Oswald Van Cleemput

Closing the global N2O budget: nitrous oxide emissions through the agricultural nitrogen cycle

In 1995 a working group was assembled at the request of OECD/IPCC/IEA to revise the methodology for N2O from agriculture for the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Methodology. The basics of the methodology developed to calculate annual country level nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural soils is presented herein. Three sources of N2O are distinguished in the new methodology: (i) direct emissions from agricultural soils, (ii) emissions from animal production, and (iii) N2O emissions indirectly induced by agricultural activities. The methodology is a simple approach which requires only input data that are available from FAO databases. The methodology attempts to relate N2O emissions to the agricultural nitrogen (N) cycle and to systems into which N is transported once it leaves agricultural systems. These estimates are made with the realization that increased utilization of crop nutrients, including N, will be required to meet rapidly growing needs for food and fiber production in our immediate future. Anthropogenic N input into agricultural systems include N from synthetic fertilizer, animal wastes, increased biological N-fixation, cultivation of mineral and organic soils through enhanced organic matter mineralization, and mineralization of crop residue returned to the field. Nitrous oxide may be emitted directly to the atmosphere in agricultural fields, animal confinements or pastoral systems or be transported from agricultural systems into ground and surface waters through surface runoff. Nitrate leaching and runoff and food consumption by humans and introduction into sewage systems transport the N ultimately into surface water (rivers and oceans) where additional N2O is produced. Ammonia and oxides of N (NOx) are also emitted from agricultural systems and may be transported off-site and serve to fertilize other systems which leads to enhanced production of N2O. Eventually, all N that moves through the soil system will be either terminally sequestered in buried sediments or denitrified in aquatic systems. We estimated global N2O–N emissions for the year 1989, using midpoint emission factors from our methodology and the FAO data for 1989. Direct emissions from agricultural soils totaled 2.1 Tg N, direct emissions from animal production totaled 2.1 Tg N and indirect emissions resulting from agricultural N input into the atmosphere and aquatic systems totaled 2.1 Tg N2O–N for an annual total of 6.3 Tg N2O–N. The N2O input to the atmosphere from agricultural production as a whole has apparently been previously underestimated. These new estimates suggest that the missing N2O sources discussed in earlier IPCC reports is likely a biogenic (agricultural) one.

Nitrite in soils: Accumulation and role in the formation of gaseous N compounds.

Nitrite is an intermediary compound formed during nitrification as well as denitrifiication. It occasionally accumulates in soils and drainage water. The nitrite can then undergo transformations to gaseous nitrogen compounds such as NO and NO2. Soil pH controls the abiotic nitrite decomposition to a large extent. Under acidic conditions(pH <5.5), nitrous acid spontaneously decomposes preferentially to NO and NO2. Nitrite also undergoes reactions with metallic cations (especially ferrous iron) and with organic matter. As a result of these reactions gaseous compounds such as NO, NO2, N2O and CH3ONO can be formed. Through reaction of nitrite with phenolic compounds nitroand nitrosocompounds can be formed, building up organic N. With normal agricultural practices on slightly acidic soils, the nitrite instability usually does not lead to economically important N losses from soils. However, the compounds formed through its degradation or interaction with other soil constituents are linked to environmental problems such as tropospheric ozone formation, acid rain, the greenhouse effect and the destruction of the stratospheric ozone.

Methane emission from a landfill and the methane oxidising capacity of its covering soil

Methane emission from a small covered landfill site showed, seasonally varying fluxes, ranging from −5.9 to 914.3 mg CH4 m−2 d−1. The moisture content of the CH4-oxidising cover soil was thought to cause this variation. Comparing gross and net CH4 emission rates, it was found that the cover soil, due to its CH4 oxidising capacity, had a large mitigating effect on the CH4 emission. In laboratory experiments the effects of soil moisture, temperature and different ammonium amendments on CH4 oxidation were investigated. When the moisture content and temperature were combined, CH4 oxidation rates between 0.88 and 10.86 ng CH4 g−1 h−1 were observed. The optimum moisture content ranged between 15.6 and 18.8% w/w (±12 WHC). The optimum incubation temperature (30-20°C) decreased with increasing moisture contents. For the oxidation rates at 10 and 20°C, we found an average Q10 value of 1.88 ± 0.14. The activation energy for moisture contents between 5 and 25% was 83.0 ± 4.4 kJ mol−1. Increased ammonium additions reduced the CH4-oxidising capacity. This reduction decreased with increasing moisture contents. A high correlation (R2 > 0.98) was found between the moisture content and the reduction of the CH4 uptake rate mg−1 NH4+ −N kg−1 added. Because the nitrification rate was also lower at higher moisture contents, it was thought that the CH4 oxidation rate was more closely connected with the NH4+ turnover rate than with its actual concentration. Multiple linear regression analysis of the CH4 oxidation rates under the different incubation conditions showed the following decreasing effect on the CH4-oxidising capacity of the soil: amount of NH4+ added > moisture content > incubation temperature.

