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Simulation of soil nitrogen, nitrous oxide emissions and mitigation scenarios at 3 European cropland sites using the ECOSSE model

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Abstract

The global warming potential of nitrous oxide (N2O) and its long atmospheric lifetime mean its presence in the atmosphere is of major concern, and that methods are required to measure and reduce emissions. Large spatial and temporal variations means, however, that simple extrapolation of measured data is inappropriate, and that other methods of quantification are required. Although process-based models have been developed to simulate these emissions, they often require a large amount of input data that is not available at a regional scale, making regional and global emission estimates difficult to achieve. The spatial extent of organic soils means that quantification of emissions from these soil types is also required, but will not be achievable using a process-based model that has not been developed to simulate soil water contents above field capacity or organic soils. The ECOSSE model was developed to overcome these limitations, and with a requirement for only input data that is readily available at a regional scale, it can be used to quantify regional emissions and directly inform land-use change decisions. ECOSSE includes the major processes of nitrogen (N) turnover, with material being exchanged between pools of SOM at rates modified by temperature, soil moisture, soil pH and crop cover. Evaluation of its performance at site-scale is presented to demonstrate its ability to adequately simulate soil N contents and N2O emissions from cropland soils in Europe. Mitigation scenarios and sensitivity analyses are also presented to demonstrate how ECOSSE can be used to estimate the impact of future climate and land-use change on N2O emissions.

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Abbreviations

\( C_{{{\text{CO}}_{2} }} \) :

The amount of CO2 produced during mineralization (kg C ha−1 day−1)

C max :

A constant (set at 50 kg N ha−1) that adjusts the maximum rate of nitrification possible [this occurs at high levels of NH4 + and will be dependent on soil composition (Parton et al. 1996)]

D p :

Potential denitrification rate (kg N ha−1 layer−1 day−1)

k nitrif :

A rate constant for nitrification [set at 0.6 (Bradbury et al. (1993)]

m b :

Biological activity rate modifier

\( m_{{{\text{NO}}_{3} }} \) :

Modifies the amount of denitrification depending on soil NO3 − content

m pH :

A rate modifier due to soil pH

m t :

A rate modifier due to soil temperature

m w :

Soil water rate modifier for decomposition

m w0 :

Soil water rate modifier for decomposition at permanent wilting point and saturation = 0.2

\( m_{\text{w}}^{\prime } \) :

Soil water rate modifier for denitrification

N d :

The amount of N emitted from the soil during denitrification (kg N ha−1 layer−1)

\( N_{{{\text{d}},{\text{N}}_{2} }} \) :

The amount of N2 gas lost by denitrification (kg N ha−1 day−1)

\( N_{{{\text{d}},{\text{N}}_{2} {\text{O}}}} \) :

The amount of N2O gas lost by denitrification (kg N ha−1 day−1)

N d50 :

The soil nitrate content at which denitrification is 50% of its full potential (kg N ha−1 layer−1)

N FERT :

N in NH4 + and urea in the added fertiliser (kg N ha−1)

N n :

Nitrification rate (kg N ha−1 layer−1)

\( N_{{{\text{n}},{\text{N}}_{2} {\text{O}}}} \) :

The amount of N2O gas released during nitrification (kg N ha−1 day−1)

\( N_{{{\text{NH}}_{4} }} \) :

The amount of NH4+–N in the soil (kg N ha−1 layer−1)

\( N_{{{\text{NO}}_{3} }} \) :

The amount of NO3 −–N in the soil (kg N ha−1 layer−1)

n f :

The proportion of N2O produced due to partial nitrification at field capacity = 0.02

n gas :

The proportion of full nitrification lost as gas = 0.02

n NO :

The proportion of full nitrification gaseous loss that is NO = 0.4

pH:

Soil pH

\( p_{{{\text{N}}_{2} , {\text{f}}}} \) :

The proportion of denitrified N lost as N2 at field capacity = 0.5

\( p_{{{\text{NO}}_{3} }} \) :

Proportion of denitrified gas emitted as N2 according to the NO3 − content of the soil

\( p_{{{\text{NO}}_{3} ,{\text{f}}}} \) :

The parameter that denotes the NO3 − content of the soil at which N is released in equal quantities of N2 and N2O in the denitrification process (kg N ha−1 layer−1)

p w :

Proportion of denitrified gas emitted as N2 according to the water content of the soil

T air :

Air temperature (°C)

θc :

The amount of water in a particular soil layer above the permanent wilting point (mm layer−1)

θf :

The amount of water held between field capacity and the permanent wilting point (mm layer−1)

θs :

The water content between saturation and wilting point (mm layer−1)

φi :

Soil moisture deficit at the permanent wilting point (at −100 kPa) (mm layer−1)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, 23 St Machar Drive, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK

    M. J. Bell, E. Jones, J. Smith, P. Smith & J. Yeluripati

  2. Institute for Landscape Matter Dynamics, Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Strasse 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany

    J. Augustin

  3. Meteorology Department, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Piątkowska 94, 60-649, Poznan, Poland

    R. Juszczak & J. Olejnik

  4. Institute for Soil Landscape Research, Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Strasse 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany

    M. Sommer

  5. Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany

    M. Sommer

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  1. M. J. Bell
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  2. E. Jones
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  3. J. Smith
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Bell, M.J., Jones, E., Smith, J. et al. Simulation of soil nitrogen, nitrous oxide emissions and mitigation scenarios at 3 European cropland sites using the ECOSSE model. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 92, 161–181 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-011-9479-4

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