Summary
This field-based study investigated the mechanisms driving N2O emissions from sheep excreta deposited on extensively grazed organic soils. By quantifying nitrification as the bottleneck process controlling emissions, the authors derived a substantially lower emission factor (43% reduction) than the existing country-specific estimate, suggesting current greenhouse gas inventories may overestimate pastoral livestock emissions in these soil conditions.
UK applicability
The findings are directly applicable to UK upland and organic pasture management, particularly for emission accounting under the UK's Greenhouse Gas Inventory and agricultural policy frameworks. The revised, lower emission factor may inform more accurate carbon footprinting of extensive sheep grazing systems in the United Kingdom.
Key measures
N2O emissions from sheep urine patches; nitrification rates; emission factor comparison; soil nitrogen transformations
Outcomes reported
The study examined N2O emissions from sheep urine patches on extensively grazed organic soils, identifying nitrification as the rate-limiting process. The research found a 43% reduction in emissions compared to country-specific excreta emission factors.
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