REACTIONS OF AMMONIA WITH SOIL, III SORPTION OF AQUEOUS NH3 BY HOMOIONIC SOIL CLAYS

Homoionic clay suspensions were equilibrated at 25°C with aqueous NH, (0.01 to 0.30 M) by agitating for several days. Using clays extracted from three different soils, sorption of NH₃, measured by titration, followed the order Na > Ca > NH₄ -clay. The difference in NH₃ sorption between Na-clay and NH₄ -clay was matched by an increase in Na ⁺ ion concentration in the aqueous phase of suspensions of Na-clay treated with NH₃, but there was no such effect with Ca-clay. Sorption of NH₃ on NH₄ -clay in aqueous suspension is considered due to proton donation at sites of pH-dependent charge, and the additional sorption on Na-clay to displacement of Na ⁺ by NH₄⁺ ions. The additional sorption on Ca-clay seems largely due to co-ordination of Ca²⁺ ions with molecular NH. Exchangeable cations affect NH₃ sorption differently when an aqueous phase is present than when dried homoionic materials are treated with NH₃ gas.     

Effects of temperature on phosphate sorption isotherms and phosphate desorption

Abstract

Phosphorus sorption isotherms were constructed for two Idaho soils with widely different chemical properties. The soils were equilibrated with various amounts of Ca(H₂PO₄)₂ in 0.01 M CaCl₂ for 1, 3, 7, and 11 days at temperatures of 5°C and 20°C. The two soils which had been equilibrated previously for 11 days at 20°C with various amounts of Ca(H₂PO₄)₂ in 0.01 M CaCl₂ were desorbed at 5°C and 20°C.

The rates of sorption and desorption were decreased as the equilibration temperatures were lowered. The effect of temperature on these processes was detected during the first day of equilibration. Less P was found in the equilibrating solution at the lower temperature. The two soils varied widely in sorption and desorption properties.     

Interactions of nitrogen fertilizers and forest humus—i fir and black pine

In incubation experiments in the laboratory interactions of urea or NH₄NO₃ with humus from stands of fir (Abies cephalonica, Loudon) growing on soils developed from flysch (shales) and limestone and with humus from stands of black pine (pinus nigra, Arn.) growing on soils developed from peridotites, limestone and schists were investigated.Fir humus from stands on flysch and limestone and black pine humus from limestone showed nitrification but it was absent from black pine humus from stands on peridotites and on schists. Humus from stands on schists showed appreciable ammonification. Increasing concentrations of urea did not initiate nitrification in the latter type of humus. No substantial N immobilization was detected in spite of relatively high P immobilization. Increases in concentration of Ca, Mg and K occurring on incubation of humus samples were related to the ability of a humus type to nitrify rather than to concentrations of added urea-N.Urea was hydrolyzed rapidly to NH⁺₄ during contact with various types of humus, resulting in an increase of pH. Production of NH⁺₄ from urea was only minimally affected by drying the humus samples at 70°C for 20 h before incubation but was reduced to 30% at 1–5°C.     

Significance of temperature and water availability for soil phosphorus transformation and microbial community composition as affected by fertilizer sources

Little is known about the effects of temperature and drying–rewetting on soil phosphorus (P) fractions and microbial community composition in regard to different fertilizer sources. Soil P dynamics and microbial community properties were evaluated in a soil not fertilized or fertilized with KH₂PO₄ or swine manure at two temperatures (10 and 25 °C) and two soil water regimes (continuously moist and drying–rewetting cycles) in laboratory microcosm assays. The P source was the dominant factor determining the sizes of labile P fractions and microbial community properties. Manure fertilization increased the content of labile P, microbial biomass, alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity, and fatty acid contents, whereas KH₂PO₄ fertilization increased the content of labile inorganic P and microbial P. Water regimes, second to fertilization in importance, affected more labile P pools, microbial biomass, alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity, and fatty acid contents than temperature. Drying–rewetting cycles increased labile P pools, decreased microbial biomass and alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity, and shaped the composition of microbial communities towards those with greater percentages of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly at 25 °C in manure-fertilized soils. Microbial C and P dynamics responded differentially to drying–rewetting cycles in manure-fertilized soils but not in KH₂PO₄-fertilized soils, suggesting their decoupling because of P sources and water regimes. Phosphorus sources, temperature, and water regimes interactively affected the labile organic P pool in the middle of incubation. Overall, P sources and water availability had greater effects on P dynamics and microbial community properties than temperature.     

