Data-driven estimates of global nitrous oxide emissions from croplands

Abstract Croplands are the single largest anthropogenic source of nitrous oxide (N2O) globally, yet their estimates remain difficult to verify when using Tier 1 and 3 methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Here, we re-evaluate global cropland-N2O emissions in 1961–2014, using N-rate-dependent emission factors (EFs) upscaled from 1206 field observations in 180 global distributed sites and high-resolution N inputs disaggregated from sub-national surveys covering 15593 administrative units. Our results confirm IPCC Tier 1 default EFs for upland crops in 1990–2014, but give a ∼15% lower EF in 1961–1989 and a ∼67% larger EF for paddy rice over the full period. Associated emissions (0.82 ± 0.34 Tg N yr–1) are probably one-quarter lower than IPCC Tier 1 global inventories but close to Tier 3 estimates. The use of survey-based gridded N-input data contributes 58% of this emission reduction, the rest being explained by the use of observation-based non-linear EFs. We conclude that upscaling N2O emissions from site-level observations to global croplands provides a new benchmark for constraining IPCC Tier 1 and 3 methods. The detailed spatial distribution of emission data is expected to inform advancement towards more realistic and effective mitigation pathways.

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Nitrous oxide emissions during microalgae-based wastewater treatment: current state of the art and implication for greenhouse gases budgeting

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2020.304 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 82 (6) ◽

pp. 1025-1030

Author(s):

Maxence Plouviez ◽

Benoit Guieysse

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

High Rate ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Future Research ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Intergovernmental Panel ◽

Aerobic Wastewater Treatment

Abstract Microalgae can synthesise the ozone depleting pollutant and greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). Consequently, significant N2O emissions have been recorded during real wastewater treatment in high rate algal ponds (HRAPs). While data scarcity and variability prevent meaningful assessment, the magnitude reported (0.13–0.57% of the influent nitrogen load) is within the range reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for direct N2O emissions during centralised aerobic wastewater treatment (0.016–4.5% of the influent nitrogen load). Critically, the ability of microalgae to synthesise N2O challenges the IPCC's broad view that bacterial denitrification and nitrification are the only major cause of N2O emissions from wastewater plants and aquatic environments receiving nitrogen from wastewater effluents. Significant N2O emissions have indeed been repeatedly detected from eutrophic water bodies and wastewater discharge contributes to eutrophication via the release of nitrogen and phosphorus. Considering the complex interplays between nitrogen and phosphorus supply, microalgal growth, and microalgal N2O synthesis, further research must urgently seek to better quantify N2O emissions from microalgae-based wastewater systems and eutrophic ecosystems receiving wastewater. This future research will ultimately improve the prediction of N2O emissions from wastewater treatment in national inventories and may therefore affect the prioritisation of mitigation strategies.

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Influence of fertilizer nitrogen source and management practice on N2O emissions from two Black Chernozemic soils

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss06020 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 88 (2) ◽

pp. 219-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

D L Burton ◽

Xinhui Li ◽

C A Grant

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Nitrogen Source ◽

Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽

Management Practice ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Intergovernmental Panel ◽

Fertilizer Nitrogen ◽

Anhydrous Ammonia ◽

Time Of Application

Fertilizer nitrogen use is estimated to be a significant source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in western Canada. These estimates are based primarily on modeled data, as there are relatively few studies that provide direct measures of the magnitude of N2O emissions and the influence of N source on N2O emissions. This study examined the influence of nitrogen source (urea, coated urea, urea with urease inhibitor, and anhydrous ammonia), time of application (spring, fall) and method of application (broadcast, banded) on nitrous oxide emissions on two Black Chernozemic soils located near Winnipeg and Brandon Manitoba. The results of this 3-yr study demonstrated consistently that the rate of fertilizer-induced N2O emissions under Manitoba conditions was lower than the emissions estimated using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) coefficients. The Winnipeg site tended to have higher overall N2O emissions (1.7 kg N ha-1) and fertilizer-induced emissions (~0.8% of applied N) than did the Brandon site (0.5 kg N ha-1), representing ~0.2% of applied N. N2O emissions in the first year of the study were much higher than in subsequent years. Both the site and year effects likely reflected differences in annual precipitation. The N2O emissions associated with the use of anhydrous ammonia as a fertilizer source were no greater than emissions with urea. Fall application of nitrogen fertilizer tended to result in marginally greater N2O emissions than did spring application, but these differences were neither large nor consistent. Key words: Nitrogen fertilizer, nitrous oxide emissions, nitrate intensity, anhydrous ammonia, urea

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Nitrous oxide emissions from maize–wheat field during 4 successive years in the North China Plain

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-11-1717-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1717-1726 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Y. Zhang ◽

Y. Mu ◽

Y. Zhou ◽

J. Liu ◽

C. Zhang

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Anthropogenic Source ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Wheat Field ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

N2o Fluxes

Abstract. Agricultural soil with fertilization is a main anthropogenic source for atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O). N2O fluxes from a maize–wheat rotation field in the North China Plain (NCP) were investigated for 4 successive years using the static chamber method. The annual N2O fluxes from the control (without fertilization) and fertilization plots were 1.5 ± 0.2 and 9.4 ± 1.7 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in 2008–2009, 2.0 ± 0.01 and 4.0 ± 0.03 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in 2009–2010, 1.3 ± 0.02 and 5.0 ± 0.3 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in 2010–2011, and 2.7 ± 0.6 and 12.5 ± 0.1 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in 2011–2012, respectively. Annual direct emission factors (EFd's) in the corresponding years were 2.4 ± 0.5%, 0.60 ± 0.01%, 1.1 ± 0.09% and 2.9 ± 0.2%, respectively. Significant linear correlation between fertilized-induced N2O emissions (Y, kg N ha−1) during the periods of 10 days after fertilization and rainfall intensities from 4 days before to 10 days after fertilization (X, mm) in the 4 years was found as Y = 0.048X − 1.1 (N = 4, R2 = 0.99, P < 0.05). Therefore, the remarkable interannual variations of N2O emissions and the EFd's were mainly ascribed to the rainfall.

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Ammonium-Based Compound Fertilisers Mitigate Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Temperate Grassland

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11091712 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 1712

Author(s):

Amanuel W. Gebremichael ◽

Niharika Rahman ◽

Dominika J. Krol ◽

Patrick J. Forrestal ◽

Gary J. Lanigan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

N Uptake ◽

Temperate Grassland ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Anthropogenic Source ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Moisture Condition ◽

Calcium Ammonium Nitrate ◽

Soil Moisture Condition ◽

Long Term Study

Nitrogen fertiliser application represents the largest anthropogenic source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and the magnitude of these emissions is dependent on the type of fertilisers applied in the agroecosystems. Despite N-P-K compound fertilisers being commonly used in agricultural soils, a lack of information exists regarding their effects on N2O emissions. This study aims at examining the effects of different commonly used N-P-K compound fertiliser formulations with contrasting nitrate to ammonium ratios (0.05 to 0.88) on N2O emissions, yield, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in temperate grassland and to compare these variables with common straight N fertilisers. Compound fertilisers with varying NPK inclusion rates (18-6-12, 10-10-20, 24-2.2-4.5, and 27-2.5-5), and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) and urea + N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) were applied at 80 kg N ha−1 to experimental plots in managed grassland on two occasions in a growing season. Fluxes of N2O during the experiment period, yield and NUE following two harvests were measured. The cumulative N2O emission from urea + NBPT, 18-6-12, 10-10-20, and 24-2.2-4.5 treatments were significantly reduced by 44%, 43%, 37%, and 31% compared with CAN treatment under conducive soil moisture condition. Under the same soil condition, 18-6-12 and 10-10-20 treatments showed higher yield, N uptake, and NUE although did not significantly differ from the other fertiliser treatments. Our results suggest that ammonium-based compound fertilisers have a potential to reduce N2O emissions while maintaining yields. Further long-term study is needed to capture the full magnitude of variations in N2O emissions, including ammonia (NH3) volatilization from nitrate and ammonium-based compound fertiliser applications from multiple soil types and under different climatic conditions.

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Biochar and urease inhibitor mitigate NH3 and N2O emissions and improve wheat yield in a urea fertilized alkaline soil

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-96771-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Khadim Dawar ◽

Shah Fahad ◽

M. M. R. Jahangir ◽

Iqbal Munir ◽

Syed Sartaj Alam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Block Design ◽

