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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #157399
Title: SOIL WATER CONTENT EFFECTS ON THE KINETICS OF ABIOTIC NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION

Author
item Venterea, Rodney - Rod
item ROLSTON, D - 3640-10-00
item CARDON, Z - UNIV OF CONNECTICUT

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2003
Publication Date: 11/2/2003
Citation: Venterea, R.T., Rolston, D., Cardon, Z. 2003. Soil water content effects on the kinetics of abiotic nitric oxide production. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts. Abstract No. S02-Venterea489343-poster.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil water content has been clearly demonstrated to exert strong control over nitrogen trace gas emissions from agricultural soils via its influence on biologically and physically mediated processes. In this study, we examined the role of soil water content in controlling some of the chemical reactions mediating nitric oxide (NO) production. Kinetic rate coefficients describing the production of NO via abiotic reactions involving nitrous acid (HNO2) were measured in agricultural soils from Minnesota and Connecticut, each of which had been maintained under different tillage management for several years. In all soils, rates of abiotic NO production per unit of HNO2 increased as the soil water content decreased. Soils from the no till systems had lower pH, which resulted in greater HNO2 concentrations, and higher NO production, at any given nitrite concentration. Soils from the no till systems also contained more organic matter which may have contributed to higher NO production observed at the same HNO2 concentration and the same water content compared to the more intensively-tilled soils.