Estimation of indirect nitrous oxide emissions from a shallow aquifer in northern Germany

authored by: Carolin Von Der Heide, Jürgen Böttcher, Markus Deurer, Wilhelmus H.M. Duijnisveld, Daniel Weymann, Reinhard Well
Abstract: Ground water is considered to be an important source for indirect N ₂O emissions. We investigated indirect N₂O emissions from a shallow aquifer in Germany over a 1-yr period. Because N₂O accumulated in considerable amounts in the surface ground water (mean, 52.86 μg N₂O-N L^-1) and corresponding fluxes were high (up to 34 μg N₂O-N m^-2 h^-1), it was hypothesized that significant indirect N₂O emissions would occur via the vertical and the lateral emission pathway. Vertical N₂O emissions were investigated by measuring N₂O concentrations and calculating fluxes from the surface ground water to the unsaturated zone and at the soil surface. Lateral N₂O fluxes were investigated by measuring ground water N ₂O and NO₃ ^- concentrations at five multilevel wells and at a waterworks well. Negligible amounts of N₂O were emitted vertically into the unsaturated zone; most of it was convectively transported into the deeper autotrophic denitrification zone. Only a ground water level fall and rise triggered the emission of N₂O (up to 3 μg N₂O-N m^-2 h^-1) into the unsaturated zone. Ground water-derived N₂O was probably reduced during the upward diffusion, and soil surface emissions were governed by topsoil processes. Along the lateral pathway, N₂O and NO₃ ^- concentrations decreased with increasing depth in the aquifer. Discharging ground water was almost free of N₂O and NO₃ ^-, and indirect N₂O emissions were small.
Organisation(s): Institute of Soil Science
Section Soil Biophysics
External Organisation(s): New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited (Plant & Food Research)
Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
University of Göttingen
Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries
Type: Article
Journal: Journal of environmental quality
Volume: 38
Pages: 2161-2171
No. of pages: 11
ISSN: 0047-2425
Publication date: 01.11.2009
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Environmental Engineering, Water Science and Technology, Waste Management and Disposal, Pollution, Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2008.0320 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{17febb24d2674455a46cf72c985c8e28,
title = "Estimation of indirect nitrous oxide emissions from a shallow aquifer in northern Germany",
abstract = "Ground water is considered to be an important source for indirect N 2O emissions. We investigated indirect N2O emissions from a shallow aquifer in Germany over a 1-yr period. Because N2O accumulated in considerable amounts in the surface ground water (mean, 52.86 μg N2O-N L-1) and corresponding fluxes were high (up to 34 μg N2O-N m-2 h-1), it was hypothesized that significant indirect N2O emissions would occur via the vertical and the lateral emission pathway. Vertical N2O emissions were investigated by measuring N2O concentrations and calculating fluxes from the surface ground water to the unsaturated zone and at the soil surface. Lateral N2O fluxes were investigated by measuring ground water N 2O and NO3 - concentrations at five multilevel wells and at a waterworks well. Negligible amounts of N2O were emitted vertically into the unsaturated zone; most of it was convectively transported into the deeper autotrophic denitrification zone. Only a ground water level fall and rise triggered the emission of N2O (up to 3 μg N2O-N m-2 h-1) into the unsaturated zone. Ground water-derived N2O was probably reduced during the upward diffusion, and soil surface emissions were governed by topsoil processes. Along the lateral pathway, N2O and NO3 - concentrations decreased with increasing depth in the aquifer. Discharging ground water was almost free of N2O and NO3 -, and indirect N2O emissions were small.",
author = "{Von Der Heide}, Carolin and J{\"u}rgen B{\"o}ttcher and Markus Deurer and Duijnisveld, {Wilhelmus H.M.} and Daniel Weymann and Reinhard Well",
year = "2009",
month = nov,
day = "1",
doi = "10.2134/jeq2008.0320",
language = "English",
volume = "38",
pages = "2161--2171",
journal = "Journal of environmental quality",
issn = "0047-2425",
publisher = "ASA/CSSA/SSSA",
number = "6",
}