The N2O Network

  

Ammonia loss from ryegrass pastures treated with urea based fertilisers. Murroon, Victoria, 2010 [Theme 1: Inhibitors for reducing emissions]

Data Set Citation

Suter H of The University of Melbourne and . Ammonia loss from ryegrass pastures treated with urea based fertilisers. Murroon, Victoria, 2010 [Theme 1: Inhibitors for reducing emissions].
Suter.7.45 (http://www.n2o.net.au/knb/metacat/Suter.7.45/html).

Metadata download:
Ecological Metadata Language (EML) File
Data Set Owner(s):
Individual:
Dr. Helen Suter
Organization:
The University of Melbourne
Position:
Research Fellow
Address:
Department of Resource Management and Geography, Melbourne School of Land and Environment,
The University of Melbourne,
Parkville,
VIC 3010
Australia
Phone:
+61 3 8344 0179 (voice)
Phone:
+61 3 8344 5579 (fax)
Email Address:
helencs@unimelb.edu.au
Web Address:
http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/researcher/person16560.html
Individual:
Professor Deli Chen
Organization:
The University of Melbourne
Position:
Reader
Address:
Department of Resource Management and Geography, Melbourne School of Land and Environment,
The University of Melbourne,
Parkville,
VIC 3010
Australia
Phone:
+61 3 8344 8148 (voice)
Email Address:
delichen@unimelb.edu.au
Web Address:
http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/researcher/person13219.html
Associated Party
Individual:
Ms. Siobhann McCafferty
Organization:
Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology
Position:
Data Librarian
Address:
2 George Street,
Brisbane,
QLD 4000
Australia
Phone:
+61 7 3138 0457 (voice)
Email Address:
siobhann.mccafferty@qut.edu.au
Role:
Custodian/Steward
Abstract

This data package describes a field trial conducted to assess the influence of urea applied with and without a urease inhibitors NBPT, and as a fine particle (FPA) or liquid application (UAN) on loss of the indirect greenhouse gas ammonia (NH3) from a ryegrass pasture (Lolium perenne L) in autumn and spring of 2010. The trial was designed to assess both fertlizer type and seasonal impacts on NH3 loss. Ammonia loss was measured on 50 m diameter circles using a passive ammonia sampling system where NH3 was trapped in centrally located acid traps. Data was collected on NH3 captured, soil mineral and urea N, plant biomass production and nitrogen content as well as local climatic conditions.

