European-scale modelling of groundwater denitrification and associated N2O production

Abstract

This paper presents a spatially explicit model for simulating the fate of nitrogen (N) in soil andgroundwaterand nitrous oxide (N2O) production in groundwater with a 1 km resolution at the Europeanscale. The results show large heterogeneity of nitrate outflow from groundwater to surface water andproductionof N2O. This heterogeneity is the result of variability in agricultural and hydrological systems. Large parts of Europe have no groundwater aquifers and short travel times from soil to surface water. In these regions no groundwaterdenitrificationand N2O production is expected. Predicted N leaching (16% of the N inputs) and N2O emissions (0.014% of N leaching) are much less than the IPCC default leaching rate and combined emission factor for groundwaterand riparian zones, respectively