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Nitrate uptake in an agricultural stream estimated from high-frequency, in-situ sensors

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Abstract

Real-time, continuous, in situ water quality sensors were deployed on a fourth-order Iowa (U.S.) stream draining an agricultural watershed to evaluate key in-stream processes affecting concentrations of nitrate during a 24-day late summer (Aug–Sep) period. Overall, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations declined 0.11 mg L−1 km−1, or about 1.9% km−1 and 35% in total across 18 km. We also calculated stream metabolic rates using in situ dissolved oxygen data and determined stream biotic N demand to be 108–117 mg m−2 day−1. From this, we estimate that 11% of the NO3-N concentration decline measured between two in-situ sensors separated by 2 km was a result of biotic NO3-N demand, while groundwater NO3-N data and estimates of groundwater flow contributions indicate that dilution was responsible for 53%. Because the concentration decline extends linearly across the entire 18 km of stream length, these processes seem consistent throughout the basin downstream of the most upstream sensor site. The nitrate-dissolved oxygen relationship between the two sites separated by 2 km, calculations of biotic NO3-N demand, and diurnal variations in NO3-N concentration all indicate that denitrification by anaerobes is removing less NO3-N than that assimilated by aquatic organisms unable to fix nitrogen for their life processes, and thus the large majority of the NO3-N entering this stream is not retained or removed, but rather transported downstream.

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Abbreviations

CR:

Community respiration

GPP:

Gross primary production

NP:

Net production

NO3-N:

Nitrate-nitrogen

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Acknowledgments

This publication was prepared by the authors with funds from the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center or Iowa State University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IIHR-Hydroscience and Engineering, University of Iowa, 306 C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Christopher S. Jones, Sea-won Kim & Caroline A. Davis

  2. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 502 East 9th Street, 5th Floor, Des Moines, IA, 50319, USA

    Thomas F. Wilton

  3. Iowa Geological Survey, 334 Trowbridge Hall, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA

    Keith E. Schilling

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  1. Christopher S. Jones
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Correspondence to Christopher S. Jones.

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Jones, C.S., Kim, Sw., Wilton, T.F. et al. Nitrate uptake in an agricultural stream estimated from high-frequency, in-situ sensors. Environ Monit Assess 190, 226 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6599-1

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