Nitrous oxide release from agricultural soils under different management practices during freeze-thaw cycles

Conference Year

January 2019

Abstract

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas 298 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2), and is a source of ozone-depleting nitrogen oxides (Charles et al., 2016). Agricultural soils are estimated to account for over 75% of anthropogenic N2O emissions (Inselsbacher et al., 2010) and 23-31% of total global N2O emissions (Charles et al., 2017). Soil release of N2O is primarily from the biological processes of nitrification and denitrification, with large emission fluxes surrounding freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) (Dong et al., 2015). While increasing numbers of studies have been done over recent decades, there is still little understanding of the exact causes of N2O emissions during FTCs. The purpose of this study is to identify the source of N2O emissions during FTCs – nitrification or denitrification – and the drivers of these emissions from conventional versus Best Management Practice (BMP) agricultural fields. An incubation study will be conducted using soil cores from each field. The cores will be subjected to FTCs, during which N2O emissions and potential drivers of nitrification and denitrification (e.g., nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, dissolved organic carbon, and microbial biomass and activity) will be measured. Understanding the source and driving factors of N2O emissions from agricultural fields is important, as it will shape management practices of these lands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas 298 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2), and is a source of ozone-depleting nitrogen oxides (Charles et al., 2016). Agricultural soils are estimated to account for over 75% of anthropogenic N2O emissions (Inselsbacher et al., 2010) and 23-31% of total global N2O emissions (Charles et al., 2017). Soil release of N2O is primarily from the biological processes of nitrification and denitrification, with large emission fluxes surrounding freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) (Dong et al., 2015). While increasing numbers of studies have been done over recent decades, there is still little understanding of the exact causes of N2O emissions during FTCs. The purpose of this study is to identify the source of N2O emissions during FTCs – nitrification or denitrification – and the drivers of these emissions from conventional versus Best Management Practice (BMP) agricultural fields. An incubation study will be conducted using soil cores from each field. The cores will be subjected to FTCs, during which N2O emissions and potential drivers of nitrification and denitrification (e.g., nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, dissolved organic carbon, and microbial biomass and activity) will be measured. Understanding the source and driving factors of N2O emissions from agricultural fields is important, as it will shape management practices of these lands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change.

Primary Faculty Mentor Name

Carol Adair

Secondary Mentor Name

Aimee Classen, Eric Roy

Graduate Student Mentors

Kyle Dittmer, Lindsay Barbieri

Faculty/Staff Collaborators

Kyle Dittmer (Graduate Student Mentor)

Status

Undergraduate

Student College

Rubenstein School of Environmental and Natural Resources

Program/Major

Environmental Sciences

Primary Research Category

Food & Environment Studies

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Nitrous oxide release from agricultural soils under different management practices during freeze-thaw cycles

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas 298 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2), and is a source of ozone-depleting nitrogen oxides (Charles et al., 2016). Agricultural soils are estimated to account for over 75% of anthropogenic N2O emissions (Inselsbacher et al., 2010) and 23-31% of total global N2O emissions (Charles et al., 2017). Soil release of N2O is primarily from the biological processes of nitrification and denitrification, with large emission fluxes surrounding freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) (Dong et al., 2015). While increasing numbers of studies have been done over recent decades, there is still little understanding of the exact causes of N2O emissions during FTCs. The purpose of this study is to identify the source of N2O emissions during FTCs – nitrification or denitrification – and the drivers of these emissions from conventional versus Best Management Practice (BMP) agricultural fields. An incubation study will be conducted using soil cores from each field. The cores will be subjected to FTCs, during which N2O emissions and potential drivers of nitrification and denitrification (e.g., nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, dissolved organic carbon, and microbial biomass and activity) will be measured. Understanding the source and driving factors of N2O emissions from agricultural fields is important, as it will shape management practices of these lands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas 298 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2), and is a source of ozone-depleting nitrogen oxides (Charles et al., 2016). Agricultural soils are estimated to account for over 75% of anthropogenic N2O emissions (Inselsbacher et al., 2010) and 23-31% of total global N2O emissions (Charles et al., 2017). Soil release of N2O is primarily from the biological processes of nitrification and denitrification, with large emission fluxes surrounding freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) (Dong et al., 2015). While increasing numbers of studies have been done over recent decades, there is still little understanding of the exact causes of N2O emissions during FTCs. The purpose of this study is to identify the source of N2O emissions during FTCs – nitrification or denitrification – and the drivers of these emissions from conventional versus Best Management Practice (BMP) agricultural fields. An incubation study will be conducted using soil cores from each field. The cores will be subjected to FTCs, during which N2O emissions and potential drivers of nitrification and denitrification (e.g., nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, dissolved organic carbon, and microbial biomass and activity) will be measured. Understanding the source and driving factors of N2O emissions from agricultural fields is important, as it will shape management practices of these lands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change.