Nitrous oxide emissions along a gradient of tropical forest disturbance on mineral soils in Sumatra

•Annual soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions were similar in tropical undisturbed and disturbed forests, and smallholder rubber and oil palm plantations with low nitrogen input.•The amount of N2O–N emitted as the result of N fertiliser application in the oil palm plantation was high.•There is indication that the application of a typical N fertilisation rate in the oil palm plantation would lead to annual N2O emissions amounting the double of those in the undisturbed forest.•Soil N2O fluxes displayed a strong temporal variability indicating that long term and frequent monitoring is n eeded to provide accurate estimates.