Links Between Runoff Generation,Climate and Nitrate-N Leaching from Forested Catchments

To assess links between hydroclimatological factors and NO₃ ^- concentrations in streamflow from boreal forests with shallow soils, data from two catchments were analyzed. TOPMODEL was used to calculate the surface runoff fraction, daily dynamics of soil moisture, groundwater levels, and extensions of saturated areas. The stable isotope 18O was used for isotopic hydrograph separation (IHS) during one snowmelt season. Air-temperature and flow increase were the dominating factors explaining annual NO₃ ^-dynamics. Correlation also was found between NO₃ ^- concentrations and the surface runoff fraction. Increased concentrations during times of shallow groundwater were found both during cold and warm periods in one catchment. In the other, shallow groundwater was correlated to decreasing concentrations during cold periods, and increasing concentrations during warm periods. A two component model of event and pre-event water fractions and corresponding NO₃ ^- concentrations was set up for the snowmelt season. Model predictions mirrored NO₃ ^- concentrations during the first five days of the snowmelt. After that, the model overestimated NO₃ ^- concentrations, which indicates retention of NO₃ ^- in the event water fraction, originating from the snowmelt. The highest concentrations occurred during the initiations of flow increase, which indicates flushing of surficial NO₃ ^-.     

Nitrogen and Sulfate Export from High Elevation Catchments of the Sierra Nevada,California

Based on studies of high-elevation, Sierra Nevada catchments during the period from 1983 through 1996, we describe temporal variations in the concentrations of NO₃ ^- and SO₄ ^2- in surface waters. During snowmelt, some catchments had a pattern of NO₃ ^- increase to a plateau between the start of snowmelt and some weeks before runoff peaked, and a decline as runoff increased to its maximum. In other catchments, NO₃ ^- concentrations peaked during the autumn and winter. Long-term trends in surface water chemistry were evident in only two catchments: an increase in SO₄ ^2- concentrations in surface waters of the Ruby Lake basin, and a lowering of annual maxima and minima of NO₃ ^- concentrations at Emerald Lake. From October 1987 through April 1994, SO₄ ^2- concentrations increased from about 6 µeq L^-1 to about 12 µeq L^-1 in Ruby Lake, and in Emerald Lake, NO₃ ^- maxima declined by 25-50 %.     

Biotic and abiotic processes controlling water chemistry during snowmelt at rabbit ears pass,Rocky Mountains,Colorado, U.S.A.

The chemical composition of snowmelt, groundwater, and streamwater was monitored during the spring of 1991 and 1992 in a 200-ha subalpine catchment on the western flank of the Rocky Mountains near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Most of the snowmelt occurred during a one-month period annually that began in mid-May 1991 and mid-April 1992. The average water quality characteristics of individual sampling sites (meltwater, streamwater, and groundwater) were similar in 1991 and 1992. The major ions in meltwater were differentially eluted from the snowpack, and meltwater was dominated by Ca²⁺, SO ₄ ^2? , and NO ₃ ^? . Groundwater and streamwater were dominated by weathering products, including Ca²⁺, HCO ₃ ^? (measured as alkalinity), and SiO₂, and their concentrations decreased as snowmelt progressed. One well had extremely high NO ₃ ^? . concentrations, which were balanced by Ca²⁺ concentrations. For this well, hydrogen ion was hypothesized to be generated from nitrification in overlying soils, and subsequently exchanged with other cations, particularly Ca²⁺. Solute concentrations in streamwater also decreased as snowmelt progressed. Variations in groundwater levels and solute concentrations indicate that most of the meltwater traveled through the surficial materials. A mass balance for 1992 indicated that the watershed retained H⁺, NH ₄ ⁺ , NO ₃ ^? , SO ₄ ^2? and Cl^? and was the primary source of base cations and other weathering products. Proportionally more SO ₄ ^2? was deposited with the unusually high summer rainfall in 1992 compared to that released from snowmelt, whereas NO ₃ ^? was higher in snowmelt and Cl^? was the same. The sum of snowmelt and rainfall could account for greater than 90% of the H⁺ and NH ₄ ⁺ retained by the watershed and greater than 50% of the NO ₃ ^? .     

