Comparison of Two Micrometeorological Methods to Determine Ammonia Volatilization from Lagoon Swine Effluent

Abstract

Three field experiments were conducted to compare the ability of two micrometeorological methods to estimate NH₃ loss from surface‐applied lagoon swine effluent. Both methods employed the use of glass tube NH₃ samplers. The perimeter mast method places glass tube NH₃ samplers on four masts on the perimeter of a circular plot. The center mast method places glass tube NH₃ samplers on one rotating mast fitted with a wind vane placed in the center of the plot. Each experiment consisted of two plots with radii of 7.62 m; one plot served as the treatment plot and received an application of 4,680 L of lagoon swine effluent, the other plot received no lagoon swine effluent and served to measure ambient atmospheric NH₃ levels. A strong linear 1:1 relationship (r²=0.97) existed between the vertical NH₃ flux measured from the treatment plot by the two methods, demonstrating similarities in flux measurements by the two methods.

Keywords:

• Ammonia
• effluent
• micrometeorological