Emissions of N2O from the burning of biomass in an experimental system

Fifteen experiments were conducted in an open burning system to determine the amounts of N2O produced from burning savanna grass (Venezuelan Trachypogon, Australian Sorghum intrans), straw, hay, oak, pine needles and litter of pine forest. Samples in stainless steel canisters were analyzed within one day after sampling in order to avoid artifact N2O formation during storage. Emissions of N2O were observed to be nearly coincident with the emissions' of CO2 during the burning period for all the experiments. The amount of N2O produced was dependent on the nitrogen content of the biomass. About 0.7% of the fuel nitrogen was oxidized to N2O and most of the N2O was formed during the flaming stage. Using our experimental data and the amounts of different types of vegetation burned globally per year, we estimate that about 2.7 × 1011 g of N2O‐N are produced per year from burning biomass, contributing only 2% to the global source of N2O.