Abstract
As part of a nitrogen budget study, N 2O emissions from the forest floor and N 2O dynamics in the soil atmosphere were studied in a small catchment covered with a mixed oak-beech forest in the Netherlands. Measured N 2O dynamics are presented and the factors regulating the N 2O production, transport and emissions discussed. In general, N 2O concentrations increased with depth, indicating production of N 2O over the whole profile and a resulting N 2O flux towards the forest floor. The highest N 2O concentrations were measured just above the groundwater level. As soon as the groundwater table fell, N 2O concentrations in the soil atmosphere decreased. Calculations revealed that peak concentrations of N 2O just above the groundwater table would not lead to a significant output of dissolved N 2O in streamwater. It is suggested that the litter layer contributes significantly to the annual N 2O emission rate in the forest during periods of temporally saturated conditions after intensive rain events. The estimated annual N 2O emission rate in this forest amounted to 20 kg N ha −1 year −1. However, the high temporal variability makes an extrapolation of weakly measurements to an annual N 2O emission rate very questionable.
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