Agroecosystem greenhouse gas balance indicator: Nitrous oxide component

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Monteverde, C. A.
Desjardins, R. L.
Pattey, E.

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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Abstract

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agroecosystems in Canada were estimated on a provincial and national basis using the 1996 IPCC/OECD methodology and the Census of Agriculture data for 1986 and 1991. Total N2O emissions were 93.4 Gg N2O in 1986 and 92.7 Gg N2O in 1991. Using a 100 year time horizon, this is equivalent to 26774.7 and 26594.9 Gg of CO2. Agricultural components of total emissions are direct and indirect emissions from soils, animals and emissions from other agricultural sources. Direct N2O emissions from agricultural soils contributed 49.06 Gg N2O in 1986 and 48.24 Gg N2O in 1991. Crop residues and nitrogen fertilizers were the principle sources of these emissions, contributing approximately 37% and 31% in 1986 and 1991, respectively. The principle sources of indirect N2O emissions were from atmospheric deposition of NH3 and NOx leaching and runoff which contributed 27.10 Gg N2O and 26.39 Gg N2O in 1986 and 1991, respectively. Grazing animals contributed about 10.21 Gg N2O in 1986 and 11.16 Gg N2O in 1991. Other N2O emissions considered in the IPCC/OECD methodology were from animal waste during storage and from human sewage. Together, these contributed about 7 Gg N2O. Although there are still considerable uncertainties in the emission factors used in these calculations, these results demonstrate that agricultural practices are an important source of N2O emissions.

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Archive of Agri-Environmental Programs in Ontario, Agri-Environmental Indicator Project, AEI, agriculture, agroecosystem greenhouse gas balance, agri-environmental indicators, emissions, nitrous oxide

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