Mechanisms of Nitrous Oxide Production in Soils

Recent research by atmospheric scientists has created international concern that increased use of nitrogen fertilizers to aid world food production will increase emission of nitrous oxide (N₂O) from soils to the atmosphere via denitrification of fertilizer-derived nitrate and thereby promote destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer protecting the biosphere from biologically harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun (see Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, 1976; McElroy et al., 1977; Crutzen and Ehhalt, 1977; Liu et al.,1977). This threat has stimulated extensive research on factors affecting N₂O emissions from soils and the effects of nitrogen fertilizers on these emissions. The purpose of this article is to report recent research in our laboratory relating to the mechanisms of N₂O production in soils.