REACTIONS OF AMMONIA WITH SOIL. I

Heats of adsorption and adsorption isotherms of ammonia gas were measured at 300 K (27 °C) on outgassed soil saturated with Na⁺, K⁺, NH₄⁺, Ca²⁺, or Mg²⁺ ions. The Ca and Mg soils adsorbed apparently one more NH₂ molecule per exchangeable ion than the Na and K soils, mostly in the relative pressure range o to 0.005, but not much more than the NH₄ soil. The initial heat of adsorption was c. 75 kJ mol^-1 on the Ca and Mg soils and c. 60 kJ mol^-1 on the other soils. The results suggest that most NH, is sorbed on these soils through reactions not involving exchangeable cations.     

在DAP-CaCO3体系与DAP-石灰性土壤体系中NH3的挥发与磷的吸附之间的关系

本工作是研究在CaCO₃体系和石灰性土壤体系中NH₃的挥发与磷的吸附之间相互作用的化学变化,结果表明:在NH₄Cl—CaCO₃体系中,通气的pH值比不通气的低,但溶液中Ca²⁺浓度正好相反。在K₂HPO₄-CaCO₃体系中,在24小时内,通气与不通气的,CaCO₃吸附磷没有差异。在24小时反应期间,在DAP-CaCO₃体系中,因溶液pH值不断增高,NH₃的挥发对CaCO₃吸附磷的影响也就逐渐降低。在石灰性土壤体系中,施用尿素加过磷酸钙或单施尿素时,几乎没有发现NH₃的挥发,而施DAP时,在6天后,NH₃的挥发损失占加入的56%,且DAP处理的土壤,其水溶性磷未通气比通气的高。尿素加过磷酸钙处理的,其水溶性磷通气与未通气的没有差异。另外,尿素加过磷酸钙或过磷酸钙单独处理的土壤,水溶性磷含量均相同。所有这些均表明,在石灰质体系中,NH₃的挥发(如果发生的话)能够加强CaCO₃对磷的吸附,而磷的吸附又能加强NH₃的挥发,两者是相互影响和相互促进的过程。     

Effect of the soil dehydration temperature on the vapor-phase sorption of <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-xylene

The effect of two methods for the preparation of soil samples for sorption experiments—hard (dehydration at 105°C) and mild (drying over P₂O₅ at 20°C in vacuum) drying—on the values of the vaporphase sorption of p-xylene was studied depending on the content of organic matter in the soil. It was shown with dark gray forest and chernozemic soils as examples that the hard drying of soil samples taken from the upper layer of the humus profile with a high content (>4%) of organic carbon decreased their sorption capacity in the range of 0–5% by 7–81%. Therefore, the method is unsuitable for these soils. It was also found that the mild method of soil preparation had obvious analytical advantages.     

Evaluation of methods for soil inorganic nitrogen analysis

Abstract

This study determined the effects of soil preservation methods on inorganic nitrogen (N) analysis and evaluated methods of soil inorganic N analysis. Soils were preserved by oven‐drying at 55'C, air‐drying at 27°C, and freezing at ‐ 7°C. Inorganic N results were compared with initial N levels prior to imposing preservation treatments. Soil preservation effects on ammonium‐nitrogen (NH₄ ⁺‐N) were not consistent across soil types. Soil nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃ ^‐‐N) levels after air‐drying and freezing compared most favorably with initial levels indicating that both are acceptable methods of soil inorganic‐N preservation. Levels of NH₄ ⁺‐N averaged across soils were 3.9 mg/kg for steam distillation, 4.2 mg/kg for sodium salicylate‐hypochlorite, and 3.7 mg/kg for indophenol blue. When compared with steam distillation averaged across soils, NO₃ ^‐‐N for cadmium‐copper (Cd‐Cu) reduction was 4 mg/kg greater, followed by nitrate electrode at 3 mg/kg, and salicylic acid at 2 mg/kg. Recovery of added N ranged from 83.3 to 94.8% for the NH4+‐N methods and from 74.8 to 112.4% for the NO₃ ^‐‐N methods with the nitrate electrode averaging 98.3%.     