Mechanisms of Nitrate Transfer from Soil to Stream in an Agricultural Watershed of French Brittany

In French Brittany, water pollution with nitrate due tointensive agriculture has become one of the major environmentalconcerns. In this article, the nitrate, sulfate and chlorideconcentrations from the groundwater and the stream of a first-order agricultural watershed, are analyzed to infer the mechanisms responsible for the distribution and transfer of nitrate within the watershed. The aquifer is constituted by three layers: the thin soil cover, the weathered shale and thefissured shale. The weathered shale groundwater appears to bea large reservoir of nitrate in the watershed. Indeed the amount of nitrate is estimated at about 450 kg N ha^-1, 5 to 9 times the total annual nitrate flux in the stream. In the upslope zones, this groundwater exhibited high nitrate concentrations (up to 138.4±10.5 mg NO₃ ^- L^-1), which decreased along the flow paths towards the stream (77.1±13.8 mg NO₃ ^- L^-1). Unlike nitrate, sulfate concentrations showed an increase from uphillto downhill (from 6.1±0.8 to 12.5±5.4 mg SO₄ ^2- L^-1) with little change in chloride concentrations. These patterns are presumed to result from upward flows from fissured shale groundwater where denitrification by oxidation of pyrite occurs with sulfate as end product. A scheme of nitrate transfer is proposed where stream discharge would result from the mixing of three end members which are: uphill weathered groundwater, deep groundwater and water in the uppermost soil horizons ofthe bottomlands. Temporal variability of nitrate concentrationsin base flow reflects changes in the relative contribution of each end member.     

Stream chemistry impacts of conifer harvesting in welsh catchments

Hydrochemical data have been collected for between 6 and 9 years from forest harvesting experiments in small catchments (>10 ha) at Plynlimon and Beddgelert, Wales, UK. Felling resulted in rapid increases in NO ₃ ^? and K⁺ concentrations at both sites. A maximum of 3.2 mg N L^?1 was observed at Plynlimon about one year after the start of felling. Concentrations declined to control stream values (0.5 mg N L^?1) after 5 years. At Beddgelert, NO ₃ ^? concentrations in the manipulated catchments remained above those in the unfelled control catchment for three years, before declining below control values. The NO ₃ ^? pulse was related to increased rates of mineralization and nitrification in the soil after felling. The initial increase in K⁺ concentration after felling at Plynlimon was followed by a slow decline, but concentrations were still above those in the control stream after 5 years. From 4 to 8 years after felling at Beddgelert, K⁺ concentrations fell below and then generally remained lower than control values. The NO ₃ ^? pulse after felling at Plynlimon sustained inorganic anion concentrations above those in the control stream for the first 18 months after felling. As the NO ₃ ^? pulse declined, inorganic anion concentrations decreased to below those in the control stream about 4 years after felling. At Beddgelert, the smaller increase in NO ₃ ^? concentrations had less of an effect on inorganic anion concentrations which decreased after felling relative to values in the control stream. The increase in NO ₃ ^? was associated with temporary streamwater acidification in the felled catchments due to the increased rates of nitrification and nitrate leaching. At Plynlimon, streamwater filterable Al concentrations declined after felling, but controls on Al behaviour are complex and not explained by simple equilibrium relationships with Al(OH)₃ or by variations in inorganic anion concentrations. At Beddgelert, felling had no effect on stream water filterable Al concentrations. Felling at Plynlimon led to a large reduction in streamwater Cl^?, Na⁺ and SO ₄ ^2? concentrations. At Beddgelert reductions in SO ₄ ^2? and ‘sea salt’ ion concentrations were less clear, reflecting the smaller proportions of the catchments which were harvested. Felling had no deleterious effects on water quality, apart from a temporary slight further decline in stream pH at Beddgelert. Increases in NO ₃ ^? concentrations were short-lived and concentrations were well below drinking water standards. Filterable Al concentrations were already higher than statutory standards, but were not increased or decreased through felling.     

