N2O emission from mineral soils - Reviews

Increasing deposition of N-compounds cause environmental problems such as leaching of nitrate or enhanced emission of N2O. Most N2O is formed from dissimilatory reduction of nitrate in oxygen deficient environment, although it can also be produced from chemolitotrophic and heterotrophic nitrification and assimilatory reduction of nitrate in aerobic conditions. N2O production is affected by many physical and biochemical factors, such as: the nature and amount of organic matter available as energy sources to the denitrifiers and heterotrophic nitrifiers, the aeration/moisture status of the soil, the soil nitrate concentration, soil pH, and the soil texture. These factors interact in a complicated manner with microorganisms on a microscale level in the soil, creating the large spatial and temporal variability in denitrification and and influenced on N2O/N ratio. The N2O emission increased linearly with NO3- reduction and curvilinearly with organic matter content, dehydrogenase activity and pH value and decreased curvilinearly with oxygen content.