Abstract
Few mitigation strategies are known or tested for nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from urine patches in pastures. We identify two such strategies and present experimental results for them: (1) avoiding detrimental soil conditions; and (2) changing urine composition through rationing. In the first strategy, soil compaction resulted in a two- to fivefold increase of emissions. Combination of urine patches with dung resulted in a comparable N2O increase. The effects of dung, seasonal variation and soil compaction could all be linked to changes in water-filled pore space (WFPS). For the second strategy, no consistent effects of urine concentration, urine volume or salt concentration could be determined. However, a shift in nitrogenous composition of urine, consistently with different diets, significantly affected N2O emissions. Increasing the hippuric acid concentration from 3% to 9% of total urine-N decreased cumulative N2O emissions from 8.4% of applied urine-N to 4.4%. We speculate that this effect is linked to an inhibitory effect of benzoic acid on the denitrification pathway. The most promising mitigation options appear to be avoiding so-called `camping areas¿ in pastures and to avoid grazing under wet conditions. The possibility of decreasing N2O emissions by increasing hippuric acid concentration through diet should be explored.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Greenhouse gases and animal agriculture: an update |
Editors | C.R. Soliva, J. Takahashi, M. Kreuzer |
Pages | 347-350 |
Volume | 1293 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2006 |
Event | 2nd international conference on greenhouse gases and animal agriculture; Zürich (Switzerland) - Duration: 20 Sept 2005 → 24 Sept 2005 |
Conference/symposium
Conference/symposium | 2nd international conference on greenhouse gases and animal agriculture; Zürich (Switzerland) |
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Period | 20/09/05 → 24/09/05 |
Keywords
- nitrous oxide
- emission reduction
- urine
- pastures
- hippuric acid
- cattle dung