Trace gas flux and the influence of short-term soil water and temperature dynamics in Australian sheep grazed pastures of differing productivity

Temperate pastures are often managed with P fertilizers and N₂-fixing legumes to maintain and increase pasture productivity which may lead to greater nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and reduced methane (CH₄) uptake. However, the diel and inter-daily variation in N₂O and CH₄ flux in pastures is poorly understood, especially in relation to key environmental drivers. We investigated the effect of pasture productivity, rainfall, and changing soil moisture and temperature upon short-term soil N₂O and CH₄ flux dynamics during spring in sheep grazed pasture systems in southeastern Australia. N₂O and CH₄ flux was measured continuously in a High P (23 kg P ha^?1 yr^?1) and No P pasture treatment and in a sheep camp area in a Low P (4 kg P ha^?1 yr^?1) pasture for a four week period in spring 2005 using an automated trace gas system. Although pasture productivity was three-fold greater in the High P than No P treatment, mean CH₄ uptake was similar (?6.3?±?SE 0.3 to ?8.6?±?0.4 μg C m^?2 hr^?1) as were mean N₂O emissions (6.5 to 7.9?±?0.8 μg N m^?2 hr^?1), although N₂O flux in the No P pasture did not respond to changing soil water conditions. N₂O emissions were greatest in the Low P sheep camp (12.4 μg?±?1.1 N m^?2 hr^?1) where there were also net CH₄ emissions of 5.2?±?0.5 μg C m^?2 hr^?1. There were significant, but weak, relationships between soil water and N₂O emissions, but not between soil water and CH₄ flux. The diel temperature cycle strongly influenced CH₄ and N₂O emissions, but this was often masked by the confounding covariate effects of changing soil water content. There were no consistently significant differences in soil mineral N or gross N transformation rates, however, measurements of substrate induced respiration (SIR) indicated that soil microbial processes in the highly productive pasture are more N limited than P limited after >20 years of P fertilizer addition. Increased productivity, through P fertilizer and legume management, did not significantly increase N₂O emissions, or reduce CH₄ uptake, during this 4 week measurement period, but the lack of an N₂O response to rainfall in the No P pasture suggests this may be evident over a longer measurement period. This study also suggests that small compacted and nutrient enriched areas of grazed pastures may contribute greatly to the overall N₂O and CH₄ trace gas balance.     

Atmospheric methane uptake by tropical montane forest soils and the contribution of organic layers

Microbial oxidation in aerobic soils is the primary biotic sink for atmospheric methane (CH₄), a powerful greenhouse gas. Although tropical forest soils are estimated to globally account for about 28% of annual soil CH₄ consumption (6.2 Tg CH₄ year^?1), limited data are available on CH₄ exchange from tropical montane forests. We present the results of an extensive study on CH₄ exchange from tropical montane forest soils along an elevation gradient (1,000, 2,000, 3,000 m) at different topographic positions (lower slope, mid-slope, ridge position) in southern Ecuador. All soils were net atmospheric CH₄ sinks, with decreasing annual uptake rates from 5.9 kg CH₄–C ha^?1 year^?1 at 1,000 m to 0.6 kg CH₄–C ha^?1 year^?1 at 3,000 m. Topography had no effect on soil atmospheric CH₄ uptake. We detected some unexpected factors controlling net methane fluxes: positive correlations between CH₄ uptake rates, mineral nitrogen content of the mineral soil and with CO₂ emissions indicated that the largest CH₄ uptake corresponded with favorable conditions for microbial activity. Furthermore, we found indications that CH₄ uptake was N limited instead of inhibited by NH₄ ⁺. Finally, we showed that in contrast to temperate regions, substantial high affinity methane oxidation occurred in the thick organic layers which can influence the CH₄ budget of these tropical montane forest soils. Inclusion of elevation as a co-variable will improve regional estimates of methane exchange in these tropical montane forests.     

