Atmospheric nitrogen deposition from a remote source enriches macroalgae in coral reef ecosystems near Green Turtle Cay, Abacos, Bahamas

Over the past several decades, the fixation of "new" nitrogen to the biosphere has doubled. For the early 21st century, the most significant rate increases in atmospheric nitrogen deposition are predicted for developing nations. Wet nitrogen deposition was assessed on the remote island of Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas in a dry and wet season from January to July 2000. Episodic deposition of nitrate (approximately 1-137 microM) and ammonia (approximately 2-122 microM) represented a mean deposition rate of approximately 0.2 mgDIN m(-2) yr(-1). Wet deposition of nitrogen to the climatologically-linked east coast of Florida is approximately 4 times greater than the estimated annual wet nitrogen deposition value at Green Turtle Cay, suggesting the continental US as a principal airshed for this loading source. Short-term bioassays of macroalgal productivity with a 5% rainfall solution caused depressed net productivity and increased dark respiration, well known "transient metabolic" responses by nutrient-limited tropical macroalgae. Wet deposition of inorganic nitrogen from episodic rainfall events may provide up to 20% of the "new" nitrogen necessary to meet growth demands of macroalgae on coral reefs near Green Turtle Cay.     

Re-assessing the nitrogen signal in continental margin sediments: New insights from the high northern latitudes

Organic and inorganic nitrogen and their isotopic signatures were studied in continental margin sediments off Spitsbergen. We present evidence that land-derived inorganic nitrogen strongly dilutes the particulate organic signal in coastal and fjord settings and accounts for up to 70% of the total nitrogen content. Spatial heterogeneity in inorganic nitrogen along the coast is less likely to be influenced by clay mineral assemblages or various substrates than by the supply of terrestrial organic matter (TOM) within eroded soil material into selected fjords and onto the shelf. The δ¹⁵N signal of the inorganic nitrogen (δ¹⁵N_inorg) in sediments off Spitsbergen seems to be appropriate to trace TOM supply from various climate- and ecosystem zones and elucidates the dominant transport media of terrigenous sediments to the marine realm. Moreover, we postulate that with the study of sedimentary δ¹⁵N_inorg in the Atlantic–Arctic gateway, climatically induced changes in catchment's vegetations in high northern latitudes may be reconstructed. The δ¹⁵N_org signal is primarily controlled by the availability of nitrate in the dominating ocean current systems and the corresponding degree of utilization of the nitrate pool in the euphotic zone. Not only does this new approach allow for a detailed view into the nitrogen cycle for settings with purely primary-produced organic matter supply, it also provides new insights into both the deposition of marine and terrestrial nitrogen and its ecosystem response to (paleo-) climate changes.     

Successional changes in soil and hyporheic nitrogen fertility on an alluvial flood plain: implications for riparian vegetation

In floodplain primary succession, vegetation colonizes nitrogen-poor alluvial deposits and fertility improves as soil nitrogen accumulates over time. It is generally assumed that vegetation assimilates the vast majority of its nitrogen from the soil; however, recent studies have suggested that the hyporheic zone also may be an important nitrogen source. We investigated the potential relative importance of hyporheic nitrogen by comparing fertility indices, specifically total (TN), dissolved inorganic (DIN), potentially mineralizable (PMN) and ion exchange resin nitrogen (IERN) in both soils and the hyporheic zone at early, mid and late succession stands on an expansive river flood plain. We also constructed mesocosms to assess growth of cottonwood cuttings with access to soil and/or hyporheic water. We found TN and PMN increased from early to mid succession in both the soil (to 10 cm) and hyporheic zone (in a 10 cm layer). While TN, DIN and PMN were an order of magnitude higher in the soil than in the hyporheic zone, IERN was higher in the hyporheic zone, indicating that subsurface flow through the flood plain may be important in delivering nitrogen to the root zone. However, even when flux was added to the hyporheic PMN pool, nitrogen availability in the hyporheic zone (in a 10 cm layer) was vastly lower than soil PMN (to 10 cm). Further, the instantaneous standing stock of DIN in the surface soil alone was about equal to the sum of the DIN pool, the mean subsurface flux and the PMN pool in a 10 cm layer of hyporheic zone. In the mesocosm experiment, cottonwood cuttings with access to both soil and hyporheic water grew fastest; however, they also had the lowest foliar nitrogen concentrations, indicating that this was not due to greater nitrogen availability. In the field, nitrogen content of cottonwood foliage increased along with soil (but potentially hyporheic as well) nitrogen accumulation during succession, suggesting the vegetation responded to increasing nitrogen fertility. We conclude that at least on a per unit-volume basis, the hyporheic zone probably provides little nitrogen relative to the surface soil, except on new alluvial bars that characteristically are nitrogen poor. Therefore, the hyporheic zone is probably a much smaller nitrogen source for mature forests relative to the surface soil unless the vegetation exploits a much larger volume of the hyporheic zone than surface soil.     

