Spatial oxygen distribution and nitrous oxide emissions from soil after manure application: a novel approach using planar optodes

Abstract

The availability and spatial distribution of oxygen (O) in agricultural soil are controlling factors in the production and emission of nitrous oxide (NO) to the atmosphere, but most experiments investigating the effects of various factors on NO emissions in soil have been conducted without determining the content and distribution of O. This complicates data interpretation and leads to speculative conclusions about which nitrogen transformation processes are responsible for NO production. Using an O-specific planar optode, this paper shows how spatiotemporal O dynamics can be used to interpret data on NO emissions following a uniform or layered amendment of manure to agricultural soil. The spatial distribution of O and gas emission rates were monitored for 12 h. An anoxic layer formed rapidly around the layered manure, whereas the uniformly distributed manure led to a more widespread anoxia. Nitrous oxide emissions increased immediately after depletion of O in the manure-amended treatments. Greater understanding and improved knowledge of the spatial distribution of O is clearly beneficial and can be used to devise improved application strategies for mitigating NO emissions from manure and other fertilizers.