Urbanization can accelerate climate change by increasing soil N2O emission while reducing CH4 uptake

Urban land-use change has the potential to affect local to global biogeochemical carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes. We conducted a meta-analysis to (1) assess the effects of urbanization-induced land-use conversion on soil nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) fluxes, (2) quantify direct N₂O emission factors (EF_d) of fertilized urban soils used, for example, as lawns or forests, and (3) identify the key drivers leading to flux changes associated with urbanization. On average, urbanization increases soil N₂O emissions by 153%, to 3.0 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, while rates of soil CH₄ uptake are reduced by 50%, to 2.0 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. The global mean annual N₂O EF_d of fertilized lawns and urban forests is 1.4%, suggesting that urban soils can be regional hotspots of N₂O emissions. On a global basis, conversion of land to urban greenspaces has increased soil N₂O emission by 0.46 Tg N₂O-N year⁻¹ and decreased soil CH₄ uptake by 0.58 Tg CH₄-C year⁻¹. Urbanization driven changes in soil N₂O emission and CH₄ uptake are associated with changes in soil properties (bulk density, pH, total N content, and C/N ratio), increased temperature, and management practices, especially fertilizer use. Overall, our meta-analysis shows that urbanization increases soil N₂O emissions and reduces the role of soils as a sink for atmospheric CH₄. These effects can be mitigated by avoiding soil compaction, reducing fertilization of lawns, and by restoring native ecosystems in urban landscapes.     

N2O emissions from low and moderately disturbed pasture soils—field tests of minimal and maximal N supply

Rates and patterns of nitrogen transformation differ in divergently managed pasture soils. In pastures with low nutrient inputs, N is utilized efficiently and it is assimilated by plants and soil microorganisms for synthesis of biomass. In more intensive pastures, characterized with higher N inputs, significant amounts of N can be lost from the ecosystem in various forms. Two soils of a cattle overwintering area with different levels of cattle disturbance were supplied with a solution of KNO₃ in various levels corresponding in range to 0–500 kg N ha^?1. Emissions of N₂O were measured during 24 h after a NO₃ ^?-N application. We hypothesized that under a low disturbance small additions of up to 5 kg NO₃ ^?-N are used by plants and soil microbes without an increase in N₂O emissions, while a pasture adapted to a moderate disturbance will increase N₂O emissions. Results showed that in both soils, the addition of N always increased N₂O emissions, while emissions were more pronounced in soil at the location with a higher intensity of cattle traffic. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, NO₃ ^––N was not fully metabolized in the soil with low disturbance by the cattle. Probable explanations of such a result were lower intensity of N transformations in this soil and low utilisation of N by grass. Our results suggest that under certain conditions relatively low nitrate-N inputs can also stimulate N₂O fluxes from soils.     

Impacts of climate and land use on N2O and CH4 fluxes from tropical ecosystems in the Mt. Kilimanjaro region,Tanzania

In this study, we quantify the impacts of climate and land use on soil N₂O and CH₄ fluxes from tropical forest, agroforest, arable and savanna ecosystems in Africa. To do so, we measured greenhouse gases (GHG) fluxes from 12 different ecosystems along climate and land‐use gradients at Mt. Kilimanjaro, combining long‐term in situ chamber and laboratory soil core incubation techniques. Both methods showed similar patterns of GHG exchange. Although there were distinct differences from ecosystem to ecosystem, soils generally functioned as net sources and sinks for N₂O and CH₄ respectively. N₂O emissions correlated positively with soil moisture and total soil nitrogen content. CH₄ uptake rates correlated negatively with soil moisture and clay content and positively with SOC. Due to moderate soil moisture contents and the dominance of nitrification in soil N turnover, N₂O emissions of tropical montane forests were generally low (<1.2 kg N ha^?1 year^?1), and it is likely that ecosystem N losses are driven instead by nitrate leaching (~10 kg N ha^?1 year^?1). Forest soils with well‐aerated litter layers were a significant sink for atmospheric CH₄ (up to 4 kg C ha^?1 year^?1) regardless of low mean annual temperatures at higher elevations. Land‐use intensification significantly increased the soil N₂O source strength and significantly decreased the soil CH₄ sink. Compared to decreases in aboveground and belowground carbon stocks enhanced soil non‐CO₂ GHG emissions following land‐use conversion from tropical forests to homegardens and coffee plantations were only a small factor in the total GHG budget. However, due to lower ecosystem carbon stock changes, enhanced N₂O emissions significantly contributed to total GHG emissions following conversion of savanna into grassland and particularly maize. Overall, we found that the protection and sustainable management of aboveground and belowground carbon and nitrogen stocks of agroforestry and arable systems is most crucial for mitigating GHG emissions from land‐use change.     

Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Carbon Dynamics of a No-Till,Corn-Based Cellulosic Ethanol Production System

Crop residues like corn (Zea mays L.) stover perform important functions that promote soil health and provide ecosystem services that influence agricultural sustainability and global biogeochemical cycles. We evaluated the effect of corn stover removal from a no-till, corn-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) rotation on soil greenhouse gas (GHG; CO₂, N₂O, CH₄) fluxes, crop yields, and soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. We conducted a 4-year study using replicated field plots managed with two levels of corn stover removal (none; 55 % stover removal) for four complete crop cycles prior to initiation of ground surface gas flux measurements. Corn and soybean yields were not affected by stover removal with yields averaging 7.28 Mg ha^?1 for corn and 2.64 Mg ha^?1 for soybean. Corn stover removal treatment did not affect soil GHG fluxes from the corn phase; however, the treatment did significantly increase (107 %, P?=?0.037) N₂O fluxes during the soybean phase. The plots were a net source of CH₄ (～0.5 kg CH₄-C ha^?1 year^?1 average of all treatments and crops) during the generally wet study duration. Soil organic carbon stocks increased in both treatments during the 4-year study (initiated following 8 years of stover removal), with significantly higher SOC accumulation in the control plots compared to plots with corn stover removal (0–15 cm, P?=?0.048). Non-CO₂ greenhouse gas emissions (945 kg CO₂-eq ha^?1 year^?1) were roughly half of SOC (0–30 cm) gains with corn stover removal (1.841 Mg CO₂-eq ha^?1 year^?1) indicating that no-till practices greatly improve the viability of biennial corn stover harvesting under local soil-climatic conditions. Our results also show that repeated corn stover harvesting may increase N loss (as N₂O) from fields and thereby contribute to GHG production and loss of potential plant nutrients.     

Simulation of N2O emissions and nitrate leaching from plastic mulch radish cultivation with LandscapeDNDC

Radish is one of the major dry field crops in Asia commonly grown with plastic mulch and high rates of N fertilization, and potentially harming the environment due to N₂O emissions and nitrate leaching. Despite the widespread use of plastic mulch, biogeochemical models so far do not yet consider impacts of mulch on soil environmental conditions and biogeochemistry. In this study, we adapted and successfully tested the LandscapeDNDC model against field data by simulating crop growth, C and N turnover and associated N₂O emissions as well as nitrate leaching for radish cultivation with plastic mulch and in conjunction with different rates of N fertilization (465–765 kg N ha^?1 year^?1). Due to the sandy soil texture and monsoon climate, nitrate leaching with rates up to 350 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 was the dominant reason for overall low nitrogen use efficiency (32–43 %). Direct or indirect N₂O emissions (calculated from simulated nitrate leaching rates and IPCC EF_ind = 0.0075) ranged between 2 and 3 kg N ha^?1 year^?1, thus contributing an equal amount to total field emissions of about 5 kg N ha^?1 year^?1. Based on our results, emission factors for direct N₂O emissions ranged between 0.004 and 0.005. These values are only half of the IPCC default value (0.01), demonstrating the need of biogeochemical models for developing site and/or region specific EFs. Simulation results also revealed that changes in agricultural management by applying the fertilizer only to the rows would be an efficient mitigation strategy, effectively decreasing field nitrate leaching and N₂O emissions by 50–60 %.     

N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O and CH<Subscript>4</Subscript> emission from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Miscanthus</Emphasis> energy crop fields in the infertile Loess Plateau of China

Background

The greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation is one of the most important environmental benefits of using bioenergy replacing fossil fuels. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) are important GHGs and have drawn extra attention for their roles in global warming. Although there have been many works of soil emissions of N₂O and CH₄ from bioenergy crops in the field scale, GHG emissions in large area of marginal lands are rather sparse and how soil temperature and moisture affect the emission potential remains unknown. Therefore, we sought to estimate the regional GHG emission based on N₂O and CH₄ releases from the energy crop fields.

