A Novel Method for Quantifying Nitrous Oxide Reduction in Soil

作者：Klefoth Roland^*; Oenema Oene; van Groenigen Jan Willem

来源：Vadose Zone Journal, 2012, 11(4).

DOI：10.2136/vzj2011.0107

Nitrous oxide is produced in soil by nitrifying and denitrifying microorganisms. Most of the N2O produced in soil is reduced to N-2 in the final step of denitrification, and only a fraction is released into the atmosphere. No reliable methods exist, however, to quantify N2O reduction and its controlling parameters in soil. In this study, we investigated: (i) a novel method to quantify the reduction of N2O in soil as it diffuses upward; and (ii) the effects of soil moisture content on N2O reduction. We developed a setup where a silicone tube coil permeable to N2O linked to an N2O reservoir simulated a subsoil with a known, artificial N2O source. A soil core filled with repacked sandy soil (a Typic Endoaquoll) was placed on top of the silicone coil. Experimental treatments included water-filled pore space (WFPS) levels of 60, 75, and 90%, as well as a quartz sand treatment at 90% WFPS that served as an abiotic control. Soil surface N2O emissions were measured for 21 d, and after the experiment, residual N2O in the system was determined. During the experiment, 41, 39, and 0% of the applied N2O was emitted as soil surface flux for the 60, 75, and 90% WFPS treatments, respectively. In the 90% WFPS treatment, 52% of applied N2O was reduced to N-2. We conclude that our method enables us to quantify N2O reduction in soil columns. Our results further show that wet soils can be effective in reducing N2O to N-2 during upward diffusion from the subsoil.

• 出版日期2012-11