Assessment of nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soils at a local level in Poland

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a very potent greenhouse gas whose concentration in the atmosphere is steadily increasing. Almost 80% of the annual N2O emissions in Poland originate from agriculture, and its main source is the use of agricultural soils. This study attempts to estimate the N2O emissions from agricultural soils and presents statistical analyses and spatial distributions for all Polish communes. For this purpose, a solution has been proposed which could be successfully applied by local government in order to assess N2O emissions, as well as to monitor the impact of actions undertaken to limit them. The annual N2O emissions from agricultural soils in Polish communes varies from 0.002 Mg N2O-N to 437.77 Mg N2O-N (with an average value of 21.13 Mg N2O-N and a standard deviation of 23.86 Mg N2O-N), and the cultivation of organic soils is its main source. The use of fertilizers and nitrogen fertilization with plant residues, as well as indirect emissions from nitrogen leaching, are also significant. The results may be used to provide a database for local governments, which will serve, not only to identify local emission sources related to agricultural soils, but also to properly plan and prioritize measures for its reduction.