Results

Here we sampled the top soils from two Miscanthus fields and incubated them using a short-term laboratory microcosm approach under different conditions of typical soil temperatures and moistures. Based on the emission measurements of N₂O and CH₄, we developed a model to estimate annual regional GHG emission of Miscanthus production in the infertile Loess Plateau of China. The results showed that the N₂O emission potential was 0.27 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 and clearly lower than that of croplands and grasslands. The CH₄ uptake potential was 1.06 kg C ha^?1 year^?1 and was slightly higher than that of croplands. Integrated with our previous study on the emission of CO₂, the net greenhouse effect of three major GHGs (N₂O, CH₄ and CO₂) from Miscanthus fields was 4.08 t CO_2eq ha^?1 year^?1 in the Loess Plateau, which was lower than that of croplands, grasslands and shrub lands.

Conclusions

Our study revealed that Miscanthus production may hold a great potential for GHG mitigation in the vast infertile land in the Loess Plateau of China and could contribute to the sustainable energy utilization and have positive environmental impact on the region.

     

Environmental Effects over the First 2½ Rotation Periods of a Fertilised Poplar Short Rotation Coppice

A short rotation coppice (SRC) with poplar was established in a randomised fertilisation experiment on sandy loam soil in Potsdam (Northeast Germany). The main objective of this study was to assess if negative environmental effects as nitrogen leaching and greenhouse gas emissions are enhanced by mineral nitrogen (N) fertiliser applied to poplar at rates of 0, 50 and 75 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 and how these effects are influenced by tree age with increasing number of rotation periods and cycles of organic matter decomposition and tree growth after each harvesting event. Between 2008 and 2012, the leaching of nitrate (NO₃ ^?) was monitored with self-integrating accumulators over 6-month periods and the emissions of the greenhouse gases (GHG) nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) were determined in closed gas chambers. During the first 4 years of the poplar SRC, most nitrogen was lost through NO₃ ^? leaching from the main root zone; however, there was no significant relationship to the rate of N fertilisation. On average, 5.8 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 (13.0 kg CO_2equ) was leached from the root zone. Nitrogen leaching rates decreased in the course of the 4-year study parallel to an increase of the fine root biomass and the degree of mycorrhization. In contrast to N leaching, the loss of nitrogen by N₂O emissions from the soil was very low with an average of 0.61 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 (182 kg CO_2equ) and were also not affected by N fertilisation over the whole study period. Real CO₂ emissions from the poplar soil were two orders of magnitude higher ranging between 15,122 and 19,091 kg CO₂ ha^?1 year^?1 and followed the rotation period with enhanced emission rates in the years of harvest. As key-factors for NO₃ ^? leaching and N₂O emissions, the time after planting and after harvest and the rotation period have been identified by a mixed effects model.     

Soil nitrous oxide and methane fluxes are low from a bioenergy crop (canola) grown in a semi-arid climate

Understanding nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) fluxes from agricultural soils in semi‐arid climates is necessary to fully assess greenhouse gas emissions from bioenergy cropping systems, and to improve our knowledge of global terrestrial gaseous exchange. Canola is grown globally as a feedstock for biodiesel production, however, resulting soil greenhouse gas fluxes are rarely reported for semi‐arid climates. We measured soil N₂O and CH₄ fluxes from a rain‐fed canola crop in a semi‐arid region of south‐western Australia for 1 year on a subdaily basis. The site included N fertilized (75 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1) and nonfertilized plots. Daily N₂O fluxes were low (?1.5 to 4.7 g N₂O‐N ha^?1 day^?1) and culminated in an annual loss of 128 g N₂O‐N ha^?1 (standard error, 12 g N₂O‐N ha^?1) from N fertilized soil and 80 g N₂O‐N ha^?1 (standard error, 11 g N₂O‐N ha^?1) from nonfertilized soil. Daily CH₄ fluxes were also low (?10.3 to 11.9 g CH₄‐C ha^?1 day^?1), and did not differ with treatments, with an average annual net emission of 6.7 g CH₄–C ha^?1 (standard error, 20 g CH₄–C ha^?1). Greatest daily N₂O fluxes occurred when the soil was fallow, and following a series of summer rainfall events. Summer rainfall increased soil water contents and available N, and occurred when soil temperatures were >25 °C, and when there was no active plant growth to compete with soil microorganisms for mineralized N; conditions known to promote N₂O production. The proportion of N fertilizer emitted as N₂O, after correction for emissions from the no N fertilizer treatment, was 0.06%; 17 times lower than IPCC default value for the application of synthetic N fertilizers to land (1.0%). Soil greenhouse gas fluxes from bioenergy crop production in semi‐arid regions are likely to have less influence on the net global warming potential of biofuel production than in temperate climates.     

