Nitrous oxide emissions from black soils with different pH

N₂O fluxes as a function of incubation time from soil with different available N contents and pH were determined. Cumulative carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions were measured to indicate soil respiration. A 144-hr incubation experiment was conducted in a slightly acidic agricultural soil (pH_H2O 5.33) after the pH was adjusted to four different values (3.65, 5.00, 6.90 and 8.55). The experiments consisted of a control without added N, and with NH⁺₄-N and NO^?₃-N fertilization. The results showed that soil pH contributed significantly to N₂O flux from the soils. There were higher N₂O emissions in the period 0–12 hr in the four pH treatments, especially those enhanced with N-fertilization. The cumulative N₂O-N emission reached a maximum at pH 8.55 and was stimulated by NO^?₃-N fertilization (70.4 μg/kg). The minimum emissions appeared at pH 3.65 and were not stimulated by NO^?₃-N or NH⁺₄-N fertilization. Soil respiration increased significantly due to N-fertilization. Soil respiration increased positively with soil pH (R² = 0.98, P < 0.01). The lowest CO₂-C emission (30.2 mg/kg) was presented in pH 3.65 soils without N-fertilization. The highest CO₂-C emissions appeared in the pH 8.55 soils for NH⁺₄-N fertilization (199 mg/kg). These findings suggested that N₂O emissions and soil respiration were significantly influenced by low pH, which strongly inhibits soil microbial nitrification and denitrification activities. The content of NO^?₃-N in soil significantly and positively affected the N₂O emissions through denitrification.