Leaching of nitrogen from a forest catchment at söder»sen in southern Sweden

Water balance and leaching of plant nutrients, with special reference to N, were described for a 46-ha catchment consisting mainly of coniferous forest (one third of it clear-cut) during the period January 1982-August 1988. The atmospheric N load in this region is high compared with most other parts of Scandinavia. On average, annual N leaching amounted to 9.5 kg ha^?1 in the form of NO₃-N (83%), org-N (15%) and NH₄-N (2%). The highest monthly rate of N transport observed was 3.9 kg ha^?1. The NO₃-N levels in groundwater in the 60-yr-old coniferous stand ranged from 0.5 to 3.1 mg L^?1. The effect of clear-cutting on groundwater-NO₃-N levels lasted 4 yr. The highest annual NO₃-N transport from the clear-cut area observed was 18 kg ha^?1. The groundwater in the spruce forest was very acidic (pH=4.3) in contrast to the stream water (pH=6.3). The relatively higher pH-value of the stream water was probably a result of chemical and biological processes occurring in the highly humified, periodically waterlogged peat soil (alder swamp) in the vicinity of the small stream.     

Water and Fertilizer Nitrogen Management to Minimize Nitrate Pollution from a Cropped Soil in Southwestern Quebec,Canada

Nitrate-N (NO₃ ^--N) pollution of water resources is a widely recognized problem. Water and nitrogen fertilizer are the two most important factors affecting NO₃ ^--N movement to surface and groundwater. Field trials were conducted from 1998 to 2000 growing seasons to investigate the combined impacts of water table management (WTM) and N fertilization rate on NO₃ ^--N concentration in the soil profile and in drain discharge. There were two water table treatments: free drainage (FD) with open drains at a 1.0 m depth from the soil surface and subirrigation (SI) with a target water table depth of 0.6 m below the soil surface, and two N fertilizer rates: 120 kg N ha^-1 (N₁₂₀) and 200 kg N ha^-1 (N₂₀₀) in a split-plot design. Compared to FD, SI reducedNO₃ ^--N concentration in the soil by up to 50% averaged over the two N rates. Concentrations of NO₃ ^--N in drainage water fromSI plots were lower than those from FD by 55 to 73%. These findings suggest that SI can be used as a means of reducing soil NO₃ ^--N pollution and drainage water NO₃ ^--N concentrations.     

Influence of catchment characteristics,forestry activities and deposition on nitrogen export from small forested catchments

The ability to predict nitrogen export from forested catchments is essential in order to evaluate the effects of anthropogenic activities on the trophic status of lakes and sea areas, and to extrapolate the results to catchments from which no measurements are available. Data from 20 forested catchments (0.3–42 km²) in Finland and Sweden during the 10-year period 1979–88 were used to develop empirical multivariate regression models of average NO₃-N, NH₄-N and organic N export fluxes as a function of geomorphological, meteorological, hydrological, deposition and forest management variables. A combination of high inorganic N deposition or air temperature and a low extent of organic soils was related to (R² = 0.64) high losses of NO₃-N. A strong correlation between N deposition and air temperature makes it difficult to distinguish the effects of one variable from the other. Retention of deposited nitrogen is still high in most of the catchments. High losses of NH₄-N had the strongest correlation with forestry activities and stream density. A combination of drainage percentage and temperature was related to (R² = 0.53) losses of NH₄-N. The most important factors explaining spatial variability of organic N losses were clearly forestry activities. A combination of high percentage of drainage and clear-cutting was related to (R² = 0.81) high organic N losses. However, within the catchments, large-scale forest management practices were needed before any clear effect on spatial variability was detected. All the equations obtained were influenced by the choice of a limited number of catchments. No causal relationships between losses and the explaining variables can be inferred from this type of study.     

