Diffusion of 15N-labelled N2O into soil columns: a promising method to examine the fate of N2O in subsoils

Nitrous oxide research has generally focused directly on measuring fluxes of N2O from the soil surface. The fate of N2O in the subsoil has often been placed in the ‘too hard’ basket. However, determining the production, fate and movement of N2O in the subsoil is vital in fully understanding the sources of surface fluxes and in compiling accurate inventories for N2O emissions. The aim of this study was to generate and introduce into soil columns 15N labelled N2O, and to try and determine the consumption of the 15N2O and production of ambient N2O. Columns, 100 cm long by 15 cm diameter, were repacked with sieved soil (sampled from 0 to 5 cm depth) and instrumented with silicone rubber gas sampling ports. Nitrous oxide enriched with 15N was generated using a thermal decomposition process at 300 °C and then transferred to 2 l flasks. After equilibrating with SF6 tracer gas the 15N2O was introduced into the soil columns via passive diffusion. Gas samples from the soil profile and headspace flux were taken over a 12-day period. A watering event was simulated to perturb the 15N2O gas composition in the soil profile. Using the measured 15N enriched fluxes and the rate of decline in 15N in the N2O reservoir, from which the N2O diffused into the soil, we calculated an N2O sink (consumption plus absorption by water) equal to 0.48 ng N2O g−1 soil h−1. The decrease in the 15N enrichment between successive soil depths indicated N2O production in the soil profile and we calculated a net N2O production rate of 0.88 ng N2O g−1 soil h−1. This pilot study demonstrated the potential for simultaneously measuring both N2O consumption and production rates, using the 15N enrichment of the N2O measured. Further potential refinements of the methodology are discussed.