Lack of increased availability of root-derived C may explain the low N2O emission from low N-urine patches

Abstract

Urine deposition on grassland causes significant N2O losses, which in some cases may result from increased denitrification stimulated by labile compounds released from scorched plant roots. Two 12-day experiments were conducted in 13C- labelled grassland monoliths to investigate the link between N2O production and carbon mineralization following application of low rates of urine-N. Measurements of N2O and CO2 emissions from the monoliths as well as $$\delta^{13}$$ C signal of evolved CO2 were done on day −4, −1, 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 after application of urine corresponding to 3.1 and 5.5 g N m−2 in the first and second experiment, respectively. The $$\delta^{13}$$ C signal was also determined for soil organic matter, dissolved organic C and CO2 evolved by microbial respiration. In addition, denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) and nitrifying enzyme activity (NEA) were measured on day −1, 2 and 7 after the first urine application event. Urine did not affect DEA, whereas NEA was enhanced 2 days after urine application. In the first experiment, urine had no significant effect on the N2O flux, which was generally low (−8 to $$14\,\upmu$$ g N2O-N m−2 h−1). After the second application event, the N2O emission increased significantly to $$87\,\upmu$$ g N2O-N m−2 h−1 and the N2O emission factor for the added urine-N was 0.18%. However, the associated 13C signal of soil respiration was unaffected by urine. Consequently, the increased N2O emission from the simulated low N-urine patches was not caused by enhanced denitrification stimulated by labile compounds released from scorched plant roots.