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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #216394
Title: Nitrous Oxide Production in an Eastern Cornbelt Soil: Sources and Redox Range

Author
item HERNANDEZ-RAMIREZ, G - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item BROUDER, S - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Smith, Douglas
item VAN SCOYOC, G - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item FILLEY, T - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item MICHALSKI, G - PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/4/2007
Publication Date: 11/5/2007
Citation: Hernandez-Ramirez, G., Brouder, S.M., Smith, D.R., Van Scoyoc, G.E., Filley, T., Michalski, G. 2007. Nitrous Oxide Production in an Eastern Cornbelt Soil: Sources and Redox Range. American Society of Agronomy Annual Meeting Abstracts. November 4-8, 2007, New Orleans, LA. 2007 CDROM.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nitrous oxide derived from soils is a main contributor to the greenhouse gas effect and ozone layer depletion; however, sources and regulation are not clearly understood. This study was conducted to estimate magnitude and sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) production as affect by N source, soil water content and redox potential. Soils sampled from continuous corn experimental plots after receiving eight consecutive years of either side-dressed urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) or fall liquid swine manure (FM) were aerobically and anaerobically incubated. Soil N2O sources were traced by 15N-labeling. Partitioning results were highly variable but suggested enhanced denitrification after an extreme increase in soil water content (from 45 to 90 % WFPS), and a more coupled nitrification – denitrification at moderate water content (55 % WFPS). Manured soils at high water content registered higher (102 vs. 15.3 'g N2O kg-1 soil), shorter-lived (4 vs. 7 days) N2O production than at moderate water content. Comparing N sources in anoxic conditions, manured soils showed higher N2O production rates than UAN (up to 336 and 145 'g N2O kg-1 soil h-1, respectively) shortly after flooding (day 1 to 4) coinciding with a sharp drop in redox potential (575 to 466 mV). Redox potential range for N2O production occurred at moderate reducing conditions (420 to 575 mV) and was not affected by N source. Soils were consistent net N2O producers as function of water regime and N input, particularly when receiving annual fall manure applications.