Per Weslien

Nitrous oxide emission from Swedish forest soils in relation to liming and simulated increased N-deposition

Abstract Fluxes of N2O were studied in a Norway spruce forest in the southwest of Sweden. Three differently treated catchments were compared: Limed (6 t dolomite ha–1), Nitrex (additional N-deposition corresponding to 35 kg ha–1 year–1, in small doses) and Control (used as control site). The N-retention was still high (95%) after 2years of N-addition at the Nitrex site when the flux measurements were performed. Each catchment contained both well-drained and poorly drained soils (covered with Sphagnum sp.). The emissions of N2O were in general low with both a high spatial and temporal variation for all three sites. The measured emissions were 25, 71 and 96 (gN2O-N ha–1 year–1) for the well-drained Limed, Control and Nitrex sites, respectively. The average emissions of N2O from the wet areas were significantly higher than the well-drained areas within the catchments. For the wet areas the measured emissions were larger: 90, 118 and 254 (g N2O-N ha–1 year–1) for the Limed, Control and Nitrex sites, respectively. Comparison between treatments showed the wet Nitrex site to have a significantly higher emission than all other sites. The increased N-deposition at the Nitrex site increased the N2O emissions by 0.2% of the added N for the well-drained soils and about 1% for the wet areas, compared with the control site. Since the wet areas represented only a small part of the forest, their larger emissions did not contribute significantly to the overall emission of the forest. Neither temperature nor water content of the soil was well correlated with the N2O emissions. Soil gas samples showed that most of the N2O was produced below a 0.3-m depth in the soil.

Nitrous oxide production in a forest soil at low temperatures – processes and environmental controls

Recent investigations have highlighted the relative importance of the winter season for emissions of N(2)O from boreal soils. However, our understanding of the processes and environmental controls regulating these emissions is fragmentary. Therefore, we investigated the potential for, and relative importance of, N(2)O formation at temperatures below 0 degrees C in laboratory experiments involving incubations of a Swedish boreal forest soil. Our results show that frozen soils have a high potential for N(2)O formation and subsequent emission. Net N(2)O production rates at -4 degrees C equaled those observed at +10 to +15 degrees C at moisture contents >60% of the soils water-holding capacity. The source of this N(2)O was found to be denitrification occurring in anoxic microsites in the frozen soil and temperature per se did not control the denitrification rates at temperatures around 0 degrees C. Furthermore, both net nitrogen-mineralisation and nitrification were observed in the frozen soil samples. Based on these findings we propose a conceptual model for the temperature response of N(2)O formation in soils at low temperatures.

Can distribution of trees explain variation in nitrous oxide fluxes

Abstract The impact of distance to tree stems on nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes was examined to determine whether it is possible to improve the accuracy of flux estimates from boreal forest soils. Dark static chambers were placed along transects between pairs of trees within a Norway spruce stand and fluxes of N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) were measured during the period 1999–2003. The groundwater table was measured on every sampling occasion along the transects. In addition, radiation transmission, potential diffusion rate and biomass of forest floor vegetation were measured once at each chamber site along one of the transects and soil samples were collected at three depths, from which pH, denitrification enzyme activity, soil moisture, organic matter, and carbon and nitrogen content were determined. There was a high level of variation in the N2O fluxes, both spatially and temporally. However, the spatial variation in the N2O fluxes within the transect could not be explained by differences in any of the measured variables. Sometimes, mainly when no major peaks occurred, N2O fluxes were significantly correlated with CO2 release. It is concluded that distance to stems cannot be used to improve the design of sampling schemes or for extrapolating flux levels to larger scales.

Large carbon-sink potential by Kyoto forests in Sweden – a case study on willow plantations.

Fluxes of CO2 were measured in a 75-ha short-rotation willow plantation at Enkôping, central Sweden. The plantation was irrigated with wastewater for fertilization and water-filtering purposes. The harvested biomass was used locally for combined heat and power production. The plantation was a sink of ca. 8 tonnes C ha-1 during 2003, of which ca. 50% was estimated to be attributed to fertilization. Biomass increment by shoot growth was 5 tonnes C ha-1 during the same year. Belowground carbon allocation was estimated to 3 tonnes C ha-1 yr-1 by a model that relates carbon allocation to shoot growth. Thus, the ecosystem carbon balance was closed by these estimations. The carbon uptake by the willow plantation was 5.5 times as high compared to a normally managed spruce forest, but only half as high as from an experimental, well-managed willow plantation in the same region. This illustrates the vast potential of short-rotation willow plantations for CO2 uptake from the atmosphere.