Subsoils: chemo-and biological denitrification, N2O and N2 emissions

Agricultural practices, soil characteristics and meteorological conditions are responsible for eventual nitrate accumulation in the subsoil. There is a lot of evidence that denitrification occurs in the subsoil and rates up to 60–70 kg ha-1 yr-1 might be possible. It has also been shown that in the presence of Fe2+ (formed through weathering of minerals) and an alkaline pH, nitrate can be chemically reduced. Another possible pathway of disappearance is through the formation of nitrite, which is unstable in acid conditions. With regard to the emission of N2O and N2, it can be stated that all conditions whereby the denitrification process becomes marginal are favourable for N2O formation rather than for N2. Because of its high solubility, however, an important amount of N2O might be transported with drainage water.Agricultural practices, soil characteristics and meteorological conditions are responsible for eventual nitrate accumulation in the subsoil. There is a lot of evidence that denitrification occurs in the subsoil and rates up to 60–70 kg ha-1 yr-1 might be possible. It has also been shown that in the presence of Fe2+ (formed through weathering of minerals) and an alkaline pH, nitrate can be chemically reduced. Another possible pathway of disappearance is through the formation of nitrite, which is unstable in acid conditions. With regard to the emission of N2O and N2, it can be stated that all conditions whereby the denitrification process becomes marginal are favourable for N2O formation rather than for N2. Because of its high solubility, however, an important amount of N2O might be transported with drainage water.

Simulation model for gas diffusion and methane oxidation in landfill cover soils.

Landfill cover soils oxidize a considerable fraction of the methane produced by landfilled waste. Despite many efforts this oxidation is still poorly quantified. In order to reduce the uncertainties associated with methane oxidation in landfill cover soils, a simulation model was developed that incorporates Stefan-Maxwell diffusion, methane oxidation, and methanotrophic growth. The growth model was calibrated to laboratory data from an earlier study. There was an excellent agreement between the model and the experimental data. Therefore, the model is highly applicable to laboratory column studies, but it has not been validated with field data. A sensitivity analysis showed that the model is most sensitive to the parameter expressing the maximum attainable methanotrophic activity of the soil. Temperature and soil moisture are predicted to be the environmental factors affecting the methane oxidizing capacity of a landfill cover soil the most. Once validated with field data, the model will enable a year-round estimate of the methane oxidizing capacity of a landfill cover soil.

Estimates of N2O and CH4 fluxes from agricultural lands in various regions in Europe.

According to the revised 1996 IPCC guidelines, several emission factors are needed to calculate national inventories of N2O emissions from agriculture. To estimate the direct N2O emissions from mineral soils, an emission factor of 0.0125 kg N2O-N per kg N applied is currently being used. From recent literature data it was clearly shown that real N2O emissions could differ substantially from this value. Based on the IPCC methodology an inventory of N2O emission from agriculture in Europe (EU-15) has been made. In 1996, the N2O emission was estimated at 672 Gg N2O-N. The N2O emission per country varied between 10 and 177 Gg N2O-N. The N2O emission per ha agricultural land in the various countries varied between 1.7 and 14.2 kg N2O-N ha−1. Highest N2O emissions per ha were found in countries with a high agricultural intensity, such as the Netherlands, Belgium-Luxembourg, Denmark and Germany. Agricultural soils are a sink for atmospheric methane. An oxidation capacity of 2.5 and 1.5 kg CH4 ha−1 yr−1 was put forward for grasslands and arable land, respectively. Based on land use data of 1993, the CH4 sink of agricultural lands in EU-15 was estimated at 303.5 Gg CH4. In general, it could be concluded that N2O emissions from soils (327 Tg CO2 equivalents) are far more important than its sink function for CH4 (6.3 Tg CO2 equivalents).

