THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY ARTS AND SCIENCES ...

isotopes can be particularly useful in estimating the percent of nitrogen loss due to
denitrification. Research into the use of stable isotopes will need to be conducted to be
able to determine denitrification rates using stable isotopes. Research into the use of
stable isotopes may perhaps lead to an alternative method to obtain field denitrification
rates and thus allowing for the current gap in field denitrification rated to be filled.
In précis one may say that, the inability to develop a complete model to predict
denitrification on a field scale is not an issue of model development as much as it is a
matter of developing a good and robust technique to measure denitrification rates on both
the lab and field scale. The methodology shown in this work clearly demonstrates that
the basic principles on denitrification are well understood and that there are simple
methods that can deal with such a complex problem. The development of an accurate
field scale model thus depends on precise data being used and to obtain this precise data
especially on the lower end of the scale a refined technique is required.
Perhaps Allison (1955) is correct when he observed that in spite of several years of
research while the main mechanisms of nitrogen loss are known, the quantitative type of
data related to each type of loss are still inadequate. Davidson and Seitzinger (2006)
certainly agree that the observations are still valid five decades later. One of the possible
reasons for this apparent lack of progress is that the process of denitrification requires
integration across several disciplines and scales. It can be said with some certainty that;
there is no single methodological procedure that will solve the enigma of balancing
nitrogen budgets. However there could be a universal approach to quantifying
denitrification, ANNs are one such promising approach to quantifying denitrification
(Oehler, 2010).
172