小兴安岭不同沼泽甲烷排放及其影响因子

2007和2008年在植物生长季内采用静态箱-气相色谱法,研究了小兴安岭典型修氏苔草(Carex schmidtii)沼泽和油桦-修氏苔草(Betula ovalifolia-Carexschmidtii)灌木沼泽CH4通量的季节动态、年际动态及其与环境因子的关系,并估算了排放总量。结果表明,苔草和灌木沼泽2007年生长季CH4排放总量分别为66.60和3.20kg.hm-2;2008年分别为1482.60和18.15kg.hm-2。苔草和灌木沼泽CH4排放通量具有明显的季节变化,最大排放量出现在夏季或夏、秋季,其中,2007和2008年CH4排放平均通量分别为1.88和0.092mg.m-.2h-1,34.18和0.43mg.m-.2h-1,年际间和不同类型间排放差异均极显著。温度是季节变化的关键因子,2007年CH4排放通量和温度(空气温度、箱温、地表温度、5、10、15、20、30、40cm土温)间存在正、负两种相关关系,2008年CH4排放通量和温度呈正相关,水位是年际间和不同类型间排放差异的主要控制因子。     

小兴安岭典型沼泽湿地生态系统呼吸及其影响因子

2007和2008年在植物生长季内采用静态箱一气相色谱法,研究了小兴安岭典型修氏苔草(Carex schmidtii)沼泽和油桦-修氏苔草(Betula ovalifolia-C. schmidtii)灌丛沼泽生态系统呼吸排放CO_2 通量的季节动态、年际动态及其与环境因子的关系,并估算了排放总量.结果表明:草丛沼泽和灌丛沼泽2007年生长季排放CO_2总量分别为17841.78和20130.56 kg·hm~(-2);2008年分别为16331.78和18294.24 kg·hm~(-2).草丛沼泽和灌丛沼泽排放CO_2通量具有明显的季节变化,最大排放量出现在夏季,其中,2007年CO_2排放平均通量分别为487.89和549.62 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1);2008年分别为391.53和438.31 mg·m~(-2)·h~(-1),年际间差异不显著,不同类型间排放差异显著.温度是季节和年际变化的关键因子,CO_2排放通量和空气温度、箱内温度、0～20 cm的地温均呈显著或极显著正相关,潜水位是不同类型间排放差异的主要控制因子.     

小兴安岭阔叶林沼泽土壤CO_2、CH_4和N_2O排放规律及其影响因子

采用野外静态箱-气相色谱法,研究了小兴安岭典型阔叶林沼泽生长季节土壤CO2、CH4和N2O排放季节变化规律、源/汇功能及主要影响因子。结果表明:①苔草沼泽、毛赤杨沼泽和白桦沼泽生长季节土壤CO2、CH4、N2O排放分别集中在夏季、夏秋季、春夏季,平均排放通量依次为487.89、382.27、514.63 mg.m-2.h-1,1.88、1.03、0.04 mg.m-2.h-1,3.70、58.61、11.73μg.m-2.h-1。②三者生长季节土壤CO2排放通量与气温和0-20 cm土壤温度均呈显著正相关;苔草沼泽CH4排放通量与30-40cm土壤温度呈显著正相关,毛赤杨沼泽CH4排放通量与地表温度呈显著负相关;白桦沼泽N2O排放通量与地表温度呈显著正相关。苔草沼泽N2O排放与水位呈显著负相关;毛赤杨沼泽CH4排放与水位呈显著正相关;白桦沼泽CO2排放与水位呈显著负相关。③三者生长季节土壤均为CO2、CH4、N2O排放源(17.56、13.76、18.53 t.hm-2;67.54、37.05、1.30 kg.hm-2;0.13、2.11、0.42 kg.hm-2),三者CO2排放量相近(5.5%-21.6%);苔草沼泽为CH4的强排放源,毛赤杨沼泽为中排放源,白桦沼泽为弱排放源;毛赤杨沼泽为N2O的强排放源,白桦沼泽为中排放源,苔草沼泽为弱排放源。     

