Abstract

Risk, N., Snider, D. and Wagner-Riddle, C. 2013. Mechanisms leading to enhanced soil nitrous oxide fluxes induced by freeze-thaw cycles. Can. J. Soil Sci. 93: 401-414. The freezing and thawing of soil in cold climates often produces large emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) that may contribute significantly to a soil's annual greenhouse gas emission budget. This review summarizes the state of knowledge of the physical and biological mechanisms that drive heightened N2O emissions at spring melt. Most studies of freeze-thaw N2O emissions have concluded that denitrification is the dominant process responsible for the large thaw fluxes. Soil moisture, availability of carbon and nitrogen substrates, and freeze temperature and duration are the major factors identified as controlling freeze-thaw cycle (FTC) N2O emissions. Two mechanisms are proposed to lead to enhanced N2O emissions at thaw: (1) the physical release of N2O that is produced throughout the winter and trapped under frozen surface layers and/or within ...

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