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Nitrous Oxide Emission in Relation to Soil Factors at Low to Intermediate Moisture Levels
Author(s) -
Robertson Kerstin
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/jeq1994.00472425002300040027x
Subject(s) - soil water , water content , moisture , soil science , linear regression , chemistry , ammonium , environmental chemistry , environmental science , mathematics , geology , statistics , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
The objective of this study was to investigate the N 2 O emission from agricultural soils (14 field plots/38 measurements) as a function of environmental and soil factors‐clay content, soil temperature, soil moisture, total organic C and N, water‐soluble organic C, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, and pH‐that are considered of significance for N 2 O production in soil. Passible relations were tested by multiple linear regression and multivariate data analysis (PLS). A significant ( P ≤ 0.05) relation (linear regression) was obtained only between N 2 O emission rates and NO − 3 concentration in soil. However, the degree of explanation was low ( R 2 = 13%). If one field, with N 2 O emission rate several orders of magnitude higher than from the others, was excluded from the analysis a significant relation with the NH + 4 concentration was obtained. In this case the degree of explanation was 17%. The results from the PLS analysis were similar to those from the regression analysis. If clay soils (>40% clay) were analyzed separately, NH + 4 concentration and soil moisture accounted for 65% ( P < 0.05) of the variability of the N 2 O emission rates. In the medium‐ and low‐clay soils no similar relationships were found. In conclusion, the obstacles caused by the complexity of the soil system and the different scales of measurement of N 2 O emission rates and soil factors probably obscured the possibility to relate the N 2 O emission rates to single or combinations of soil factors.