Nitrous oxide and methane exchange in two small temperate forest catchments—effects of hydrological gradients and implications for global warming potentials of forest soils

The magnitude of greenhouse gas (GHG) flux rates may be important in wet and intermediate wet forest soils, but published estimates are scarce. We studied the surface exchange of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) from soil along toposequences in two temperate deciduous forest catchments: Strødam and Vestskoven. The soil water regime ranged from fully saturated to aerated within the catchments. At Strødam the largest mean flux rates of N₂O (15 μg N₂O-N m^?2 h^?1) were measured at volumetric soil water contents (SWC) between 40 and 60% and associated with low soil pH compared to smaller mean flux rates of 0-5 μg N₂O-N m^?2 h^?1 for drier (SWC < 40%) and wet conditions (SWC > 80%). At Vestskoven the same response of N₂O to soil water content was observed. Average CH₄ flux rates were highly variable along the toposequences (?17 to 536 μg CH₄-C m^?2 h^?1) but emissions were only observed above soil water content of 45%. Scaled flux rates of both GHGs to catchment level resulted in emission of 322 and 211 kg CO₂-equivalents ha^?1 year^?1 for Strødam and Vestskoven, respectively, with N₂O contributing the most at both sites. Although the wet and intermediate wet forest soils occupied less than half the catchment area at both sites, the global warming potential (GWP) derived from N₂O and CH₄ was more than doubled when accounting for these wet areas in the catchments. The results stress the importance of wet soils in assessments of forest soil global warming potentials, as even small proportions of wet soils contributes substantially to the emissions of N₂O and CH₄.     

Greenhouse gas fluxes from an Australian subtropical cropland under long‐term contrasting management regimes

The long‐term effects of conservation management practices on greenhouse gas fluxes from tropical/subtropical croplands remain to be uncertain. Using both manual and automatic sampling chambers, we measured N₂O and CH₄ fluxes at a long‐term experimental site (1968–present) in Queensland, Australia from 2006 to 2009. Annual net greenhouse gas fluxes (NGGF) were calculated from the 3‐year mean N₂O and CH₄ fluxes and the long‐term soil organic carbon changes. N₂O emissions exhibited clear daily, seasonal and interannual variations, highlighting the importance of whole‐year measurement over multiple years for obtaining temporally representative annual emissions. Averaged over 3 years, annual N₂O emissions from the unfertilized and fertilized soils (90 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 as urea) amounted to 138 and 902 g N ha^?1, respectively. The average annual N₂O emissions from the fertilized soil were 388 g N ha^?1 lower under no‐till (NT) than under conventional tillage (CT) and 259 g N ha^?1 higher under stubble retention (SR) than under stubble burning (SB). Annual N₂O emissions from the unfertilized soil were similar between the contrasting tillage and stubble management practices. The average emission factors of fertilizer N were 0.91%, 1.20%, 0.52% and 0.77% for the CT‐SB, CT‐SR, NT‐SB and NT‐SR treatments, respectively. Annual CH₄ fluxes from the soil were very small (?200–300 g CH₄ ha^?1 yr^?1) with no significant difference between treatments. The NGGF were 277–350 kg CO₂‐e ha^?1 yr^?1 for the unfertilized treatments and 401–710 kg CO₂‐e ha^?1 yr^?1 for the fertilized treatments. Among the fertilized treatments, N₂O emissions accounted for 52–97% of NGGF and NT‐SR resulted in the lowest NGGF (401 kg CO₂‐e ha^?1 yr^?1 or 140 kg CO₂‐e t^?1 grain). Therefore, NT‐SR with improved N fertilizer management practices was considered the most promising management regime for simultaneously achieving maximal yield and minimal NGGF.     

