Nitrous oxide emissions from soil during freezing and thawing periods

In a laboratory investigation, the processes of N2O emissions during freezing/thawing periods were studied. Four undisturbed soil columns from an agricultural site were subjected to two freeze/thaw cycles. Two periods of higher N2O emissions were detected, a period of elevated N2O emissions during continuous soil freezing and a period of brief peak emissions during thawing. Soil respiration indicated that microorganisms were still active in both periods. We concluded that N2O was produced by microorganisms during continuous soil freezing in an unfrozen water film on the soil matrix. This thin liquid water film was covered by a layer of frozen water. The frozen water in form of an ice layer represents a diffusion barrier which reduces oxygen supply to the microorganisms and partly prevents the release of the N2O. Peak emissions during soil thawing were explained by the physical release of trapped N2O and/or denitrification during thawing.