Soils and nitrous oxide research

Between 1990 and 2008, Soil Use and Management has published around 42 articles which have dealt with nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from soils. The importance of this subject to readers of the journal has increased rapidly in recent years. A substantial number of these papers have appeared in two supplements. These were ‘Soils and the Greenhouse Effect’, vol. 13 (4) and ‘Soils as Carbon Sinks’, vol. 20. The number of annual citations of articles on N₂O in the journal has risen from zero in the early 1990s to 160 per year in 2008. In this article, we have highlighted some of the more important papers on N₂O that have been published by Soil Use and Management, and explain how they have helped advance our understanding of the role that soil management plays in influencing N₂O emissions.     

硝化抑制剂双氰胺对褐土中尿素转化的影响

采用好气土壤培养法,研究北京地区典型褐土中添加不同浓度水平硝化抑制剂双氰胺（Dicyandiamide,DCD）条件下土壤中铵态氮、硝态氮变化规律。结果表明,44d培养期内,DCD施用显著提高土壤中NH4＋-N浓度,降低NO3--N浓度,1%、2%、3%、4%和5%DCD用量处理条件土壤NH4＋-N平均浓度比单施尿素对照处理分别升高29.50%、71.84%、99.73%、98.90%和139.69%,NO3--N平均浓度降低3.71%、15.61%、21.07%、33.57%和37.90%。综合反映NO3--N和NH4＋-N变化规律的土壤表观硝化率指标变化结果表明,1%、2%、3%、4%和5%DCD用量处理比对照分别降低12.18%、35.35%、44.82%、48.18%和59.93%;1%、2%、3%和4%DCD处理达到平衡时间分别延迟7d、14d、14d和21d,5%DCD处理表观硝化率一直较低,直到培养结束仍呈升高的趋势;2%、3%、4%DCD处理表观硝化率升高速率显著下降（分别降低39.32%、40.00%和52.27%）。综合考虑作物氮素需求规律、环境效应和使用经济效益,4%DCD用量效应最佳,具有较好的土壤铵氧化抑制效果,有助于提高氮素利用率,减少环境流失。     

Effects of application of lime nitrogen and dicyandiamide on nitrous oxide emissions from green tea fields

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the mitigating effects of lime nitrogen (calcium cyanamide) and dicyandiamide (DCD) application on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from fields of green tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze]. The study was conducted in experimental tea fields in which the fertilizer application rate was 544 kg nitrogen (N) ha^?1 yr^?1 for 2 years. The mean cumulative N₂O flux from the soil between the canopies of tea plants for 2 years was 7.1 ± 0.9 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 in control plots. The cumulative N₂O flux in the plots supplemented with lime nitrogen was 3.5 ± 0.1 kgN ha^?1, approximately 51% lower than that in control plots. This reduction was due to the inhibition of nitrification by DCD, which was produced from the lime nitrogen. In addition, the increase in soil pH by lime in the lime nitrogen may also be another reason for the decreased N₂O emissions from soil in LN plots. Meanwhile, the cumulative N₂O flux in DCD plots was not significantly different from that in control plots. The seasonal variability in N₂O emissions in DCD plots differed from that in control plots and application of DCD sometimes increased N₂O emissions from tea field soil. The nitrification inhibition effect of lime nitrogen and DCD helped to delay nitrification of ammonium-nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), leading to high NH₄⁺-N concentrations and a high ratio of NH₄⁺-N /nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃^–-N) in the soil. The inhibitors delayed the formation of NO₃^–-N in soil. N uptake by tea plants was almost the same among all three treatments.     