三峡消落带土壤-植物-微生物作用下的氮循环关键过程研究进展

流域氮污染问题是世界面临的共同难题,大型水利水电工程极大地改变了流域氮循环过程。三峡水库作为我国重要的优质淡水资源库,却面临着支流水华频繁暴发的水安全问题。如何有效削减氮污染并维持水库消落带生态系统的稳定性,是三峡水库生态安全运行中亟待解决的实际问题。水库消落带作为邻近水体的“生物地球化学循环热区”,在营养元素循环、面源污染截留、温室气体排放等过程中扮演着重要角色。随着生物信息学、分子生物学等新型研究手段在环境研究中广泛应用,氮循环过程与机理得到了更微观的诠释,氮循环功能微生物的多样性和生态位分化等方面的研究也取得了突出成果。本文基于对三峡水库消落带土壤-植物-微生物作用下的氮循环关键过程所开展的最新研究,结合消落带水陆交错的特殊环境条件,综述水库消落带中氮循环的关键过程和机理,分析水库消落带对流域水环境和温室气体排放的潜在影响,并对未来消落带亟待解决的问题做了进一步展望,以期为大型水库消落带生态系统的综合管理提供科学支撑。     

Stickstoff- und Kohlenhydratspeicherung in Rhizomen von Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steudel an unterschiedlichen aquatischen Standorten oberbayerischer Seen

Nitrogen and carbohydrate utilization in Phragmites australis rhizomes was investigated under natural conditions at 10 sites in 5 lakes in Upper Bavaria over a period of two years. Nitrate and ammonium of surface and interstitial water was determined. The results indicate that conditions of habitat and environment, such as climate and fluctuation of water level, lead to different adaptations of reed. These parameters had an effect on the storage of nitrogen and carbohydrate. The reed stands exposed to high water level during spring and summer have a high carbohydrate content in the rhizomes. A positive correlation was shown between the aboveground biomass and the content of storaged carbohydrates during the vegetation period. No relationship could be demonstrated between the nitrogen availability of the habitats and the type of storage of carbohydrates and nitrogen. The nitrogen content in the rhizomes can be used as an indicator of the ability of reed stands to produce new secondary shoots after shoot loss. The differently established reed genotypes are not able to compensate short-term environmental changes, such as growing leisure problems and higher shoot loss by the increasing appearance of waterfowl, from their reserve storage.     

Nitrogen emissions into freshwater ecosystems: is there a need for nitrate elimination in all wastewater treatment plants?

