Advertisement

Plant and Soil

, Volume 239, Issue 2, pp 253–265 | Cite as

Short term effect of ploughing a permanent pasture on N2O production from nitrification and denitrification

  • JM Estavillo
  • P Merino
  • M Pinto
  • S Yamulki
  • G Gebauer
  • A Sapek
  • W Corré
Article

Abstract

Soils are an important source of N2O, which can be produced both in the nitrification and the denitrification processes. Grassland soils in particular have a high potential for mineralization and subsequent nitrification and denitrification. When ploughing long term grassland soils, the resulting high supply of mineral N may provide a high potential for N2O losses. In this work, the short-term effect of ploughing a permanent grassland soil on gaseous N production was studied at different soil depths. Fertiliser and irrigation were applied in order to observe the effect of ploughing under a range of conditions. The relative proportions of N2O produced from nitrification and denitrification and the proportion of N2 gas produced from denitrification were determined using the methyl fluoride and acetylene specific inhibitors. Irrespectively to ploughing, fertiliser application increased the rates of N2O production, N2O production from nitrification, N2O production from denitrification and total denitrification (N2O + N2). Application of fertiliser also increased the denitrification N2O/N2 ratio both in the denitrification potential and in the gaseous N productions by denitrification. Ploughing promoted soil organic N mineralization which led to an increase in the rates of N2O production, N2O production from nitrification, N2O production from denitrification and total denitrification (N2O + N2). In both the ploughed and unploughed treatments the 0–10 cm soil layer was the major contributing layer to gaseous N production by all the above processes. However, the contribution of this layer decreased by ploughing, gaseous N productions from the 10 to 30 cm layer being significantly increased with respect to the unploughed treatment. Ploughing promoted both nitrification and denitrification derived N2O production, although a higher proportion of N2O lost by denitrification was observed as WFPS increased. Recently ploughed plots showed lower denitrification derived N2O percentages than those ploughed before as a result of the lower soil water content in the former plots. Similarly, a lower mean nitrification derived N2O percentage was found in the 10–30 cm layer compared with the 0–10 cm.