小兴安岭典型草丛沼泽湿地CO2、CH4和N2O的排放动态及其影响因素

2007年6～10月,采用静态箱-气相色谱法,同步研究了小兴安岭典型修氏苔草(Carex schmidtii)沼泽湿地CO2、CH4和N2O排放通量的季节动态及其与环境因子的关系,估算CO2、CH4和N2O的生长季排放量,探讨了沼泽湿地碳与氮的源汇关系.结果表明:草丛沼泽生长季节温室气体排放量以CO2占绝对优势(99.61%),CH4的排放量次之(0.39%),N2O的排放量最低(0.000 7%),且为碳、氮的吸收汇(分别为固定量的53.93%和0.04%);CO2、CH4和N2O生长季平均排放通量依次为487.89、1.88和0.004 mg·m-2·h-1,且具有明显的季节变化特征,CO2和N2O的最高排放量均出现在夏季(6月24日至8月14日和7月14日至8月14日),CH4的最高排放量出现在夏秋季(8月24日至9月24日),其中,CO2季节变化与空气温度和0～20 cm土壤温度具有显著相关性(p＜0.05),CH4与空气温度具有显著相关性(p<0.01),N2O与水位具有显著的负相关性(p＜0.05).     

N2O排放规律及其影响因子

采用野外静态箱-气相色谱法,研究了小兴安岭典型阔叶林沼泽生长季节土壤CO2、CH4和N2O排放季节变化规律、源/汇功能及主要影响因子。结果表明：①苔草沼泽、毛赤杨沼泽和白桦沼泽生长季节土壤CO2、CH4、N2O排放分别集中在夏季、夏秋季、春夏季,平均排放通量依次为514.63、487.89、382.27 mgm-2h-1,1.88、1.03、0.04 mgm-2h-1,58.61、11.73、3.70µgm-2h-1。②三者生长季节土壤CO2排放通量与气温和0~20 cm土壤温度均呈显著正相关;苔草沼泽CH4排放通量与30~40 cm土壤温度呈显著正相关,毛赤杨沼泽CH4排放通量与地表温度呈显著负相关;白桦沼泽N2O排放通量与地表温度呈显著正相关。苔草沼泽N2O排放与水位呈显著负相关;毛赤杨沼泽CH4排放与水位呈显著正相关;白桦沼泽CO2排放与水位呈显著负相关。③三者生长季节土壤均为CO2、CH4、N2O排放源（17.56、13.76、18.53 thm-2;67.54、37.05、1.30 kghm-2;0.13、2.11、0.42 kg.hm-2）,三者CO2排放量相近（5.5%~21.6%）;苔草沼泽为CH4的强排放源,毛赤杨沼泽为中排放源,白桦沼泽为弱排放源;毛赤杨沼泽为N2O的强排放源,白桦沼泽为中排放源,苔草沼泽为弱排放源。     

排水造林对小兴安岭沼泽甲烷排放的影响

沼泽排水造林是近年来小兴安岭湿地遭受到的主要干扰类型之一.以小兴安岭天然沼泽湿地-苔草(Carex schmidtii)沼泽和灌丛沼泽,以及沼泽排水后营造(大垄排水造林)的10a和20a兴安落叶松(Larix gmelinii)人工林为研究对象,利用静态暗箱-气相色谱法观测兴安落叶松人工林甲烷通量与天然苔草沼泽和灌丛沼泽的差异及其相关环境影响因子,探讨排水造林对甲烷通量的影响及其影响机制.结果表明:天然沼泽和落叶松人工林甲烷通量都有明显的季节变化规律,但人工林甲烷通量峰值出现的时间和频率与天然沼泽不同,峰值相对较小,有吸收甲烷的现象出现.10a和20a落叶松人工林甲烷排放通量显著(10a落叶松人工林p=0.005,20a落叶松人工林p=0.009)低于天然苔草沼泽和灌丛沼泽的平均值.苔草沼泽、灌丛沼泽、10a和20a落叶松人工林生长季(150d)甲烷排放总量分别为(6.66±8.31)g · m-2 · a-1,(0.32±0.31)g · m-2 · a-1,(0.13±0.50)g · m-2 · a-1和(-0.11±0.20)g · m-2 · a-1.沼泽排水造林后甲烷排放量减少的主要原因为水位下降和维管植物的减少;此外,排水沟相对面积减少也是导致人工林甲烷排放速率降低的原因之一.     

