Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by 15N addition experiments: Denitrification

Patrick J. Mulholland; Robert O. Hall; Daniel J. Sobota; Walter K. Dodds; Stuart E G Findlay; Nancy Grimm; Stephen K. Hamilton; William H. McDowell; Jonathan M. O'Brien; Jennifer L. Tank; Linda R. Ashkenas; Lee W. Cooper; Clifford N. Dahm; Stanley V. Gregory; Sherri L. Johnson; Judy L. Meyer; Bruce J. Peterson; Geoffrey C. Poole; H. Maurice Valett; Jackson R. Webster; Clay P. Arango; Jake J. Beaulieu; Melody J. Bernot; Amy J. Burgin; Chelsea L. Crenshaw; Ashley M. Helton; Laura T. Johnson; B. R. Niederlehner; Jody D. Potter; Richard W. Sheibley; Suzanne M. Thomasn

doi:10.4319/lo.2009.54.3.0666

Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by ¹⁵N addition experiments: Denitrification

Patrick J. Mulholland, Robert O. Hall, Daniel J. Sobota, Walter K. Dodds, Stuart E G Findlay, Nancy Grimm, Stephen K. Hamilton, William H. McDowell, Jonathan M. O'Brien, Jennifer L. Tank, Linda R. Ashkenas, Lee W. Cooper, Clifford N. Dahm, Stanley V. Gregory, Sherri L. Johnson, Judy L. Meyer, Bruce J. Peterson, Geoffrey C. Poole, H. Maurice Valett, Jackson R. WebsterClay P. Arango, Jake J. Beaulieu, Melody J. Bernot, Amy J. Burgin, Chelsea L. Crenshaw, Ashley M. Helton, Laura T. Johnson, B. R. Niederlehner, Jody D. Potter, Richard W. Sheibley, Suzanne M. Thomasn

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Abstract

We measured denitrification rates using a field ¹⁵N-NO- ₃ tracer-addition approach in a large, cross-site study of nitrate uptake in reference, agricultural, and suburban-urban streams. We measured denitrification rates in 49 of 72 streams studied. Uptake length due to denitrification (S_Wden) ranged from 89 m to 184 km (median of 9050 m) and there were no significant differences among regions or land-use categories, likely because of the wide range of conditions within each region and land use. N₂ production rates far exceeded N₂O production rates in all streams. The fraction of total NO-₃ removal from water due to denitrification ranged from 0.5% to 100% among streams (median of 16%), and was related to NHz 4 concentration and ecosystem respiration rate (ER). Multivariate approaches showed that the most important factors controlling S_Wden were specific discharge (discharge / width) and NO-₃ concentration (positive effects), and ER and transient storage zones (negative effects). The relationship between areal denitrification rate (U_den) and NO- ₃ concentration indicated a partial saturation effect. A power function with an exponent of 0.5 described this relationship better than a Michaelis-Menten equation. Although Uden increased with increasing NO- ₃ concentration, the efficiency of NO-₃ removal from water via denitrification declined, resulting in a smaller proportion of streamwater NO-₃ load removed over a given length of stream. Regional differences in stream denitrification rates were small relative to the proximate factors of NO-₃ concentration and ecosystem respiration rate, and land use was an important but indirect control on denitrification in streams, primarily via its effect on NO-₃ concentration.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	666-680
Number of pages	15
Journal	Limnology and Oceanography
Volume	54
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2009.54.3.0666
State	Published - May 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Oceanography
Aquatic Science

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Mulholland, P. J., Hall, R. O., Sobota, D. J., Dodds, W. K., Findlay, S. E. G., Grimm, N., Hamilton, S. K., McDowell, W. H., O'Brien, J. M., Tank, J. L., Ashkenas, L. R., Cooper, L. W., Dahm, C. N., Gregory, S. V., Johnson, S. L., Meyer, J. L., Peterson, B. J., Poole, G. C., Valett, H. M., ... Thomasn, S. M. (2009). Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by ¹⁵N addition experiments: Denitrification. Limnology and Oceanography, 54(3), 666-680. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2009.54.3.0666

