AUTHOR=Rütting Tobias , Björsne Anna-Karin , Weslien Per , Kasimir Åsa , Klemedtsson Leif 

TITLE=Low Nitrous Oxide Emissions in a Boreal Spruce Forest Soil, Despite Long-Term Fertilization

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Forests and Global Change

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/forests-and-global-change/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2021.710574

DOI=10.3389/ffgc.2021.710574

ISSN=2624-893X

ABSTRACT=<p>Nitrogen (N) fertilization can increase stem wood production by several hundred percent in boreal forests. At the same time, there are concerns about the environmental consequences of N fertilization, especially considering losses of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) to the atmosphere. Soils are a large contributor to N<sub>2</sub>O emissions on a global scale. The aim of this study was to investigate the consequences of long-term nutrient optimization fertilization on N<sub>2</sub>O emissions in a boreal forest in Northern Sweden. Field N<sub>2</sub>O flux measurements were conducted during 2 years with manual and automatic chambers, as well as gas probes in the snow. The N<sub>2</sub>O emissions were generally low during the whole period of measurements, both from the control and fertilized plots. The emissions were generally highest during the winters, as well as the variability in the observed values. Overall, N<sub>2</sub>O emissions from fertilized plots were about twice the control, which could be explained by changes in the soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.</p>