干旱年份三江平原沼泽甲烷(CH4)排放及影响因子

为了研究淡水沼泽CH4排放的影响因子及其机制,在中国东北部的三江平原样地观测了CH4排放通量以及部分影响因子.结果表明,在2003年4～10月生长季内,毛果苔草沼泽CH4通量平均值为3.30 mg·m-2·h-1(最小值为0.65 mg·m-2·h-1,最大值为13.47 mg·m-2·h-1),低于小叶章沼泽化草甸CH4通量平均值4.91 mg·m-2·h-1(最小值为-0.12 mg·m-2·h-1,最大值为16.25 mg·m-2·h-1).在不同阶段,两种类型沼泽CH4通量有明显的变化,控制因子也不一样.4月份低温限制了CH4通量,两种类型沼泽差异很小.5～7月下旬,小叶章沼泽化草甸CH4通量显著高于毛果苔草沼泽CH4通量(P＜0.01),这种差异是由融冻作用造成的.8月份,植株密度和剖面中活性有机碳的浓度成为主要的影响因子,毛果苔草沼泽CH4通量比小叶章沼泽化草甸高.     

三江平原春小麦农田生态系统氧化亚氮通量特征

利用静态暗箱-气相色谱法对三江平原春小麦农田生态系统N2O排放通量进行连续2.5年的田间原位观测.结果表明:三江平原春小麦农田生态系统N2O排放通量具有较明显的季节变化和年际变化,并主要与年际间降水及田间水分管理差异有关;春小麦农田生态系统N2O排放日变化与气温及地下5 cm温度变化有关.生长期N2O的排放较强,休耕期N2O排放量显著下降,冰冻期N2O的排放较微弱,融冻时N2O排放缓慢增强.生长期N2O平均排放通量为0.190 mg.m-2.h-1,收割后到冰冻期间为0.077 mg.m-2.h-1,冻融期间为0.017 mg.m-2.h-1.     

若尔盖高原沼泽湿地N_2O排放通量研究

应用静态箱/气相色谱法,测定了若尔盖高原沼泽N2O排放能量,测定期为该地植物生长期,即2004年4 月末至10月初。结果表明,若尔盖高原沼泽湿地N2O排放通量平均值为0.010 mg·m-2h-1,最大值为0.079 mg·m-2h-1, 最小值为-0.051mg·m-2h-1。高峰排放期为5月,最低排放期为地表水深最大的6月。沼泽湿地N2O排放通量季节变化与沼泽湿地水深呈负相关关系。沼泽湿地N2O排放通量日变化与大气温度呈正相关关系,排放高值出现在午后。若尔盖高原沼泽湿地在植物生长期的年排放总量约为0.159Gg·a-1。     

植物对沼泽湿地生态系统CO2和CH4排放的影响

利用静态暗箱/气相色谱法于2003~2005年在生长季对三江平原小叶章(Calamagrostis angustifolia)沼泽化草甸和毛果苔草(Carexlasiocarpa)沼泽地区CO2和CH4的排放通量进行野外对比观测实验。结果表明:2003~2005年生长季小叶章草甸土壤-植物系统CO2排放通量分别是土壤CO2排放通量的1.65、2.06和2.01倍,毛果苔草沼泽土壤-植物系统CO2排放通量分别是土壤CO2排放通量的2.58、2.27和4.21倍,表明沼泽湿地土壤-植物系统CO2排放通量的主要贡献者是植物地上部分的呼吸作用,且3个生长季小叶章草甸CO2排放通量均显著大于毛果苔草沼泽,主要是由于植物生物量的差异以及土壤微生物活性的不同。2003~2005年植物生长季,小叶章草甸土壤-植物系统CH4排放通量分别是土壤的4.84、3.55和6.45倍,毛果苔草沼泽土壤-植物系统CH4排放通量分别是土壤的2.60、1.25和3.22倍,且3个生长季小叶章草甸和毛果苔草沼泽CH4排放通量均具有显著差异,这主要是由于水位的差异以及植物对CH4排放能力的不同造成的。     

