Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Contrasting nutrient exports from a forested and an agricultural catchment in south-eastern Australia

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biogeochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total and inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were determined over 3 years in headwater streams draining two adjacent catchments. The catchments are currently under different land use; pasture/grazing vs plantation forestry. The objectives of the work were to quantify C and nutrient export from these landuses and elucidate the factors regulating export. In both catchments, stream water dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations exhibited strong seasonal variations. Concentrations were highest during runoff events in late summer and autumn and rapidly declined as discharge increased during winter and spring. The annual variation of stream water N and P concentrations indicated that these nutrients accumulated in the catchments during dry summer periods and were flushed to the streams during autumn storm events. By contrast, stream water DOC concentrations did not exhibit seasonal variation.

Higher DOC and NO3 − concentrations were observed in the stream of the forest catchment, reflecting greater input and subsequent breakdown of leaf-litter in the forest catchment. Annual export of DOC was lower from the forested catchment due to the reduced discharge from this catchment. In contrast however, annual export of nitrate was higher from the forest catchment suggesting that there was an additional NO3 − source or reduction of a NO3 − sink. We hypothesize that the denitrification capacity of the forested catchment has been significantly reduced as a consequence of increased evapotranspiration and subsequent decrease in streamflow and associated reduction in the near stream saturated area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alpkem (1992) Flow solution methodology #142. Alpkem Pty. Ltd

  • APHA (1992) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater Greenberg A.E. (ed.) Washington

  • AS/NZS 5667.1-1998 Australian/New Zealand standard. Water quality-sampling Part 1: Guidance on the design of sampling programs, sampling techniques and the preservation and handling of samples. Standards Australia, Sydney

  • Ayers GP, Manton MJ (1991) Rainwater composition at two BAPMoN regional stations in SE Australia. Tellus 43B: 379–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker DB, Richards RP, Loftus TT, Kramer JW (2004) A new flashiness index: characteristics and applications to Midwestern rivers and streams. J Am Water Res Assoc 40:503–522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baldwin DS, Mitchell AM (2000) The effects of drying and re-flooding on the sediment and soil nutrient dynamics of lowland river floodplain systems: a synthesis. Regul Rivers Res Manag 16:457–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BassiriRad HDC, Tremmel RA, Virginia JF, Reynolds AG, de Soyza AG, Brunell MH (1999) Short-term patterns in water and nitrogen acquisition in two desert shrubs following a simulated summer rain. Plant Ecol 145:27–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belnap JJR, Welter NB, Grimm N, Barger R, Ludwig JA (2005) Linkages between microbial and hydrological processes in arid and semi-arid watersheds. Ecology 86:298–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bormann FH, Likens GE (1980) Pattern and process of a forested ecosystem. Springer Verlag, New York, NY, 253 pp

  • Bormans M, Ford P, Hunter H, Read A, Dehayr R, Fellows C (2004) Catchment nutrients and sediment budgets:identification of knowledge gaps. Final Report CLW54. Land and water Australia

  • Boyer EW, Hornberger GM, Bencala KE, McKnight DM (1997) Response characteristics of DOC flushing in an alpine catchment. Hydrol Proc 11:1635–1647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bren L, Hopmans P (2003) Hydrological and nutrient effects of plantation growth and Eucalypt management on a catchment basis. Report PN97.104 Forest and wood products research and development corporation

  • Brown A, Zhang L, McMahon T, Western A, Vertessy R (2005) A review of paired catchment studies for determining changes in water yield resulting from alterations in vegetation. J Hydrol 310:28–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burns DA, Kendall C (2002) Analysis of δ15N and δ18O to differentiate NO3 − sources in runoff at two watersheds in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Water Resour Res 38:1051 10.1029/2001WR000292

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell JL, Hornbeck JW, McDowell WH, Buso DC, Shanley JB, Likens GE (2000) Dissolved organic nitrogen budgets for upland, forested ecosystems in New England. Biogeochemistry 49(2):123–142

