Tracing the Sources of Exported Nitrate in the Turkey Lakes Watershed Using 15 N/ 14 N and 18 O/ 16 O isotopic ratios

Spoelstra, John; Schiff, Sherry L.; Elgood, Richard J.; Semkin, R. G.; Jeffries, D. S.

doi:10.1007/s10021-001-0027-y

Cited by 86 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The fate of excess N in the terrestrial landscape is not well understood, though the possibilities include being taken up in forest vegetation, stored in forest soils or groundwater, converted and lost to atmospheric forms through denitrification, or exported from the system in streamflow (Van Breemen et al, 2002). Elevated concentrations of nitrate (NO 3 ) in surface waters have been observed in numerous forested catchments in the UK (Burt and Haycock, 1992), Germany (Hauhs et al, 1989), Canada (Creed and Band, 1998;Spoelstra et al, 2001), and many locations in the USA, such as the Adirondack Mountains (Driscoll et al, 2003a), the Catskill Mountains (Murdoch and Stoddard, 1992), mid-Atlantic Appalachia (Smith et al, 1987), the Great Smokey Mountains (Elwood et al, 1991) and numerous high-elevation forests of the western states (Fenn et al, 2003). Although atmospheric N has been considered to be a major source of stream NO 3 (Driscoll et al, 2003b;Galloway et al, 2003), and in the northeastern USA, catchment export of N increases with atmospheric deposition, this factor only accounts for <38% of the spatial variation of NO 3 in surface waters .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Factors controlling nitrogen release from two forested catchments with contrasting hydrochemical responses

Christopher

Mitchell

McHale

et al. 2007

Hydrological Processes

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Abstract:Quantifying biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen (N) and the associated fluxes to surface waters remains challenging, given the need to deal with spatial and temporal variability and to characterize complex and heterogeneous landscapes. We focused our study on catchments S14 and S15 located in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, USA, which have similar topographic and hydrologic characteristics but contrasting stream nitrate (NO 3 ) concentrations. We characterized the mechanisms by which NO 3 reaches the streams during hydrological events in these catchments, aiming to reconcile our field data with our conceptual model of factors that regulate nutrient exports from forested catchments. Combined hydrometric, chemical and isotopic (υ 18 O-H 2 O) data showed that the relative contributions of both soil and ground water sources were similar between the two catchments. Temporal patterns of stream chemistry were markedly different between S14 and S15, however, because the water sources in the two catchments have different solute concentrations. During late summer/fall, the largest source of NO 3 in S14 was till groundwater, whereas shallow soil was the largest NO 3 source in S15. NO 3 concentrations in surface water decreased in S14, whereas they increased in S15 because an increasing proportion of stream flow was derived from shallow soil sources. During snowmelt, the largest sources of NO 3 were in the near-surface soil in both catchments. Concentrations of NO 3 increased as stream discharge increased and usually peaked before peak discharge, when shallow soil water sources made the largest contribution to stream discharge. The timing of peaks in stream NO 3 concentrations was affected by antecedent moisture conditions. By elucidating the factors that affect sources and transport of N, including differences in the soil nutrient cycling and hydrological characteristics of S14 and S15, this study contributes to the overall conceptualization of NO 3 release from temperate forested catchments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Factors controlling nitrogen release from two forested catchments with contrasting hydrochemical responses

Christopher

Mitchell

McHale

et al. 2007

Hydrological Processes

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“…As discussed in section 2.2.2, isotope studies suggest that the majority of nitrate-N leaching from the soil profile has passed through the soil organic N pool [Haag and Kaupenjohann, 2001;Spoelstra et al, 2001]. Accordingly, N residence times within the soil profile, which are controlled by organic N mineralization rates, can be considered to represent a significant fraction of the time lag between N application on land and arrival at the catchment outlet.…”

Section: Nitrogen Age At the Catchment Outletmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two centuries of nitrogen dynamics: Legacy sources and sinks in the Mississippi and Susquehanna River Basins

Meter

Basu

Cappellen

2017

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

232

257

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Global flows of reactive nitrogen (N) have increased significantly over the last century in response to agricultural intensification and elevated levels of atmospheric deposition. Despite widespread implementation conservation measures, N concentrations in surface waters are often remaining steady or continuing to increase. Although such lack of response has been attributed to time lags associated with legacy N stores in subsurface reservoirs, it is unclear what the magnitudes of such stores are and how they are partitioned between shallow soil and deeper groundwater reservoirs. Here we have synthesized data to develop a 214 year (1800-2014) trajectory of N inputs to the land surface of the continental U.S. We have concurrently developed a parsimonious, process-based model, Exploration of Long-tErM Nutrient Trajectories (ELEMeNT) that pairs this input trajectory with a travel time-based approach to simulate transport and retention along subsurface pathways. Using the model, we have reconstructed historic nitrate yields at the outlets of two major U.S. watersheds, the Mississippi River Basin (MRB) and Susquehanna River Basin (SRB). Our results show significant N loading above baseline levels in both watersheds before the widespread use of commercial N fertilizers, largely due to the conversion of forest and grassland to row crop agriculture. Model results also allow us to quantify the magnitudes of legacy N in soil and groundwater pools and to highlight the dominance of soil legacies in MRB and groundwater legacies in SRB. Approximately 55% and 18% of the current annual N loads in the MRB and SRB were found to be older than 10 years of age.