黄土高原冬小麦地N2O排放

从2007年7月1日到2009年6月30日对黄土高原冬小麦地氧化亚氮(N₂O)排放采用静态箱气相色谱法进行了为期2a 的监测。设置2个处理,有小麦田(有小麦生长),无小麦田(出芽初期拔去麦苗)。研究结果表明有小麦田、无小麦田N₂O排放量年际变化不大。有小麦田年均的N₂O 排放量为2.05 kg · N₂O · hm^-2 · a^-1,无小麦田年均的N₂O 排放量为2.28 kg · N₂O · hm^-2 · a^-1 。在冻融交替期,施肥后、翻地后和降雨后无小麦田和有小麦田N₂O排放明显增加,N₂O的季节变化受到这些短期事件的显著影响;有小麦田N₂O排放与地温(P<0.01),气温(P<0.01)和WFPS(P<0.05)显著相关,而无小麦田N₂O排放与这些环境土壤因子都不相关;有小麦田和无小麦田两个处理土壤的WFPS通常都低于60%,可以推断在本地区,硝化反应是N₂O的重要生成源。     

火干扰对小兴安岭白桦沼泽和落叶松-苔草沼泽凋落物和土壤碳储量的影响

火干扰在湿地生态系统中起着重要的作用,尽管湿地占全球陆地生态系统很小一部分,却是陆地生态系统一个重要的碳汇。然而关于火干扰对我国小兴安岭森林沼泽生态系统土壤碳库影响的研究鲜有报道。因此选取两种森林沼泽典型地段进行土壤取样,研究火干扰对小兴安岭白桦(Betula platyphylla)沼泽和落叶松(Larix gmelinii)-苔草(Carex schmidtii)沼泽地表凋落物和土壤碳储量(0—50 cm)的影响。研究结果表明:①重度火烧使得白桦沼泽地表凋落物量和碳储量降低了36.36%(0.50 kg/m2)和35.52%(0.23 kg C/m2),而轻度火烧无显著影响;轻度火烧和重度火烧落叶松-苔草沼泽地表凋落物量和碳储量分别减少了45.32%(0.99 kg/m2)和44.66%(0.42 kg C/m2)、50.42%(1.10 kg/m2)和49.71%(0.47 kg C/m2);②白桦沼泽和落叶松-苔草沼泽两者对照样地、轻度火烧样地、重度火烧样地的土壤碳储量(0—50 cm)分别为(23.55±6.34)kg C/m2、(18.50±8.16)kg C/m2、(32.50±7.22)kg C/m2和(20.89±2.59)kg C/m2、(23.52±16.03)kg C/m2、(21.75±6.60)kg C/m2,然而火干扰对两种森林沼泽土壤碳储量(0—50 cm)影响不显著。研究结果可为我国东北开展森林湿地计划火烧和碳管理提供理论依据。     

Gross nitrous oxide production drives net nitrous oxide fluxes across a salt marsh landscape

Sea level rise will change inundation regimes in salt marshes, altering redox dynamics that control nitrification – a potential source of the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N₂O) – and denitrification, a major nitrogen (N) loss pathway in coastal ecosystems and both a source and sink of N₂O. Measurements of net N₂O fluxes alone yield little insight into the different effects of redox conditions on N₂O production and consumption. We used in situ measurements of gross N₂O fluxes across a salt marsh elevation gradient to determine how soil N₂O emissions in coastal ecosystems may respond to future sea level rise. Soil redox declined as marsh elevation decreased, with lower soil nitrate and higher ferrous iron in the low marsh compared to the mid and high marshes (P < 0.001 for both). In addition, soil oxygen concentrations were lower in the low and mid‐marshes relative to the high marsh (P < 0.001). Net N₂O fluxes differed significantly among marsh zones (P = 0.009), averaging 9.8 ± 5.4 μg N m^?2 h^?1, ?2.2 ± 0.9 μg N m^?2 h^?1, and 0.67 ± 0.57 μg N m^?2 h^?1 in the low, mid, and high marshes, respectively. Both net N₂O release and uptake were observed in the low and high marshes, but the mid‐marsh was consistently a net N₂O sink. Gross N₂O production was highest in the low marsh and lowest in the mid‐marsh (P = 0.02), whereas gross N₂O consumption did not differ among marsh zones. Thus, variability in gross N₂O production rates drove the differences in net N₂O flux among marsh zones. Our results suggest that future studies should focus on elucidating controls on the processes producing, rather than consuming, N₂O in salt marshes to improve our predictions of changes in net N₂O fluxes caused by future sea level rise.     

