilisation, harvest and tillage) were carried out during the vegetation period. Large temporal changes were found in the N₂O emission rates. The data were approximately log-normally distributed. Forty-seven percent of the annual N₂O losses were observed to occur during winter, and mainly resulted from N₂O production during daily thawing and freezing cycles. No relationship was found between the N₂O emissions during the winter and the vegetation period. During the vegetation period, N₂O losses and yields were significantly different between the three forage crops. The unfertilised clover plot produced the highest yields and the lowest N₂O losses on this soil compared to the highly fertilised ryegrass plot. Total N₂O losses from soil under spring barley were higher than those from soil under the forage crops; this was mainly a consequence of N₂O emissions after the incorporation of the forage crop residues. Received: 31 October 1997     

施肥对夏玉米季紫色土N2O排放及反硝化作用的影响

采用原状土柱-乙炔抑制培养法研究了施肥对紫色土玉米生长季土壤N2O排放通量和反硝化作用的影响.结果表明:玉米季施肥显著增加土壤N2O排放和反硝化损失,同时,各施肥处理间N2O排放与反硝化损失量差异显著.猪厩肥、猪厩肥配施氮磷钾肥、氮肥、氮磷钾肥和秸秆配施氮磷钾肥等处理的土壤N,O排放量分别为3.01、2.86、2.51、2.19和1.88 kg hm-2,分别占当季氮肥施用量的1.63％、1.53％、1.30％、1.09％和0.88％,反硝化损失量分别为6.74、6.11、5.23、4.69和4.12 kg hm-2,分别占当季氮肥施用量的3.97％、3.55％、2.97％、2.61％和2.23％,不施肥土壤的N2O排放量和反硝化损失量仅为0.56和0.78 kg hm-2.施肥是紫色土玉米生长前期(2周内)土壤N2O排放和反硝化速率出现高峰的主要驱动因子,土壤铵态氮和硝态氮含量是影响土壤N2O排放、土壤硝化和反硝化作用的限制因子,土壤含水量是重要影响因子,降雨是主要促发因素.土壤N2O排放量与反硝化损失量的比值介于0.45 ～0.72之间,土壤反硝化损失量极显著高于土壤N2O排放量,说明土壤反硝化作用是紫色土玉米生长季氮肥损失的重要途径.     

Do combined applications of crop residues and inorganic fertilizer lower emission of N2O from soil?

Emissions of N₂O were measured following addition of ¹⁵N‐labelled residues of tropical plant species [Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), Mucuna pruriens and Leucaena leucocephala] to a Ferric Luvisol from Ghana at a rate of 100 mg N/kg soil under controlled environment conditions. Residues were also applied in different ratio combinations with inorganic N fertilizer, at a total rate of 100 mg N/kg soil. N₂O emissions were increased after addition of residues, and further increased with combined (ratio) applications of residues and inorganic N fertilizer. However, ¹⁵N‐N₂O production was low and short‐lived in all treatments, suggesting that most of the measured N₂O‐N was derived from the applied fertilizer or native soil mineral N pools. There was no consistent trend in magnitude of emissions with increasing proportion of inorganic fertilizer in the application. The positive interactive effect between residue‐ and fertilizer‐N sources was most pronounced in the 25:75 Leucaena:fertilizer and cowpea:fertilizer treatments where 1082 and 1130 mg N₂O‐N/g residue were emitted over 30 days. N₂O (log_e) emission from all residue amended treatments was positively correlated with the residue C:N ratio, and negatively correlated with residue polyphenol content, polyphenol:N ratio and (lignin + polyphenol):N ratio, indicating the role of residue chemical composition in regulating emissions even when combined with inorganic fertilizer. The positive interactive effect in our treatments suggests that it is unlikely that combined applications of residues and inorganic fertilizer can lower N₂O emissions unless the residue is of very low quality promoting strong immobilisation of soil mineral N.