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Title:   Author  item
                                            Venterea, Rodney

                                                         - *Rod*item
                                            Halvorson, Ardellitem
                                            Kitchen, Newellitem
                                            Liebig, Markitem
                                            Cavigelli, Michelitem
                                            Del Grosso, Stephen

                                                         - *Steve*item
                                            MOTAVALLI, PETER - University Of Missouriitem
                                            NELSON, KELLY - University Of Missouriitem
                                            Spokas, Kurtitem
                                            SINGH, BHUPINDER - Department Of Primary Industriesitem
                                            Stewart, Catherineitem
                                            RANAIVOSON, ANDRY - University Of Minnesotaitem
                                            STROCK, JEFFREY - University Of Minnesotaitem
                                            Collins, Harold
  Submitted to: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 7/9/2012
                                    Publication  Date: 12/1/2012
                                    Citation: Venterea, R.T., Halvorson, A.D., Kitchen, N.R., Liebig, M.A., Cavigelli, M.A., Del Grosso, S.J., Motavalli, P.P., Nelson, K.A., Spokas, K.A., Singh, B.P., Stewart, C.E., Ranaivoson, A., Strock, J., Collins, H.P. 2012. Challenges and opportunities for mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from fertilized cropping systems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 10(10)562-570.Interpretive Summary: Nitrous oxide (N2O) represents in many cases the largest single component of the greenhouse gas (GHG)budget of individual cropping systems and for the U.S. agricultural sector as a whole. Reducing N2O emissions from cropping systems remains a research frontier largely because of biophysical factors that set N2O apart from other agro-ecosystem N losses. Conservation management approaches that increase overall crop nitrogen (N) use efficiency – i.e., modification of fertilizer rate, source, placement, and timing - have in some cases been effective in reducing N2O emissions. However, the reliability of these approaches in reducing N2O emissions while maintaining crop yields across different locations and growing seasons is uncertain due to interactions of multiple factors that regulate several different N2O–producing processes in soil. While the underlying processes have been well-studied, our current understanding of key aspects and our ability to manage them, remain limited. Efforts to increase overall crop N use efficiency may not necessarily be effective for N2O mitigation because of the potential for several different soil production processes, the high variability and complexity of process controls, and the tendency for large pulse events. More effective strategies will require improved calibration of N fertilizer requirements to meet site-specific crop N demands using new crop sensing, fertilizer delivery, and other technologies, as well as improved understanding at the process level. Although the challenges are great, practices that mitigate agricultural N2O emissions will likely have broad co-benefits in reducing agricultural losses of all other reactive N forms, and therefore will enhance soil, water, and air quality in several ways. The aim of this article is to highlight the factors that make mitigation of N2O emissions from fertilized cropping systems such a difficult challenge, and to discuss how these factors and knowledge gaps limit the effectiveness of existing practices and therefore require new ideas and technologies. This information will be useful to policy-makers, farmers, and scientists in developing strategies for reducing GHG emissions associated with agricultural production.
                                Technical Abstract: Nitrous oxide (N2O) represents in many cases the largest single component of the greenhouse gas (GHG) budget of individual cropping systems and for the U.S. agricultural sector as a
whole. Reducing N2O emissions from cropping systems remains a research frontier largely because of biophysical factors that set N2O apart from other agro-ecosystem N losses. Conservation management approaches that increase overall crop nitrogen (N) use efficiency – i.e., modification of fertilizer rate, source, placement, and timing - have in some cases been effective in reducing N2O emissions. However, the reliability of these approaches in reducing N2O emissions while maintaining crop yields across different locations and growing seasons is uncertain due to interactions of multiple factors that regulate several different N2O–producing processes in soil. While the underlying processes have been well-studied, our current understanding of key aspects and our ability to manage them, remain limited. Efforts to increase overall crop N use efficiency may not necessarily be effective for N2O mitigation because of the potential for several different soil production processes, the high variability and complexity of process controls, and the tendency for large pulse events. More effective strategies will require improved calibration of N fertilizer requirements to meet site-specific crop N demands using new crop sensing, fertilizer delivery, and other technologies, as well as improved understanding at the process level. Although the challenges are great, practices that mitigate agricultural N2O emissions will likely have broad co-benefits in reducing agricultural losses of all other reactive N forms, and therefore will enhance soil, water, and air quality in several ways. The aim of this article is to highlight the factors that make mitigation of N2O emissions from fertilized cropping systems such a difficult challenge, and to discuss how these factors and knowledge gaps limit the effectiveness of existing practices and therefore require new ideas and technologies.


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