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Greenhouse Gases Sink in Soils

  • Reference work entry
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Encyclopedia of Agrophysics

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Synonyms

Consumption; Uptake

Definition

Greenhouse gases sink in soils is defined as reducing their amount in the atmosphere and in the soils atmosphere or solution due to some biological processes. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is naturally sequestered (sunk) in plants, soils, and in ocean life. Methane is oxidized by methane-oxidizing microorganisms (methanotrophs). A complete denitrification, at which N2O is reduced to N2, is assumed to be the main elimination or sink process of N2O in the soils.

Introduction

The main greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), which enhances the greenhouse effect. Since around the time of the Industrial Revolution in Western countries, concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have increased. Mitigation of greenhouse gases emission leads to minimizing the effects of global warming. Very important is stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Doświadczalna 4, P.O. Box 201, 20-290, Lublin, Poland

    Teresa Włodarczyk

Authors
  1. Teresa Włodarczyk
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Teresa Włodarczyk .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lublin, Poland

    Jan Gliński , Józef Horabik  & Jerzy Lipiec ,  & 

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Włodarczyk, T. (2011). Greenhouse Gases Sink in Soils. In: Gliński, J., Horabik, J., Lipiec, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Agrophysics. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3585-1_65

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