The effects of nitrogen fertilization on N2O emissions from a rubber plantation

• Published in: Scientific reports 2016-06, Vol.6 (1), p.28230-28230, Article 28230
• Main Authors: Zhou, Wen-Jun, Ji, Hong-li, Zhu, Jing, Zhang, Yi-Ping, Sha, Li-Qing, Liu, Yun-Tong, Zhang, Xiang, Zhao, Wei, Dong, Yu-xin, Bai, Xiao-Long, Lin, You-Xin, Zhang, Jun-Hui, Zheng, Xun-Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 704/158/2454; 704/172/4081; Agricultural production; Atmospheric boundary layer; Biomass; Carbon dioxide; Carbon sinks; Climate change; Dry season; Emissions; Fertilizer application; Fertilizers; Forest soils; Global warming; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Nitrates; Nitrogen; Nitrous oxide; Plantations; Rainforests; Rubber; Science; Soil moisture; Soil temperature; Terraces; Trends; Tropical environments
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep28230

To gain the effects of N fertilizer applications on N 2 O emissions and local climate change in fertilized rubber ( Hevea brasiliensi s) plantations in the tropics, we measured N 2 O fluxes from fertilized (75 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ) and unfertilized rubber plantations at Xishuangbanna in southwest China over a 2-year period. The N 2 O emissions from the fertilized and unfertilized plots were 4.0 and 2.5 kg N ha −1 yr −1 , respectively and the N 2 O emission factor was 1.96%. Soil moisture, soil temperature and the area weighted mean ammoniacal nitrogen (NH 4 + -N) content controlled the variations in N 2 O flux from the fertilized and unfertilized rubber plantations. NH 4 + -N did not influence temporal changes in N 2 O emissions from the trench, slope, or terrace plots, but controlled spatial variations in N 2 O emissions among the treatments. On a unit area basis, the 100-year carbon dioxide equivalence of the fertilized rubber plantation N 2 O offsets 5.8% and 31.5% of carbon sink of the rubber plantation and local tropical rainforest, respectively. When entire land area in Xishuangbanna is considered, N 2 O emissions from fertilized rubber plantations offset 17.1% of the tropical rainforest’s carbon sink. The results show that if tropical rainforests are converted to fertilized rubber plantations, regional N 2 O emissions may enhance local climate warming.