Nitrous oxide emissions from an intensively managed greenhouse vegetable cropping system in Northern China

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2009-05, Vol.157 (5), p.1666-1672
• Main Authors: He, Feifei, Jiang, Rongfeng, Chen, Qing, Zhang, Fusuo, Su, Fang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; Air Pollutants - analysis; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; China; Dispersed sources and other; Emission factor; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Fertilizers; Greenhouse tomato; Nitrogen; Nitrogen fertilization management; Nitrous oxide; Nitrous Oxide - analysis; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Seasons; Soil - analysis; Temperature; Vegetables; Volatilization; Water
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.12.017

Nitrous oxide (N 2O) emissions from a typical greenhouse vegetable system in Northern China were measured from February 2004 to January 2006 using a close chamber method. Four nitrogen management levels (NN, MN, CN, and SN) were used. N 2O emissions occurred intermittently in the growing season, strongly correlating with N fertilization and irrigation. No peak emissions were observed after fertilization in the late Autumn season due to low soil temperature. 57–94% of the seasonal N 2O emissions came from the initial growth stage, corresponding to the rewetting process in the soil. The annual N 2O emissions ranged from 2.6 to 8.8 kg N ha −1 yr −1, accounting for 0.27–0.30% of the annual nitrogen input. Compared with conventional N management, site-specific N management reduced N fertilization rate by 69% in 2004 and by 76% in 2005, and consequently reduced N 2O emissions by 51% in 2004 and 27% in 2005, respectively. High N 2O emissions coming from the initial growth stage can be attributed to the rewetting process in the greenhouse soil.