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Estimation of nitrogen inputs to catchments: comparison of methods and consequences for riverine export prediction

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Abstract

Catchment nitrogen (N) budgets are a valuable tool to assess relative magnitude of N inputs and predict losses via riverine export. However, a range of computational approaches may be chosen, potentially affecting the modeled relationship between inputs and exports. To determine the influence of various assumptions and computational details on the effectiveness of N input estimates in predicting riverine N export, we compared eight separate net anthropogenic N input budgets and one soils compartment budget for each of 18 Lake Michigan catchments. N input estimation methods that took into account seasonal fluctuations in livestock numbers and estimated crop N-fixation by legume yield rather than area harvested best predicted river N export. The average annual river export of N from the 18 catchments ranged from less than 300 kg N km−2 year−1 in forested areas to more than 800 kg-N km−2 year−1 in agricultural catchments and 1,580 kg-N km−2 year−1 in small urban catchments. Using the most effective model (R 2 = 0.95, median prediction error = 1.8%) riverine N exports were found to account for 21% of N inputs. Other methods predicted riverine N exports less well (R 2 = 0.61–0.73), bias was greater, and the fractional export of N inputs by rivers decreased to ~13%. The soil N budget also was a less effective predictor of river export. This comparison demonstrates that N budgeting that incorporates more detailed description of agricultural N sources can substantially improve prediction of riverine N exports from catchments with a wide range of landscape characteristics.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants and a fellowship from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment and a Rackham Discretionary Fund. We are grateful to Dan Brown, George Kling, Don Scavia, and Nathan Bosch for their insights and comments and to two anonymous reviewers for their very helpful comments.

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  1. School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Dana Building, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1041, USA

    Haejin Han & J. David Allan

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Correspondence to Haejin Han.

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Han, H., Allan, J.D. Estimation of nitrogen inputs to catchments: comparison of methods and consequences for riverine export prediction. Biogeochemistry 91, 177–199 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-008-9279-3

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