A process-based model for ammonia emission from urine patches, GAG (Generation of Ammonia from Grazing): description and sensitivity analysis

Abstract. In this paper a new process-based, weather-driven model for ammonia (NH3) emission from a urine patch has been developed and its sensitivity to various factors assessed. The GAG model (Generation of Ammonia from Grazing) is capable of simulating the TAN (total ammoniacal nitrogen) and the water content of the soil under a urine patch and also soil pH dynamics. The model tests suggest that ammonia volatilization from a urine patch can be affected by the possible restart of urea hydrolysis after a rain event as well as CO2 emission from the soil. The vital role of temperature in NH3 exchange is supported by our model results; however, the GAG model provides only a modest overall temperature dependence in total NH3 emission compared with the literature. This, according to our findings, can be explained by the higher sensitivity to temperature close to urine application than in the later stages and may depend on interactions with other nitrogen cycling processes. In addition, we found that wind speed and relative humidity are also significant influencing factors. Considering that all the input parameters can be obtained for larger scales, GAG is potentially suitable for field and regional scale application, serving as a tool for further investigation of the effects of climate change on ammonia emissions and deposition.

[1]  R Core Team,et al.  R: A language and environment for statistical computing. , 2014 .

[2]  M. Heal,et al.  The role of long-range transport and domestic emissions in determining atmospheric secondary inorganic particle concentrations across the UK , 2013 .

[3]  Dynamic changes of CH4 and CO2 emission from grazing sheep urine and dung patches in typical steppe , 2013 .

[4]  B. Loubet,et al.  Advances in Understanding, Models and Parameterizations of Biosphere-Atmosphere Ammonia Exchange , 2013 .

[5]  Stefan Reis,et al.  Towards a climate-dependent paradigm of ammonia emission and deposition , 2013, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

[6]  Allison M. Leach,et al.  The global nitrogen cycle in the twenty-first century , 2013, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

[7]  O. Oenema,et al.  Diet effects on urine composition of cattle and N2O emissions. , 2013, Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience.

[8]  F. Kelliher,et al.  Ammonia emissions from cattle urine and dung excreted on pasture , 2013 .

[9]  M. Gauß,et al.  The EMEP MSC-W chemical transport model -- technical description , 2012 .

[10]  S. Wanless,et al.  The global distribution of ammonia emissions from seabird colonies , 2012 .

[11]  F. Kelliher,et al.  Measuring and modelling ammonia emissions from a regular pattern of cattle urine patches , 2012 .

[12]  S. Riddick.  Global ammonia emissions from seabird colonies , 2012 .

[13]  W. J. Bealey,et al.  The challenge to integrate nitrogen science and policies: the European Nitrogen Assessment approach , 2011 .

[14]  R. Massad,et al.  Review and parameterisation of bi-directional ammonia exchange between vegetation and the atmosphere , 2010 .

[15]  S. Ledgard,et al.  Nitrogen concentration in the urine of cattle, sheep and deer grazing a common ryegrass/cocksfoot/white clover pasture , 2010 .

[16]  E. Cooter,et al.  Estimation of NH3 bi-directional flux from managed agricultural soils , 2010 .

[17]  A. Tuzet,et al.  Model of stomatal ammonia compensation point (STAMP) in relation to the plant nitrogen and carbon metabolisms and environmental conditions , 2010 .

[18]  Shiping Wang,et al.  Fluxes of CO2, CH4, and N2O in an alpine meadow affected by yak excreta on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau during summer grazing periods. , 2009 .

[19]  C. Peters-Lidard,et al.  A new model of bi-directional ammonia exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere: Ammonia stomatal compensation point , 2009 .

[20]  M. Sutton,et al.  Modelling the dynamic chemical interactions of atmospheric ammonia with leaf surface wetness in a managed grassland canopy , 2009 .

[21]  M. Heal,et al.  Modelling surface ozone during the 2003 heat-wave in the UK , 2008 .

[22]  C. Place,et al.  Modelling the spatial distribution of ammonia emissions in the UK. , 2008, Environmental pollution.

[23]  J. Galloway,et al.  Transformation of the Nitrogen Cycle: Recent Trends, Questions, and Potential Solutions , 2008, Science.

[24]  A. Pleasants,et al.  A stochastic model of urinary nitrogen and water flow in grassland soil in New Zealand , 2007 .

