Dairy farm CH4 and N2O emissions, from one square metre to the full farm scale

The greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems contribute significantly to the national budgets for most countries in Europe. Measurement techniques that can identify and quantify emissions are essential in order to improve the selection process of emission reduction options and to enable quantification of the effect of such options. Fast box emission measurements and mobile plume measurements were used to evaluate greenhouse gas emissions from farm sites. The box measurement technique was used to evaluate emissions from farmyard manure and several other potential source areas within the farm. Significant (up to 250 g CH4 m−2 day−1and 0.4 g N2O m−2 day−1) emissions from ditches close to stables on the farm site were found.