Excessive inputs of phosphorus and nitrogen are the main reasons of eutrophication of inland waters and coastal areas. Large efforts have been made to control phosphorus, but the measures to reduce nitrogen emissions failed at least partly. While it was possible to reduce nitrogen emissions from industry and municipal wastewater treatment plants, diffuse sources are showing only very minor decline. Examples of limnetic, marine and coastal systems are given to review the current knowledge about nitrogen transformation and the effects of nitrate in the environment. When N is the limiting nutrient in a particular water body, this does not necessarily mean that phytoplankton is controllable by NO₃^– removal. In systems with problems due to a high redox‐sensitive internal phosphorus load and under certain constraints, nitrate may be used as an ecotechnological measure to prevent anaerobic phosphorus release from sediments. Model simulations are used to demonstrate this. A schematic model of redox‐mediated temporal phosphorus storage in riverine lake sediments with short retention time is proposed. We conclude that while anthropogenic nitrogen emissions are a global problem, no fast and simple single solution exists. Additional nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment will have no effect, as long as diffuse sources and nitrate concentrations in groundwater remain at a high level. Emission reductions should be achieved in an integrated way, taking direct and indirect effects into account. In this sense, case by case decisions and a new definition of “sensitive areas” are required.     

Untersuchungen zum Stickstoff-, Phosphor- und Kaliumeintrag in das Grundwasser nach Gülledüngung

About 53 million tons of liquid manure from the animal husbandry plants of the GDR are used for purposes of organic fertilization per year. Fertilization by liquid manure must be reasonably done, since there should be avoided fertilization and yield losses of agriculture and damages to the ground-water as a drinking-water resource. In dependence on the cultivation of crops, the kinds of graining of soils, the month of application and of the quantity used–referred to the application of nitrogen of liquid manure in kg/ha–the enrichment effect of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in infiltration water is determined with the aid of lysimeter investigations. Components of nitrogen which are not used by plants get into ground-water as undesired nitrate, partly through nitrification processes. Unused potassium, too, migrates into ground-water, whereas phosphorus is bound by soil. By proposals for new limit values of load with liquid manure, summarized in tabular form, the valid specifications of the GDR standards “TGL” are criticized.     

Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) δN as a bioindicator of nitrogen sources: Observations and modeling

Stable nitrogen isotopes (δ¹⁵N) in bioindicators are increasingly employed to identify nitrogen sources in many ecosystems and biological characteristics of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) make it an appropriate species for this purpose. To assess nitrogen isotopic fractionation associated with assimilation and baseline variations in oyster mantle, gill, and muscle tissue δ¹⁵N, manipulative fieldwork in Chesapeake Bay and corresponding modeling exercises were conducted. This study (1) determined that five individuals represented an optimal sample size; (2) verified that δ¹⁵N in oysters from two locations converged after shared deployment to a new location reflecting a change in nitrogen sources; (3) identified required exposure time and temporal integration (four months for muscle, two to three months for gill and mantle); and (4) demonstrated seasonal δ¹⁵N increases in seston (summer) and oysters (winter). As bioindicators, oysters can be deployed for spatial interpolation of nitrogen sources, even in areas lacking extant populations.     

Preliminary model of nitrogen loads from southern bluefin tuna aquaculture

Farming of wild tuna in coastal areas is a relatively new aquaculture industry and little is known about the magnitude of nutrient discharges to the environment. In this work we present a preliminary model of nitrogen loads from southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) aquaculture in lower Spencer Gulf, South Australia. The model was developed based on feed inputs, estimates of fish metabolism and environmental data. Two pens were monitored over a full grow-out season to determine nitrogen sedimentation fluxes, remineralization at the sediment-water interface and accumulation in the sediments. The model suggests that the high metabolic rates of tuna lead to low retention of nitrogen in fish tissues (7-12% of feed inputs) and high environmental losses (260-502kg Ntonne(-1) growth). Considering Australian annual production of 4380tonnes over initial stocked biomass, total loads can reach 1137tonnes N per year, 86-92% lost as dissolved wastes. The nature of wastes suggests low localized impacts at current stocking densities and holding periods.     

华南坡地单场降雨氮素的迁移特征及来源分析

通过两个径流场的对比试验,研究了华南坡地氮素在某场降雨下的迁移特征和来源,结果表明,在没有施肥的情况下,氮素的迁移形态以铵氮、硝氮为主,总氮、硝氮和亚硝氮的迁移以地下下渗迁移为主,铵氮的迁移以地表迁移为主;在施放尿素的情况下,氮素的迁移形态以溶解态的尿素、铵氮和硝氮为主,总氮、溶解态尿素和铵氮的迁移以地表径流迁移为主,...     