Ecosystem–atmosphere exchange of CH4 and N2O and ecosystem respiration in wetlands in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeastern China

Natural wetlands are critically important to global change because of their role in modulating atmospheric concentrations of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O. One 4‐year continuous observation was conducted to examine the exchanges of CH₄ and N₂O between three wetland ecosystems and the atmosphere as well as the ecosystem respiration in the Sanjiang Plain in Northeastern China. From 2002 to 2005, the mean annual budgets of CH₄ and N₂O, and ecosystem respiration were 39.40 ± 6.99 g C m^?2 yr^?1, 0.124 ± 0.05 g N m^?2 yr^?1, and 513.55 ± 8.58 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for permanently inundated wetland; 4.36 ± 1.79 g C m^?2 yr^?1, 0.11 ± 0.12 g N m^?2 yr^?1, and 880.50 ± 71.72 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for seasonally inundated wetland; and 0.21 ± 0.1 g C m^?2 yr^?1, 0.28 ± 0.11 g N m^?2 yr^?1, and 1212.83 ± 191.98 g C m^?2 yr^?1 for shrub swamp. The substantial interannual variation of gas fluxes was due to the significant climatic variability which underscores the importance of long‐term continuous observations. The apparent seasonal pattern of gas emissions associated with a significant relationship of gas fluxes to air temperature implied the potential effect of global warming on greenhouse gas emissions from natural wetlands. The budgets of CH₄ and N₂O fluxes and ecosystem respiration were highly variable among three wetland types, which suggest the uncertainties in previous studies in which all kinds of natural wetlands were treated as one or two functional types. New classification of global natural wetlands in more detailed level is highly expected.     

Soil nitrous oxide emissions from a typical semiarid temperate steppe in inner Mongolia: effects of mineral nitrogen fertilizer levels and forms

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions can be significantly affected by the amounts and forms of nitrogen (N) available in soils, but the effect is highly dependent on local climate and soil conditions in specific ecosystem. To improve our understanding of the response of N₂O emissions to different N sources of fertilizer in a typical semiarid temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia, a 2-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of high, medium and low N fertilizer levels (HN: 200 kg N?ha^-1y^-1, MN: 100 kg N ha^-1y^-1, and LN: 50 kg N ha^-1y^-1) respectively and N fertilizer forms (CAN: calcium ammonium nitrate, AS: ammonium sulphate and NS: sodium nitrate) on N₂O emissions using static closed chamber method. Our data showed that peak N₂O fluxes induced by N treatments were concentrated in short periods (2 to 3 weeks) after fertilization in summer and in soil thawing periods in early spring; there were similarly low N₂O fluxes from all treatments in the remaining seasons of the year. The three N levels increased annual N₂O emissions significantly (P?<?0.05) in the order of MN > HN > LN compared with the CK (control) treatment in year 1; in year 2, the elevation of annual N₂O emissions was significant (P?<?0.05) by HN and MN treatments but was insignificant by LN treatments (P?>?0.05). The three N forms also had strong effects on N₂O emissions. Significantly (P?<?0.05) higher annual N₂O emissions were observed in the soils of CAN and AS fertilizer treatments than in the soils of NS fertilizer treatments in both measured years, but the difference between CAN and AS was not significant (P?>?0.05). Annual N₂O emission factors (EF) ranged from 0.060 to 0.298% for different N fertilizer treatments in the two observed years, with an overall EF value of 0.125%. The EF values were by far less than the mean default EF proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).     

CH4 and N2O emissions from smallholder agricultural systems on tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia

