Emissions of nitrous oxide from soils (original) (raw)

Nature volume 298, pages 462–464 (1982) Cite this article

Abstract

Potential changes in the concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the atmosphere have sparked considerable interest because of the proposed role of N2O in regulating stratospheric ozone levels, and in contributing to the atmospheric greenhouse effect. A substantial portion of the atmospheric N2O is thought to result from microbial transformations of inorganic forms of nitrogen in soils; N2O is an intermediate in denitrification (reduction of NO−3 to N2) and is formed during nitrification (oxidation of NH+4 to NO−3) in soils, although the mechanism is unclear. Several models have predicted that input of nitrogen into cropland, either from commercial fertilizers or N-fixing leguminous crops, could sufficiently increase emissions of N2O from soils to deplete stratospheric ozone levels1–3 and raise average world temperatures4. We report here N2O emissions from mineral and organic soil sites in New York and from organic soil sites in the Florida Everglades Agricultural Area.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 52 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.83 per issue

Buy this article

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Crutzen, P. J. & Ehhalt, D. H. Ambio 6, 112–117 (1977).
    CAS Google Scholar
  2. Liu, S. C., Cicerone, R. J., Donahue, T. M. & Chameides W. L., Tellus 29, 251–263 (1977).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  3. McElroy, M. B., Wofsy, S. C. & Yung, Y. L. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B277, 159–181 (1977).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  4. Yung, Y. L., Wang, W. C. & Lacis, A. A. Geophys. Res. Lett. 3, 619–621 (1976).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  5. Hutchinson, G. L. & Mosier, A. R. Science 205, 1125–1127 (1979).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  6. Ryden, J. C., Lund, L. J., Letey, J. & Focht, D. D. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43, 110–118 (1979).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  7. Ryden, J. C. & Lund, L. J. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 505 (1980); J. envir. Qual. 9, 387–393 (1980).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  8. Ryden, J. C. Nature 292, 235–237 (1981).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  9. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Effect of Increased Nitrogen Fixation on Stratospheric Ozone (Rep. 53, Iowa State University, Ames, 1976).
  10. Terry, R. E., Tate, R. L. III & Duxbury, J. M. J. Air Pollut. Contr. Ass. 31, 1173–1176 (1981).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  11. Guthrie, T. F. & Duxbury, J. M. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 42, 908–912 (1978).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  12. Terry, R. E. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 747–750 (1980).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  13. Burford, J. R. & Hall, K. C. Argic. Res. Counc., Letcombe Lab. Ann. Rep. 85 (1976).
  14. Rolston, D. E., Fried, M. & Goldhammer, D. A. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 40, 259–266 (1976).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  15. McKenney, D. J., Wade, D. L. & Findlay, W. I. Geophys. Res. Lett. 5, 777–780 (1978).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  16. Rolston, D. E., Hoffman, D. L. & Toy, D. W. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 42, 863–869 (1978).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  17. Denmead, O. T., Freney, J. R., Simpson, J. R. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43, 726–728 (1979).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  18. Bremner, J. M., Robbins, S. G. & Blackmer, A. M. Geophys. Res. Lett. 7, 641–644 (1980).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  19. McKenney, D. J., Shuttleworth, K. F. & Findlay, W. I. Can. J. Soil Sci. 60, 429–438 (1980).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. R. E. Terry
    Present address: Department of Agronomy, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, 84602, USA
  2. R. L. Tate III
    Present address: Department of Soils and Crops, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, 08903, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
    J. M. Duxbury & D. R. Bouldin
  2. University of Florida, AREC Belle Glade, Florida, 33430, USA
    R. E. Terry & R. L. Tate III

Authors

  1. J. M. Duxbury
  2. D. R. Bouldin
  3. R. E. Terry
  4. R. L. Tate III

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Duxbury, J., Bouldin, D., Terry, R. et al. Emissions of nitrous oxide from soils.Nature 298, 462–464 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/298462a0

Download citation

This article is cited by