Premium
Denitrification Loss from Two Pennsylvania Floodplain Soils
Author(s) -
Schnabel R. R.,
Stout W. L.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1994.00472425002300020019x
Subject(s) - denitrification , nitrous oxide , soil water , nitrate , lolium perenne , environmental chemistry , chemistry , environmental science , floodplain , nitrogen , agronomy , soil science , ecology , poaceae , biology , organic chemistry
Denitrification losses and dissolved nitrous oxide concentration within a well‐ and poorly‐drained soil under ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.) were measured for ≈12 mo. The soils received up to 252 kg N/ha as potassium nitrate in two equal amounts. Denitrification increased in March as the soil warmed to 5 to 7 °C with the highest rates occurring soon after N was applied. Approximately 30% of annual loss occurred within 2 wk of fertilization. Dissolved nitrous oxide concentration peaks corresponded to periods with elevated denitrification. On average, the poorly‐drained soil denitrified the equivalent of 40% of applied N (up to 110 kg N/ha). Less than 2.5 kg/ha was denitrified from the well‐drained soil. The degree of anoxia in the measurement apparatus substantially effected measured denitrification rates. Consequently, it is important to know the relationship between redox in‐situ and in the measurement apparatus.