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Understanding N2O emissions in african ecosystems : Assessments from a semi-arid savanna grassland in senegal and sub-tropical agricultural fields in Kenya

Bigaignon, Laurent ; Delon, Claire ; Ndiaye, Ousmane ; Galy-Lacaux, Corinne ; Serça, Dominique ; Guérin, Frédéric ; Tallec, Tiphaine ; Merbold, Lutz ; Tagesson, Torbern LU and Fensholt, Rasmus , et al. (2020) In Sustainability (Switzerland) 12(21).
Abstract

This study is based on the analysis of field-measured nitrous oxide (N2 O) emissions from a Sahelian semi-arid grassland site in Senegal (Dahra), tropical humid agricultural plots in Kenya (Mbita region) and simulations using a 1D model designed for semi arid ecosystems in Dahra. This study aims at improving present knowledge and inventories of N2 O emissions from the African continent. N2 O emissions were larger at the agricultural sites in the Mbita region (range: 0.0 ± 0.0 to 42.1 ± 10.7 ngN m−2 s−1) than at the Dahra site (range: 0.3 ± 0 to 7.4 ± 6.5 ngN m−2 s−1). Soil water and nitrate (NO3−) contents appeared to be the most important... (More)

This study is based on the analysis of field-measured nitrous oxide (N2 O) emissions from a Sahelian semi-arid grassland site in Senegal (Dahra), tropical humid agricultural plots in Kenya (Mbita region) and simulations using a 1D model designed for semi arid ecosystems in Dahra. This study aims at improving present knowledge and inventories of N2 O emissions from the African continent. N2 O emissions were larger at the agricultural sites in the Mbita region (range: 0.0 ± 0.0 to 42.1 ± 10.7 ngN m−2 s−1) than at the Dahra site (range: 0.3 ± 0 to 7.4 ± 6.5 ngN m−2 s−1). Soil water and nitrate (NO3−) contents appeared to be the most important drivers of N2 O emissions in Dahra at the seasonal scale in both regions. The seasonal pattern of modelled N2 O emissions is well represented, though the model performed better during the rainy season than between the rainy and dry seasons. This study highlighted that the water-filled pore space threshold recognised as a trigger for N2 O emissions should be reconsidered for semi-arid ecosystems. Based on both measurements and simulated results, an annual N2 O budget was estimated for African savanna/grassland and agricultural land ranging between 0.17–0.26 and 1.15–1.20 TgN per year, respectively.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Chambers, GHG, Modelling, Nitrogen, Tropical ecosystems
in
Sustainability (Switzerland)
volume
12
issue
21
article number
8875
pages
26 pages
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85094578084
ISSN
2071-1050
DOI
10.3390/su12218875
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3f3d5212-bc14-4105-920e-39bf62149dd9
date added to LUP
2020-11-16 08:42:21
date last changed
2022-04-19 02:03:36
@article{3f3d5212-bc14-4105-920e-39bf62149dd9,
  abstract     = {{<p>This study is based on the analysis of field-measured nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub> O) emissions from a Sahelian semi-arid grassland site in Senegal (Dahra), tropical humid agricultural plots in Kenya (Mbita region) and simulations using a 1D model designed for semi arid ecosystems in Dahra. This study aims at improving present knowledge and inventories of N<sub>2</sub> O emissions from the African continent. N<sub>2</sub> O emissions were larger at the agricultural sites in the Mbita region (range: 0.0 ± 0.0 to 42.1 ± 10.7 ngN m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>) than at the Dahra site (range: 0.3 ± 0 to 7.4 ± 6.5 ngN m<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>). Soil water and nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) contents appeared to be the most important drivers of N<sub>2</sub> O emissions in Dahra at the seasonal scale in both regions. The seasonal pattern of modelled N<sub>2</sub> O emissions is well represented, though the model performed better during the rainy season than between the rainy and dry seasons. This study highlighted that the water-filled pore space threshold recognised as a trigger for N<sub>2</sub> O emissions should be reconsidered for semi-arid ecosystems. Based on both measurements and simulated results, an annual N<sub>2</sub> O budget was estimated for African savanna/grassland and agricultural land ranging between 0.17–0.26 and 1.15–1.20 TgN per year, respectively.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bigaignon, Laurent and Delon, Claire and Ndiaye, Ousmane and Galy-Lacaux, Corinne and Serça, Dominique and Guérin, Frédéric and Tallec, Tiphaine and Merbold, Lutz and Tagesson, Torbern and Fensholt, Rasmus and André, Sylvain and Galliau, Sylvain}},
  issn         = {{2071-1050}},
  keywords     = {{Chambers; GHG; Modelling; Nitrogen; Tropical ecosystems}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{21}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Sustainability (Switzerland)}},
  title        = {{Understanding N<sub>2</sub>O emissions in african ecosystems : Assessments from a semi-arid savanna grassland in senegal and sub-tropical agricultural fields in Kenya}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12218875}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/su12218875}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}