Uk. Avalakki et al., MEASUREMENT OF GASEOUS EMISSIONS FROM DENITRIFICATION OF APPLIED N-15.1. EFFECT OF COVER DURATION, Australian Journal of Soil Research, 33(1), 1995, pp. 77-87
Measurement of gas emissions from denitrification of applied N has bee
n restricted because of the lack of a convenient method. Recently a me
thod using an electric are to measure N-15 contents of dinitrogen (N-2
) and nitrous oxide (N2O) in air has been developed. Gas emissions fro
m denitrification of applied N-15 were determined using this method fo
r gas analysis of the N-15(2) and (N2O)-N-15 captured beneath an air-t
ight soil cover. Loss of N-15 was calculated from gas emission measure
ments by two methods, accumulation of daily emissions and from the pea
k N-15 emission value by assuming linear increase and decrease over th
e period of emissions. Losses estimated at low emissions with incomple
te soil saturation were similar (1.9-5.6% N-15 applied) for the two me
thods. Losses estimated at higher emissions with complete soil saturat
ion were higher when calculated using peak emission values (14.8-28.5%
) rather than accumulated daily emissions (9.5-18.7%). Losses estimate
d by emissions were compared with N-15 loss estimated by mass balance
at the completion of two successive soil saturations. As daily cover d
uration was shortened, gas emission estimates of loss more closely app
roximated total gaseous N-15 as estimated from unaccounted for N-15 in
the N-15 balance. With shortest cover duration (15 min day(-1)) there
was close agreement (94% estimated from peak emissions) with N-15 los
s estimated by N-15 balance. A strategy for quantitatively estimating
N-15 loss by emission measurements is suggested.