Acetylene inhibition technique methyl fluoride N2O production N2O/N2 ratio soil cores 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Ajwa H A, Rice C W and Sotomayor D 1998 Carbon and nitrogen mineralization in tallgrass prairie and agricultural soil profiles. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 62; 942–951.Google Scholar
  2. Alpkem 1986 Nitrate + nitrite nitrogen (A303-S170). P 1-10.RFA methodology. Alpkem Corp. Clackamas, OR.Google Scholar
  3. Alpkem 1987 Ammonia nitrogen (A303-S020).P 1-7. RFA methodology. Alpkem Corp. Clackamas, OR.Google Scholar
  4. Aulakh M S, Doran J W and Mosier A R 1991 Field evaluation of four methods for measuring denitrification. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55: 1332–1338.Google Scholar
  5. Aulakh M S, Doran J W and Mosier A R 1992 Soil denitrificationsignificance, measurement and effects of management. Adv. Soil. Sci. 18, 1–57.Google Scholar
  6. Blackmer A M and Bremner J M 1978 Inhibitory effect of nitrate on reduction of N2O to N2 by soil microorganisms. Soil Biol. Biochem. 10: 187–191.Google Scholar
  7. Benckiser G 1994 Relationships between field-measured denitrification losses, CO2 formation and diffusional constraints. Soil Biol. Biochem. 26: 891–899.Google Scholar
  8. Blake G H and Hartge K H 1986 Bulk density. p 364–375. In A Klute (ed) Methods of soil analysis. Part I.2nd ed. Agron Monogr 9. ASA and SSSA, Madison, WIGoogle Scholar
  9. Bremner J M and Blackmer A M 1979 Effects of acetylene and soil water content on emission of nitrous oxide from soils. Nature 280, 380–381.Google Scholar
  10. Cassman K G and Munns D N 1980 Nitrogen mineralization as affected by soil moisture, temperature and depth. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 44, 1233–1237.Google Scholar
  11. Drury C F, McKenney D J and Findlay W I 1992 Nitric oxide and nitrous oxide production from soil: Water and oxygen effects. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 56: 766–770.Google Scholar
  12. Erich M S and Bekerie A 1984 Activities of denitrifying enzymes in freshly sampled soils. Soil Sci. 138, 25–32.Google Scholar
  13. Estavillo J M, Rodríguez M, Domingo M, Muñoz-Rueda A and González-Murua C 1994 Denitrification losses from a natural grassland in the Basque Country under organic and inorganic fertilization. Plant Soil 162, 19–29.Google Scholar
  14. Firestone M K, Smith M S, Firestone R B and Tiedje J M 1979 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.Google Scholar
  15. Firestone M K, Firestone R B and Tiedje J M 1980 Nitrous oxide from soil denitrification: factors controlling its biological production. Science 208, 749–751.Google Scholar
  16. Firestone M K 1982 Biological Denitrification. In Nitrogen in Agricultural Soils. Ed. F Stevenson. pp 289–326.Am. Soc. Agron., Madison, Wisconsin, USA.Google Scholar
  17. Gaskell J F, Blackmer A M and Bremner J M 1982 Comparison of effects of nitrate, nitrite and nitric oxide on reduction of nitrous oxide to dinitrogen by soil microorganisms. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 45: 1124–1127.Google Scholar
  18. Granli T and Bøckman O C 1994 Nitrous oxide from agriculture. Norwegian J. Agric. Sci. 12, 1–128.Google Scholar
  19. Knowles R 1990 Acetylene inhibition technique: Development, advantages, and potential problems. In Denitrification in Soils and Sediments. Eds. N P Revsbech and J Svensen. pp 151–166. Plenum Press, New York.Google Scholar
  20. Koops J G, Van Beusichem M L and Oenema O 1997 Nitrogen loss from grassland on peat soils through nitrous oxide production. Plant and Soil 188, 119–130.Google Scholar
  21. Körner H and Zumft W G 1989 Expression of denitrification enzymes in response to the dissolved oxygen level and respiratory substrate in continuous culture of Pseudomonas stutzeri. Appl Environ. Microbiol. 55: 1670–1676.Google Scholar
  22. Kroeze C, Van Faassen H G and De Ruiter P C 1989 Potential denitrification rates in acid soils under pine forests. Netherlands J. Agric. Sci. 37, 345–354.Google Scholar
  23. Kuenen J G and Robertson L A 1994 Combined nitrificationdenitrification processes. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 15, 109–117.Google Scholar
  24. Lind A M and Eiland F 1989 Microbiological characterization and nitrate reduction in subsurface soils. Biol. Fertil. Soils 8, 197–203.Google Scholar
  25. Linn D M and Doran J W 1984 Effect of water-filled pore space on carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide production in tilled and nontilled soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 48, 1267–1272.Google Scholar