The effect of dicyandiamide on rumen and blood metabolites,diet digestibility and urinary excretion

The excretion of urine by dairy cows provides a source of nitrogen (N) to pasture. Excess N from urine patches can be lost through nitrate (NO₃⁻) leaching and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Dicyandiamide (DCD) inhibits nitrification in the soil and is usually applied to the pasture by blanket spreading the entire field. This study assessed the potential of pulse-dosing cows with DCD so that the DCD will be excreted in the urine and deposited directly onto the urine patches. The objective of this study was to measure the recovery of DCD in urine and faeces and to assess the effects of DCD on rumen and blood metabolites and diet digestibility. Eight non-lactating Holstein–Friesian dairy cows fitted with rumen cannulae were assigned to two treatments in a Latin square design over two periods. The two treatments used were (1) control (CON) consisting of 500 ml distilled water and (2) DCD consisting of 0.1 g DCD per kg liveweight (LW) suspended in 500 ml distilled water. Both treatments were pulse-dosed into the rumen daily for 6 days with half the volume dosed in the morning and the remainder in the afternoon. The administration of DCD into the rumen had no effect on rumen and blood metabolites, and diet digestibility when compared to the control treatment, as all were not significantly different from the control treatment and were within the normal biological range. During 6 days of dosing with DCD the average recovery of the dosed DCD in urine was 82.3%, with a further 2.1% recovered in the faeces. No DCD was recovered in the urine and faeces 10 days following the cessation of dosing. These results could provide the basis for a novel mitigation strategy to reduce NO₃⁻ leaching and N₂O emissions from urine patches in grazed grassland.     

Influence of Two Nitrification Inhibitors (DCD and DMPP) on Annual Ryegrass Yield and Soil Mineral N Dynamics after Incorporation with Cattle Slurry

Nitrogen (N) losses through nitrate leaching, occurring after slurry spreading, can be reduced by the use of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) such as dicyandiamide (DCD) and 3,4‐dimethyl pyrazole phosphate (DMPP). In the present work, the effects of DCD and DMPP, applied at two rates with cattle slurry, on soil mineral N profiles, annual ryegrass yield, and N uptake were compared under similar pedoclimatic conditions. Both NIs delayed the nitrate formation in soil; however, DMPP ensured that the soil mineral N was predominantly in the ammonium form rather than in the nitrate form for about 100 days, whereas with DCD such effect was observed only during the first 40 days after sowing. Furthermore, the use of NIs led to an increase of the dry‐matter (DM) yields in a range of 32–54% and of the forage N removal in a range of 34–68% relative to the slurry‐only (SO) treatment (without NIs). A DM yield of 8698 kg ha^?1 was obtained with the DMPP applied at the greater rate against only 7444 kg ha^?1 obtained with the greater rate of DCD (4767 kg ha^?1 in the SO treatment). Therefore, it can be concluded that DMPP is more efficient as an NI than DCD when combined with cattle slurry.     

Effect of urease and nitrification inhibitors on N transformation, gaseous emissions of ammonia and nitrous oxide, pasture yield and N uptake in grazed pasture system

Nitrogen (N) losses via nitrate (NO₃⁻) leaching, ammonia (NH₃) volatilization and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from grazed pastures in New Zealand are one of the major contributors to environmental degradation. The use of N inhibitors (urease and nitrification inhibitors) may have a role in mitigating these N losses. A one-year field experiment was conducted on a permanent dairy-grazed pasture site at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand to quantify these N losses and to assess the effect of N inhibitors in reducing such losses during May 2005-2006. Cow urine at 600 kg N ha⁻¹ rate with or without urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (nBTPT) or (trade name “Agrotain”) (3 L ha⁻¹), nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) (7 kg ha⁻¹) and the use of double inhibitor (DI) containing a combination of both Agrotain and DCD (3:7) were applied to field plots in autumn, spring and summer. Pasture production, NH₃ and N₂O fluxes, soil mineral N concentrations, microbial biomass C and N, and soil pH were measured following the application of treatments during each season. All measured parameters, except soil microbial biomass C and N, were influenced by the added inhibitors during the three seasons. Agrotain reduced NH₃ emissions over urine alone by 29%, 93% and 31% in autumn, spring and summer respectively but had little effect on N₂O emission. DCD reduced N₂O emission over urine alone by 52%, 39% and 16% in autumn, spring and summer respectively but increased NH₃ emission by 56%, 9% and 17% over urine alone during those three seasons. The double inhibitor reduced NH₃ by 14%, 78% and 9% and N₂O emissions by 37%, 67% and 28% over urine alone in autumn, spring and summer respectively. The double inhibitor also increased pasture dry matter by 10%, 11% and 8% and N uptake by the 17%, 28% and 10% over urine alone during autumn, spring and summer respectively. Changes in soil mineral N and pH suggested a delay in urine-N hydrolysis with Agrotain, and reduced nitrification with DCD. The combination of Agrotain and DCD was more effective in reducing both NH₃ and N₂O emissions, improving pasture production, controlling urea hydrolysis and retaining N in NH₄⁺ form. These results suggest that the combination of both urease and nitrification inhibitors may have the most potential to reduce N losses if losses are associated with urine and improve pasture production in intensively grazed systems.     