[25]  Shiping Wang,et al.  Short‐term effects of sheep excrement on carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane fluxes in typical grassland of Inner Mongolia , 2006 .

[26]  L. Horváth,et al.  Measurement of ammonia exchange over grassland in the Hungarian Great Plain , 2005 .

[27]  R. Sherlock,et al.  Dynamics of ammonia volatilization from simulated urine patches and aqueous urea applied to pasture. III. Field verification of a simplified model , 1985, Fertilizer research.

[28]  R. Sherlock,et al.  Dynamics of ammonia volatilization from simulated urine patches and aqueous urea applied to pasture. II. Theoretical derivation of a simplified model , 1985, Fertilizer research.

[29]  R. Sherlock,et al.  Dynamics of ammonia volatilization from simulated urine patches and aqueous urea applied to pasture I. Field experiments , 1984, Fertilizer research.

[30]  D. Whitehead,et al.  The volatilization of ammonia from cattle urine applied to soils as influenced by soil properties , 2004, Plant and Soil.

[31]  Mark A. Sutton,et al.  Coupling soil-plant-atmosphere exchange of ammonia with ecosystem functioning in grasslands , 2002 .

[32]  Marvin E. Jensen,et al.  ASCE's standardized reference evapotranspiration equation. , 2001 .

[33]  Mark A. Sutton,et al.  A two‐layer canopy compensation point model for describing bi‐directional biosphere‐atmosphere exchange of ammonia , 2001 .

[34]  G. P. Wyers,et al.  Resistance modelling of ammonia exchange over oilseed rape , 2000 .

[35]  J. Cape,et al.  A dynamic chemical model of bi‐directional ammonia exchange between semi‐natural vegetation and the atmosphere , 1999 .

[36]  H. Goldbach,et al.  Measurements of electrical leaf surface conductance reveal re-condensation of transpired water vapour on leaf surfaces , 1999 .

[37]  S. O. Petersen,et al.  Ammonia losses from urine and dung of grazing cattle: effect of N intake , 1998 .

[38]  L. S. Pereira,et al.  Crop evapotranspiration : guidelines for computing crop water requirements , 1998 .

[39]  P. Cellier,et al.  A mechanistic model for estimating ammonia volatilization from slurry applied to bare soil , 1997 .

[40]  D. Chadwick,et al.  Inventory of Ammonia Emissions from UK Agriculture , 1996 .

[41]  M. A. Sutton,et al.  Plant—atmosphere exchange of ammonia , 1995, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[42]  D. Whitehead,et al.  Volatilization of ammonia from urea applied to soil: Influence of hippuric acid and other constituents of livestock urine , 1989 .

[43]  B. Hicks,et al.  A preliminary multiple resistance routine for deriving dry deposition velocities from measured quantities , 1987 .

[44]  K. Betteridge,et al.  Intake and excretion of nitrogen, potassium and phosporus by grazing steers , 1986, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[45]  P. Nye,et al.  A model of ammonia volatilization from applied urea. II. Experimental testing , 1986 .

[46]  P. Nye,et al.  A model of ammonia volatilization from applied urea. I. Development of the model , 1986 .

[47]  P. Dasgupta,et al.  Solubility of ammonia in liquid water and generation of trace levels of standard gaseous ammonia , 1986 .

[48]  R. Leuning,et al.  A sampler for measuring atmospheric ammonia flux , 1985 .

[49]  G. Farquhar,et al.  On the Gaseous Exchange of Ammonia between Leaves and the Environment: Determination of the Ammonia Compensation Point. , 1980, Plant physiology.

[50]  R. Battino,et al.  Low-pressure solubility of gases in liquid water , 1977 .

[51]  J. Quirk,et al.  Permeability of porous solids , 1961 .

[52]  B. W. Doak.  Some chemical changes in the nitrogenous constituents of urine when voided on pasture , 1952, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[53]  R. Bates,et al.  Acidic dissociation constant of ammonium ion at 0 to 50 C, and the base strength of ammonia , 1949 .

[54]  Raymond E. Davis,et al.  The Ionization Constant of Carbonic Acid in Water and the Solubility of Carbon Dioxide in Water and Aqueous Salt Solutions from 0 to 50 , 1943 .

[55]  H. S. Harned,et al.  The Ionization Constant of HCO3- from 0 to 50° , 1941 .

[56]  Jacob Kielland.  Individual Activity Coefficients of Ions in Aqueous Solutions , 1937 .