Emissions of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, CH<Subscript>4</Subscript> and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O from undisturbed,drained and mined peatlands in Estonia

The aim of this study is to estimate emissions of greenhouse gases CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O, and the effects of drainage and peat extraction on these processes, in Estonian transitional fens and ombrotrophic bogs. Closed-chamber-based sampling lasted from January to December 2009 in nine peatlands in Estonia, covering areas with different land-use practices: natural (four study sites), drained (six sites), abandoned peat mining (five sites) and active peat mining areas (five sites). Median values of soil CO₂ efflux were 1,509, 1,921, 2,845 and 1,741 kg CO₂-C ha^?1 year^?1 from natural, drained, abandoned and active mining areas, respectively. Emission of CH₄-C (median values) was 85.2, 23.7, 0.07 and 0.12 kg ha^?1 year^?1, and N₂O-N ?0.05, ?0.01, 0.18 and 0.19 kg ha^?1 year^?1, respectively. There were significantly higher emissions of CO₂ and N₂O from abandoned and active peat mining areas, whereas CH₄ emissions were significantly higher in natural and drained areas. Significant Spearman rank correlation was found between soil temperature and CO₂ flux at all sites, and CH₄ flux with high water level at natural and drained areas. Significant increase in CH₄ flux was detected for groundwater levels above 30 cm.     

Afforestation does not necessarily reduce nitrous oxide emissions from managed boreal peat soils

Pristine peatlands have generally low nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions but drainage and management practices enhance the microbial processes and associated N₂O emissions. It is assumed that leaving peat soils from intensive management, such as agriculture, will decrease their N₂O emissions. In this paper we report how the annual N₂O emission rates will change when agricultural peat soil is either left abandoned or afforested and also N₂O emissions from afforested peat extraction sites. In addition, we evaluated a biogeochemical model (DNDC) with a view to explaining GHG emissions from peat soils under different land uses. The abandoned agricultural peat soils had lower mean annual N₂O emissions (5.5?±?5.4?kg?N?ha^?1) than the peat soils in active agricultural use in Finland. Surprisingly, N₂O emissions from afforested organic agricultural soils (12.8?±?9.4?kg?N?ha^?1) were similar to those from organic agricultural soils in active use. These emissions were much higher than those from the forests on nutrient rich peat soils. Abandoned and afforested peat extraction sites emitted more N₂O, (2.4?±?2.1?kg?N?ha^?1), than the areas under active peat extraction (0.7?±?0.5?kg?N?ha^?1). Emissions outside the growing season contributed significantly, 40% on an average, to the annual emissions. The DNDC model overestimated N₂O emission rates during the growing season and indicated no emissions during winter. The differences in the N₂O emission rates were not associated with the age of the land use change, vegetation characteristics, peat depth or peat bulk density. The highest N₂O emissions occurred when the soil C:N ratio was below 20 with a significant variability within the measured C:N range (13–27). Low soil pH, high nitrate availability and water table depth (50–70?cm) were also associated with high N₂O emissions. Mineral soil has been added to most of the soils studied here to improve the fertility and this may have an impact on the N₂O emissions. We infer from the multi-site dataset presented in this paper that afforestation is not necessarily an efficient way to reduce N₂O emissions from drained boreal organic fields.     

Effects of dairy farming intensification on nitrous oxide emissions

A dairy farm system trial was conducted between September 2003 and August 2005 to evaluate the effect of integration of maize silage forage on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Potentially, the integration of low-protein forage (e.g. feeding cows with maize silage) to reduce dietary-nitrogen (N) concentration can mitigate environmental N emissions and increase N use efficiency. The dairy farm systems consisted of a maize supplementation system with a stocking rate of 3.8 cows ha^?1 of grazed pasture with maize silage brought in and a control system with a stocking rate of 3.0 cows ha^?1 of grazed pasture. Direct and indirect N₂O emissions from all components of the farm systems were either measured using a closed chamber technique or calculated using the New Zealand IPCC inventory methodology. Annual average N₂O emissions were slightly lower on the maize supplementation pasture than on the control pasture. Annual total N₂O emissions from the “whole” farm systems (including direct and indict emissions from the grazed pastures, maize growing land, N fertilizer use and associated land application of farm effluent) were 7.71 and 8.00 kg N₂O–N ha^?1 of dairy farm on the control and maize supplement farm systems, respectively. The corresponding annual milk production was 13,437 and 17,925 kg ha^?1. Therefore, the N₂O emission per kg of milk production from the maize supplementation was 22% lower than that from the control system. This was due to the much greater efficiency of N use from low-protein maize silage than from pasture. The results suggest that the integration of low-protein forage can be an effective management practice to mitigate adverse environmental effects of increasing stocking rates in the New Zealand dairy farm systems, in terms of N₂O emissions per unit of milk production.     

