Changes in potential nitrous oxide efflux during grassland restoration

TitleChanges in potential nitrous oxide efflux during grassland restoration
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsScott, DA, Rosenzweig, ST, Baer, SG, Blair, JM
JournalJournal of Environmental Quality
Volume48
Issue6
Pagination1913-1917
Accession NumberKNZ001949
Abstract

14 Nitrous oxide efflux from soil is an important ecological process in terms of global climate 15 impacts, stratospheric chemistry, and soil fertility. The effects of grassland restoration on nitrous 16 oxide (N 2 O) efflux in formerly cultivated agricultural soils are not well known. Restoration 17 changes the storage and availability of soil C and N, with potential consequences for N 2 O efflux. 18 We examined changes in potential N 2 O efflux across a 35-year chronosequence of grassland 19 restorations, using lab incubations at moisture levels that maximized N 2 O emissions, to quantify 20 the relationship between N 2 O efflux and soil properties known to change predictably during 21 grassland restoration. We found that restoring cultivated agricultural land to grassland rapidly 22 decreased N 2 O efflux from soils, though native prairie had a potential N 2 O efflux higher than the 23 agricultural land. The oldest restoration had N 2 O efflux 50 times lower than native prairie. 24 Changes in N 2 O efflux were more strongly correlated with N mineralization than C.