Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil, plant and atmospheric conditions as they relate to ammonia volatilization

  • Published:
Fertilizer research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Gaseous ammonia (NH3) transport is an important pathway in the terrestrial N cycle. In the atmosphere NH3 neutralizes airborne acids and is a major factor determining air quality and acid rain deposition patterns. Redeposition of atmospheric NH3 plays an important role in the N balance of natural ecosystems and has been implicated in forest decline, plant species change and eutrophication of surface water. Much of the N in soil-plant animal systems can be lost to the atmosphere, particularly with surface applied livestock waste, or urea and anhydrous ammonia fertilizers. Plants can have a significant impact on NH3 transport because they can both absorb and desorb atmospheric NH3. Under conditions of low soil N or high atmospheric NH3 concentrations, plants absorb NH3. Under conditions of high soil N or low atmospheric NH3 concentrations, plants volatilize NH3. This article discusses methods for evaluating NH3 transport in the filed, the rate of NH3 volatilized from fertilizer application, and the effects of plants on net NH3 transport.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Asman WAH & van Jaarsveld HA (1992) A variable-resolution transport model applied for NH4 in Europe. Atmos Environ 26:445–464

    Google Scholar 

  2. Beauchamp EG, Kidd GE &Thurtell G (1978) Ammonia volatilization from liquid dairy cattle manure in the field. Can J Soil Sci 62:11–19

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bobbink R, Heil GW & Raessen MBAG (1992) Atmospheric deposition and canopy exchange processes in heathland ecos stems. Environ Poll 75:29–37

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bock BR & Kissel DE, eds. (1988) Ammonia volatilization from urea fertilizers. Nat Fert Dev Cent Muscle Shoals, Al

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bremner JM & Mulvaney (1978) Urease activity in soils. In: RJ Burns (ed.) Soil Enzymes, pp. 149–196. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  6. Catchpoole VR, Harper LA & Myers RJK (1981) Annual losses of ammonia from a razed asture fertilized with urea. Proc XIV Inter Grassland Cong, Lexington, KY pp. 344–347

    Google Scholar 

  7. Catchpoole VR, Oxenham DJ & Harper LA (1983) Transformation and recovery of urea applied to a grass pasture in southeastern Queensland. Aust J Exp Agric Anim Husb 23:80–86

    Google Scholar 

  8. Chai HH & Hou TT (1975) Studies on the volatilization gaseous nitrogen from ammonium sulfate, urea and sodium nitrate applied to soils. Soils Fert Taiwan 12-31

  9. Denmead OT (1983) Micrometeorolagical methods for measuring gaseous losses of nitrogen in the field. In: JR Freney & JR Simpson (eds.) Gaseous Loss of Nitrogen from Plant-Soil Systems, Martinus Nijhoff/W. Junk Pub., The Hague pp 133–157.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Denmead OT, Freney JR & Simpson JR (1976) A closedammonia cycle within a plant canopy. Soil Biol Biochem 8:161–164

    Google Scholar 

  11. Denmead OT, Freney JR & Simpson JR (1982) Dynamics of ammonia volatilization during furrow irrigation of maize. Soil Sci Soc Am J 46:149–155

    Google Scholar 

  12. Duyzer JH, Verhagen HLM & Weststrate JH (1992) Measurement of dry deposition flux of NH3 on to coniferous forest. Environ Poll 75:3–13

    Google Scholar 

  13. Farquhar GD, Firth PM, Wetselaar R & Weir B (1980) On the gaseous exchange of ammonia between leaves and the environment. Determination of the ammonia compensation point. Plant Physiol 66:710–714

    Google Scholar 

  14. Farquhar GD, Wetselaar R & Weir B (1983) Gaseous nitrogen losses from plants. In: JR Freney and JR Simpson (eds.) Gaseous loss of nitrogen from plant-soil systems, Martinus Nijhoff/W. Junk Pub. The Hague pp 159–180.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Fenn, LB & Kissel DE (1974) Ammonia volatilization from surface applications of ammonium compounds on calcareous soils. II. Effects of temperature and rate of ammonium nitrogen application. Soil Sci Soc Am Proc 38:606–610

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fenn, LB & Kissel DE (1976) the influence of cation exchange capacity and depth of incorporation on ammonia volatilization from ammonium compounds applied to calcareous soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 40:394–398

    Google Scholar 

  17. Ferguson RB, Mc Innes KJ, Kissel DE & Kanemasu ET (1988) A comparison of methods of estimating ammonia volatilization in the field. Fert Res 15:55–69

    Google Scholar 

  18. Freney JR, Denmead OT, Watanabe I & Craswell ET (1981) Ammonia and nitrous oxide losses following applications of ammonium sulfate to flooded rice. Aust J Agric Res 32:37–45

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hargrove WL, Bock BR, Raunikar RA & Urban WJ (1987) Comparison of a forced-draft technique to nitrogen-15 recovery for measuring ammonia volatilization under field conditions. Soil Sci Soc Amer J 51:124–128

    Google Scholar 

  20. Harper LA (1971) Mass and energy transfer between the atmosphere and two plant canopy types. Ph.D. Diss. Univ. of Georgia, Athens

