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Nitrous Oxide Emissions from a Coal Mine Land Reclaimed with Stabilized Manure
Author(s) -
Dutta Tanushree,
Dell Curtis J.,
Stehouwer Richard C.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.2408
Subject(s) - manure , lime , environmental science , denitrification , nitrous oxide , nitrogen , nutrient , fertilizer , environmental chemistry , environmental engineering , agronomy , chemistry , geology , paleontology , organic chemistry , biology
Abstract Mine‐soil treatment using stabilized manure rapidly sequesters large quantities of organic carbon and nutrients. However, the nutrient‐rich soil conditions may become highly conducive for production and emission of N 2 O. We examined this possibility in a Pennsylvania coal mine restored using poultry manure stabilized in two forms: composted (Comp) or mixed with paper mill sludge (Man + PMS) at C/N ratios of 14, 21, and 28 and compared those with the emissions from conventionally treated soil. The mine soil was extremely well drained with 59% coarse fragments. Soil–atmosphere exchange of N 2 O and CO 2 was determined using a sampling campaign of ten measurements between 16 June and 14 September 2009 (90 days) and 13 measurements between 28 June and 9 November 2010 (134 days) using static vented chambers at ambient and increased moisture (water added) content. Potential denitrification was determined in a laboratory incubation experiment. While non‐amended mine soil did not have a measurable potential for denitrifying activity, the manure‐based amendments introduced the potential. Soil water filled pore space was less than 60% on most sampling days in both ambient and water‐added plots. Daily N 2 O‐N emissions ranged between 40 and 70 g N ha −1 with cumulative emissions of 2–4 kg N ha −1 from non‐amended, lime and fertilizer (L + F) and Comp, and 3–10 kg N ha −1 from Man + PMS treatments. The maximum emission obtained from Man + PMS represented <1% loss of applied N. Although stabilized manure‐treated soil exhibits the potential for N 2 O production, the emission is limited when soils are excessively well drained and reducing conditions rarely develop. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.