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Spatial variability in nutrient concentration and biofilm nutrient limitation in an urban watershed

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Abstract

Nutrient enrichment threatens river ecosystem health in urban watersheds, but the influence of urbanization on spatial variation in nutrient concentrations and nutrient limitation of biofilm activity are infrequently measured simultaneously. In summer 2009, we used synoptic sampling to measure spatial patterns of nitrate (NO3 −), ammonium (NH4 +), and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentration, flux, and instantaneous yield throughout the Bronx River watershed within New York City and adjacent suburbs. We also quantified biofilm response to addition of NO3 −, phosphate (PO4 3−), and NO3 − + PO4 3− on organic and inorganic surfaces in the river mainstem and tributaries. Longitudinal variation in NO3 − was low and related to impervious surface cover across sub-watersheds, but spatial variation in NH4 + and SRP was higher and unrelated to sub-watershed land-use. Biofilm respiration on organic surfaces was frequently limited by PO4 3− or NO3 − + PO4 3−, while primary production on organic and inorganic surfaces was nutrient-limited at just one site. Infrequent NO3 − limitation and low spatial variability of NO3 − throughout the watershed suggested saturation of biological N demand. For P, both higher biological demand and point-sources contributed to greater spatial variability. Finally, a comparison of our data to synoptic studies of forested, temperate watersheds showed lower spatial variation of N and P in urban watersheds. Reduced spatial variation in nutrients as a result of biological saturation may represent an overlooked effect of urbanization on watershed ecology, and may influence urban stream biota and downstream environments.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the two anonymous reviewers whose comments improved our manuscript. We thank Nathan Dvorkin, Christine Kuang, Simon Morgan, and Steven Polaskey for field and laboratory assistance. We thank B. Branco at the Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center at Brooklyn College, CUNY for laboratory support. For permitting and collection approval we thank E. Pahek at the NYC Parks and Recreation Natural Resources Group, J. Main at Westchester County Department of Planning, and NY State Department of Environmental Conservation. Land-use and watershed boundary layers for GIS were provided by T. Crimmens (Bronx River Alliance) and L. Vasilikos (Westchester County Department of Planning; giswww.westchestergov.com). Data analysis was supported by a grant to T. Hoellein, C. Zarnoch, and D. Gruber from the National Science Foundation (MRI 0959876).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College, 17 Lexington Ave, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Timothy J. Hoellein & Yana Zak

  2. Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL, 60660, USA

    Timothy J. Hoellein

  3. Department of Biology, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, 98926, USA

    Clay P. Arango

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  1. Timothy J. Hoellein
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Correspondence to Timothy J. Hoellein.

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Hoellein, T.J., Arango, C.P. & Zak, Y. Spatial variability in nutrient concentration and biofilm nutrient limitation in an urban watershed. Biogeochemistry 106, 265–280 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-011-9631-x

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