水生生态系统蓝藻固氮作用研究进展与展望

固氮蓝藻在水生生态系统中占优势是由多种因素所引起的,如营养盐浓度及形态、氮磷比、水温和微量元素等.一般认为,湖泊中正磷酸盐浓度≥0.01 mg/L、溶解性无机氮浓度≤0.1 mg/L时,固氮蓝藻出现,并且低的氮磷比是表征水体中固氮蓝藻出现的重要指标,但引起固氮与非固氮蓝藻分异的驱动机制还需要深入研究.此外,光照、无机氮浓度与形态、异形胞丰度和溶解性有机物对蓝藻固氮速率有重要影响,进而决定蓝藻氮释放通量及对水体中氮库的贡献作用.固氮蓝藻是贫营养盐海域和海洋生态系统中氮库的重要贡献者,但在富营养化湖泊中,其贡献作用还存在争议.因此就目前国内外对固氮蓝藻相关研究做综述,以期待业界同行能够对蓝藻固氮作用及其氮释放对水生生态系统中氮循环的贡献引起重视.     

太湖水体氮素污染状况研究进展

氮是引起湖泊富营养化的关键要素之一.传统观点认为氮缺乏时,湖泊生态系统可以通过生物固氮作用从大气中获取氮来满足自身的需求,因此认为淡水湖泊水体的生产力主要受磷限制.但随着进一步的研究,发现氮限制与氮和磷共同限制更为普遍,且氮的限制常常伴随着水体的富营养化,因此了解富营养化湖泊水体的氮素污染状况具有重要意义.本文介绍了太湖水体氮素的污染状况及其发展趋势,从外源、内源两大方面介绍了太湖水体中氮素的来源,着重分析和比较了河道输入、大气输入以及沉积物释放不同污染源的输入比例.太湖水体氮素污染存在很大的空间差异,其中西部和北部污染较重而东南部相对较轻,入湖河道输入的外源污染是造成太湖水质空间分布差异的主要原因,其中农业面源污染及生活污染在太湖外源污染中占据了相当的比重;湖泊底泥所造成的内源释放也是氮素污染的一个重要原因,但目前对释放量的估算主要是基于底泥悬浮引起的总量估算,关于这些释放量能有多少比例可以被浮游植物利用还不清楚,尤其是有机颗粒物在水体中停留期间的矿化再生值得进一步研究;在氮素的生物转化过程中,生物固氮目前对太湖氮素输入的贡献很小,反硝化作用是太湖水体氮素自净的主要途径.     

入湖河口湿地四种植物群落类型的土壤氮素空间分布特征

对江苏省溧阳市大溪水库的洙漕河河口湿地中香蒲、水蓼、灯心草和芦苇四种植物生物量、氮含量及植物群落的土壤氮素分布特征进行研究,结果表明:四种植物地上生物量、地上组织氮含量、地下生物量、地下组织氮含量存在显著差异;土壤烧失量(LOI)、总氮(TN)、硝态氮(NO₃^--N)在垂直分布上表现为由表层向下减少的总体分布趋势,铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)浓度的剖面变化呈现先减少后增加的趋势;四种植物群落土壤氮浓度各不同,但均大于对照,以有机氮为主,说明湿地具有一定的储氮能力;不同的植物群落影响湿地氮素的分布.相关性分析显示,土壤LOI与TN、NO₃^--N和NH₄⁺-N均存在极显著相关性,无机氮构成比例较小,仅为1.41%,表明土壤中的氮素主要以有机氮的形式存在;土壤氮浓度与植物生物量及组织氮含量相关性不大,说明土壤氮形态浓度不仅受到植物生长的影响,同时也可能受到植物根区环境、微生物数量与活性等的影响.     

