Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Diurnal variation of nitrogen cycling in coastal, marine sediments

II. Nitrous oxide emission

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A closed chamber technique was developed to determine the emission of microbially produced N2O from an estuarine sediment. A diurnal variation was observed; maximum emissions of 0.4 to 4.0 μmol N2O−N m-2 h-1 were recorded at night whereas the rates were low or even negative, -0.4 to 0.4 μmol N2O−N m-2 h-1, during the day. The bacterial denitrification located in the uppermost centimeter was apparently the major source of the emitted N2O. The diurnal emission pattern was thus inversely related to the O2 availability at the sediment surface; in the dark, the lack of O2 production by benthic photosynthesis allowed the denitrification to occur closer to the sediment-water interface and was likely to enhance the release of N2O to the water. The daily averages for the emission were about 40 μmol N2O−N m-2 d-1 for three investigation periods in autumn (November), winter (February) and spring (April), whereas no significant emission was recorded in the NO -3 -depleted sediment in early summer (June). In this estuary, the N2O emissions from the sediment were significant contributions to the overall release of N2O to the atmosphere.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Andersen, T. K., M. H. Jensen and J. Sørensen: Diurnal variation of nitrogen cycling in coastal, marine sediments I. Denitrification. Mar. Biol. 83, 171–176 (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong, F. A. J., C. R. Stearns and J. D. H. Strickland: The measurement of upwelling and subsequent biological processes by means of the Technicon Autoanalyzer and associated equipment. Deep-Sea Res. 14, 381–389 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Betlach, M. R. and J. M. Tiedje: Kinetic explanation for accumulation of nitrite, nitric oxide and nitrous oxide during bacterial denitrification. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 42, 1074–1084 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Billen, G.: A budget of nitrogen recycling in North Sea sediments off the Belgian coast. Estuar. coast. mar. Sci. 7, 127–146 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackmer, A. M., S. G. Robbins and J. M. Bremner: Diurnal variability in rate of emission of nitrous oxide from soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 46, 937–942 (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  • Broecker, W. S. and T.-H. Peng: Gas exchange rates between air and sea. Tellus 26, 21–35 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Conrad, R. and W. Seiller: Field measurements of the loss of fertilizer nitrogen into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide. Atmos. Environ. 14, 555–558 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Denmead, O. T., J. R. Freney and J. R. Simpson: Nitrous oxide emission during denitrification in a flooded field. Soil Sci Soc. Am. J. 43, 716–718 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Emerson, S.: Gas exchange rates in small Canadian Shield lakes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 20, 754–761 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenchel, T. and T. H. Blackburn: Bacteria and mineral cycling, 225 pp. London: Academic Press 1979

    Google Scholar 

  • Firestone, M. K., M. S. Smith, R. B. Firestone and J. M. Tiedje: The influence of nitrate, nitrite and oxygen on the composition of the gaseous products of denitrification in soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43, 1140–1144 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Firestone, M. K. and J. M. Tiedje: Temporal change in nitrous oxide and dinitrogen from denitrification following onset of anaerobiosis. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 38, 673–679 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Goreau, T. J., W. A. Kaplan, S. C. Wofsy, M. B. McElroy, F. W. Valois and S. W. Watson: Production of NO -2 and N2O by nitrifying bacteria at reduced concentrations of oxygen. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 40, 526–532 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, J.: The North Atlantic Ocean as a source of atmospheric N2O. Tellus 26, 160–168 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, J. I., K. Henriksen and T. H. Blackburn: Seasonal distribution of nitrifying bacteria and rates of nitrification in coastal marine sediments. Microb. Ecol. 7, 297–304 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, K. S., H. B. Jensen and J. Sørensen: Nitrous oxide production from nitrification and denitrification in marine sediment at low oxygen concentrations. Can. J. Microbiol. (In press)

  • Knowles, R.: Denitrification. Microbiol. Rev. 46, 43–70 (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  • McElroy, M. B., S. C. Wofsy and Y. L. Yung: The nitrogen cycle: pertubations due to man and their impact on atmospheric N2O and O3. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, Ser. B 277, 159–181 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • McElroy, M. B., J. W. Elkins, S. C. Wofsy, C. E. Kolb, A. P. Durán and W. A. Kaplan: Production and release of N2O from the Potomac Estuary. Limnol. Oceanogr. 23, 1168–1182 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Nishio, T., I. Koike and A. Hattori: Estimates of denitrification and nitrification in coastal and estuarine sediments. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 45, 444–450 (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  • Revsbech, N. P., J. Sørensen, T. H. Blackburn and J. P. Lomholt: Distribution of oxygen in marine sediments measured with microelectrodes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 25, 403–411 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Seitzinger, S., S. Nixon, M. E. Q. Pilson and S. Burke: Denitrification and N2O production in near-shore marine sediments. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 44, 1853–1860 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. S. and K. Zimmerman: Nitrous oxide production by nondenitrifying soil nitrate reducers. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 45, 865–871 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Solórzano, L.: Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenolhypochlorite method. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14, 799–801 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, J.: Occurrence of nitric and nitrous oxides in a coastal marine sediment. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 36, 809–813 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, J., B. B. Jørgensen and N. P. Revsbech: A comparison of oxygen, nitrate, and sulfate respiration in coastal marine sediments. Microb. Ecol. 5, 105–115 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen, J., J. M. Tiedje and R. B. Firestone: Inhibition by sulfide of nitric and nitrous oxide reduction by denitrifying Pseudomonas fluorescens. Appl. environ. Microbiol. 39, 105–108 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, R. F. and B. A. Price: Nitrous oxide solubility in water and sea water. Mar. Chem. 8, 347–359 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoshida, T. and M. Alexander: Nitrous oxide production by Nitrosomonas europea and heterotrophic microorganisms. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 34, 880–882 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ecology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    H. B. Jensen, K. S. Jørgensen & J. Sørensen

Authors
  1. H. B. Jensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. S. Jørgensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. Sørensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by T. Fenchel, Aarhus

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jensen, H.B., Jørgensen, K.S. & Sørensen, J. Diurnal variation of nitrogen cycling in coastal, marine sediments. Mar. Biol. 83, 177–183 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00394726

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00394726

Keywords

Search

Navigation