Short-term kinetic response of enhanced methane oxidation in landfill cover soils to environmental factors

Abstract This paper aims at a better understanding of methane oxidation under conditions that are representative of landfill cover soils. The kinetics of methane oxidation were studied in landfill cover soils that had been exposed to high methane mixing ratios. This was done in batch experiments, under various environmental conditions. Vmax increased exponentially with temperature in the range 5–35  °C, with a Q10 value of 2.8. Km increased approximately linearly in this range from 1.2 μM to 7 μM. Consequently, the influence of temperature on methane consumption was more pronounced at high concentrations than at low concentrations. The inhibition by ammonium of methane consumption was much stronger after 6–7 months of exposure to high methane mixing ratios than after 5–7 weeks of exposure, indicating that there was a shift of dominating methanotrophic species in soils after long exposure times. Additions of nitrifying sludge or compost to soils initially inhibited methane oxidation, followed by a stimulation after a few days.

Two-year field study on the emission of N2O from coarse and middle-textured Belgian soils with different land use

In the following study N2O emissions from 3 different grasslands and from 3 different arable lands, representing major agriculture areas with different soil textures and normal agricultural practices in Belgium, have been monitored for 1 to 2 years. One undisturbed soil under deciduous forest was also included in the study. Nitrous oxide emission was measured directly in the field from vented closed chambers through photo-acoustic infrared detection. Annual N2O emissions from the arable lands ranged from 0.3 to 1.5 kg N ha−1 y−1 and represent 0.3 to 1.0% of the fertilizer N applied. Annual N2O emissions from the intensively managed grasslands and an arable land sown with grass were significantly larger than those from the cropped arable lands. Emissions ranged from 14 to 32 kg N ha−1 y−1, representing fertilizer N losses between 3 and 11%. At the forest soil a net N2O uptake of 1.3 kg N2O-N ha−1 was recorded over a 2-year period. It seems that the N2O-N loss per unit of fertilizer N applied is larger for intensively managed and heavily fertilized (up to 500 kg N ha−1) grasslands than for arable lands and is substantially larger than the 1.25% figure used for the global emission inventory. Comparison of the annual emission fluxes from the different soils also indicated that land use rather than soil properties influenced the N2O emission. Our results also show once again the importance of year-round measurements for a correct estimate of N2O losses from agricultural soils: 7 to 76% of the total annual N2O was emitted during the winter period (October–February). Disregarding the emission during the off-season period can lead to serious underestimation of the actual annual N2O flux.

Accumulation and fractionation of trace metals in a Tunisian calcareous soil amended with farmyard manure and municipal solid waste compost

A field plots experiment was carried out to assess the effects of repeated application of municipal solid waste compost in comparison to farmyard manure on the accumulation and distribution of trace metals, as well as organic carbon and nitrogen in Tunisian calcareous soil. Compared with untreated soil, the application of the two organic amendments significantly increased the organic carbon and nitrogen contents of the soil. Particle-size fractionations showed that carbon and nitrogen were mainly found to occur in the macro-organic matter fraction (80%). The two organic amendments significantly increased organic carbon in the macro-organic and mineral >150 microm fraction and the 150-50 microm fraction, as well as the organic nitrogen in 150-50 microm and macro-organic fraction. Compared with farmyard manure, municipal solid waste compost significantly increased total Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn contents in the topsoil. These trace metals were mainly present in the macro-organic matter fraction. Significant increases of Cu, Zn and Pb were detected in the 150-50 microm, <50 microm and macro-organic fractions after application of municipal solid waste compost. A significant increase of Cd content was only observed in the 150-50 microm fraction. The trace metals also showed different fractionation patterns when the BCR sequential extraction scheme was applied on untreated and compost-treated soil. The residual fraction was found to be the major fraction, especially for Cu, Cr, Ni and Zn. In contrast, Cd was mainly present in the acid-extractable and reducible fraction, whereas Pb was mainly associated with the reducible fraction.

Microbial biomass in a soil amended with different types of organic wastes

Application of different types of organic wastes may have a marked effect on soil microbial biomass and its activity. The objective of this study was to quantify the amount of microbial biomass in a loamy-clayey soil, amended with different types of organic waste residues (composts of municipal solid waste of different ages, sewage sludge and farmyard manure) and incubated for 8 weeks at 25°C and two-thirds of field capacity, using the fumigation–extraction method. Both microbial biomass-C and -N (B C and B N, respectively) appeared to be dependent on the type of organic waste residues, on their degree of stability, and on their chemical characteristics. In general, organic wastes increased the microbial biomass-C content in the soil and the microbial B C was positively correlated with the organic C content, the C/N, neutral detergent fibre/N (NDF/N) and acid detergent fibre/N (ADF/N) ratios. The microbial biomass content decreased according to the period of incubation, especially when the compost used was immature. The microbial biomass-N was positively correlated with the total N and percentage of hemicellulose. The microbial biomass-C was linearly related with the microbial biomass-N and the ratio B C/B N was exponentially related with the B C.