成都平原农区地下水中NO3--N含量变化规律研究

采用硝酸根电极法对成都平原温江县天府乡农区田间和水井的地下水NO-3 N含量进行了一年多的连续测定 ,探讨了该农区地下水中NO-3 N的变化规律和氮肥用量的影响。结果表明 :(1)田间地下水NO-3 N含量周年变化规律是冬春枯水季较高 ,且变幅较大 (0 3 6～ 2 62mgL- 1) ,平均值为 2 59mgL- 1;夏秋丰水季较低 ,且变幅较小 (0 84～ 5 48mgL- 1) ,平均值为 1 10mgL- 1。 (2 )前作麦季氮肥施用量 ,对稻季地下水中NO-3 N含量有明显影响 ,当前作施纯氮达 3 75kghm- 2 时 ,稻季地下水NO-3 N含量最高达 3 4 6mgL- 1,其平均值为 17 97mgL- 1,是施纯氮 150kghm- 2 平均值 1 3 0mgL- 1的 13 7倍。 (3 )井水中NO-3 N含量变化幅度为 0 14～ 16 53mgL- 1,3口井水平均值分别为 2 54、3 60、6 52mgL- 1,未超出我国生活饮用水卫生标准 ,但明显高于灌溉水NO-3 N含量的平均值 1 81mgL- 1。 (4)地下水位的高低与井水中NO-3 N含量没有线性关系     

基于GIS和BP神经网络的农区地下水硝态氮含量分布特征分析

针对于非点源污染机理模型在实际运用中的限制，将人工神经网络引入地下水非点源污染格局的模拟和预报中，建立了基于GIS的BP神经网络模型用以模拟分析农区浅层地下水NO^-₃-N含量及其空间分布特征。结果表明，以农田氮盈余、地下水埋深、30～60cm土层砂粒含量和土壤有机质4个因素为输入因子，以地下水NO^-₃-N为输出因子，通过网络训练以及观测点缓冲区半径的设定与调整，BP神经网络模型有效地模拟了山东省桓台县地下水NO^-₃-N含量及其空间分布特征，并且有较高的精度。该研究可为华北平原农区地下水质管理提供分析工具与决策依据，是对非点源污染机理模型的有益补充。     

Acidification Trends in Surface Waters in the International Program on Acidification of Rivers and Lakes

We applied trend analyses to data from the International Cooperative Programme forAcidification of Rivers and Lakes in an attempt to discover regional patterns of long-term changesin surface water chemistry both in Europe and North America, and to relate these changes totrends in deposition. Decreases in surface water SO ₃ ^- concentrations predominated at European sites in theFederal Republic of Germany, The Netherlands, and in Norway, and at the North American sitesin Ontario, Canada, the Adirondacks and Catskill Mountains of New York, U.S.A. Otherpredominating trends in the European sites were decreasing Ca²⁺ concentrations at many of thesites in The Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Increases in NO ₃ ^- were observed at several sites in southern Norway, and in theAdirondack and Catskill regions of eastern New York. This, combined with an increasedoccurrence of declining base cation concentrations may well be responsible for the lack ofdocumented surface water recovery from acidification. Despite region-wide trends in severalvariables of importance in acidification, no correlations between surface water trends and changesin deposition were found using these data.     

Chemical characteristics and temporal trends in eight streams of the Catskill Mountains,New York

Discharge to concentration relationships for eight streams studied by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) Long-Term Monitoring Project (1983–89) indicate acidification of some streams by H₂SO₄ and HNO₃ in atmospheric deposition and by organic acids in soils. Concentrations of major ions in precipitation were similar to those reported at other sites in the northeastern United States. Average concentrations of SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^? were similar among streams, but base cation concentrations differed widely, and these differences paralleled the differences in acid neutralizing capacity (ANC). Baseflow ANC is not a reliable predictor of stream acidity at high flow; some streams with high baseflow ANC (>150 Μeq L^?1) declined to near zero ANC at high flow, and one stream with low baseflow ANC (<50 Μeq L^?1) did not approach zero ANC as flow increased. Episodic decreases in ANC and pH during peak flows were associated with increased concentrations of NO₃ ^? and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Aluminum concentrations exceeding 300 Μg L^?1 were observed during peak flows in headwater streams of the Neversink River and Rondout Creek. Seasonal Kendall Tau tests for temporal trends indicate that SO₄ ^2? concentrations in streamwater generally decreased and NO₃ ^? concentrations increased during the period 1983–1989. Combined acid anion concentrations (SO₄ ^2? + NO₃ ^?) were generally unchanged throughout the period of record, indicating both that the status of these streams with respect to acidic deposition is unchanged, and that NO₃ ^? is gradually replacing SO₄ ^2? as the dominant acid anion in the Catskill streams.     

