Contemporary strategies for enhancing nitrogen retention and mitigating nitrous oxide emission in agricultural soils: present and future
Publication Type:
Journal
Authors:
Year Published:
2019
Abstract:
The increasing food demand and deteriorating climate change require improvement in current strategies for enhancing nitrogen (N) retention and mitigating nitrous oxide (N2O) emission in agricultural soils. This paper has discussed and compared the mechanisms, effects and affecting factors of major contemporary strategies, including soil amendment with biochar, biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) and applications of synthetic nitrification inhibitor (NI), urease inhibitor (UI), hydrogel and slow-/controlled-release fertilizer (SRF/CRF). Among these strategies, soil amendment with biochar seems to be the most promising, considering its demonstrated effectiveness and sustainable nature. Despite the large number of biochar-relevant studies in the recent years, the data have not been systematically utilized. A database model has been proposed in this review to link the production, properties and performance of biochar and delve into the valuable information scattered in current and future biochar studies. At the same time, the other strategies should also be continuously studied for improvement. NIs and UIs need to be more stable and lasting; hydrogels and SRFs/CRFs have to be more environmentally friendly and economically sound; BNI deserves broader investigations and its future applications can be more widespread. Future studies may also explore strategic combinations of two or more contemporary strategies. More long-term studies should be conducted to improve the evaluation of benefits and flaws of these strategies.
Journal:
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Volume:
22
Issue:
2020
Pagination:
2703-2741
ISSN:
Short Title:
Date Published:
2/19/2019