Abstract
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an intermediate in denitrification (dissimilative nitrate reduction)1 and a by-product of nitrification2. In the ocean, the N2O producing mechanism is thought to be mainly nitrification3,4 and in an Antarctic lake Vincent et al.5 recently presented evidence that the depth of maximum nitrifying activity coincided with that of maximum N2O concentration. In soils it has been confirmed that N2O is produced through denitrification6. However, in natural waters knowledge of N2O accumulation is still very limited.
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Yoh, M., Terai, H. & Saijo, Y. Accumulation of nitrous oxide in the oxygen deficient layer of freshwater lakes. Nature 301, 327–329 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/301327a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/301327a0
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