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Enhanced nitrous oxide emissions caused by atmospheric nitrogen deposition in agroecosystems over China

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Abstract

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition in China has been the largest worldwide. Yet the impacts of atmospheric N deposition on soil N2O emissions were often ignored by previous studies. Thus, we investigated how N deposition affected N2O emissions over China using the process-based model (DNDC, DeNitrification-DeComposition). Total soil N inputs were 194 kg N ha−1 in agricultural systems over China in 2010, including chemical N fertilizer (78%), atmospheric N deposition (12%), and crop residues N (10%). Annual N2O emissions induced by N deposition were estimated at 97 Gg N, occupying 43% of total soil N2O emissions (228 Gg N) in agricultural systems over China. In particular, the largest N2O emissions caused by atmospheric N deposition were found in South China, followed by North China Plain and Southwest China. The efficiency of N deposition generating N2O emissions (3.0%) over China was 4 times than that of N fertilizer (0.7%). N2O emissions induced by N deposition increased from 81 Gg in 2000 to 93 Gg in 2014 (by 1% yr−1), which was consistent with the long-term trend of N deposition. This suggests N deposition accelerated soil N2O emissions largely contributing to global warming. Our results also indicated that 62% and 10% of soil N2O emissions were reduced by applying a nitrification inhibitor and N fertilizer with 20% decrease. We highlight the significance of considering N deposition in determining total soil N2O emissions over China. The results provide an important scientific basis for the prediction of greenhouse effect caused by N deposition over China.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Jia Deng in University of New Hampshire for the use of DNDC.

Funding

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 42001347, 41471343, 41425007 and 41101315) and the Chinese National Programs on Heavy Air Pollution Mechanisms and Enhanced Prevention Measures (Project No. DQGG0208).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Yuyu Yang, Lei Liu & Yaowen Xie

  2. State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Institute of Arid Agroecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu, China

    Feng Zhang

  3. International Institute for Earth System Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Xiuying Zhang & Zhen Wang

  4. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Wen Xu & Xuejun Liu

  5. SailBri Cooper Inc., Beaverton, OR, 97008, USA

    Yi Li

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  1. Yuyu Yang
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Lei Liu and Yaowen Xie: conceptualization

Yuyu Yang: methodology and writing-original draft

Feng Zhang, Xiuying Zhang, Wen Xu, Xuejun Liu, Yi Li, and Zhen Wang: writing-review and editing

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Correspondence to Lei Liu or Yaowen Xie.

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Yang, Y., Liu, L., Zhang, F. et al. Enhanced nitrous oxide emissions caused by atmospheric nitrogen deposition in agroecosystems over China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 15350–15360 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11591-5

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