Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Two Beech Forests near Vienna, Austria : International Workshop on Nitrous Oxide Emissions

Wuppertal

1997

S. 365-372

Bandaufführung

9185S

102310

A beech forest at a distance of 30 km from Vienna was compared with a beech forest stand at the westend of Vienna affected by moderate nitrogen loads. Biweekly measurements of N2O emissions and nitrate leaching were conducted and related to temperature and soil moisture. Nitrate leaching was much higher n the area close to thecity and so were N2O emissions. Average rates of 74 ög N2O-N m-¬h-Ü were measured. This is relatively high compared to reports from beech forests in Germany, Denmark or the Netherlands. Maximum N2O emission was related to the decay of a herbaceous layer of the spring geophyte Allium ursinum L. at the beginning of July. In the beech forest more distant to the city a small wetland around a flush was compared with an adjacent upland plot. The wetland showed less N2O emission than the upland plot and a lower availability of nitrate. Nitrous oxide emissions from the wetland remained equal throughout the year whereas on the upland maximum emissions were measured in late spring and autumn. Average N2O emission in this area more distant to the city was 31 and 17 ög N2O-N m-¬h-Ü from upland and wetland soil.