平原河网水体氮污染对氮循环菌的影响

采用最大可能数法对平原河网地区不同氮污染程度河道水体中浮游、颗粒附着及底泥中的氨化、亚硝化、硝化和反硝化菌进行测定,研究水体氮污染程度对氮循环菌不同种群的影响效应及其分布特征.结果表明,浮游、颗粒附着和底泥中亚硝化菌的丰度随着水体氮污染程度的增加而升高,但不同氮污染程度下氮循环菌种群结构组成之间差异不大,而浮游、颗粒附着及底泥生活类型之间的氮循环菌种群结构组成存在较大差异,其中浮游与底泥中氮循环菌种群组成结构之间差异最大.在氮污染水体中,浮游、颗粒附着和底泥氮循环菌中均以氨化菌为优势种群,显著高出其他氮循环菌种群多个数量级,而亚硝化菌和硝化菌丰度相对较低,反硝化菌在水体悬浮颗粒物上存在相对较高的丰度,不同氮循环菌种群组成比例存在失衡现象.     

Removal mechanisms of nitrogen in waste stabilization ponds

The aim of this research work was to determine the major nitrogen transformation and removal mechanisms in primary and maturation ponds. To accomplished this objective, nitrogen mass balance in waste stabilization pond system was determined using a dynamic mathematical model in order to elucidate the biological nitrogen transformation mechanisms that are effective for removal of nitrogen in this pond system. Results show that nitrogen removal efficiency in a primary facultative pond unit was 13.2%, which was largely due to net loss of organic nitrogen to sediments (9.76%) and denitrification (3.42%). On the other hand, maturation pond removed 15.2% of nitrogen received in the influent with denitrification (13.55%) being the major pathway for nitrogen removal. Ammonia volatilization was not a predominant mechanism for nitrogen removal in both primary facultative and maturation ponds. The major nitrogen transformation routes were mineralization and ammonia uptake in the primary facultative pond, but ammonia uptake by microorganisms was a predominant nitrogen transformation mechanism in maturation pond.     

Nitrogen loads to estuaries from waste water plumes: modeling and isotopic approaches

We developed, and applied in two sites, novel methods to measure ground water-borne nitrogen loads to receiving estuaries from plumes resulting from land disposal of waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. In addition, we quantified nitrogen losses from WWTP effluent during transport through watersheds. WWTP load to receiving water was estimated as the difference between total measured ground water-transported nitrogen load and modeled load from major nitrogen sources other than the WWTP. To test estimated WWTP loads, we applied two additional methods. First, we quantified total annual waste water nitrogen load from watersheds based on nitrogen stable isotopic signatures of primary producers in receiving water. Second, we used published data on ground water nitrogen concentrations in an array of wells to estimate dimensions of the plume and quantify the annual mass of nitrogen transported within the plume. Loss of nitrogen during transport through the watershed was estimated as the difference between the annual mass of nitrogen applied to watersheds as treatment plant effluent and the estimated nitrogen load reaching receiving water. In one plume, we corroborated our estimated nitrogen loss in watersheds using data from multiple-level sampling wells to calculate the loss of nitrogen relative to a conservative tracer. The results suggest that nitrogen from the plumes is discharging to the estuaries but that substantial nitrogen loss occurs during transport through the watersheds. The measured vs. modeled and stable isotopic approaches, in comparison to the plume mapping approach, may more reliably quantify ground water-transported WWTP loads to estuaries.     

