Summary
This laboratory incubation study examined how soil water saturation influences denitrification and N2O emissions in grassland soil, with particular attention to interactions with soil compaction at the micropore scale. Using isotopic analysis of N2O and its isotopocules, the authors distinguished between denitrification and nitrification as emission sources across saturation gradients. The findings suggest two distinct nitrogen pools with different biogeochemical dynamics: added nitrogen drove intense denitrification at high saturation, whilst soil-derived nitrogen exhibited less isotopic fractionation, with flux variability in less-saturated conditions potentially driven by nutrient heterogeneity from soil cracking.
UK applicability
These findings are directly relevant to UK grassland management and greenhouse gas mitigation policy, given the prevalence of pasture-based livestock systems and the importance of understanding N2O emissions under variable moisture conditions typical of British maritime climates. The micropore-scale investigation of soil compaction effects on denitrification may inform Best Management Practices for grassland cultivation and grazing management in the United Kingdom.
Key measures
N2O flux, N2 flux, N2O isotopocules, water-filled pore space (WFPS), soil saturation levels
Outcomes reported
The study measured nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitrogen gas (N2) emissions, along with N2O isotopocules, from grassland soil incubated at varying saturation levels. Results demonstrated differential emission patterns and source processes (denitrification vs. nitrification) dependent on soil water content and saturation state.
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