Persistence of effects of nitrification inhibitors added to soils

Abstract

The persistence of the effects of four nitrification inhibitors (2‐ethynylpyridine, nitrapyrin, etridiazole, 3‐methylpyrazole‐l‐carboxamide) on nitrification in soil was assessed by measuring the ability of two soils to nitrify NH₄ ⁺ [added as (NH₄)₂SO₄] after they had been treated with 5 μg inhibitor g^‐1 soil and incubated at 10, 20, or 30°C for 0, 21, 42, 84, 126, or 168 days. The soils used differed markedly in organic‐matter content (1.2 and 4.2% organic C). The data obtained showed that the persistence of the effects of the inhibitors studied decreased markedly with increase in soil temperature from 10 to 30°C and that, whereas the initial inhibitory effects of the test compounds on nitrification were greatest with the soil having the lower organic‐matter content, the persistence of their effects at 20 or 30°C was greatest with the soil having the higher organic‐matter content. The inhibitory effects of 2‐ethynylpyridine and etridiazole on nitrification were considerably more persistent than those of nitrapyrin or 3‐methylpyrazole‐l‐carboxamide and were significant even after incubation of inhibitor‐treated soil at 20°C for 168 days.     

Clay mineralogical and ammonium fixation characteristics of some tropical upland rice soils

Abstract

In view of the agronomic and economic significance of NH₄ fixation in soils, an attempt has been made to relate this to the most reactive mineral constituents of soils ‐ the clay minerals, under the temperature‐moisture regimes normal to tropical upland rice soils. Laboratory fixation study was done with NH₄, concentrations similar to those common in soils upon N fertilization, and under alternate wetting and drying at ambient temperatures rather than at 100°C as in many published studies.

Results of the investigation show that soil clays with dominant vermiculite and montmorillonite fix the greatest proportion of applied NH₄ (94 and 91%), followed by beidellite (72%) and x‐ray amorphous (45–64%) clays. Fixation is negligible (10%) in the clay with mineral suite consisting of hydrous mica, halloysite, and chlorite. Crystallinity of minerals seems to influence NH₄ fixation appreciably.     

Chloritization in lowland paddy soils

This paper is concerned with the alteration of clay minerals which takes place when well-aerated lowland soils (Brown lowland soils) are cultivated for growing rice. For this purpose the clay mineral compositions of paddy soils were compared with those of adjacent arable soils at four locations.

In the case of arable soils a larger part of the 14Å spacings collapsed to 10Å on treatment with NH₄NO₃ solution, or on drying at about 100°C, whereas in paddy soils the spacings were more stable to thelie treatments. Cation exchange capacities of clays were always smaller In paddy soils than in arable soils. Alternate treatments of reduction and oxidation somewhat increased the stability of the 14Å spacings to heat treatment.

These results indicate that chloritization is a very common process occurring in lowland paddy sons. Chloritization In paddy soils appears to be closely associated with the seasonal cycle of reduction and oxidation.     

Effects of soil-cation composition on reactions of four herbicides in a candler fine sand

Sorption, persistence and transport of herbicides in soils depend on the relative saturation of soils with cations from various soil amendments. Current research was conducted to study the effect of preequilibration of a Candler fine sand (Hyperthermic uncoated typic Quartzipsamments; 0–30 cm depth) with AlCl₃, CaCl₂, CuCl₂, FeCl₃, or KCl salt solutions on sorption in bromacil, simazine, norflurazon, and diuron herbicides commonly used in Florida citrus groves. Preequilibration of the soil with either FeCl₃, or AlCl₃ significantly decreased the sorption and therefore increased internal leaching potential, of all four herbicides as compared to their sorption in untreated soil. This decrease in sorption was much greater for bromacil and simazine (24 to 35%) than for norflurazon and diuron (7 to 8%). The desorption of bromacil and diuron in 1M NH₄OAc was also significantly lower in soils preequilibrated with FeCl₃ or AlCl₃ than the untreated soil. However, the reverse was true in the case of simazine and norflurazon. Preequilibration of the soil with CuCl₂, KCl, and CaCl₂ resulted in a significant decrease in sorption of norflurazon, diuron, and simazine but did not affect bromacil sorption. Accordingly, the species of adsorbed cation had varying effects on the sorption/desorption of each of the herbicides and varied their leaching potential.     

