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Published May 2003 | Published
Journal Article Open

Production, isotopic composition, and atmospheric fate of biologically produced nitrous oxide

Abstract

The anthropogenic production of greenhouse gases and their consequent effects on global climate have garnered international attention for years. A remaining challenge facing scientists is to unambiguously quantify both sources and sinks of targeted gases. Microbiological metabolism accounts for the largest source of nitrous oxide (N₂O), mostly due to global conversion of land for agriculture and massive usage of nitrogen-based fertilizers. A most powerful method for characterizing the sources of N₂O lies in its multi-isotope signature. This review summarizes mechanisms that lead to biological N₂O production and how discriminate placement of ¹⁵N into molecules of N₂O occurs. Through direct measurements and atmospheric modeling, we can now place a constraint on the isotopic composition of biological sources of N₂O and trace its fate in the atmosphere. This powerful interdisciplinary combination of biology and atmospheric chemistry is rapidly advancing the closure of the global N₂O budget.

Additional Information

© 2003 by Annual Reviews. First Published online as a Review in Advance on January 8, 2003. We thank J. Tung, K. Campbell, H.J. Chiang, and F.L. Jordan for helpful comments. This work was supported in part by an NSF grant and a grant from the Davidow Foundation.

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