N Uptake ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Urease Inhibitor ◽

Alkaline Soil ◽

Total N ◽

N Assimilation

AbstractIn this study, we explored the role of biochar (BC) and/or urease inhibitor (UI) in mitigating ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) discharge from urea fertilized wheat cultivated fields in Pakistan (34.01°N, 71.71°E). The experiment included five treatments [control, urea (150 kg N ha−1), BC (10 Mg ha−1), urea + BC and urea + BC + UI (1 L ton−1)], which were all repeated four times and were carried out in a randomized complete block design. Urea supplementation along with BC and BC + UI reduced soil NH3 emissions by 27% and 69%, respectively, compared to sole urea application. Nitrous oxide emissions from urea fertilized plots were also reduced by 24% and 53% applying BC and BC + UI, respectively, compared to urea alone. Application of BC with urea improved the grain yield, shoot biomass, and total N uptake of wheat by 13%, 24%, and 12%, respectively, compared to urea alone. Moreover, UI further promoted biomass and grain yield, and N assimilation in wheat by 38%, 22% and 27%, respectively, over sole urea application. In conclusion, application of BC and/or UI can mitigate NH3 and N2O emissions from urea fertilized soil, improve N use efficiency (NUE) and overall crop productivity.

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Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Pineapple Cultivation on a Tropical Peat Soil

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13094928 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 4928

Author(s):

Alicia Vanessa Jeffary ◽

Osumanu Haruna Ahmed ◽

Roland Kueh Jui Heng ◽

Liza Nuriati Lim Kim Choo ◽

Latifah Omar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Soil Temperature ◽

Peat Soil ◽

Farming Systems ◽

N2o Emission ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Natural State ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Wet Season ◽

Peat Soils

Farming systems on peat soils are novel, considering the complexities of these organic soil. Since peat soils effectively capture greenhouse gases in their natural state, cultivating peat soils with annual or perennial crops such as pineapples necessitates the monitoring of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, especially from cultivated peat lands, due to a lack of data on N2O emissions. An on-farm experiment was carried out to determine the movement of N2O in pineapple production on peat soil. Additionally, the experiment was carried out to determine if the peat soil temperature and the N2O emissions were related. The chamber method was used to capture the N2O fluxes daily (for dry and wet seasons) after which gas chromatography was used to determine N2O followed by expressing the emission of this gas in t ha−1 yr−1. The movement of N2O horizontally (832 t N2O ha−1 yr−1) during the dry period was higher than in the wet period (599 t N2O ha−1 yr−1) because of C and N substrate in the peat soil, in addition to the fertilizer used in fertilizing the pineapple plants. The vertical movement of N2O (44 t N2O ha−1 yr−1) was higher in the dry season relative to N2O emission (38 t N2O ha−1 yr−1) during the wet season because of nitrification and denitrification of N fertilizer. The peat soil temperature did not affect the direction (horizontal and vertical) of the N2O emission, suggesting that these factors are not related. Therefore, it can be concluded that N2O movement in peat soils under pineapple cultivation on peat lands occurs horizontally and vertically, regardless of season, and there is a need to ensure minimum tilling of the cultivated peat soils to prevent them from being an N2O source instead of an N2O sink.

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Pineapple Residue Ash Reduces Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Pineapple Cultivation on Tropical Peat Soils at Saratok, Malaysia

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13031014 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1014

Author(s):

Liza Nuriati Lim Kim Choo ◽

Osumanu Haruna Ahmed ◽

Nik Muhamad Nik Majid ◽

Zakry Fitri Abd Aziz

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Peat Soil ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Peat Soils ◽

Closed Chamber ◽

Npk Fertilizers ◽

Npk Fertilizer ◽

Carbon Dioxide Co2

Burning pineapple residues on peat soils before pineapple replanting raises concerns on hazards of peat fires. A study was conducted to determine whether ash produced from pineapple residues could be used to minimize carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in cultivated tropical peatlands. The effects of pineapple residue ash fertilization on CO2 and N2O emissions from a peat soil grown with pineapple were determined using closed chamber method with the following treatments: (i) 25, 50, 70, and 100% of the suggested rate of pineapple residue ash + NPK fertilizer, (ii) NPK fertilizer, and (iii) peat soil only. Soils treated with pineapple residue ash (25%) decreased CO2 and N2O emissions relative to soils without ash due to adsorption of organic compounds, ammonium, and nitrate ions onto the charged surface of ash through hydrogen bonding. The ability of the ash to maintain higher soil pH during pineapple growth primarily contributed to low CO2 and N2O emissions. Co-application of pineapple residue ash and compound NPK fertilizer also improves soil ammonium and nitrate availability, and fruit quality of pineapples. Compound NPK fertilizers can be amended with pineapple residue ash to minimize CO2 and N2O emissions without reducing peat soil and pineapple productivity.

