Enrichment of the Atmosphere with Nitrogen Compounds Volatilized from a Large Dairy Area

Abstract

A dairy cow population of 143,000 in an area of 150 km2 enriched the atmosphere with distillable N (mostly NH3) over an area in excess of 560 km2. Over an area of 35 km2, where cow population density was approximately 1,600 cows/km2, the concentration of distillable N in the atmosphere was between 20 to 30 times greater than at a control site outside the dairy area. Highest concentrations of N were associated with wet corral surfaces and favorable evaporative conditions. Approximately 20% of the total N absorbed by acid‐surface traps in the dairy area was nondistillable N while filtered air samples contained 5% or less. Rainfall delivered three times as much N to the land surface inside than outside the dairy area.

Broiler Litter vs. Ammonium Nitrate as Nitrogen Source for Bermudagrass Hay Production: Yield, Nutritive Value, and Nitrate Leaching

“…The only advantage of BL was greater forage P. We think that bermudagrass performance was less with BL because of less available N for plant uptake, probably a direct result of ammonia volatilization losses from the soil surface, which can be an environmental concern. Ammonia emissions into the atmosphere can contribute significant quantities of N to nearby bodies of water and lead to eutrophication (Luebs et al, 1973; Reddy et al, 1979; Meisinger and Jokela, 2000). Our forage performance data support the general N availability estimations for surface‐applied, unincorporated BL, ranging from 50 to 70% during the application year (Mitchell and Donald, 1995; Evers, 1998; Gaskin et al, 2007).…”

Advances in Soil Science

“…Some researchers have attempted to measure NH3 loss by the use of open acid traps or acid-saturated filter papers (Hutchinson and Veits, 1969;Luebs Mahendrappa and Ogden, 1973). The success of these approaches will depend on how rapidly the NHracid equilibrium occurs.…”

“…Recent efforts to evaluate NH3 loss in the field using air-sampling techniques and meteorological data (Denmead et al, 1982;Harper et al, 1983;Hutchinson et al, 1982;Luebs et al, 1973) provide excellent examples of spatial variability in NH3 distribution from a point source. Large variations in the horizontal and vertical distribution of NH3 would be expected.…”

The environmental impact of fertilizers

“…19 Evolution of ammonia from cattle feed yards has been confirmed in Nebraska 20 and in the large dairying area east of Los Angeles in California. 21 The full impact of anthropogenic ammonia in the air on water quality is now largely unknown.…”