There are limited data for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from smallholder agricultural systems in tropical peatlands, with data for non-CO₂ emissions from human-influenced tropical peatlands particularly scarce. The aim of this study was to quantify soil CH₄ and N₂O fluxes from smallholder agricultural systems on tropical peatlands in Southeast Asia and assess their environmental controls. The study was carried out in four regions in Malaysia and Indonesia. CH₄ and N₂O fluxes and environmental parameters were measured in cropland, oil palm plantation, tree plantation and forest. Annual CH₄ emissions (in kg CH₄ ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) were: 70.7 ± 29.5, 2.1 ± 1.2, 2.1 ± 0.6 and 6.2 ± 1.9 at the forest, tree plantation, oil palm and cropland land-use classes, respectively. Annual N₂O emissions (in kg N₂O ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) were: 6.5 ± 2.8, 3.2 ± 1.2, 21.9 ± 11.4 and 33.6 ± 7.3 in the same order as above, respectively. Annual CH₄ emissions were strongly determined by water table depth (WTD) and increased exponentially when annual WTD was above −25 cm. In contrast, annual N₂O emissions were strongly correlated with mean total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in soil water, following a sigmoidal relationship, up to an apparent threshold of 10 mg N L⁻¹ beyond which TDN seemingly ceased to be limiting for N₂O production. The new emissions data for CH₄ and N₂O presented here should help to develop more robust country level ‘emission factors’ for the quantification of national GHG inventory reporting. The impact of TDN on N₂O emissions suggests that soil nutrient status strongly impacts emissions, and therefore, policies which reduce N-fertilisation inputs might contribute to emissions mitigation from agricultural peat landscapes. However, the most important policy intervention for reducing emissions is one that reduces the conversion of peat swamp forest to agriculture on peatlands in the first place.     

Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Salt Marshes Exposed to Chronic Nutrient Enrichment

We assessed the impact of nutrient additions on greenhouse gas fluxes using dark static chambers in a microtidal and a macrotidal marsh along the coast of New Brunswick, Canada approximately monthly over a year. Both were experimentally fertilized for six years with varying levels of N and P. For unfertilized, N and NPK treatments, average yearly CO₂ emissions (which represent only respiration) at the microtidal marsh (13, 19, and 28 mmoles CO₂ m^-2 hr^-1, respectively) were higher than at the macrotidal marsh (12, 15, and 19 mmoles m^-2 hr^-1, respectively, with a flux under the additional high N/low P treatment of 21 mmoles m^-2 hr^-1). Response of CH₄ to fertilization was more variable. At the macrotidal marsh average yearly fluxes were 1.29, 1.26, and 0.77 μmol CH₄ m^-2 hr^-1 with control, N, and NPK treatments, respectively and 1.21 μmol m^-2 hr^-1 under high N/low P treatment. At the microtidal marsh CH₄ fluxes were 0.23, 0.16, and -0.24 μmol CH₄ m^-2 hr^-1 in control, N, and NPK and treatments, respectively. Fertilization changed soils from sinks to sources of N₂O. Average yearly N₂O fluxes at the macrotidal marsh were -0.07, 0.08, and 1.70, μmol N₂O m^-2 hr^-1 in control, N, NPK and treatments, respectively and 0.35 μmol m^-2 hr^-1 under high N/low P treatment. For the control, N, and NPK treatments at the microtidal marsh N₂O fluxes were -0.05, 0.30, and 0.52 μmol N₂O m^-2 hr^-1, respectively. Our results indicate that N₂O fluxes are likely to vary with the source of pollutant nutrients but emissions will be lower if N is not accompanied by an adequate supply of P (e.g., atmospheric deposition vs sewage or agricultural runoff). With chronic fertilization the global warming potential of the increased N₂O emissions may be enough to offset the global cooling potential of the C sequestered by salt marshes.     

Nitrate and flooding induce N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emissions from soybean nodules

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is one of the three main biogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) and agriculture represents close to 30 % of the total N₂O net emissions. In agricultural soils, N₂O is emitted by two main microbial processes, nitrification and denitrification, both of which can convert synthetic nitrogen fertilizer into N₂O. Legume-rhizobia symbiosis could be an effective and environmental-friendly alternative to nitrogen fertilization and hence, to mitigate soil N₂O emissions. However, legume crops also contribute to N₂O emissions. A better understanding of the environmental factors involved in the emission of N₂O from nodules would be instrumental for mitigating the release of this GHG gas. In this work, in vivo N₂O emissions from nodulated soybean roots in response to nitrate (0, 1, 2 and 4 mM) and flooding have been measured. To investigate the contribution of rhizobial denitrification in N₂O emission from nodules, plants were inoculated with B. japonicum USDA110 and napA and nosZ denitrification mutants. The results showed that nitrate was essential for N₂O emissions and its concentration enhanced N₂O fluxes showing a statistical linear correlation, being the highest N₂O fluxes obtained with 4 mM nitrate. When inoculated plants grown with 4 mM nitrate were subjected to flooding, a 150- and 830-fold induction of N₂O emission rates from USDA110 and nosZ nodulated roots, respectively, was observed compared to non-flooded plants, especially during long-term flooding. Under these conditions, N₂O emissions from detached nodules produced by the napA mutant were significantly lower (p?<?0.05) than those produced by the wild-type strain (382 versus 1120 nmol N₂O h^?1 g^?1 NFW, respectively). In contrast, nodules from plants inoculated with the nosZ mutant accumulated statistically higher levels of N₂O compared to wild-type nodules (2522 versus nmol 1120 N₂O h^?1 g^?1 NFW, p?<?0.05). These results demonstrate that flooding is an important environmental factor for N₂O emissions from soybean nodules and that B. japonicum denitrification is involved in such emission.     