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell JL, Hornbeck JW, Mitchell MJ, Adams MB, Castro MS, Driscoll CT, Kahl JS, Kochenderfer JN, Likens GE, Lynch JA, Murdoch PS, Nelson SJ, Shanley JB (2004) Input-output budgets of inorganic nitrogen for 24 forest catchments in the northeastern United States: a review. Water, Air Soil Poll 151:373–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caraco NF, Cole JJ (1999) Human impact on nitrate export: an analysis using major world rivers. Ambio 28a:167–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Cirmo C, McDonnell JJ (1997) Hydrological controls of nitrogen biogeochemistry and transport in wetland/near-stream zones of forested watersheds. J Hydrol 199:88–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creed IF, Band LE, Foster NW, Morrison IK, Nicolson JA, Semkin RS, Jeffries DS (1996) Regulation of nitrate-N release from temperate forests: a test of the N flushing hypothesis. Water Resource Res 33:3337–3354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creed IF, Band LE (1998) Export of nitrogen from catchments within a temperate forest: evidence for a unifying mechanism regulated by variable source area dynamics. Water Resource Res 34:3105–3120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahm CN, Baker MA, Moore DI, Thibault JR (2003) Coupled biogeochemical and hydrological responses of streams and rivers to drought. Freshw Biol 48:1219–1231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Degens BP, Donohue RD (2002) Sampling mass loads in rivers: a review of approaches for identifying, evaluating and minimising estimation errors. Water and Rivers Commission Water Resource. Technical Series Report No. 25

  • Department of Primary Industries and Energy (1997) The 2020 vision statement report. Canberra, ACT

  • Domberg P, Edwards AC, Sinclair AH,Chambers NA (2000) J Sci Food Agric 80:1946–1952

    Google Scholar 

  • Flinn DW, Bren LJ, Hopmans P (1979) Soluble nutrient inputs from rain and outputs in stream water from forested catchments. Aust For 42:39–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Hairsine PB (1997) Controlling sediment and nutrient movement within catchments. Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology Technical Report 97/9

  • Hairsine PB, Van Dijk AIJM (2006) Comparing the in-stream outcomes of commercial and environmental tree plantings. CSIRO Land and Water, Science Report 11/06

  • Harris GP (2001) Biogeochemistry of nitrogen and phosphorus in Australian catchments, rivers and estuaries: effects of land use and flow regulation and comparisons with global patterns. Mar Fresh Res 52:139–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedin LO, Armesto JJ, Johnson AH (1995) Patterns of nutrient loss from unpolluted, old-growth temperate forests: evaluation of biogeochemical theory. Ecology 76:493–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hickel K (2001) The effects of pine afforestation on flow regime in small upland catchments. MSc Thesis Stuttgart University

  • Hill AR, Devito KJ, Campagnolo S, Sanmugadas K (2000) Subsurface denitrification in a forest riparian zone: interactions between hydrology and supplies of nitrate and organic carbon. Biogeochemistry 51:193–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holland EA, Braswell BH et al (1997) Variations in the predicted spatial distribution of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and their impact on carbon uptake by terrestrial ecosystems. J Geophys Res 102:15849–15866

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hornbeck JW, Bailey SW, Buso DC, Shanley JB (1997) Stream water chemistry and nutrient budgets for forested watersheds in new England: variability and management implications. For Ecol Manag 93:73–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hornberger GM, Bencala KE, McKnight DM (1994) Hydrological controls on dissolved organic carbon during snowmelt in the Snake River near Montezuma, Colorado. Biogeochemistry 25:147–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hosomi M, Sudo R (1986) Simultaneous determination of total Nitrogen and total Phosphorus in freshwater samples using persulfate digestion. Int J Environ Stud 27:267–275

    Google Scholar 

  • Howarth RW, Billen G, Swaney D, Townsend A, Jaworski N, Lajtha K, Doiwning JA, Elmgren R, Caraco N, Jordan T, Berendse F, Freney J, Kudeyarov V, Murdoch P, Zhao-Linag Z (1996) Regional nitrogen budgets and riverine N and P fluxes for the drainages to the North Atlantic ocean: natural and human influences. Biogeochemistry 35:75–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson RB, Jobbagy EG, Avissar R, Roy SB, Barrett DJ, Cook CW, Farley KA, le Maitre DC, McCarl BA, Murray BC (2005) Trading water for carbon with biological carbon sequestration. Science 310:1944–1947

