Overview and Nitrogen Trace Gas-Climate Interactions in Agriculture.

Agriculture cycles large quantities of nitrogen to produce food, fuel and fiber and is a major source of excess reactive nitrogen  in the environment. Nitrogen lost from cropping systems and animal operations moves to waterways, groundwater, and the atmosphere. Changes in climate and climate variability may further affect the ability of agricultural systems to conserve N.  The N that escapes affects climate directly through the emissions of nitrous oxide, and indirectly through the loss of nitrate, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia to downstream and downwind ecosystems that then emit some of the N received as N₂O and NO_x. There are many opportunities to mitigate the impact of N trace gases on climate and of climate’s impact on N trace gases through soil and cropping system management.