Journal Article

Input-Output Budgets of Inorganic Nitrogen for 24 Forest Watersheds in the Northeastern United States: A Review

Murdoch, Peter S., Adams, Mary Beth, Kahl, Jeffrey S., Shanley, James B., Lynch, James A., Hornbeck, James W., Campbell, John L., Mitchell, Myron J., Kochenderfer, James N., Likens, Gene E., Castro, Mark S., Driscoll, Charles T., Nelson, Sarah J.

2004

Overview

Input-output budgets for dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) are summarized for 24 small watersheds at 15 locations in the northeasternUnited States. The study watersheds are completely forested, free of recent physical disturbances, and span a geographical region bounded by West Virginia on the south and west, and Maine on the north and east. Total N budgets are not presented; however, fluxes of inorganic N in precipitation and streamwater dominate inputs and outputs of N at these watersheds. The range in inputs of DIN in wet-only precipitation from nearby National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) sites was 2.7 to 8.1 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^ (mean = 6.4 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^; median = 7.0 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^). Outputs of DIN in streamwater ranged from 0.1 to 5.7 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^ (mean = 2.0 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^; median = 1.7 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^). Precipitation inputs of DIN exceeded outputs in streamwater at all watersheds, with net retention of DIN ranging from 1.2 to 7.3 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^ (mean = 4.4 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^; median = 4.6 kg N ha^sup -1^ yr^sup -1^). Outputs of DIN in streamwater were predominantly NO^sub 3^-N (mean = 89%; median = 94%). Wet deposition of DIN was not significantly related to DIN outputs in streamwater for these watersheds. Watershed characteristics such as hydrology, vegetation type, and land-use history affect DIN losses and may mask any relationship between inputs and outputs. Consequently, these factors need to be included in the development of indices and simulation models for predicting 'nitrogen saturation' and other ecological processes.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

• Publisher: Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Atmospherics / Budgets / Deposition / dissolved inorganic nitrogen / Earth sciences / Earth, ocean, space / Environmental monitoring / Exact sciences and technology / Forest watersheds / forested watersheds / Geochemistry / Hydrology / Hydrology. Hydrogeology / Land use / Maine / Marine and continental quaternary / Mathematical models / Mineralogy / NADP (coenzyme) / nitrate nitrogen / Nitrates / Nitrogen / Precipitation / prediction / Silicates / simulation models / Surficial geology / Vegetation / Vegetation type / vegetation types / Water geochemistry / Watersheds / West Virginia / Wet deposition