硝化抑制剂对毛竹林土壤N_2O排放和氨氧化微生物的影响

为了探索硝化抑制剂在毛竹生产中的施用技术,通过培养试验研究3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐(DMPP)和双氰胺(DCD)两种硝化抑制剂对毛竹林施用尿素后土壤N2O排放、氮素转化和相关氨氧化细菌(AOB)、氨氧化古菌(AOA)群落结构和丰度的影响。试验设(1)对照(CK)、(2)单施尿素(Urea)、(3)尿素+1%DMPP(DMPP占总N的1%,下同);(4)尿素+1.5%DMPP;(5)尿素+10%DCD;(6)尿素+15%DCD等6个处理,测定N2O的排放动态以及气体排放转折点时的土壤特征指标。结果表明:与单施尿素相比,160 d的时间内两种DMPP用量处理的土壤N2O累积排放减排幅度均为54%,而10%DCD和15%DCD处理的土壤分别减少28%和41%。DMPP和DCD处理50 d和90 d时土壤的NH4+-N含量均显著高于(p0.05)单施尿素处理,而NO3--N含量和表观硝化率则恰好相反,但两种抑制剂间无差异。DMPP处理的AOB群落结构的变化从10 d开始显现,至50 d和90 d时仍保持明显的抑制状态,而DCD处理则至90 d时抑制作用基本消失。单施尿素AOB功能基因(amo A)的丰度均显著高于硝化抑制剂处理(90 d时尿素+10%DCD处理除外);在整个培养期内,尿素和对照土壤的AOA群落结构相似,硝化抑制剂反而增加了AOA功能基因的丰度,表明硝化抑制剂对AOA丰度无明显抑制作用。即两种硝化抑制剂主要通过抑制AOB起作用;调节土壤p H至中性范围,并在1%DMPP施用条件下,硝化抑制剂的抑制效果最显著。     

几种硝化抑制剂和包硫尿素(SCU)对土壤N素形态和小麦产量的影响

采用土壤盆栽法,研究了双氰胺(DCD)、硫脲(THU)和硫脲甲醛树脂(TFR)以及包硫尿素(SCU)对土壤氮素形态和小麦产量的影响。试验共设不施氮(CK)、单施尿素、包硫尿素(SCU)、以及尿素分别与DCD、THA、TUF的3个浓度梯度(分别按尿素用量的0.5%、1%、2%)配合施用共12个处理。结果表明:随添加浓度的增加,硝化抑制作用逐渐增强,高剂量硝化抑制剂显著降低土壤NO-3-N含量,在2%添加浓度下,DCD、THU、TFR的土壤NO-3-N浓度分别比单施尿素降低29%、22%和14%,对土壤表观硝化率的抑制强度也是2%DCD2%THU2%TFR;SCU处理与2%DCD作用强度接近,且在施用早期就体现抑制效果,并在追肥后第74 d土壤表观硝化率显著低于使用硝化抑制剂的处理(P0.05);硝化抑制剂和SCU都可以使土壤NH+4-N含量稳定在较高的水平,抑制剂用量越多,土壤NH+4-N含量越高;与单施尿素相比,尿素+DCD模式,均可提高小麦产量,且在0.5%、1%、2%添加浓度,都达到显著水平(P0.05);THU在1.0%和2.0%添加浓度,小麦产量显著高于单施尿素,但增产效果次于DCD。总体上,包硫尿素(SCU)比硝化抑制剂在控释氮素方面效果更持久,而3种硝化抑制剂中,在控制土壤NH+4-N转化、土壤硝化抑制方面,DCD和THU优于TFR;作为外源添加物的抑制剂长期应用可能对土壤环境造成潜在的危害,不同硝化抑制在土壤中的形态归趋和长期作用还有待进一步研究。     