贵州草海不同水位梯度下沉积物氮赋存形态及分布特征

利用分级浸取分离法,分析贵州草海湿地沉积物总氮（TN）与可转化态氮（TF-N）含量及分布特征,试图揭示水位抬升对草海湿地沉积物氮潜在释放风险的影响.结果表明,草海湿地沉积物TN含量在1.94~14.07 g/kg之间,均值为7.76 g/kg;TF-N含量较高,在1.70~7.59 g/kg之间,占TN的68.7%;不同形态氮含量依次为有机态及硫化物结合态氮（OSF-N） > 离子交换态氮（IEF-N） > 铁锰氧化态氮（IMOF-N） > 弱酸可浸取态氮（WAEF-N）;不同水位梯度下各形态氮含量变化规律不同,OSF-N、IMOF-N含量沿着水位升高呈逐渐增加趋势,IEF-N含量呈先增加后降低的趋势,WAEF-N含量变化不大;TN和总非可转化态氮（NTF-N）与有机质（SOM）含量之间呈显著正相关,可能具有相似的来源.总之,草海沉积物TF-N含量及比例较高,潜在释放风险较大,而水位抬升抑制氮的转化,促进沉积物氮积累,增加释放风险.该研究揭示了不同水位梯度下沉积物氮形态分布特征,丰富了水文条件对氮迁移转化影响的理解,为湿地生态补水工程的管理决策提供了科学依据.     

Distribution and transportation of nitrogen in Miyun reservoir waters

The Miyun reservoir is an important water supply for Beijing city. The distribution laws of nitrogen in the Miyun reservoir waters and the transportation factors have been systematically analyzed in space and time by using water monitoring data sampled in the high-water and low-flow periods in 2001 and 2002. The nitrogen in east and west reservoir waters is distributed differently in space. It shows the change characteristics in high-water and low-flow periods and is affected by the source of nitrogen, runoff conditions, hydrodynamic conditions, precipitation and the control of bed mud, of which the source of nitrogen controls the change of concentration of nitrogen, the peripheral runoff controls the distribution law of nitrogen, bed mud controls the vertical distribution of nitrogen, and the contents of nitrogen and its change in the surrounding environment directly cause the change of concentration of total nitrogen in the waters. The improvement and protection of the waters in the Miyun reservoir basically rests with the amelioration of the peripheral environment.     

双向环形水槽模拟变化水位和流速下洞庭湖沉积物氮释放特征

浅水湖泊生态系统中的沉积物—水界面是湖泊内源氮释放的重要界面,而水动力因素是改变沉积物氮释放的重要因素.三峡大坝修建以后,长江中下游通江湖泊的水动力条件发生了明显的变化.通过采集洞庭湖湖口区域的沉积物和水样,在双向环形水槽动力模拟装置内模拟湖泊水位和流速的变化,探讨湖泊沉积物氮在沉积物和水系统中的二次释放特征.结果表明,随着扰动强度的增加,上覆水悬浮物浓度增大,上覆水中总氮浓度增加,沉积物向上覆水释放氮的强度增强,水动力条件的改变所引起的沉积物内源氮释放不容忽视.在该模拟实验条件下,沉积物存在最适扰动水位(20cm),此水位下上覆水中悬浮物浓度最低,总氮浓度最小.水动力条件的改变对上覆水和沉积物—水界面处铵态氮和硝态氮浓度的影响并不明显,孔隙水中铵态氮与硝态氮之间发生形态的转化.     

Estimating subsurface nitrogen accumulation-depletion in catchments by input-output flow analysis

We use input-output analysis of nitrogen flows between various sources-sectors and natural waters in the Swedish Norrström drainage basin for investigating and bounding the implication range of some uncertainty sources for results of subsurface nitrogen accumulation-depletion in this basin. We quantify different possible base and extreme assumptions of nitrogen discharges and transport pathways from agriculture to surface and groundwater in the basin. The results are robust in showing considerable nitrogen accumulation-depletion flow interactions taking place between the basin’s mobile water and accumulated nitrogen pools in soils, sediments and/or relatively immobile subsurface water zones for all different scenario assumptions. Similar scenario robustness is also found in resulting relative contributions of different active nitrogen source-sectors to nitrogen flows in natural water systems. In the Norrström basin, and possibly more generally, nitrogen accumulation-depletion flows to and from accumulated legacies for the future or from the past appear therefore to be more important for water quality than current nitrogen discharges from active source-sectors.