N2O emission from high and low peat soils during flooding

The changes of redox potential, pH, nitrate (V) concentration and N2O emission from high and low peat soils having been subjected to flooding were studied. Peat samples were taken from the Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lake District and incubated in a water-saturated state, under laboratory conditions, in the dark, at room temperature, for 55 days. Each week, the redox potential (Eh), and NO3- concentrations of the solutions collected and N2O content in gaseous phases were measured. The variations in the NO3- concentration in low peat soil were correlated with changes in the amount of nitrous oxide produced, indicating denitrification. The maximal N2O emission (15 mg N2O-N m-2d-1) from the low peat soil was measured at the beginning of the incubation.