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Spatial and temporal variability of nitrous oxide emissions in a mixed farming landscape of Denmark

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-9-2989-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 2989-3002 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

K. Schelde ◽

P. Cellier ◽

T. Bertolini ◽

T. Dalgaard ◽

T. Weidinger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

N2o Production ◽

Mixed Farming ◽

N2o Fluxes

Abstract. Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural land are variable at the landscape scale due to variability in land use, management, soil type, and topography. A field experiment was carried out in a typical mixed farming landscape in Denmark, to investigate the main drivers of variations in N2O emissions, measured using static chambers. Measurements were made over a period of 20 months, and sampling was intensified during two weeks in spring 2009 when chambers were installed at ten locations or fields to cover different crops and topography and slurry was applied to three of the fields. N2O emissions during spring 2009 were relatively low, with maximum values below 20 ng N m−2 s−1. This applied to all land use types including winter grain crops, grasslands, meadows, and wetlands. Slurry application to wheat fields resulted in short-lived two-fold increases in emissions. The moderate N2O fluxes and their moderate response to slurry application were attributed to dry soil conditions due to the absence of rain during the four previous weeks. Cumulative annual emissions from two arable fields that were both fertilized with mineral fertilizer and manure were large (17 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1 and 5.5 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1) during the previous year when soil water conditions were favourable for N2O production during the first month following fertilizer application. Our findings confirm the importance of weather conditions as well as nitrogen management on N2O fluxes.

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Nitrous oxide emissions in soils fertilized with pig manure: soil processes and strategies of control and mitigation

Research Society and Development ◽

10.33448/rsd-v10i2.12427 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. e23910212427

Author(s):

Vilmar Muller Júnior ◽

Jucinei José Comin ◽

Guilherme Wilbert Ferreira ◽

Jorge Manuel Rodrigues Tavares ◽

Rafael da Rosa Couto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Swine Manure ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Management Systems ◽

Pig Manure ◽

Anthropogenic Emissions ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Soil Processes ◽

Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽

Denitrification Process

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the main gases that contributes to the greenhouse effect. With a Global Warming Potential (GWP) 265 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2), over a 100-year horizon, N2O also has the potential for the depreciation of the ozone layer. The activities related to agriculture and livestock are responsible for approximately 60% of the global anthropogenic emissions of this gas to the atmosphere. In Brazil, the sector corresponds to 37% of total emissions. The objectives of this review article were: (i) To verify which are the main processes involved in N2O emissions in soils fertilized with swine manure; (ii) What are the direct emissions on these soils under different management systems, and; (iii) What are the possible strategies for controlling and mitigating N2O emissions. Therefore, an exploratory and qualitative research of articles was carried out using the following keywords: óxido nitroso’, ‘nitrous oxide’, ‘N2O’, ‘nitrogênio’, ‘nitrogen’, ‘suínos, ‘pig, ‘swine’, ‘dejetos’, ‘manure’ and ‘slurry’. Effects of pig diet, manure treatment systems, presence of heavy metals in the soil and moisture content of manure on N2O emissions were verified. Therefore, we recommend integrated studies of the quantitative and qualitative impacts of the levels and sources of nitrogen in the animals' diets on N2O emissions after the application of these wastes to the soil. We also recommend studies related to the effects of copper and zinc contents added to the soil via swine manure on enzymes that catalyze the biotic denitrification process in the soil.

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Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural activities in the Aburra valley Metropolitan Area - Colombia

Revista Facultad Nacional de Agronomía Medellín ◽

10.15446/rfna.v69n1.54746 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 69 (1) ◽

pp. 7783-7792 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Deicy Catalina Guerra Garcia ◽

Jairo Alexander Osorio Saraz ◽

Rolando Barahona Rosales

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gases ◽

Metropolitan Area ◽

Agricultural Production ◽

Organic Fertilizers ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Agricultural Activities ◽

Intergovernmental Panel ◽

Activity Data ◽

Sources Of Uncertainty ◽

Tier 1

The aim of this study was to estimate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) generated by the agricultural activities carried out in the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley (AMVA), located in Medellin - Colombia. A TIER 1 approach of the methodology of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC was followed. Emissions of GHG from cropland, aggregate sources and non-CO2 emissions from land were estimated and analysis of the uncertainty of activity data and emission factors were made. The estimated total emission was 63.1 and 66 Gg CO2 eq for 2009 and 2011, respectively. The greatest contribution to greenhouse gases in agricultural production was the application of nitrogen to soils in the form of synthetic and organic fertilizers, which was associated with direct and indirect N2O emissions. The main sources of uncertainty were those derived from the activity data.

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