Interactive effects of ammonium application rates and temperature on nitrous oxide emission from tropical agricultural soil

Emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O), a potent greenhouse gas, from agricultural soil have been recognized to be affected by nitrogen (N) application and temperature. Most of the previous studies were carried out to determine effects of temperature on N₂O emissions at a fixed N application rate or those of N application rates at a specific temperature. Knowledge about the effects of different ammonium (NH₄⁺) application rates and temperatures on N₂O emissions from tropical agricultural soil and their interactions is limited. Five grams of air-dried sandy loam soil, collected in Central Vietnam, were adjusted to 0, 400, 800 and 1200 mg NH₄-N kg^–1 soil (abbreviated as 0 N, 400 N, 800 N and 1200 N, respectively) at 60% water holding capacity were aerobically incubated at 20°C, 25°C, 30°C or 35°C for 28 days. Mineral N contents and N₂O emission rates were determined on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Cumulative N₂O emissions for 28 days increased with increasing NH₄⁺ application rates from 0 to 800 mg N kg^–1 and then declined to 1200 mg N kg^–1. Cumulative N₂O emissions increased in the order of 35°C, 20°C, 30°C and 25°C. This lowest emission at 35°C occurred because N₂O production was derived only from autotrophic nitrification while other N₂O production processes, e.g., nitrifier denitrification and coupled nitrification-denitrification occurred at lower temperatures. More specifically, cumulative N₂O emissions peaked at 800 N and 25°C, and the lowest emissions occurred at 1200 N and 35°C. In conclusion, N₂O emissions were not exponentially correlated with NH₄⁺ application rates or temperatures. Higher NH₄⁺ application rates at higher temperatures suppressed N₂O emissions.     

Effect of temperature on the mineralization of C and N of fresh and mature compost in sandy material

Information about the mineralization rate of compost at various temperatures is a precondition to optimize mineral N fertilization and to minimize N losses in compost‐amended soils. Objectives were to quantify the influence of the temperature on the mineralization rate and leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON), NO₃^—, and NH₄⁺ from a fresh (C : N = 15.4) and a mature (C : N = 9.2) organic household waste compost. Compost samples were mixed with quartz sand to ensure aerobic conditions, incubated at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C and irrigated weekly for 112 days. For the fresh compost, cumulative CO₂ evolution after 112 days ranged from 36% of the initial C content at 5°C to 54% at 25°C. The CO₂ evolution was only small in the experiments with mature compost (1 to 6% of the initial C content). The data were described satisfactorily by a combined first‐order (fresh compost) or a first‐order kinetic model (mature compost). For the fresh compost, cumulative DOC production was negatively related to the temperature, probably due to leaching of some of the partly metabolized easily degradable fractions at lower temperatures. The production ratios of DOC : CO₂‐C decreased with increasing temperature from 0.094 at 5°C to 0.038 at 25°C for the fresh and from 1.55 at 5°C to 0.26 at 25°C for the mature compost. In the experiments with fresh compost, net release of NO₃^— occurred after a time lag which depended on the temperature. Cumulative net release of NO₃^— after 112 days ranged from 1.8% of the initial N content at 5°C to 14.3% at 25°C. Approximately 10% of the initial N content of the mature compost was released as NO₃^— after 14 days at all temperatures. The DOC : DON ratios in the experiments using fresh compost ranged from 11.5 to 15.7 and no temperature dependency was observed. For the mature compost, DOC : DON ratios were slightly smaller (7.4 to 8.9). The DON : (NH₄⁺ + NO₃^—) ratio decreased with increasing temperature from 0.91 at 5°C to 0.19 at 25°C for the fresh compost and from 0.21 at 5°C to 0.12 at 25°C for the mature compost. The results of the dynamics of C and N mineralization of fresh and mature compost can be used to assess the appropriate application (timing and amount) of compost to soils.     

Cation treatment and drying‐temperature effects on nonylphenol and phenanthrene sorption to a sandy soil