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jardine PM, Wilson GV, McCarthy JF, Luxmoore RJ, Taylor DL, Zelazny LW (1990) Hydrogeochemical processes controlling transport of dissolved organic carbon through a forested hillslope. J Contam Hydrol 6:3–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarvis PJ, Boswell CC, Metherell AK, Davidson RM, Murphy JA (2002) A nutrient budget for the meat and wool economic service of a New Zealand class1 high country farm model. N Z J Agric Res 45:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson LB, Richards C, Host GE, Arthur JW (1997) Landscape influences on water chemistry in Midwestern stream ecosystems. Freshw Biol 37:193–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jordan TE, Correll DL, Weller DE (1997) Relating nutrient discharges from watersheds to landuse and streamflow variability. Water Resources Res 33:2579–2590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keenan RJ, Parsons M, O’Loughlin E, Gerrand A, Beavis S, Gunawardana D, Gavran M, Bugg A (2004) Plantations and water use: a review. Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation. Project #PN04.4005

  • Kortelainen P, Saukkonen S, Mattsson T (1997) Leaching of nitrogenfrom forested catchments in Finland. Glob Biogeochem Cycles 11:627–638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lachat (1994) QuikChem Method 31-107-04-1-C

  • Lewis WM, Melack JM, McDowell WH, McClain M, Richey JE (1999) Nitrogen yields from undisturbed watersheds in the Americas. Biogeochemistry 46:149–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Major EJ, Cornish PM, Whiting JK (1998) Red Hill hydrology project establishment report including a preliminary water yield analysis. Research Paper 36 NSW State Forests

  • Maybeck C (1982) C, N, P transport by worlds rivers. Am J Sci 282:401–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McHale MR, Mitchell MJ, McDonnell JJ, Cirmo CP (2000) Nitrogen solutes in an Adirondack forested watershed: importance of dissolved organic nitrogen. Biogeochemistry 48:165–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamara JP, Chandler D, Seyfried M, Achet S (2005) Soil moisture states, lateral flow, and streamflow generation in a semi-arid, snowmelt driven catchment. Hydrol Process.19:4023–4038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer JL et al (1988) Elemental dynamics in streams. J Am Benthol Soc 7:410–432

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulholland PJ (1992) Regulation of nutrient concentrations in a temperate forest stream: roles of upland, riparian and instream processes. Limnol Oceanogr 37:1512–1526

    Google Scholar 

  • Neal C, Wilkinson J, Neal M, Harrow M, Wickham H, Hill L, Morfitt C (1997) The hydrochemistry of the headwaters of the River Severn, Plynlimon. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 193:583–617

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson PN, Baldock JA, Oades JM (1993) Concentrations and composition of dissolved organic carbon in streams in relation to catchment soil properties. Biogeochemistry 19:27–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohte N, Tokuchi N, Suzuki M (1997) An in situ lysimeter experiment on soil moisture influence on inorganic nitrogen discharge from forest soil. J Hydrol 195:78–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Loughlin EM (1981) Saturation regions in catchments and their relationships to soil and topographic properties. J Hydrol 53:229–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rassam DW, Fellows CS, De Hayr R, Hunter H, Bloesch P (2006) The hydrology of riparian buffer zones; two case studies in an ephemeral and a perennial stream. J Hydrol 325:308–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redfield AC (1958) The biological control of chemical factors in the environment. Am Sci 46:205–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards RP (1998) Estimation of pollutant loads in rivers and streams: a guidance document for NPS programs. USEPA. Water Quality Laboratory, Heidelberg, Ohio

    Google Scholar 

  • Richey JE, Hedges JI, Devol AH, Quay PD, Martinelli VR, Forsberg BR (1990) Biogeochemistry of carbon in the Amazon River. Limnol Oceanogr 35:352–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson AI, Bunn SE, Boon PI, Walker KF (1999) Sources, sinks and transformations of organic carbon in Australian floodplain rivers. Mar Freshwater Res 50:813–829

