Premium
Changes in Potential Nitrous Oxide Efflux during Grassland Restoration
Author(s) -
Scott Drew A.,
Rosenzweig Steven T.,
Baer Sara G.,
Blair John M.
Publication year - 2019
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/jeq2019.05.0187
Subject(s) - grassland , efflux , nitrous oxide , mineralization (soil science) , chronosequence , soil water , environmental science , chemistry , soil fertility , agronomy , environmental chemistry , ecology , soil science , biology , biochemistry
Nitrous oxide efflux from soil is an important ecological process in terms of global climate impacts, stratospheric chemistry, and soil fertility. The effects of grassland restoration on nitrous oxide (N 2 O) efflux in formerly cultivated agricultural soils are not well known. Restoration changes the storage and availability of soil C and N, with potential consequences for N 2 O efflux. We examined changes in potential N 2 O efflux across a 35‐yr chronosequence of grassland restorations, using laboratory incubations at moisture levels that maximized N 2 O emissions, to quantify the relationship between N 2 O efflux and soil properties known to change predictably during grassland restoration. We found that restoring cultivated agricultural land to grassland rapidly decreased N 2 O efflux from soils, although native prairie had a potential N 2 O efflux higher than the agricultural land. The oldest restoration had N 2 O efflux 50 times lower than native prairie. Changes in N 2 O efflux were more strongly correlated with N mineralization than C mineralization, according to multiple regression analysis. These results suggest that grassland restoration could mitigate N 2 O emissions for decades. Core Ideas Nitrous oxide efflux decreased rapidly during grassland restoration. Nitrous oxide was best predicted by N mineralization. The oldest restoration had N 2 O efflux 50× lower than native prairie.