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mono‐ and polyvalent cations on sorption of the two hydrophobic compounds nonylphenol (NP) and phenanthrene (Phe). To this end, exchange sites of a sandy soil were saturated with either Na⁺, Ca²⁺, or Al³⁺ and excess salts were removed by washing. The samples were then sterilized and either stored moist, dried at room temperature, or at 20°C, 60°C, or 105°C in a vented oven. Saturation with Na⁺ led to an increase of dissolved organic C (DOC) concentration in the soil water extracts, whereas the polyvalent cations Ca²⁺ and Al³⁺ decreased it. The ¹H‐NMR relaxometry analyses showed that Al³⁺ restricted the mobility of water molecules that are confined within the SOM structure to a higher extent than Ca²⁺ or Na⁺. According to contact‐angle (CA) analyses, cation treatment did not significantly change the wetting properties of the samples. Batch sorption–desorption experiments showed no clear salt‐treatment effects on the sorption and desorption equilibria or kinetics of NP and Phe. Instead, the sorption coefficients and sorption hysteresis of NP and Phe increased in dry soil. With increasing drying temperature the CA of the soils and the sorption of both xenobiotics increased significantly. We conclude that structural modifications of SOM due to incorporation of polyvalent cations into the interphase structure do not modify the sorption characteristics of the soil for hydrophobic compounds. Instead, increasing hydrophobization of organic soil constituents due to heat treatment significantly increased the accessible sorption sites for nonpolar organic compounds in this soil.     

Structural Characteristics and Oxygen Consumption of the Epipelic Biofilm in Three Lowland Streams Exposed to Different Land Uses

Ammonia (NH₃) emission from nitrogen (N) fertilizers used in agriculture decreases N uptake by the crop and negatively impacts air quality. In order to better understand the factors influencing NH₃ emission from agriculture, this research was conducted with four major soils used for potato production: Biscayne Marl Soil (BMS, pH 7.27), and Krome Gravelly Loam (KGL, pH 7.69) from Florida; and Quincy Fine Sand (QFS, pH 6.65), and Warden Silt Loam (WSL, pH 6.46) from Washington. Potassium nitrate (KNO₃), ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃), ammonium sulfate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) or urea ((NH)₂CO) sources were evaluated for ammonia volatilization at 75 kg N ha^?1 rate. The soil water regime was maintained at either 20 or 80% of field capacity (FC), and incubated at 11, 20 or 29°C. Results indicated that NH₃ volatilization rate at 20% FC was 2 to 3-fold greater than that at 80% FC. The cumulative volatilization loss over 28 days ranged from 0.21% of N applied as NH₄NO₃ to 25.7% as (NH₄)₂SO₄. Results of this study demonstrate that NH₃ volatilization was accelerated at the low soil water regime. Moisture quotient (Q) is defined as a ratio of NH₃ emission rate at 20% FC to that at 80% FC both at the same temperature. The peak Q values of NH₃ volatilization were up to 20.8 for the BMS soil at 20°C, 112.9 for the KGL soil at 29°C, 19.0 for the QFS soil at 20°C, and 74.1 for the WSL soil at 29°C, respectively. Thus, maintaining a suitable soil water regime is important to minimize N-loss via NH₃ volatilization and to improve N uptake efficiency and air quality.     

The response of cylindrocladium conidia to soil fungistasis

Direct observation of washed conidia of Cylindrocladium scoparium on non-sterile soils, air dried and rewetted immediately before deposition of conidia, indicated that peak germination (33–58%) occurred after 24 h incubation at 26°C. Peak germination on continually moist soils was lower (18–26%) than on rewetted soils. Lysis of germ tubes and germinating conidia on continually moist soils at 26°C was evident with 48 h. Conidia did not germinate on continually moist soils at 6°C and lysis did not become apparent until 168 h. Conidia germinated at a high level (93–99%) in axenic culture in the absence of exogenous C and N sources. The inhibition of conidial germination on soils may be attributed, in part, to the presence of soil volatiles. Germination of conidia placed on washed agar disks and exposed to volatiles from four soils ranged from 51 to 86% of the no-soil controls. Addition of carbon (13 ng C per conidium as glucose) and nitrogen (65 pg N ng^?1 C as NH₄C1) nullified the inhibitory effect of the soil volatiles. Germinability assayed on a selective medium at 26°C of conidia in artificially infested soils (approximately 10⁴ conidia g^?1 soil) decreased progressively during incubation at 26°C from 1 week to 4 months. No germinable conidia were recovered from artificially infested soils after 2 months incubation at 6°C. Conidia of C. floridanum and C. crotalariae responded similarly to C. scoparium in many assays.     

Sorption isotherms and kinetics of Sb(V) on several Chinese soils with different physicochemical properties

Purpose

Sorption of antimony on soils is the primary factor that influences its immobilization and migration in the environment. In the present study, the sorption of Sb(V) onto seven Chinese soils with different physicochemical properties was investigated for exploring the relationship between the sorption capacity of Sb(V) and the physicochemical properties of the soils.

