EFFECTS OF SOIL-MOISTURE, TEMPERATURE, AND INORGANIC NITROGEN ON NITRIC-OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM ACIDIC TROPICAL SAVANNA SOILS

NO fluxes from soils with a wide range of soil moistures, soil inorgan ic-N concentrations, and soil temperatures were measured during the we t and the dry season at a Venezuelan savannah site. Maximum No emissio ns (approximately 12 ngN m-2 s-1) were observed at soil gravimetric mo istures between 10% and 18%. Deviation from this optimum range results in decreased NO fluxes; very low emissions (< 2 ngN m-2 s-1) were rec orded at low (< 2%) and high (> 25%) soil moistures. Both NO productio n in soil and its transport within the soil play important roles in th e emission of NO to the atmosphere. Under most conditions no temperatu re effect was observed. NO emission was strongly stimulated by the add ition of NO3- and only very weakly by the addition of NH4+; at low and moderate soil moistures, soil nitrate and the NO flux were positively correlated. At low (natural) soil nitrate content and comparable soil moisture and temperature, No emissions were greater during the dry se ason than during the rainy season, suggesting that other factors (i.e. , soil physical structure) may also govern No flux from savannah soil.