Mulholland, PJ, Hall, RO, Sobota, DJ, Dodds, WK, Findlay, SEG, Grimm, N, Hamilton, SK, McDowell, WH, O'Brien, JM, Tank, JL, Ashkenas, LR, Cooper, LW, Dahm, CN, Gregory, SV, Johnson, SL, Meyer, JL, Peterson, BJ, Poole, GC, Valett, HM, Webster, JR, Arango, CP, Beaulieu, JJ, Bernot, MJ, Burgin, AJ, Crenshaw, CL, Helton, AM, Johnson, LT, Niederlehner, BR, Potter, JD, Sheibley, RW & Thomasn, SM 2009, 'Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by ¹⁵N addition experiments: Denitrification', Limnology and Oceanography, vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 666-680. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2009.54.3.0666

@article{8572807a8c1149f089af6ad8baf1b417,

title = "Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by 15N addition experiments: Denitrification",

abstract = "We measured denitrification rates using a field 15N-NO- 3 tracer-addition approach in a large, cross-site study of nitrate uptake in reference, agricultural, and suburban-urban streams. We measured denitrification rates in 49 of 72 streams studied. Uptake length due to denitrification (SWden) ranged from 89 m to 184 km (median of 9050 m) and there were no significant differences among regions or land-use categories, likely because of the wide range of conditions within each region and land use. N2 production rates far exceeded N2O production rates in all streams. The fraction of total NO-3 removal from water due to denitrification ranged from 0.5% to 100% among streams (median of 16%), and was related to NHz 4 concentration and ecosystem respiration rate (ER). Multivariate approaches showed that the most important factors controlling SWden were specific discharge (discharge / width) and NO-3 concentration (positive effects), and ER and transient storage zones (negative effects). The relationship between areal denitrification rate (Uden) and NO- 3 concentration indicated a partial saturation effect. A power function with an exponent of 0.5 described this relationship better than a Michaelis-Menten equation. Although Uden increased with increasing NO- 3 concentration, the efficiency of NO-3 removal from water via denitrification declined, resulting in a smaller proportion of streamwater NO-3 load removed over a given length of stream. Regional differences in stream denitrification rates were small relative to the proximate factors of NO-3 concentration and ecosystem respiration rate, and land use was an important but indirect control on denitrification in streams, primarily via its effect on NO-3 concentration.",

author = "Mulholland, {Patrick J.} and Hall, {Robert O.} and Sobota, {Daniel J.} and Dodds, {Walter K.} and Findlay, {Stuart E G} and Nancy Grimm and Hamilton, {Stephen K.} and McDowell, {William H.} and O'Brien, {Jonathan M.} and Tank, {Jennifer L.} and Ashkenas, {Linda R.} and Cooper, {Lee W.} and Dahm, {Clifford N.} and Gregory, {Stanley V.} and Johnson, {Sherri L.} and Meyer, {Judy L.} and Peterson, {Bruce J.} and Poole, {Geoffrey C.} and Valett, {H. Maurice} and Webster, {Jackson R.} and Arango, {Clay P.} and Beaulieu, {Jake J.} and Bernot, {Melody J.} and Burgin, {Amy J.} and Crenshaw, {Chelsea L.} and Helton, {Ashley M.} and Johnson, {Laura T.} and Niederlehner, {B. R.} and Potter, {Jody D.} and Sheibley, {Richard W.} and Thomasn, {Suzanne M.}",

year = "2009",

month = may,

doi = "10.4319/lo.2009.54.3.0666",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "54",

pages = "666--680",

journal = "Limnology and Oceanography",

issn = "0024-3590",

publisher = "American Society of Limnology and Oceanography Inc.",

number = "3",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by 15N addition experiments

T2 - Denitrification

AU - Mulholland, Patrick J.

AU - Hall, Robert O.

AU - Sobota, Daniel J.

AU - Dodds, Walter K.

