Mechanistic model for nitrous oxide emission via nitrification and denitrification

Abstract

Seasonal and annual N₂O fluxes from urine-affected pasture were approximated with a mechanistic model based on Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The model combined the effects of soil nitrate-N, soil ammonium-N, soil temperature and soil moisture (all from the top 5cm) to calculate N₂O emissions from nitrification (F _nit ) and denitrification (F _den ), with total N₂O emission being the sum of the two (F _tot =F _nit +F _den ). Best results were obtained when different kinetic parameters were used for periods of constant soil moisture conditions and after heavy rainfalls when a rapid change of the soil moisture status occurred. Modelled N₂O emissions over a year were within the range of uncertainties of measured N₂O emissions. Results indicate that the spatial variability of N₂O emissions at times when all the model inupt variables were constant may be related to microorganism growth dynamics or enzyme production rates.