Dataset Information

Data-driven estimates of global nitrous oxide emissions from croplands.

ABSTRACT: Croplands are the single largest anthropogenic source of nitrous oxide (N₂O) globally, yet their estimates remain difficult to verify when using Tier 1 and 3 methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Here, we re-evaluate global cropland-N₂O emissions in 1961-2014, using N-rate-dependent emission factors (EFs) upscaled from 1206 field observations in 180 global distributed sites and high-resolution N inputs disaggregated from sub-national surveys covering 15593 administrative units. Our results confirm IPCC Tier 1 default EFs for upland crops in 1990-2014, but give a ∼15% lower EF in 1961-1989 and a ∼67% larger EF for paddy rice over the full period. Associated emissions (0.82 ± 0.34 Tg N yr^-1) are probably one-quarter lower than IPCC Tier 1 global inventories but close to Tier 3 estimates. The use of survey-based gridded N-input data contributes 58% of this emission reduction, the rest being explained by the use of observation-based non-linear EFs. We conclude that upscaling N₂O emissions from site-level observations to global croplands provides a new benchmark for constraining IPCC Tier 1 and 3 methods. The detailed spatial distribution of emission data is expected to inform advancement towards more realistic and effective mitigation pathways.

SUBMITTER: Wang Q

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8288841 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Data-driven estimates of global nitrous oxide emissions from croplands.

Wang Qihui Q Zhou Feng F Shang Ziyin Z Ciais Philippe P Winiwarter Wilfried W Jackson Robert B RB Tubiello Francesco N FN Janssens-Maenhout Greet G Tian Hanqin H Cui Xiaoqing X Canadell Josep G JG Piao Shilong S Tao Shu S

National science review 20190711 2

Croplands are the single largest anthropogenic source of nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) globally, yet their estimates remain difficult to verify when using Tier 1 and 3 methods of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Here, we re-evaluate global cropland-N<sub>2</sub>O emissions in 1961-2014, using N-rate-dependent emission factors (EFs) upscaled from 1206 field observations in 180 global distributed sites and high-resolution N inputs disaggregated from sub-national surveys cover ...[more]

PMID: 34692059

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Project description:Streams and river networks are increasingly recognized as significant sources for the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2 O). N2 O is a transformation product of nitrogenous compounds in soil, sediment and water. Agricultural areas are considered a particular hotspot for emissions because of the large input of nitrogen (N) fertilizers applied on arable land. However, there is little information on N2 O emissions from forest streams although they constitute a major part of the total stream network globally. Here, we compiled N2 O concentration data from low-order streams (~1,000 observations from 172 stream sites) covering a large geographical gradient in Sweden from the temperate to the boreal zone and representing catchments with various degrees of agriculture and forest coverage. Our results showed that agricultural and forest streams had comparable N2 O concentrations of 1.6 ± 2.1 and 1.3 ± 1.8 µg N/L, respectively (mean ± SD) despite higher total N (TN) concentrations in agricultural streams (1,520 ± 1,640 vs. 780 ± 600 µg N/L). Although clear patterns linking N2 O concentrations and environmental variables were difficult to discern, the percent saturation of N2 O in the streams was positively correlated with stream concentration of TN and negatively correlated with pH. We speculate that the apparent contradiction between lower TN concentration but similar N2 O concentrations in forest streams than in agricultural streams is due to the low pH (<6) in forest soils and streams which affects denitrification and yields higher N2 O emissions. An estimate of the N2 O emission from low-order streams at the national scale revealed that ~1.8 × 109 g N2 O-N are emitted annually in Sweden, with forest streams contributing about 80% of the total stream emission. Hence, our results provide evidence that forest streams can act as substantial N2 O sources in the landscape with 800 × 109 g CO2 -eq emitted annually in Sweden, equivalent to 25% of the total N2 O emissions from the Swedish agricultural sector.

Dataset Information

Data-driven estimates of global nitrous oxide emissions from croplands.

Publications

Data-driven estimates of global nitrous oxide emissions from croplands.

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