Materials and methods

Sorption isotherms and kinetics experiments were performed to ascertain the sorption capacity and the kinetic rate, respectively. The relationship between the sorption capacity of Sb(V) and the physicochemical properties of the soils was analyzed by multiple linear regressions.

Results and discussion

The results showed that the sorption isotherms fitted with both the Langmuir and Freundlich equations very well (R ²?=?0.936–0.997), and the sorption kinetic of Sb(V) onto the seven Chinese soils followed a pseudo-second-order reaction. The maximum sorption capacity of Sb(V) on the soils ranged from 134 to 1,333 mg?kg^?1. Nearly 94 % of the variability in maximum sorption of Sb(V) modeled by Freundlich equation could be described by Fe_DCB (dithionite–citrate–bicarbonicum extractable), and nearly 98 % of the variability could be described by Fe_DCB and Al_DCB.

Conclusions

Multiple linear regressions can be successfully applied to analyzing the relationship between sorption capacity and soil properties. Fe_DCB and Al_DCB played important roles in Sb(V) sorption onto soils. It would be useful to understand the environmental behaviors of Sb and for the implementation of risk assessment management and remediation strategies of Sb.     

Nitrification in soils incubated with pig slurry or ammonium sulphate

The effects of temperature, moisture content and the addition of pig slurry on nitrification in two soils were studed. There was no accumulation of NO₂^?-N under the incubation conditions investigated and the accumulation of NO₃^?-N was linear for additions of 50–250 μg NH₄⁺-N g^? soil, either as ammonium sulphate or as pig slurry. Nitrate formation was treated as a single step, zero order process to enable a rate constant to be calculated. Nitrification rate increased with increasing moisture content up to the highest level tested, soil water potential ?8.0 kPa, corresponding to approximately 60% of water holding capacity in both soils. Measurable nitrification was found in both soils at the lowest moisture content (soil water potential ?1.5 MPa) and temperature (5° C) tested. The nitrification rate constant in soils treated with 50 μg NH₄⁺-N g^? soil was not significantly affected (P = 0.05) by the form of ammonium added. Addition of 250 μg NH₄⁺-N as ammonium sulphate caused a marked inhibition of nitrification at all moisture contents and temperatures. Addition of 250 μg NH₄⁺-N as pig slurry caused a marked increase in nitrification rate, the increase being greater at the higher temperatures and moisture contents.     

Nitrous oxide production in aerobic soils under varying pH,temperature and water content

Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of soil pH, temperature and water content on the rate of nitrification and on the amount of N₂O evolved from samples of Plano silt loam soil. The rate of nitrification of added NH₄⁺-N increased with increasing soil pH (4.7, 5.1 and 6.7), temperature (10, 20 and 30°C) and water content (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 m³ m^?3). At soil water contents of 0.1 and 0.2 m³ m^?3, corresponding to 18 and 36% water-filled pore space, respectively, N₂O evolution was proportional to NO₃^? production. Approximately 0.1–0.2% of the nitrified N was evolved as N₂O-N. At 0.3 m³ m^?3 water content (54% water-filled pore space) and 20 and 30°C, the ratio of N₂O-N evolved to N nitrified was significantly higher (range of 0.3–1.1%).An additional experiment was conducted using diurnally fluctuating temperatures (10–30°C). The pattern of N₂O evolution was markedly different when the system was sampled at 10 and 30°C than at 20°C. The apparent N₂O emission rates were approximately equal for 12-h periods during which the temperature increased from 10 to 30°C or decreased from 30 to 10°C. In contrast, the apparent N₂O emission rates were significantly lower for the 12-h period when the incubation flasks were sampled at 20°C following the daily minimum temperature compared to the 12-h period when the samplings were at 20°C following the daily maximum temperature. This provides additional evidence that temperature fluctuation in the surface soil is a factor in-observed diurnal variations in N₂O emissions under field conditions.Our findings indicate that an interaction of three factors (soil pH, temperature and water content) affects the amount of N₂O evolved during nitrification in soils. In relatively dry soils, estimated N₂O production of ca. 0.1–0.3% of the N nitrified may be sufficiently accurate. Much higher N₂O output can be expected following rainfall or irrigation. Diurnal variability in N₂O fluxes from soils due to fluctuating temperature is an additional uncertainty in quantifying N₂O production in field soils.