Keywords: Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Process-based model, greenhouse gas, GHG mitigation
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas emissions and ozone-depleting substance. With a global warming potential about 273 times greater than CO2, and a contribution of roughly 6-7% of total global radiative forcing, N2O is a critical target for climate change mitigation. In soils, N2O is produced primarily through microbial nitrification and denitrification, both strongly simulated by nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Agriculture soil therefore represents the dominant global source and accounts for 60-70% of anthropogenic N2O emissions. This project will enable an Agrobiology student to apply one or more process-based biogeochemical models to quantify agricultural N2O emissions and assess mitigation potentials. Depending on the students’ interests, the project may also involve multi-model comparison. The student will have flexibility to explore a range of nitrogen-management strategies—such as fertilizer sources, rate, timing, placement, nitrification inhibitors, and control-released fertilizers—to identify effective approaches for reducing N2O emissions from agricultural systems.
Is field work part of the topic (yes/no)?
no
Is lab work part of the topic (yes/no)?
no
I coding part of the thesis topic (yes/no)?
yes
August 2026
AU Viborg
30 ECTS (IMSOGLO and Agrobiology): Theoretical thesis based on literature studies and/or analysis of issued and edited data sets.
Gurung, R. B. et al. Modeling nitrous oxide mitigation potential of enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers from agricultural systems. Science of The Total Environment 801, 149342 (2021).
Butterbach-Bahl, K., Baggs, E. M., Dannenmann, M., Kiese, R. & Zechmeister-Boltenstern, S. Nitrous oxide emissions from soils: how well do we understand the processes and their controls? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 368, 20130122 (2013).
