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 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Crutzen, P. J. & Ehhalt, D. H. Ambio 6, 112–117 (1977).
Liu, S. C., Cicerone, R. J., Donahue, T. M. & Chameides W. L., Tellus 29, 251–263 (1977).
McElroy, M. B., Wofsy, S. C. & Yung, Y. L. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B277, 159–181 (1977).
Yung, Y. L., Wang, W. C. & Lacis, A. A. Geophys. Res. Lett. 3, 619–621 (1976).
Hutchinson, G. L. & Mosier, A. R. Science 205, 1125–1127 (1979).
Ryden, J. C., Lund, L. J., Letey, J. & Focht, D. D. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43, 110–118 (1979).
Ryden, J. C. & Lund, L. J. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 505 (1980); J. envir. Qual. 9, 387–393 (1980).
Ryden, J. C. Nature 292, 235–237 (1981).
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Effect of Increased Nitrogen Fixation on Stratospheric Ozone (Rep. 53, Iowa State University, Ames, 1976).
Terry, R. E., Tate, R. L. III & Duxbury, J. M. J. Air Pollut. Contr. Ass. 31, 1173–1176 (1981).
Guthrie, T. F. & Duxbury, J. M. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 42, 908–912 (1978).
Terry, R. E. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 747–750 (1980).
Burford, J. R. & Hall, K. C. Argic. Res. Counc., Letcombe Lab. Ann. Rep. 85 (1976).
Rolston, D. E., Fried, M. & Goldhammer, D. A. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 40, 259–266 (1976).
McKenney, D. J., Wade, D. L. & Findlay, W. I. Geophys. Res. Lett. 5, 777–780 (1978).
Rolston, D. E., Hoffman, D. L. & Toy, D. W. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 42, 863–869 (1978).
Denmead, O. T., Freney, J. R., Simpson, J. R. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43, 726–728 (1979).
Bremner, J. M., Robbins, S. G. & Blackmer, A. M. Geophys. Res. Lett. 7, 641–644 (1980).
McKenney, D. J., Shuttleworth, K. F. & Findlay, W. I. Can. J. Soil Sci. 60, 429–438 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
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
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/298462a0
This article is cited by
-
Pathways of soil N2O uptake, consumption, and its driving factors: a review
Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2022)
-
Evaluation of nitrous oxide emission by soybean inoculated with Bradyrhizobium strains commonly used as inoculants in South America
Plant and Soil (2022)
-
Converting rice husk to biochar reduces bamboo soil N2O emissions under different forms and rates of nitrogen additions
Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2021)
-
Effects of Environmental Variables on Spatiotemporal Variations of Nitrous Oxide Fluxes in the Pristine Riparian Marsh, Northeast China
Wetlands (2019)
-
Stand age affects emissions of N2O in flood-irrigated alfalfa: a comparison of field measurements, DNDC model simulations and IPCC Tier 1 estimates
Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems (2016)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