  26. Miller L G, Coutlakis M D, Oremland R S and Ward B B 1993 Selective inhibition of ammonium oxidation and nitrificationlinked N2O formation by methyl fluoride and dimethyl ether. Applied Environ. Microbiol. 59, 2457–2464.Google Scholar
  27. Müller C, Sherlock R R, Williams P H 1998 Field method to determine N2O emission from nitrification and denitrification Biol Fertil Soils 28, 51–55.Google Scholar
  28. Okereke G U 1984 Prevalence of nitrous oxide reducing capacity in denitrifiers from a variety of habitats. Plant and Soil 81, 421–428.Google Scholar
  29. Parkin T B 1987 Soil microsites as a source of denitrification variability. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51, 1194–1199.Google Scholar
  30. Parkin T B, Starr J L and Meisinger J J 1987 Influence of sample size on measurement of soil denitrification Soil Sci Soc Am J 51, 1492–1501.Google Scholar
  31. Parkin T B and Meisinger J J 1989 Denitrification below the crop rooting zone as influenced by surface tillage. J Environ. Qual. 18, 12–16.Google Scholar
  32. Paul J W and Zebarth B J 1997 Denitrification during the growing season following dairy catlle slurry and fertilizer application for silage corn. Canadian J. Soil Sci. 241-248.Google Scholar
  33. Rudaz A O, Wälti E, Kyburz G, Lehmann P and Fuhrer J 1999 Temporal variation in N2O and N2 fluxes from a permanent pasture in Switzerland in relation to management, soil water content and soil temperature. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 73, 83–91.Google Scholar
  34. Sexstone A J, Revsbech N P, Parkin T B and Tiedje J M 1985 Direct measurement of oxygen profiles and denitrification rates in soil aggregates. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 49, 645–651.Google Scholar
  35. Smith M S and Tiedje J M 1979 Phases of denitrification following oxygen depletion in soil. Soil Biol. Biochem. 11, 261–267.Google Scholar
  36. Terry R E and Tate R L 1980 Denitrification as a pathway for nitrate removal from organic soils. Soil Sci. 129: 162–166.Google Scholar
  37. Terry R E, Jellen E N and Breakwell D P 1986 Effect of irrigation method and acetylene exposure on field denitrification measurements. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50, 115–120.Google Scholar
  38. Tiedje J M 1982 Denitrification. In Methods of Soil analysis, Part 2. Chemical and Microbiological Properties. Agronomy Monograph no 9. Ed. A L Page, R H Miller and D R Keeney. pp 1011–1026. Am. Soc. Agron., Madison, Wisconsin, USA.Google Scholar
  39. Tiedje J M, Simkins S and Groffman P M 1989 Perspectives on measurement of denitrification in the field including recommended protocols for acetylene based methods. Plant Soil 115, 261–284.Google Scholar
  40. Topp E and Germon J C 1986 Acetylene metabolism and stimulation of denitrification in an agricultural soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 52, 802–806.Google Scholar
  41. Vinten A J A and Smith K A 1993 Nitrate: Processes, Patterns and Management. In Nitrogen Cycling in Agricultural Soils. Eds. T P Burt, A L Heathwaite and S T Trudgill. pp 39–73. John Wiley, Chichester, UK.Google Scholar
  42. Weier K L, Doran J W, Power J F and Walters D T 1993 Denitri-fication and the dinitrogen/nitrous oxide ratio as affected by soil water, available carbon, and nitrate. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 57: 66–72.Google Scholar
  43. Weier K L and McRae I C 1993 Net mineralization, net nitrification and potentially available nitrogen in the subsoil beneath a cultivated crop and a permanent pasture. J. Soil Sci. 44, 451–458.Google Scholar
  44. Whitehead D C 1995 Grassland Nitrogen. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK. 397 p.Google Scholar
  45. Zumft W G 1997 Cell Biology and Molecular Basis of Denitrification. Microb. Mol. Biol. Rev. 61, 533–616.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Kluwer Academic Publishers 2002

Authors and Affiliations

  • JM Estavillo
    • 1
  • P Merino
    • 2
  • M Pinto
    • 2
  • S Yamulki
    • 3
  • G Gebauer
    • 4
  • A Sapek
    • 5
  • W Corré
    • 6
  1. 1.Dpto. Biología Vegetal y EcologíaBilbaoSpain
  2. 2.Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, NEIKER. B°Derio. BizkaiaSpain
  3. 3.Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research, IGER, North Wyke Research StationDevonUK
  4. 4.Universität BayreuthBayreuth. BayernGermany
  5. 5.Institute for Land Reclamation and Grassland FarmingRaszynPoland
  6. 6.Plant Research InternationalWageningenThe Netherlands

Personalised recommendations

Cite article

Buy options