Keywords
  • NH3
  • Ammonia loss
  • Urease inhibitors
  • Urea hydrolysis
  • N-(n-butyl) thiophosphorictriamide
  • nBPT
  • Green urea
  • Fine particle application
  • Liquid application
  • Pasture biomass production
  • Ryegrass
  • Murroon
  • VIC
anzsrc-for
  • 0502
  • 0799
Geographic Coverage
Geographic Description:
Murroon, Victoria, Australia
Bounding Coordinates:
West:  
143.81  degrees
East:  
143.81  degrees
North:  
-38.43  degrees
South:  
-38.43  degrees
Temporal Coverage
Begin:
2010-04-12
End:
2010-10-21
Contact(s)
Individual:
Professor Deli Chen
Organization:
The University of Melbourne
Position:
Reader
Address:
Department of Resource Management and Geography, Melbourne School of Land and Environment,
The University of Melbourne,
Parkville,
VIC 3010
Australia
Phone:
+61 3 8344 8148 (voice)
Email Address:
delichen@unimelb.edu.au
Web Address:
http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/researcher/person13219.html
Individual:
Dr. Helen Suter
Organization:
The University of Melbourne
Position:
Research Fellow
Address:
Department of Resource Management and Geography, Melbourne School of Land and Environment,
The University of Melbourne,
Parkville,
VIC 3010
Australia
Phone:
+61 3 8344 0179 (voice)
Phone:
+61 3 8344 5579 (fax)
Email Address:
helencs@unimelb.edu.au
Web Address:
http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/researcher/person16560.html
Methods Info
Step 1:
Description:
Ammonia Measurement
Ammonia volatilization was studied in three treated circular plots of 25 m radius. The centres of the areas were 200 m apart and the areas were located so that a line joining the centres was perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction to ensure that NH3 emissions from one area did not interfere with emissions from the others.Ammonia loss was determined with a simplified mass balance micrometeorological method using the Leuning et al. (1985) NH3 samplers. Duplicate samplers were used to measure horizontal flux density at 0.8m above the crop at the centre of the circular areas and vertical flux was determined following Denmead (1983) and Turner et al (2010). Background measurements were made with samplers placed on masts located on the upwind side of the treated areas. Ammonia emission was measured twice daily during the periods 0800–1700 and 1700–0800 h (overnight) from 12th April to 10th May 2010, and 27th September to 21st October 2010. Ammonia captured in the Leuning samplers was analysed using a SAN++ segmented flow analyser (Skalar Analytical).
Instrument(s):
  • Leuning et al. (1985) NH3 samplers
  • SAN++ segmented flow analyser (Skalar Analytical)
Step 2:
Description:
Soil Sampling
Soil samples (0-5 cm) were collected from within the circles and the background area for Urea, NO3- and NH4+ analysis. Composite samples were collected by taking 60 soil cores (18 mm diameter) from two transects (perpendicular to each other) across each circle in autumn. A composite sample from thirty cores was made by collecting cores at random from the background area. In spring, each circle was quartered and a sample comprising 15 cores was collected from each quarter. Each composite of 15 cores was treated as a sample so that is spring there were 4 samples per circle.Soil samples were immediately oven dried (40oC)in autumn, passed through a 2mm sieve and extracted in the laboratory as soon as possible with three subsamples taken from each sample. In spring, samples were extracted on site, to minimise the risk of urea loss in drying prior to extraction. Each composite sample was mixed and two subsamples taken (~20 g soil, air dry basis in autumn; 25 g field moist soil in spring) for analysis.Soils for extraction were placed in 250 mL wide-mouth plastic bottle, and shaken for 2 hour with 100 mL of 2 M KCl containing 5 mg/L phenylmercuric acetate solution. Samples were filtered through Whatman No 42 filter papers. The filtrate was collected and kept in a freezer (-20oC) and then defrosted and analysed for urea, NH4+, and NO3-.
Instrument(s):
  • 5 cm corer.
  • SAN++ segmented flow analyser (Skalar Analytical).
Step 3:
Description:
Biomass Production
Pasture biomass was collected from beneath a 2 x 1 m pasture cage, on a 0.84 m2 area using a small rotary lawnmower one month after fertilization. In addition monthly cuts were made from autumn to spring to assess the longevity of any fertiliser effect using the area under the pasture cages. Pasture samples were analysed at a commercial laboratory where they were dried at 70oC for 2 hours. Nitrogen content of the biomass was measured as Kjeldahl nitrogen.
Step 4:
Description:
Statistical Analysis
Analysis of variance with performed using the program R (Hornik 2009) and Microsoft excel was used to assess the effects of the added fertilizer.
Sampling Area And Frequency:

The trial was conducted on a two year old perennial ryegrass pasture (Lolium perenne) with two 3 week sampling campaigns, one commencing on April 12th 2010 and the other commencing on September 27th 2010. A single circle of 25 m diameter was used for each treatment and duplicate samplers were used to collect the NH3. Duplicate ammonia traps for each treatment were changed twice daily at commencement of the trial and then less frequently to 21 days.

Sampling Description:

Ammonia traps were changed twice daily to less frequently until day 21.

Project Info
Title:
Nitrous Oxide Research Program
Personnel:
Individual:
Dr. Helen Suter
Organization:
The University of Melbourne
Position:
Research Fellow
Address:
Department of Resource Management and Geography, Melbourne School of Land and Environment,
The University of Melbourne,
Parkville,
VIC 3010
Australia
Phone:
+61 3 8344 0179 (voice)
Phone:
+61 3 8344 5579 (fax)
Email Address:
helencs@unimelb.edu.au
Web Address:
http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/researcher/person16560.html
Role:
Principal Investigator
Individual:
Professor Deli Chen
Organization:
The University of Melbourne
Position:
Reader
Address:
Department of Resource Management and Geography, Melbourne School of Land and Environment,
The University of Melbourne,
Parkville,
VIC 3010
Australia
Phone:
+61 3 8344 8148 (voice)
Email Address:
delichen@unimelb.edu.au
Web Address:
http://www.findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/researcher/person13219.html
Role:
Principal Investigator
Funding:

DAFF/GRDC

Access
Access Control:
Auth System:
knb
Order:
allowFirst
Allow:
[read] public
[read] uid=chen,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[read] uid=grace,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org
[all] uid=datalibrarian,o=unaffiliated,dc=ecoinformatics,dc=org