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Influence of Cattle Wastes on Nitrous Oxide and Methane Fluxes in Pasture Land
Author(s) -
Flessa H.,
Dörsch P.,
Beese F.,
König H.,
Bouwman A. F.
Publication year - 1996
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/jeq1996.00472425002500060028x
Subject(s) - pasture , grazing , nitrous oxide , environmental science , methane , agronomy , methane emissions , zoology , rumen , dairy cattle , environmental chemistry , chemistry , biology , ecology , food science , fermentation
Agricultural practices are assumed to contribute significantly to the increase in atmospheric N 2 O concentrations observed in the last decades, and they might influence the consumption of atmospheric CH 4 . We report on measurements of N 2 O and CH 4 exchange of a pasture soil, as influenced by droppings of a grazing cattle ( Bos taurus ) herd. Nitrous oxide and methane fluxes in pasture soil were largely determined by the emission rates from cattle excrement with dung patches being hot spots of CH 4 production and urine‐affected areas showing extremely high N 2 O release rates. Methane emissions from dung patches (0.778 g CH 4 ‐C per animal and day) were insignificant when compared with those from the rumen of the cattle. Total N 2 O‐N losses from the droppings were equivalent to 3.2% of the nitrogen excreted. Based on global data of total nitrogen excretion by dairy cattle, non‐dairy cattle, buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ), and bison during grazing, we estimate the global N 2 O emission from this source to be ∼1.18 teragrams N 2 O‐N per year, indicating that grazing cattle excretory products are one of the most important sources of atmospheric nitrous oxide. Our work suggests that these sources have been drastically underestimated.