Soil–atmosphere exchange of N2O, CO2 and CH4 along a slope of an evergreen broad-leaved forest in southern China

At most sites the magnitude of soil-atmosphere exchange of nitrous dioxide (N₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) was estimated based on a few chambers located in a limited area. Topography has been demonstrated to influence the production and consumption of these gases in temperate ecosystems, but this aspect has often been ignored in tropical areas. In this study, we investigated spatial variability of the net fluxes of these gases along a 100 m long slope of a evergreen broadleaved forest in southern China over a whole year. We expected that the lower part of slope would release more N₂O and CO₂, but take up less atmospheric CH₄ than the upper part due to different availability of water and nutrients. Our results showed that the soil moisture (Water Filled Pore Space, WFPS) decreased along the slope from bottom to top as we expected, but among the three gases only N₂O emissions followed this pattern. Annual means of WFPS ranged from 27.7% to 52.7% within the slope, and annual emissions of N₂O ranged from 2.0 to 4.4 kg N ha^?1 year^?1, respectively. These two variables were highly and positively correlated across the slope. Neither potential rates of net N mineralization and nitrification, nor N₂O emissions in the laboratory incubated soils varied with slope positions. Soil CO₂ release and CH₄ uptake appeared to be independent on slope position in this study. Our results suggested that soil water content and associated N₂O emissions are likely to be influenced by topography even in a short slope, which may need to be taken into account in field measurements and modelling.     

Effects of bovine urine, plants and temperature on N2O and CO2 emissions from a sub-tropical soil

Grazing ruminants urinate and deposit N onto pastoral soils at rates up to 1,000 kg ha^?1, with most of this deposited N present as urea. In urine patches, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions can increase markedly. Soil derived CO₂ fluxes can also increase due to priming effects.While N₂O fluxes are affected by temperature, no studies have examined the interaction of pasture plants, urine and temperature on N₂O fluxes and the associated CO₂ fluxes. We postulated the response of N₂O emissions to bovine urine application would be affected by plants and temperature. Dairy cattle urine was collected, labelled with ¹⁵N, and applied at 590 kg N ha^?1 to a sub-tropical soil,with and without pasture plants at 11°, 19°, and 23°C. Over the experimental period (28 days), 0.2% (11°C with plants) to 2.2% (23°C with plants) of the applied N was emitted as N₂O. At 11°C, plants had no effect on cumulative N₂O-N fluxes, whereas at 23°C, the presence of plants significantly increased the flux, suggesting plant-derived C supply affected the N₂O producing microbes. In contrast, a significant urine application effect on the cumulative CO₂ flux was not affected by varying temperature from 11?C23°C or by growing plants in the soil. This study has shown that plants and their responses to temperature affect N₂O emissions from ruminant urine deposition. The results have significant implications for forecasting and understanding the effect of elevated soil temperatures on N₂O emissions and CO₂ fluxes from grazed pasture systems.     

Effect of biochar amendment on the soil-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases from an intensive subtropical pasture in northern New South Wales, Australia

We assessed the effect of biochar incorporation into the soil on the soil-atmosphere exchange of the greenhouse gases (GHG) from an intensive subtropical pasture. For this, we measured N₂O, CH₄ and CO₂ emissions with high temporal resolution from April to June 2009 in an existing factorial experiment where cattle feedlot biochar had been applied at 10 t ha^?1 in November 2006. Over the whole measurement period, significant emissions of N₂O and CO₂ were observed, whereas a net uptake of CH₄ was measured. N₂O emissions were found to be highly episodic with one major emission pulse (up to 502 ??g N₂O-N m^?2 h^?1) following heavy rainfall. There was no significant difference in the net flux of GHGs from the biochar amended vs. the control plots. Our results demonstrate that intensively managed subtropical pastures on ferrosols in northern New South Wales of Australia can be a significant source of GHG. Our hypothesis that the application of biochar would lead to a reduction in emissions of GHG from soils was not supported in this field assessment. Additional studies with longer observation periods are needed to clarify the long term effect of biochar amendment on soil microbial processes and the emission of GHGs under field conditions.     

