Fluxes of Nitrogen Oxide and Methane from Nitrogen Amended Soils in the Colorado Alpine

Five fertilized and 5 unfertilized plots within each community type were sampled. In the dry meadow community, the addition of nitrogen resulted in a 22-fold increase in N2O emission, while in the wet meadow, we observed a 45-fold increase in N2O emission rates.

Methane uptake in the dry meadow community was reduced 52% by fertilization. However, net CH4 production occurred in all of the wet meadow plots and emission rates were not significantly affected by fertilization. Net nitrification rates were higher in dry meadow fertilized plots than in non-fertilized plots throughout the growing season.