Trends in stream nitrogen concentrations for forested reference catchments across the USA

Argerich, A.; Johnson, Sherri L.; Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Rhoades, Charles C.; Greathouse, Effie A.; Knoepp, Jennifer D.; Adams, Mary Beth; Likens, Gene E.; Campbell, John L.; McDowell, William H.; Scatena, Frederick N.; Ice, George G.

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/014039

Cited by 58 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In other cases, periods of increasing and decreasing endpoint levels were observed in which no overall increase or decrease occurred during the full study period. Results from the present study affirm the observations from Argerich et al (2013) regarding potentially tenuous assumptions about long-term water quality trends based on just a few years of data. The authors report on stream nitrogen concentration trends in forested reference catchments using as much as 44 years of data obtained from 22 catchments at several experimental forest environments collected at biweekly or higher sampling frequencies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Quantifying Variability in Four US Streams Using a Long-Term Data Set: Patterns in Water Quality Endpoints

McLaughlin

Flinders

2015

Environmental Management

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Temporal and spatial patterns of variability in aquatic ecosystems can be complex and difficult to quantify or predict. However, understanding this variability is critical to making a wide range of water quality assessment and management decisions effectively. Here we report on the nature and magnitude of spatial and temporal variation observed in conductivity, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen during a 15-year study of four U.S. stream systems receiving pulp and paper mill effluent discharges. Sampling locations included mainstem sites upstream and downstream of effluent discharge, as well as tributary sites. In all four stream systems, variability in conductivity as measured by the coefficient of variation was typically in the range of 10-50%, and was as low or lower than the variability in nutrient endpoints. The effect of effluent discharge was relatively minor overall, except in some site-specific instances. Some relatively large differences between tributary and mainstem variability were also observed. Flow variation tended to have a more consistent and larger effect on conductivity variation compared to the nutrient endpoints. After removing flow effects, significant relatively complex trends over time were observed at several sites. Changes in variability during the study also were observed. This paper highlights the importance of long-term studies to accurately characterize water quality variability used in water quality management decision-making.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Quantifying Variability in Four US Streams Using a Long-Term Data Set: Patterns in Water Quality Endpoints

McLaughlin

Flinders

2015

Environmental Management

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“…, Argerich et al. ). In some cases, observed declines in hydrologic export and reductions in N availability to forests have occurred during periods of increasing N deposition (Driscoll et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long‐term declines in stream and river inorganic nitrogen (N) export correspond to forest change

Lucas

Sponseller

Gundale

et al. 2016

Ecological Applications

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Human activities have exerted a powerful influence on the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) and drive changes that can be a challenge to predict given the influence of multiple environmental stressors. This study focused on understanding how land management and climate change have together influenced terrestrial N storage and watershed inorganic N export across boreal and sub-arctic landscapes in northern Sweden. Using long-term discharge and nutrient concentration data that have been collected continuously for over three decades, we calculated the hydrologic inorganic N export from nine watersheds in this region. We found a consistent decline in inorganic N export from 1985 to 2011 over the entire region from both small and large watersheds, despite the absence of any long-term trend in river discharge during this period. The steepest declines in inorganic N export were observed during the growing season, consistent with the hypothesis that observed changes are biologically mediated and are not the result of changes in long-term hydrology. Concurrent with the decrease in inorganic N export, we report sustained increases in terrestrial N accumulation in forest biomass and soils across northern Sweden. Given the close communication of nutrient and energy stores between plants, soils, and waters, our results indicate a regional tightening of the N cycle in an already N-limited environment as a result of changes in forest management and climate-mediated growth increases. Our results are consistent with declining inorganic N efflux previously reported from small headwater streams in other ecosystems and shed new light on the mechanisms controlling these patterns by identifying corresponding shifts in the terrestrial N balance, which have been altered by a combination of management activities and climate change.

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“…The recovery of runoff and biogeochemistry at the catchment scale has been assessed with paired catchments for many decades (Bormann et al, ; Brown et al, ; Sebestyen et al, ; Swank & Vose, ; Vose et al, ). Around the world, natural disturbances (e.g., fire, diseases, and insects) have been documented in reference basins in areas with different climate, vegetation, and soil (Amatya et al, ; Argerich et al, ; Jones et al, ). Previous reviews have addressed the annual water yield increases after reduction of forest cover (Bosch & Hewlett, ; Brown et al, ; Stednick, ; Zhang et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stream Runoff and Nitrate Recovery Times After Forest Disturbance in the USA and Japan

Oda

Green

Urakawa

et al. 2018

Water Resources Research

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To understand mechanisms of long‐term hydrological and biogeochemical recovery after forest disturbance, it is important to evaluate recovery times (i.e., time scales associated with the return to baseline or predisturbance conditions) of stream runoff and nitrate concentration. Previous studies have focused on either the response of runoff or nitrate concentration, and some have specifically addressed recovery times following disturbance. However, controlling factors have not yet been elucidated. Knowing these relationships will advance our understanding of each recovery process. The objectives of this study were to explore the relationship between runoff and nitrate recovery times and identify potential factors controlling each. We acquired long‐term runoff and stream water nitrate concentration data from 20 sites in the USA and Japan. We then examined the relationship between runoff and nitrate recovery times at these multiple sites and use these relationships to discuss the ecosystem dynamics following forest disturbance. Nitrate response was detected at all study sites, while runoff responses were detected at all sites with disturbance intensities greater than 75% of the catchment area. The runoff recovery time was significantly correlated with the nitrate recovery time for catchments that had a runoff response. For these catchments, hydrological recovery times were slower than nitrate recovery times. The relationship between these two recovery times suggests that forest regeneration was a common control on both recovery times. However, the faster recovery time for nitrate suggests that nitrogen was less available or less mobile in these catchments than water.

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Trends in stream nitrogen concentrations for forested reference catchments across the USA

Cited by 58 publications

References 32 publications

Quantifying Variability in Four US Streams Using a Long-Term Data Set: Patterns in Water Quality Endpoints

Quantifying Variability in Four US Streams Using a Long-Term Data Set: Patterns in Water Quality Endpoints

Long‐term declines in stream and river inorganic nitrogen (N) export correspond to forest change

Stream Runoff and Nitrate Recovery Times After Forest Disturbance in the USA and Japan

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