Nitrogen-rich organic soils under warm well-drained conditions are global nitrous oxide emission hotspots

• Published in: Nature communications 2018-03, Vol.9 (1), p.1135-8, Article 1135
• Main Authors: Pärn, Jaan, Verhoeven, Jos T. A., Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus, Dise, Nancy B., Ullah, Sami, Aasa, Anto, Egorov, Sergey, Espenberg, Mikk, Järveoja, Järvi, Jauhiainen, Jyrki, Kasak, Kuno, Klemedtsson, Leif, Kull, Ain, Laggoun-Défarge, Fatima, Lapshina, Elena D., Lohila, Annalea, Lõhmus, Krista, Maddison, Martin, Mitsch, William J., Müller, Christoph, Niinemets, Ülo, Osborne, Bruce, Pae, Taavi, Salm, Jüri-Ott, Sgouridis, Fotis, Sohar, Kristina, Soosaar, Kaido, Storey, Kathryn, Teemusk, Alar, Tenywa, Moses M., Tournebize, Julien, Truu, Jaak, Veber, Gert, Villa, Jorge A., Zaw, Seint Sann, Mander, Ülo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 704/106/47/4112; 704/47/4112; Climate change; Climate Research; Continental interfaces, environment; Drainage; Emission; Emissions; Environmental Sciences; field survey; Greenhouse effect; greenhouse gas; Greenhouse gases; Humanities and Social Sciences; Klimatforskning; Land use; land use change; Land use management; Markvetenskap; Miljövetenskap; Moisture content; multidisciplinary; Nitrates; Nitrogen; Nitrous oxide; organic soil; Organic soils; Ozone depletion; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sciences of the Universe; soil chemistry; Soil conditions; soil nitrogen; Soil Science; Soil temperature; Soil water; stratosphere; Water content; wetland
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03540-1

Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a powerful greenhouse gas and the main driver of stratospheric ozone depletion. Since soils are the largest source of N 2 O, predicting soil response to changes in climate or land use is central to understanding and managing N 2 O. Here we find that N 2 O flux can be predicted by models incorporating soil nitrate concentration (NO 3 − ), water content and temperature using a global field survey of N 2 O emissions and potential driving factors across a wide range of organic soils. N 2 O emissions increase with NO 3 − and follow a bell-shaped distribution with water content. Combining the two functions explains 72% of N 2 O emission from all organic soils. Above 5 mg NO 3 − -N kg −1 , either draining wet soils or irrigating well-drained soils increases N 2 O emission by orders of magnitude. As soil temperature together with NO 3 − explains 69% of N 2 O emission, tropical wetlands should be a priority for N 2 O management. In a global field survey across a wide range of organic soils, the authors find that N 2 O flux can be predicted by models incorporating soil nitrate concentration (NO 3 – ), water content and temperature. N 2 O emission increases with NO 3 – and temperature and follows a bell-shaped distribution with water content.