Contribution of dissolved organic nitrogen deposition to nitrogen saturation in a forested mountainous watershed in Tsukui, Central Japan

Nitrogen (N) budget was estimated with dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and dissolved organic N (DON) in a forested mountainous watershed in Tsukui, Kanagawa Prefecture, about 50 km west of Tokyo in Central Japan. The forest vegetation in the watershed was dominant by Konara oak (Quercus serrata) and Korean hornbeam (Carpinus tschonoskii), and Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica). Nitrate (NO₃ ^?) concentration in the watershed streamwater was averagely high (98.0 ±± 19 (±± SD, n = 36) μmol L^?1) during 2001–2003. There was no seasonal and annual changes in the stream NO^? ₃ concentration even though the highest N uptake rate presumably occurred during the spring of plant growing season, a fact indicating that N availability was in excess of biotic demands. The DON deposition rates (DON input rates) in open area and forest area were estimated as one of the main N sources, accounting for about 32% of total dissolved N (TDN). It was estimated that a part of the DON input rate contributed to the excessive stream NO^? ₃ output rate under the condition of the rapid mineralization and nitrification rates, which annual DON deposition rates were positively correlated with the stream NO₃ ^? output rates. The DON retention rate in the DON budget had a potential capacity, which contributed to the excessive stream NO^? ₃ output rate without other N contributions (e.g. forest floor N or soil N).     

肥液浓度对单膜孔入渗NO-3-N运移特性影响的室内试验研究

该文通过室内入渗试验，研究了不同浓度的单膜孔肥液入渗NO^-₃-N的分布特性。研究表明：不同浓度的膜孔肥液入渗土壤NO^-₃-N浓度的湿润锋运移距离与土壤水分运动的湿润锋一致；肥液浓度越大，相同入渗时间的NO^-₃-N浓度锋运移距离越大，土壤剖面NO^-₃-N浓度最大值越大，相同深度处土壤NO^-₃-N浓度也越大。肥液入渗土壤NO^-₃-N浓度分布特征与湿润体深度符合分段函数模型。供水入渗过程中，NO^-₃-N浓度锋运移距离和浓度最大值均随时间的延长而增大；再分布过程中，NO^-₃-N浓度锋运移距离继续增大，而NO^-₃-N浓度最大值逐渐减小。     

Assessing the contribution of individual dissolved ions to depressions in acid neutralising capacity of streams in the adirondack and Catskill Mountains,New York

Methods for quantifying the influence of different ions on depressions in ANC, based on those used by Molot et al. (1989), have been employed on streams in the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains of New York. Streams were intensively monitored during the Episodic Response Project of the US EPA Baseflow values were determined for each variable, and for each low-ANC sample the proportion of ANC depression (relative to baseflow) contributed by each ion was calculated, In the Catskill streams Ca²⁺ dilution and NO₃ ^– increases were major causes of ANC depression; SO₄ ^2– dilution and Al mobilisation increased ANC. In the Adirondack streams Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ dilution, and NO₃ ^– and SO₄ ^2– increases, all contributed to ANC depressions. Inter-stream differences in results were linked to differences in stream acidity; in both regions Ca²⁺ dilution dominated ANC depressions in circumneutral streams, whereas NO₃ ^– increases were dominant in acidic streams. Organic anions contributed more to ANC depressions in acidic streams. Al buffering, was negligible in circumneutral streams, but more than halved ANC depressions in the most acidic stream. Individual base cation behaviour differed widely, suggesting that caution should be used when treating them as a uniform group.     