Environmental factors controlling temporal and spatial variability in the soil‐atmosphere exchange of CO2, CH4 and N2O from an Australian subtropical rainforest

The temporal variations in CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O fluxes were measured over two consecutive years from February 2007 to March 2009 from a subtropical rainforest in south‐eastern Queensland, Australia, using an automated sampling system. A concurrent study using an additional 30 manual chambers examined the spatial variability of emissions distributed across three nearby remnant rainforest sites with similar vegetation and climatic conditions. Interannual variation in fluxes of all gases over the 2 years was minimal, despite large discrepancies in rainfall, whereas a pronounced seasonal variation could only be observed for CO₂ fluxes. High infiltration, drainage and subsequent high soil aeration under the rainforest limited N₂O loss while promoting substantial CH₄ uptake. The average annual N₂O loss of 0.5 ± 0.1 kg N₂O‐N ha^?1 over the 2‐year measurement period was at the lower end of reported fluxes from rainforest soils. The rainforest soil functioned as a sink for atmospheric CH₄ throughout the entire 2‐year period, despite periods of substantial rainfall. A clear linear correlation between soil moisture and CH₄ uptake was found. Rates of uptake ranged from greater than 15 g CH₄‐C ha^?1 day^?1 during extended dry periods to less than 2–5 g CH₄‐C ha^?1 day^?1 when soil water content was high. The calculated annual CH₄ uptake at the site was 3.65 kg CH₄‐C ha^?1 yr^?1. This is amongst the highest reported for rainforest systems, reiterating the ability of aerated subtropical rainforests to act as substantial sinks of CH₄. The spatial study showed N₂O fluxes almost eight times higher, and CH₄ uptake reduced by over one‐third, as clay content of the rainforest soil increased from 12% to more than 23%. This demonstrates that for some rainforest ecosystems, soil texture and related water infiltration and drainage capacity constraints may play a more important role in controlling fluxes than either vegetation or seasonal variability.     

Responses of nitrous oxide fluxes and soil nitrogen cycling to nutrient additions in montane forests along an elevation gradient in southern Ecuador

Tropical montane forests are commonly limited by N or co-limited by N and P. Projected increases in N deposition in tropical montane regions are thought to be insufficient for vegetation demand and are not therefore expected to affect soil N availability and N₂O emissions. We established a factorial N- and P-addition experiment (i.e., N, P, N + P, and control) across an elevation gradient of montane forests in Ecuador to test these hypotheses: (1) moderate rates of N and P additions are able to stimulate soil-N cycling rates and N₂O fluxes, and (2) the magnitude and timing of soil N₂O-flux responses depend on the initial nutrient status of the forest soils. Moderate rates of nutrients were added: 50 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 (in the form of urea) and 10 kg P ha^?1 year^?1 (in the form of NaH₂PO ₄ ^. 2H₂O) split in two equal applications. We tested the hypotheses by measuring changes in net rates of soil–N cycling and N₂O fluxes during the first 2 years (2008–2009) of nutrient manipulation in an old-growth premontane forest at 1,000 m, growing on a Cambisol soil with no organic layer, in an old-growth lower montane forest at 2,000 m, growing on a Cambisol soil with an organic layer, and an old-growth upper montane rainforest at 3,000 m, growing on a Histosol soil with a thick organic layer. Among the control plots, net nitrification rates were largest at the 1,000-m site whereas net nitrification was not detectable at the 2,000- and 3,000-m sites. The already large net nitrification at the 1,000-m site was not affected by nutrient additions, but net nitrification became detectable at the 2,000- and 3000-m sites after the second year of N and N + P additions. N₂O emissions increased rapidly following N and N + P additions at the 1,000-m site whereas only smaller increases occurred at the 2,000- and 3,000-m sites during the second year of N and N + P additions. Addition of P alone had no effect on net rates of soil N cycling and N₂O fluxes at any elevation. Our results showed that the initial soil N status, which may also be influenced by presence or absence of organic layer, soil moisture and temperature as encompassed by the elevation gradient, is a good indicator of how soil N cycling and N₂O fluxes may respond to future increases in nutrient additions.