2008/02/25 by Ian E. Galbally, I. E. Galbally, Wayne Kirstine +5
Chemistry · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Aerosol #Arid #Atmosphere (unit) #Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics #Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols #Atmospheric sciences #Biogeochemical cycle #Chemistry #Climate variability and models #Earth science #Ecology #Environmental chemistry #Environmental science #Geography #Geology #Hydrology (agriculture) #Meteorology #Radiative forcing #Temperate climate #Trace gas
paper · doi:10.2134/jeq2006.0445
openalex publication_date 2008/02/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
A review is presented on trace gas exchange of CH4, CO, N2O, and NOx arising from agriculture and natural sources in the world's semiarid and arid zones due to soil processes. These gases are important contributors to the radiative forcing and the chemistry of the atmosphere. Quantitative information is summarized from the available studies. Between 5 and 40% of the global soil-atmosphere exchange for these gases (CH4, CO, N2O, and NOx) may occur in semiarid and arid zones, but for each of these gases there are fewer than a dozen studies to support the individual estimates, and these are from a limited number of locations. Significant differences in the biophysical and chemical processes controlling these trace gas exchanges are identified through the comparison of semiarid and arid zones with the moist temperate or wet/dry savanna land regions. Therefore, there is a poorly quantified understanding of the contribution of these regions to the global trace gas cycles and atmospheric chemistry. More importantly, there is a poor understanding of the feedback between these exchanges, global change, and regional land use and air pollution issues. A set of research issues is presented.