Denitrification Efficiency in Groundwater Adjacent to Ditches within Constructed Riparian Wetlands: Kankakee Watershed,Illinois-Indiana,U.S.A.

Dual isotope evaluations of NO₃ ^- in groundwater adjacentto ditches within constructed riparian wetlands across the Kankakee watershed may assist the determination of denitrificationefficiency. Groundwater sampling indicates that NO₃ ^--N exceeded 10 mg L^-1 in constructed riparian wetlands but not innative wetlands within the riparian zones of the Kankakee basin. Anapparent local empirical threshold for nitrification occurs in groundwater near ditches with less then 1:11 depth to width dimensions within similar hydrogeology. The ¹⁵N and ¹⁸Ocomposition of groundwater nitrate varies widely in these constructed riparian wetlands. Groundwater nitrate associated with broader ditches (e.g. 1:35) most closely matches the denitrification isotope signature of native riparian wetlands in the basin. The geometry of various cut and fill landforms may need evaluation in engineering designs for constructed riparian wetlands to ensure the establishment of local natural groundwaterflow conditions for efficient nitrate attenuation.     

Comparison of Nitrate Leaching under Silver Birch (Betula Pendula) and Corsican Pine (Pinus Nigra SSP. Laricio) in Flanders (Belgium)

In a forest in Flanders (Belgium), situated in a region of intensive livestock production, comparable stands of Corsican pine and silver birch were studied for (1) NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^- concentrations in throughfall water and soil solution and (2) depositions and leaching of NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^- to groundwater. In each stand, throughfall collectors and porous cup lysimeters at three depths (0.1m, 0.5m and 1m) were installed in three replicated sets. Throughfall concentrations of ammonium and nitrate were significantly different for both species as well as soil solution concentrations of nitrate at all depths. Under pine, nitrate concentrations of the soil solution at 1m depth clearly exceeded the Belgian critical level for drinking water (50 mg.1^-1). Under birch, this level was only sporadically exceeded. During the sampling period, the depositions of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^--N reached respectively 21.6 kg/ha and 6.3 kg/ha under birch and 81.3 and 15.2 kg/ha under Corsican pine. Nitrate-N leaching under silver birch amounted 25.4 kg/ha whereas 56.4 kg/ha was measured under Corsican pine.     

Low soil C:N ratio results in accumulation and leaching of nitrite and nitrate in agricultural soils under heavy rainfall

Nitrate (NO^-₃) and nitrite (NO₂^-) leaching threatens groundwater quality.Soil C:N ratio,i.e.,the ratio of soil organic carbon to total nitrogen,affects mineralization,nitrification,and denitrification;however,its mechanism for driving soil NO^-₃ and NO^-₂ accumulation and leaching remains unclear.Here,a field investigation in a fluvo-aquic soil and a soil column experiment were performed to explore the relation...     

黄河三角洲典型潮滩湿地土壤硝态氮和铵态氮的空间分布特征

运用地统计学方法研究了黄河口滨岸潮滩湿地土壤中硝态氮和铵态氮的空间分布格局。结果表明,潮滩湿地土壤NO3--N和NH4+-N的水平变异性在不同土层差异较大,较高的水平变异性主要与其在潮滩湿地良好水分条件下较为活跃的物理运移特性有关;潮滩湿地表层土壤NO3--N的水平分布具有明显的空间结构,符合高斯模型,并具有中等程度的空间相关性;自然结构因素在引起NO3--N空间异质性中的贡献占优,随机因素的影响相对较小;表层土壤NO3--N的空间变异性以向低潮滩延伸且受潮汐涨落影响较大的方向最大;潮滩湿地表层土壤的NO3--N具有明显的空间分布格局,表现出向低潮滩延伸方向形成明显斑块低值区,边缘则形成斑块高值区的特征。微地貌特征和潮汐微域物理扰动强度是导致空间异质性的两个重要随机因素,而水盐条件、土壤类型和潮汐物理扰动是3个重要结构因素。