Research on GHG Emissions from Fertilizer
This page last reviewed July 10, 2012
Background
To improve California's
current GHG inventory, ARB is developing research to better understand
nitrous oxide (N2O)
emissions from agricultural ecosystems under California specific
conditions. Data may be used to develop California specific baseline
emissions and improved fertilizer management practices.
ARBs GHG inventory for 2004 estimates that N2O
contributed roughly 15.6 MMTCO2E, or 2.8
percent of California's total GHG emissions. Agricultural soil was the
largest source of N2O, accounting for
approximately 8.1 MMTCO2E or 50 percent of
the State's total N2O emissions. It is
estimated that approximately 4.9 MMTCO2E of N2O
emissions from agricultural soil results from the application of
organic and synthetic fertilizers.
There is uncertainty about how much N2O
is emitted from agricultural soils under California specific conditions
for the wide range of commodities and farming practices in the State.
Current methods estimate that on average, approximately 50 percent of
the nitrogen fertilizer applied in the field is lost to the transport
pathways of volatilization, leaching, and runoff.
What's New
Posted July 10, 2012:
The draft final report for ARB contract 08-324, "Assessment of Baseline Nitrous Oxide Emissions in California Cropping Systems" (W. Horwath, M. Burger, UC Davis) is available at this link: Final Report, ARB Contract 08-324
Posted May 14, 2012:
A
meeting
on N2O Research Projects will be held on June 12,
2012. The purpose
of
the meeting is to receive updates and discuss research proposals
being funded by ARB, the California Energy Commission,
California Department of Food and Agriculture and CalRecycle. This is a
continuing
effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia, and
industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California.
The
June 12, 2012 Meeting Notice and Agenda are
posted here. Materials
from previous meetings as well as N2O research proposals are also
available
at this link.
A
meeting to kick off the recently approved N2O research contract 11-313
will be held on May 16,
2012. This is a
continuing
effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia, and
industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California. The research contract, titled "Evaluating Mitigation
Options of Nitrous Oxide Emissions in California Cropping Systems" will
be conducted by the University of California, Davis; Principal
Investigator, Martin Burger.
The
May 16 agenda, the Kickoff Presentation, and the research proposal
are posted here. Materials
from previous meetings as well as previously approved research
proposals are also available
at this link.
Posted August 22, 2011:
A
meeting
on N2O Research Projects will be held on September
12, 2011. The purpose
of
the meeting is to receive updates and discuss research proposals
being funded by ARB, the California Energy Commission,
California Department of Food and Agriculture and CalRecycle. This is a
continuing
effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia, and
industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California.
The
September 12, 2011 Meeting Notice and Agenda are posted
here. Materials
from previous meetings as well as research proposals are also available
at this link.
Posted June 13, 2011:
A
meeting
on N2O Research Projects was held June 2, 2011. The purpose of
the meeting was to receive updates and discuss research proposals
being funded by ARB, the California Energy Commission,
California Department of Food and Agriculture and CalRecycle. This is a
continuing
effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia, and
industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California.
The
June 2, 2011 Meeting Notice and Agenda are posted here. Materials
from previous meetings as well as research proposals are also available
at this link.
Posted Feburary 7, 2011:
Meeting
on N2O Research Projects was held January 26, 2011. The purpose of the
meeting was to recieve updates and discuss research proposals being
funded by ARB, the California Energy Commission, the California
Department of Food and Agriculture and CalRecycle. This is a
continuing effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia,
and industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California.
The
January 26, 2011 Meeting Notice and Agenda are posted
here.
Materials from previous meetings as well as research proposals
are also available at this link.
Posted September 30, 2010:
Meeting
on N2O Research Projects was held Septmber 27, 2010. The purpose of
the
meeting was to receive updates and discuss research proposals
being funded by ARB, the California Energy Commission,
California Department of Food and Agriculture and CalRecycle. This is a
continuing
effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia, and
industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California.
The
September 27 Meeting Notice and Agenda are posted
here.
Materials
from previous meetings as well as research proposals
are also available at this link.
Posted July 29, 2010:
Kick
off meeting for two new
research protocols, July 29 10:00 A.M.
Link to Assessment
of Baseline Nitrous Oxide Emissions in California’s Dairy Systems
presentation here.
Link to
Determining NOx Emissions from Soil in California Cropping Systems to
Improve Ozone Modeling presentation here.
Posted April 1, 2010:
Meeting
on N2O Research Projects was held May 17, 2010. The purpose of the
meeting was to receive updates and discuss the three research proposals
being funded by ARB, the California Energy Commission and the
California Department of Food and Agriculture. This is a continuing
effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia, and
industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California.
The
May
17 meeting notice and agenda are posted here
Posted September 30, 2009:
Meeting
on N2O Research Projects was held October 30, 2009
The purpose of the meeting was to receive updates and discuss the three
research proposals being funded by ARB, the California Energy
Commission and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. This
is a continuing effort to coordinate research with state agencies,
academia, and industry and receive input on proposed research for
improving our understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer
use in California.
The
Oct.
30 meeting notice and agenda are posted here
Posted July 30, 2009:
Meeting
on N2O Research Projects was held August 24, 2009 The purpose of the
meeting was to receive updates and discuss the three research proposals
being funded by ARB, the California Energy Commission and the
California Department of Food and Agriculture. This is a continuing
effort to coordinate research with state agencies, academia, and
industry and receive input on proposed research for improving our
understanding of N2O emissions associated with fertilizer use in
California.
August
24, 2009 N2O Stakeholders Meeting
Posted September 15, 2008:
Presentations
on Proposed N2O Research Projects
CEC
PIER Presentation
Research Proposal Presentation
ARB Presentation
Research
Proposal Presentation
CDFA
Presentation
Research
Proposal Presentation
Posted May 27, 2008:
ARB
staff is coordinating research activities with academia, stakeholders,
and other state agencies including the California Energy Commission and
the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The link below is a
presentation summarizing the ARB N2O
inventory and ongoing or proposed research efforts.
N2O
Research Needs Presentation
For more information, please contact Janet Spencer at (916) 324-2717 or Lei Guo at (916) 322-8097.