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schiff SL, Devito KJ, Elgood RJ, McCrindle PM, Spoelstra J, Dillon P (2002) Two adjacent forested catchments: Dramatically different NO3− export Water Resource Res 38:1292, doi:10.1029/2000WR000170

    Google Scholar 

  • Simek M, Cooper JE (2002) The influence of soil pH on denitrification: progress towards the understanding of this interaction over the last 50 years. European J Soil Sci 53:345–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith SV, Swaney DP, Buddemier RW, Scarsbrook MR, Weatherhead MR, Humborg C, Ericcson H, Hannerz F (2005) River nutrient loads and catchment size. Biogeochemistry 75:83–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith WE, Nathan RJ (2002) Victorian water quality trend analysis. Report prepared by Sinclair Knight Merz for Victorian NRE

  • Stoddard JL (1994) Long term changes in watershed retention of nitrogen: its causes and consequences. In: Baker LA (ed) Environmental chemistry of lakes and reservoirs. Advances in chemistry series 237. American Chemical Society, Washington DC, pp 223–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner J, Lambert M, Knott J (1996) Nutrient inputs from rainfall in New South Wales state forests. Research Paper No 17, Forest Research and Development Division, State Forests of New South Wales, Sydney

  • Vertessy RA, Bessard Y (1999) Anticipating the negative hydrologic effects of plantation expansion: results from a GIS-based analysis in the Murrumbidgee Basin. In: Croke J, Lane P (eds) Forest management for water quality and quantity. Report 99/6, 63–67. CRC for Catchment Hydrology. Melbourne

  • Vertessy RA, Zhang L,Dawes W (2003) Plantations, river flows and river salinity. Aust For 66:55–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek PM, Melillo JM (1979) Nitrate losses from disturbed forests: patterns and mechanisms. Forest Sci 25:605–619

    Google Scholar 

  • Welter JR, Fisher SG, Grimm NB (2005) Nitrogen transport and retention in an arid watershed: influence of storm characteristics on terrestrial-aquatic linkages. Biogeochemistry 76:421–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Western AW, Grayson RB (2000) Soil moisture and runoff processes at Tarrawarra. In: Grayson RB, Bloschl G (eds) Spatial patterns in catchment hydrology: observations and modeling. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom

    Google Scholar 

  • Willey JD, Kieber RJ, Eyman MS, Avery GB (2000) Rainwater dissolved organic carbon: concentrations and global flux. Global Biogeochem Cycles 14(1):139–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams MR, Melack JM (1997) Solute export from forested and partially deforested catchments in the central Amazon. Biogeochemistry 38:67–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young WJ, Marston FM, Davis JR (1996) Nutrient exports and landuse in Australian catchments. J Environ Manag 47:165–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Dawes WR, Walker GR (1999) Predicting the effect of vegetation changes on catchment water balance. Report 99/12 CRC for Catchment Hydrology, Melbourne

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was conducted as part of CSIRO Land and Water Open Air Laboratory program. We would like to thank NSW State Forests for ongoing access to the sites. We also thank John Pengelly (MDFRC Albury) for carbon and total nutrient analyses and Wendy Minato (CSIRO Griffith) for the soil carbon and nitrogen analyses. We are particularly grateful for guidance and insightful discussions with Peter Hairsine during preparation of this manuscript. We also acknowledge the constructive and incisive comments of Michael McHale and an anonymous reviewer.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland, 4072, Brisbane, Australia

    S. Vink

  2. CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1666, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

    P. W. Ford, C. Kelly & C. Turley

  3. Universite de Rennes, 2 rue du Thabor - CS 46510, 35065, Rennes cedex, France

    M. Bormans

Authors
  1. S. Vink
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. W. Ford
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Bormans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. Kelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C. Turley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Vink.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vink, S., Ford, P.W., Bormans, M. et al. Contrasting nutrient exports from a forested and an agricultural catchment in south-eastern Australia. Biogeochemistry 84, 247–264 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-007-9113-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-007-9113-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation