Grassland accounts for 70 % of the global agricultural area. Grassland amended with N fertiliser, although increasing productivity, encourages the emission of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N₂O). Soil compaction can result in impeded water movement and the development of anaerobic conditions that favour N₂O production and emissions from denitrification. Soil compaction has become more prevalent in grassland with the use of increasingly heavy machinery and the extension of seasonal animal grazing periods, especially when soil moisture is high; close to field capacity. The effect of a nitrification inhibitor - dicyandiamide (DCD) on emissions of N₂O from grassland moderately compacted from animal trampling or a tractor were investigated at two experimental field sites in the UK; a silt clay loam soil in a wet climate (SRUC) and a sandy loam in a drier climate (HAU). Compaction treatments repeated annually over three years (2011–2013) gave an overall increase in soil bulk density for the tractor compaction and animal trampling at both sites but to different degrees related to soil texture. Cumulative N₂O emissions from tractor compaction for both SRUC and HAU were significantly greater than from the uncompacted control over the three years, with changing climate, soil texture and soil pH influencing the magnitude of N₂O emissions. The use of DCD decreased cumulative N₂O emissions at both sites, with the reduction greatest under tractor compaction, especially for the drier, sandier soil with the greater porosity. DCD appeared to decrease soil nitrate (NO₃⁻) concentrations and decreased potential NO₃⁻ losses from leaching and run-off. Extrapolating from these data, the presence of moderate compaction, as identified in grasslands in England and Wales, could result in an estimated annual increase in N₂O emissions of between 0.10 and 0.78 Mt of N₂O, but these emissions could be reduced by up to 16 % and 51 % through the use of DCD, depending on compaction depth and soil texture. Although no yield increases were seen from the use of the DCD at both sites, N₂O emissions were reduced.

草原占全球农业面积的70％。草地上使用了氮肥，尽管它提高了生产率，但仍鼓励排放温室气体一氧化二氮（N ₂ O）。土壤压实会导致水分流动受阻以及厌氧条件的发展，这有利于N ₂ O的产生和反硝化的排放。随着越来越重的机械的使用和季节性动物放牧期的延长，土壤压实在草原上变得更加普遍，特别是在土壤湿度高的情况下；接近现场容量。硝化抑制剂双氰胺（DCD）对N ₂排放的影响在英国的两个实验现场对来自被践踏动物的草地或拖拉机中等压实的草地进行了调查。在潮湿气候（SRUC）中为粉质粘土壤土，在干旱气候（HAU）中为沙质壤土。在三年（2011-2013年）中每年重复进行压实处理，这两个站点的拖拉机压实和动物践踏使土壤容重总体增加，但在不同程度上与土壤质地有关。三年中，SRUC和HAU拖拉机压实产生的累积N ₂ O排放量明显高于未压实的对照，随着气候，土壤质地和土壤pH值的变化影响N ₂ O排放量。使用DCD减少了累积N ₂这两个位置的O排放量，在拖拉机压实下的减少量最大，特别是对于孔隙率更大的较干燥，沙质土壤而言。DCD似乎减少土壤硝酸盐（NO ₃ ^- ）的浓度和电位降低NO ₃ ^-从浸出和径流损失。从这些数据推断，在英格兰和威尔士的草原上发现的中等压实现象可能导致N ₂ O排放量估计每年增加0.10到0.78 Mt N ₂ O，但是这些排放量可以减少根据压实深度和土壤质地，通过使用DCD最多可达到16％和51％。尽管两个站点使用DCD均未发现产量增加，但N ₂减少了O排放。