Gaseous nitrogen emmissions from undisturbed terrestrial ecosystems: An assessment of their impacts on local and global nitrogen budgets

There is increasing interest in the importance of nitrogen gas emissions from natural (non-agricultural) ecosystems with respect to local as well as global nitrogen budgets and with respect to the effects of nitrogen oxides on atmospheric ozone levels and global warming. The volatile forms of nitrogen of common interest are ammonia (NH₃), nitrous oxide, (N₂O), dinitrogen (N₂), and NO_x (principally NO + NO₂). It is often difficult to attribute emissions of these compounds from soils to a single process because they are produced by a variety of common biogeochemical mechanisms. Although environmental conditions in the soil often appear to favor nitrogen gas emissions, the potential nitrogen gas emission rate from undisturbed ecosystems is rarely approached. The best estimates to date suggest that nitrogen gas emission rates from undisturbed ecosystems typically range from > 1 to perhaps 10 or 20 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1. Under certain conditions, however, emission rates may be much higher. For example, excreta from animals in grasslands may elevate ammonia volatilization up to 100 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 depending on grazer density; tidal input of nutrients to coastal wetlands may support denitrification rates of several hundred kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 . Excepting such cases, gaseous nitrogen losses are probably a small component of the local nitrogen budget in most undisturbed ecosystems. However, emissions from undisturbed soils are an important component of the global source strengths for (N₂O + N₂), N₂O and NO_x (50%, 21%, and 10% respectively). Emission rates of N₂O from natural ecosystems are higher than assumed previously by perhaps 10 times. Large-scale disturbance may have a stimulatory effect on nitrogen emission rates which could have important effects on global nitrogen budgets. There is a need for more sophisticated methods to account for natural temporal and spatial variations of emissions rates, to more accurately and precisely assess their global source strengths.     

Long‐term nutrient addition increases respiration and nitrous oxide emissions in a New England salt marsh

Salt marshes may act either as greenhouse gas (GHG) sources or sinks depending on hydrological conditions, vegetation communities, and nutrient availability. In recent decades, eutrophication has emerged as a major driver of change in salt marsh ecosystems. An ongoing fertilization experiment at the Great Sippewissett Marsh (Cape Cod, USA) allows for observation of the results of over four decades of nutrient addition. Here, nutrient enrichment stimulated changes to vegetation communities that, over time, have resulted in increased elevation of the marsh platform. In this study, we measured fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) in dominant vegetation zones along elevation gradients of chronically fertilized (1,572 kg N ha^?1 year^?1) and unfertilized (12 kg N ha^?1 year^?1) experimental plots at Great Sippewissett Marsh. Flux measurements were performed using darkened chambers to focus on community respiration and excluded photosynthetic CO₂ uptake. We hypothesized that N‐replete conditions in fertilized plots would result in larger N₂O emissions relative to control plots and that higher elevations caused by nutrient enrichment would support increased CO₂ and N₂O and decreased CH₄ emissions due to the potential for more oxygen diffusion into sediment. Patterns of GHG emission supported our hypotheses. Fertilized plots were substantially larger sources of N₂O and had higher community respiration rates relative to control plots, due to large emissions of these GHGs at higher elevations. While CH₄ emissions displayed a negative relationship with elevation, they were generally small across elevation gradients and nutrient enrichment treatments. Our results demonstrate that at decadal scales, vegetation community shifts and associated elevation changes driven by chronic eutrophication affect GHG emission from salt marshes. Results demonstrate the necessity of long‐term fertilization experiments to understand impacts of eutrophication on ecosystem function and have implications for how chronic eutrophication may impact the role that salt marshes play in sequestering C and N.