Temperature and Carbon Availability Interact to Enhance Nitrous Oxide Production Via Denitrification in Alluvial Plain River Sediments

Streams and rivers are key sources of nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a powerful greenhouse gas. Incomplete denitrification results in N2O production, which is controlled by nitrate (NO3−-N) and organic carbon (C) availability, as well as water temperature. Yet, few studies have experimentally isolated these drivers, especially in lotic systems. We used sediment core incubations conducted at 15 and 25 °C and membrane inlet mass spectrometry to understand how NO3−-N, C, and temperature influence N2O production rates and yields (as