1. Challenges and opportunities for mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from fertilized cropping systems.
- Author
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Venterea, Rodney T., Halvorson, Ardell D., Kitchen, Newell, Liebig, Mark A., Cavigelli, Michel A., Del Grosso, Stephen J., Motavalli, Peter P., Nelson, Kelly A., Spokas, Kurt A., Singh, Bhupinder Pal, Stewart, Catherine E., Ranaivoson, Andry, Strock, Jeffrey, and Collins, Hal
- Subjects
NITROUS oxide & the environment ,GREENHOUSE gases & the environment ,SOIL air ,AGRICULTURAL ecology ,CROP yields ,NITROGEN fertilizers ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) - Abstract
Nitrous oxide (N
2 0) is often the largest single component of the greenhouse-gas budget of individual cropping systems, as well as for the US agricultural sector as a whole. Here, we highlight the factors that make mitigating N2 0 emissions from fertilized agroecosystems such a difficult challenge, and discuss how these factors limit the effectiveness of existing practices and therefore require new technologies and fresh ideas. Modification of the rate, source, placement, and/or timing of nitrogen fertilizer application has in some cases been an effective way to reduce N2 0 emissions. However, the efficacy of existing approaches to reducing N2 0 emissions while maintaining crop yields across locations and growing seasons is uncertain because of the interaction of multiple factors that regulate several different N2 0-producing processes in soil. Although these processes have been well studied, our understanding of key aspects and our ability to manage them to mitigate NzO emissions remain limited. INSETS: In a nutshell:;Panel 1. N2 0-producing processes in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2012
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