Towards a climate-dependent paradigm of ammonia emission and deposition
Journal article, 2013

Existing descriptions of bi-directional ammonia (NH3) land-atmosphere exchange incorporate temperature and moisture controls, and are beginning to be used in regional chemical transport models. However, such models have typically applied simpler emission factors to upscale the main NH3 emission terms. While this approach has successfully simulated the main spatial patterns on local to global scales, it fails to address the environment-and climate-dependence of emissions. To handle these issues, we outline the basis for a new modelling paradigm where both NH3 emissions and deposition are calculated online according to diurnal, seasonal and spatial differences in meteorology. We show how measurements reveal a strong, but complex pattern of climatic dependence, which is increasingly being characterized using ground-based NH3 monitoring and satellite observations, while advances in process-based modelling are illustrated for agricultural and natural sources, including a global application for seabird colonies. A future architecture for NH3 emission-deposition modelling is proposed that integrates the spatio-temporal interactions, and provides the necessary foundation to assess the consequences of climate change. Based on available measurements, a first empirical estimate suggests that 5 degrees C warming would increase emissions by 42 per cent (28-67%). Together with increased anthropogenic activity, global NH3 emissions may increase from 65 (45-85) Tg N in 2008 to reach 132 (89-179) Tg by 2100.

soil

dutch heathland

p331

atmospheric modelling

p161

deposition

point

model

v8

gas-particle interactions

1994

emission

nitrogen

v19

plant-atmosphere exchange

journal of atmospheric chemistry

ntener fj

nmead ot

1976

volatilization

soil biology & biochemistry

managed grassland

compensation

canopy

ammonia

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Published in

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

0962-8436 (ISSN) 1471-2970 (eISSN)

Vol. 368 Issue 1621

Research Project(s)

ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system (MERGE)

Lund University (9945095), 2010-01-01 -- .

Categorizing

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)

Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences

Biological Sciences

Climate Research

Roots

Basic sciences

Identifiers

DOI

10.1098/rstb.2013.0166

More information

Latest update

3/10/2025