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Soil–Atmosphere Trace Gas Exchange in Semiarid and Arid Zones
Author(s) -
Galbally Ian E.,
Kirstine Wayne V.,
Meyer C. P. Mick,
Wang Ying Ping
Publication year - 2008
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/jeq2006.0445
Subject(s) - trace gas , arid , environmental science , atmosphere (unit) , radiative forcing , temperate climate , earth science , atmospheric sciences , biogeochemical cycle , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental chemistry , aerosol , geology , meteorology , geography , chemistry , ecology , paleontology , geotechnical engineering , biology
A review is presented on trace gas exchange of CH 4 , CO, N 2 O, and NO x arising from agriculture and natural sources in the world's semiarid and arid zones due to soil processes. These gases are important contributors to the radiative forcing and the chemistry of the atmosphere. Quantitative information is summarized from the available studies. Between 5 and 40% of the global soil–atmosphere exchange for these gases (CH 4 , CO, N 2 O, and NO x ) may occur in semiarid and arid zones, but for each of these gases there are fewer than a dozen studies to support the individual estimates, and these are from a limited number of locations. Significant differences in the biophysical and chemical processes controlling these trace gas exchanges are identified through the comparison of semiarid and arid zones with the moist temperate or wet/dry savanna land regions. Therefore, there is a poorly quantified understanding of the contribution of these regions to the global trace gas cycles and atmospheric chemistry. More importantly, there is a poor understanding of the feedback between these exchanges, global change, and regional land use and air pollution issues. A set of research issues is presented.