AU - Findlay, Stuart E G

AU - Grimm, Nancy

AU - Hamilton, Stephen K.

AU - McDowell, William H.

AU - O'Brien, Jonathan M.

AU - Tank, Jennifer L.

AU - Ashkenas, Linda R.

AU - Cooper, Lee W.

AU - Dahm, Clifford N.

AU - Gregory, Stanley V.

AU - Johnson, Sherri L.

AU - Meyer, Judy L.

AU - Peterson, Bruce J.

AU - Poole, Geoffrey C.

AU - Valett, H. Maurice

AU - Webster, Jackson R.

AU - Arango, Clay P.

AU - Beaulieu, Jake J.

AU - Bernot, Melody J.

AU - Burgin, Amy J.

AU - Crenshaw, Chelsea L.

AU - Helton, Ashley M.

AU - Johnson, Laura T.

AU - Niederlehner, B. R.

AU - Potter, Jody D.

AU - Sheibley, Richard W.

AU - Thomasn, Suzanne M.

PY - 2009/5

Y1 - 2009/5

N2 - We measured denitrification rates using a field 15N-NO- 3 tracer-addition approach in a large, cross-site study of nitrate uptake in reference, agricultural, and suburban-urban streams. We measured denitrification rates in 49 of 72 streams studied. Uptake length due to denitrification (SWden) ranged from 89 m to 184 km (median of 9050 m) and there were no significant differences among regions or land-use categories, likely because of the wide range of conditions within each region and land use. N2 production rates far exceeded N2O production rates in all streams. The fraction of total NO-3 removal from water due to denitrification ranged from 0.5% to 100% among streams (median of 16%), and was related to NHz 4 concentration and ecosystem respiration rate (ER). Multivariate approaches showed that the most important factors controlling SWden were specific discharge (discharge / width) and NO-3 concentration (positive effects), and ER and transient storage zones (negative effects). The relationship between areal denitrification rate (Uden) and NO- 3 concentration indicated a partial saturation effect. A power function with an exponent of 0.5 described this relationship better than a Michaelis-Menten equation. Although Uden increased with increasing NO- 3 concentration, the efficiency of NO-3 removal from water via denitrification declined, resulting in a smaller proportion of streamwater NO-3 load removed over a given length of stream. Regional differences in stream denitrification rates were small relative to the proximate factors of NO-3 concentration and ecosystem respiration rate, and land use was an important but indirect control on denitrification in streams, primarily via its effect on NO-3 concentration.

AB - We measured denitrification rates using a field 15N-NO- 3 tracer-addition approach in a large, cross-site study of nitrate uptake in reference, agricultural, and suburban-urban streams. We measured denitrification rates in 49 of 72 streams studied. Uptake length due to denitrification (SWden) ranged from 89 m to 184 km (median of 9050 m) and there were no significant differences among regions or land-use categories, likely because of the wide range of conditions within each region and land use. N2 production rates far exceeded N2O production rates in all streams. The fraction of total NO-3 removal from water due to denitrification ranged from 0.5% to 100% among streams (median of 16%), and was related to NHz 4 concentration and ecosystem respiration rate (ER). Multivariate approaches showed that the most important factors controlling SWden were specific discharge (discharge / width) and NO-3 concentration (positive effects), and ER and transient storage zones (negative effects). The relationship between areal denitrification rate (Uden) and NO- 3 concentration indicated a partial saturation effect. A power function with an exponent of 0.5 described this relationship better than a Michaelis-Menten equation. Although Uden increased with increasing NO- 3 concentration, the efficiency of NO-3 removal from water via denitrification declined, resulting in a smaller proportion of streamwater NO-3 load removed over a given length of stream. Regional differences in stream denitrification rates were small relative to the proximate factors of NO-3 concentration and ecosystem respiration rate, and land use was an important but indirect control on denitrification in streams, primarily via its effect on NO-3 concentration.

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JO - Limnology and Oceanography

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ER -

Nitrate removal in stream ecosystems measured by ¹⁵N addition experiments: Denitrification

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