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Effect of temporal resolution on N 2 O emission inventories in Dutch fen meadows
Author(s) -
Nol L.,
Heuvelink G. B. M.,
de Vries W.,
Kros J.,
Moors E. J.,
Verburg P. H.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/2008gb003378
Subject(s) - grassland , environmental science , peat , temperate climate , greenhouse gas , soil water , atmospheric sciences , growing season , emission inventory , climatology , physical geography , hydrology (agriculture) , ecology , soil science , air pollution , geography , geology , geotechnical engineering , biology
Most countries use a 1‐year‐resolution emission factor approach (Tier 1 or 2) to estimate terrestrial N 2 O emissions as part of their national greenhouse gas inventory. Little attention has so far been paid to the effect of the temporal resolution of the approach (e.g., day, season, and year) on N 2 O emission estimates. The effect of lumping temporal variation can be very large because of daily or seasonal variations of processes causing N 2 O emissions. Therefore, we compared annual N 2 O emissions from a model with daily time steps (DNDC) with those of a model with annual time steps (INITIATOR). Emissions were simulated for two intensively managed grassland plots in the Dutch fen meadow landscape. Annual N 2 O emissions from the investigated grasslands were sensitive to rainfall distribution within the year, especially to summer rainfall. We recommend that Tier 2 N 2 O emission estimates for intensively managed grasslands on peat soils in the temperate climate zone are adjusted for relative summer rainfall.