    Google Scholar 

  21. Harper LA (1988) Comparisons of methods to measure ammonia volatilization in the field. In: BR Bock & DE Kissel (eds.) Ammonia volatilization from urea fertilizers, National Fertilizer Development Center, TVA, Muscle Shoals, Alabama pp 93–109.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Harper LA, Catchpoole VR, Davis R & Weier KL (1983) Ammonia volatilization soil, plant, and microclimate effects on diurnal and seasonal fluctuations. Agron J 75: 212–218

    Google Scholar 

  23. Harper LA, Sharpe RR, Langdale GW & Giddens JE (1987) Nitrogen cycling in a wheat crop soil, plant and aerial nitrogen transport. Agron J 79:965–973

    Google Scholar 

  24. Harper LA, & Sharpe RR (1994) Nitrogen dynamics in irrigated corn: soil-plant nitrogen and atmospheric ammonia transport. Agron J (in press)

  25. Hoff KD, Nelson DW & Sutton AL (1981) Ammonia volatilization from liquid swine manure applied to cropland. J Environ Qual 10:90–95

    Google Scholar 

  26. Hutchinson GL (1969) Nitrogen enrichment of surface water by absorption of ammonia loss from cattle feedlats. Science 166:514–517

    Google Scholar 

  27. Hutchinson GH, Millington RJ & Peters DB (1972) Atmospheric ammonia: absorption by plant leaves. Science 175:771–772

    Google Scholar 

  28. Langford AO, Fehsenfeld FC, Zacharaissen J, & Schimel DS (1992) Ammonia fluxes and background concentrations in terrestrial ecosystems. Global Biogeochem Cycles 6:459–483

    Google Scholar 

  29. Lemon ER & van Houtte R (1980) Ammonia exchange at the land surface. Agron J 72: 876–883

    Google Scholar 

  30. Lockyer DR (1984) A system for the measurement in the field of losses of ammonia through volatilization. J Sci Food Agric 35: 837–848

    Google Scholar 

  31. Lockyer DR, Pain BF & Klarenbeek JV (1989) Ammonia emissions from cattle, pig and poultry wastes applied to pasture. Environ Poll 56:19–30

    Google Scholar 

  32. Lyster S, Morgan MA & 0'Toole P (1980) Ammonia volatilization from soils fertilized with urea and ammonium nitrate. J Life Sci Royal Dublin Soc 1:167–176

    Google Scholar 

  33. More SD & Varade SB (1978) Volatilization losses of ammonia from different nitrogen carriers as affected by soil-moisture, organic matter and method of fertilizer application. J indian Soc Soil Sci 26:112–115

    Google Scholar 

  34. Moller D & Schieferdecker H (1985) A relationship between agricultural ammonia emissions and atmospheric sulpher dioxide content over industrial areas. Atmos Environ 9:695–700

    Google Scholar 

  35. Nommik H (1973) Assessment of valatilization loss of ammonia from surface applied urea on forest soils by15N recovery. Plant Soil 38:589–603

    Google Scholar 

  36. Parton WJ, Morgan JA, Altenhofen JM & Harper LA (1988) Ammonia volatilization from spring wheat plants. Agron J 80:419–425

    Google Scholar 

  37. Ritchie SW, Hanway JJ & Benson GO (1992) How a corn plant develops. pp 21 Iowa State Univ Crop Ext Serv Spec Rept No 48

  38. Ryan J, Curtin D & Safi I (1981) Ammonia volatilization as influenced by calcium carbonate particle size and iron oxides. Soil Sci Soc Am J 45:338–341

    Google Scholar 

  39. Stevens RJ & Logan HJ (1987) Determination of the volatilization of ammonia from surface-applied cattle slurry by the micrometeorological mass balance method. J Agric Sci Camb 109:205–207

    Google Scholar 

  40. Sutton MA, Moncrieff JB & Fowler D (1992) Deposition of atmospheric amrnonia to moorlands. Environ Poll 75:15–24

    Google Scholar 

  41. Tang IN (1980) On the equilibrium partial pressures of nitric acid and ammonia in the atmosphere. Atmos Environ 14:819–828

    Google Scholar 

  42. Thompson RB, Ryden JC & Lockyer DR (1987) Fate of nitrogen in cattle slurry following surface application or injection to grassland. J Soil Sci 38:689–700

    Google Scholar 

  43. Vallis I, Harper LA, Catchpoole VR & Weier KL (1982) Volatilization of ammonia from urine patches in a subtropical pasture. Aust J Agric Res 33:97–107

    Google Scholar 

  44. Van der Eerden LJ, Lekkerkerk LJA, Smeulders SM & Jansen AE (1992) Effects of atmospheric; ammonia and ammonium sulphate on Douglas fir (Pseudotsuge menziesii). Environ Poll 76:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  45. Van der Molen J, Van Fassen HG, Leclerc MY, Vriesema R & Chardon WJ (1990) Ammonia volatilization from arable land after application of cattle slurry. l. Field estimates. Neth J Agric Sci 38:145–158

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA/ARS, Southern Piedmont Conservation Research Center, P.O. Box 555, 30677, Watkinsville, GA, USA

    R. R. Sharpe & L. A. Harper

Authors
  1. R. R. Sharpe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. A. Harper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sharpe, R.R., Harper, L.A. Soil, plant and atmospheric conditions as they relate to ammonia volatilization. Fertilizer Research 42, 149–158 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00750509

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00750509

Key words

Search

Navigation