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“…Both deposition and throughfall from 1996 also exhibit the same seasonal trend (highest values in winter, lowest in mid-summer), as did TLW (Spoelstra 2004), Huntington Forest in Adirondack Park, New York (Campbell et al 2006), and mid-Appalachia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia (Williard et al 2001 There are many factors that have been shown to influence the isotopic composition of NO 3 − including, but not limited to, temperature, UV radiation (Freyer et al 1993), NO X source, storm track (Parker et al 2009), were about −3‰ to −1‰ (Fig. 6); very similar to the small amounts of NO 3 − released from forested catchments (Spoelstra et al 2001;Mayer et al 2002), but slightly higher than atmospheric deposition. This N has several in-lake fates, each of which incurs isotopic fractionation: cycling through the microbial loop, entering and transferring within the food web, deposition to sediments, nitrification, denitrification, and export via the outflow.…”

Section: Nitrogen and Oxygen Isotopes In Atmospheric Depositionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…5). Higher values in summer than winter were also observed at the Turkey Lakes Watershed (TLW) and around Lake Superior, Canada (Spoelstra et al 2001;Spoelstra 2004;Finlay et al 2007). …”

Section: Historical Precipitation and N Deposition At The Elamentioning

confidence: 98%

“…There are few studies on atmospheric NO 3 − isotopes in Canada (Mayer et al 2001;Spoelstra 2004;Spoelstra et al 2001Spoelstra et al , 2004Spoelstra et al , 2007Spoelstra et al , 2010. Most published δ 15 N−NO 3 − data are from heavily impacted systems in Europe, the eastern USA, northern Europe, and China (e.g., Hastings et al 2003;Elliott et al 2007Elliott et al , 2009Zhang et al 2008;Fang et al 2011;Koszelnik and Gruca-Rokosz 2013;Korth et al 2014;Yang et al 2014;Guerrieri et al 2015;Yu et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Changing nitrogen deposition with low δ¹⁵N−NH₄ ⁺ and δ¹⁵N−NO₃ ⁻ values at the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, Canada

Venkiteswaran

Schiff

Paterson

et al. 2017

FACETS

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Ammonium deposition at the International Institute for Sustainable Development Experimental Lakes Area (IISD–ELA), in northwestern Ontario, Canada, has doubled in the last 45 years and thus is no longer among the low nitrogen (N) deposition sites in North America. This may be related to the concurrent intensification of Manitoba agriculture to the west and upwind of the ELA. Large increases in ammonium deposition at the ELA were important in driving the observed trend and increased the NH4 + to NO3 − ratio of input to aquatic and terrestrial systems. Stable isotope analyses of two years of bulk (wet and dry) atmospheric deposition revealed very large ranges in δ15N−NH4 + (22‰ range), δ15N−NO3 − (18‰), and δ18O–NO3 − (19‰). Few other δ15N−NH4 +, δ15N−NO3 −, and δ18O–NO3 − values have been published for Canadian precipitation. Increases in δ15N of NH4 + and NO3 − in July occurred with increases in total N deposition. The wide range and seasonal trends of δ15N and δ18O values in ELA precipitation mean that studies characterizing N inputs to watersheds and lakes require an ongoing and comprehensive annual sampling regime. Global trends of declining δ15N of N deposition evident in lake sediment records may be a result of increases in NH4 + deposition with lower δ15N−NH4 + values. Similarly, the relationship in Lake Superior between increasing NO3 − and lower δ15N−NO3 − values may be explained by increased atmospheric deposition of N with low δ15N values.

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Tracing the Sources of Exported Nitrate in the Turkey Lakes Watershed Using 15 N/ 14 N and 18 O/ 16 O isotopic ratios

Cited by 86 publications

References 29 publications

Factors controlling nitrogen release from two forested catchments with contrasting hydrochemical responses

Factors controlling nitrogen release from two forested catchments with contrasting hydrochemical responses

Two centuries of nitrogen dynamics: Legacy sources and sinks in the Mississippi and Susquehanna River Basins

Changing nitrogen deposition with low δ¹⁵N−NH₄ ⁺ and δ¹⁵N−NO₃ ⁻ values at the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, Canada

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Tracing the Sources of Exported Nitrate in the Turkey Lakes Watershed Using 15 N/ 14 N and 18 O/ 16 O isotopic ratios

Cited by 86 publications

References 29 publications

Factors controlling nitrogen release from two forested catchments with contrasting hydrochemical responses

Factors controlling nitrogen release from two forested catchments with contrasting hydrochemical responses

Two centuries of nitrogen dynamics: Legacy sources and sinks in the Mississippi and Susquehanna River Basins

Changing nitrogen deposition with low δ15N−NH4 + and δ15N−NO3 − values at the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, Canada

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Product

Resources

About

Changing nitrogen deposition with low δ¹⁵N−NH₄ ⁺ and δ¹⁵N−NO₃ ⁻ values at the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, Canada