追氮方式对夏玉米土壤N2O和NH3排放的影响

【目的】研究氮肥与硝化抑制剂撒施及条施覆土三种追施氮肥方式下土壤N2O和NH3排放规律、 O2浓度及土壤NH4+-N、 NO2--N和NO3--N的时空动态,揭示追氮方式对两种重要环境气体排放的影响及机制。【方法】试验设置3个处理: 1)农民习惯追氮方式撒施(BC); 2)撒施添加10%的硝化抑制剂(BC+DCD); 3) 条施后覆土(Band)。 3个处理均在施肥后均匀灌水20 mm。在夏玉米十叶期追施氮肥后的15天(2014年7月23日至8月8日)进行田间原位连续动态观测,并在玉米成熟期测定产量及吸氮量。采用静态箱-气相色谱法测定土壤N2O排放量,土壤气体平衡管-气相色谱法测定土壤N2O浓度,PVC管-通气法测定土壤NH3挥发,土壤气体平衡管-泵吸式O2浓度测定仪测定土壤O2浓度。【结果】农民习惯追氮方式N2O排放量为N 395 g/hm2,NH3挥发损失为N 22.9 kg/hm2,同时还导致土壤在一定程度上积累了NO2--N。与习惯追氮方式相比,添加硝化抑制剂显著减少N2O排放89.4%,使NH3挥发略有增加,未造成土壤NO2--N的累积。条施覆土使土壤N2O排放量显著增加将近1倍,但使NH3挥发显著减少69.4%,同时造成施肥后土壤局部高NO2--N累积。条施覆土的施肥条带上土壤NO2--N含量与N2O排放通量呈显著正相关。土壤气体的O2和N2O浓度受土壤含水量控制,当土壤WFPS大于60%时,020 cm土层中的O2浓度明显降低,而N2O浓度增加,土壤N2O浓度和土壤O2浓度间呈极显著负相关。各处理地上部产量及总吸氮量差异不显著。【结论】土壤NO2--N的累积与铵态氮肥施肥方式密切相关,NO2--N的累积能够促进土壤N2O的排放,且在条施覆土时达到显著水平(P0.05)。追氮方式对N2O和NH3两种气体的排放存在某种程度的此消彼长,添加硝化抑制剂在减少N2O排放的同时会增加NH3挥发,条施覆土在显著减少NH3挥发的同时会显著增加土壤N2O排放。在条施覆土基础上添加硝化抑制剂,有可能同时降低N2O排放和NH3挥发损失,此推论值得进一步研究。     

秸秆和DCD对不同施用期尿素土壤行为的影响Ⅲ：硝态氮的淋失特征

[目的]研究秸秆和DCD对冬小麦不同生育期施入尿素土壤行为的影响—硝态氮的淋失特征。[方法]通过田间试验,在不同时期取土样,采用连续流运分析仪法测定NO3-N。试验设5个处理：对照（不施秸秆、DCD和尿素,CK）;单施尿素（U）;尿素＋秸秆（U＋S）;尿素＋DCD（U＋DCD）;尿素＋秸秆＋DCD（U＋S＋DCD）。[结果]在田间试验条件下,总的趋势是加DCD的2个处理能有效减少NO3-N的淋失;加入秸秆后虽能减少部分NO3-N向下淋洗,但作用不明显。[结论]DOD和秸秆对不同时期施入尿素的土壤行为和硝态氮的淋失特征均产生一定影响。