NitroEurope - or NEU for short - is a project for integrated European research into the nitrogen cycle. NitroEurope is part of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, and will run for 5 years from February 2006 until 2011.
Effect of temporal resolution on N2O emission inventories in Dutch fen meadows
Submitted by wim_de_vries on Tue, 07/04/2009 - 18:19.
Publication Type:
Journal Paper (submitted)Source:
Global Biogeochemical Cycles (2009)Keywords:
Temporal dynamics; N2O inventory models; fen meadows; rainfall distribution; scale; emission factorAbstract:
Most countries use a one-year-resolution emission factor approach (Tier 1 or 2) to estimate terrestrial N2O emissions as part of their national greenhouse gas inventory. Little attention has so far been paid to the effect of lumping temporal variation, while the effect can be very large due to the strong dynamics of N2O emissions. We analyzed the effect of temporal resolution by comparing annual N2O emissions from two models, one with a daily temporal resolution (DNDC) and one with an annual temporal resolution (INITIATOR). Emissions were simulated for two intensively managed grassland plots in Dutch fen meadows for 2001-2006. Results showed that annual N2O emissions from the investigated grasslands are very sensitive to rainfall distribution within the year, especially to summer rainfall. It is therefore recommended that Tier 2 N2O emission estimates for intensively managed fen meadows in the temperate climate zone are adjusted for the relative summer rainfall.
