Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie Basins
Abstract Soluble nitrogen is highly mobile in soil and susceptible to leaching. It is important to identify nitrogen transport pathways so that the sources can be efficiently targeted in environment management. This study quantified the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrate + nitrite...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12740-1 |
| _version_ | 1818202766404747264 |
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| author | Jung-Hun Song Younggu Her Tian Guo |
| author_facet | Jung-Hun Song Younggu Her Tian Guo |
| author_sort | Jung-Hun Song |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Soluble nitrogen is highly mobile in soil and susceptible to leaching. It is important to identify nitrogen transport pathways so that the sources can be efficiently targeted in environment management. This study quantified the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrate + nitrite loading by separating flow and nitrate + nitrite concentration measurements into two periods depending on whether only baseflow was present or not using baseflow separation methods. When both direct runoff and baseflow were present in streamflow, their nitrate + nitrite concentrations were assumed based on the hydrological reasoning that baseflow does not change rapidly, and streamflow mostly consists of direct runoff within a rainfall event. For this study, we obtained and investigated daily flow and nitrate + nitrite concentration observations made at the outlets of 22 watersheds located in the Western Lake Erie area. Results showed that baseflow was responsible for 26 to 77% of the nitrate + nitrite loads. The relative nitrate + nitrite load contributions of direct runoff and baseflow substantially varied with the sizes of drainage areas and agricultural land uses. Increases in drainage areas tend to prolong the travel time of surface runoff and thus help its reinfiltration into soil, which then could increase the baseflow contribution. In addition, the artificial drainage networks common in the agricultural fields of the study areas would promote the drainage of nutrient-laden excess water from soils. Such findings suggest the need for environmental management customized considering nitrogen transport pathways. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:14:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-723bdd3294d445a28f1cb595fa1973ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:14:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-723bdd3294d445a28f1cb595fa1973ea2022-12-22T00:40:19ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-06-0112111310.1038/s41598-022-12740-1Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie BasinsJung-Hun Song0Younggu Her1Tian Guo2Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department & Tropical Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of FloridaAgricultural and Biological Engineering Department & Tropical Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of FloridaAgricultural and Biological Engineering Department, Purdue UniversityAbstract Soluble nitrogen is highly mobile in soil and susceptible to leaching. It is important to identify nitrogen transport pathways so that the sources can be efficiently targeted in environment management. This study quantified the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrate + nitrite loading by separating flow and nitrate + nitrite concentration measurements into two periods depending on whether only baseflow was present or not using baseflow separation methods. When both direct runoff and baseflow were present in streamflow, their nitrate + nitrite concentrations were assumed based on the hydrological reasoning that baseflow does not change rapidly, and streamflow mostly consists of direct runoff within a rainfall event. For this study, we obtained and investigated daily flow and nitrate + nitrite concentration observations made at the outlets of 22 watersheds located in the Western Lake Erie area. Results showed that baseflow was responsible for 26 to 77% of the nitrate + nitrite loads. The relative nitrate + nitrite load contributions of direct runoff and baseflow substantially varied with the sizes of drainage areas and agricultural land uses. Increases in drainage areas tend to prolong the travel time of surface runoff and thus help its reinfiltration into soil, which then could increase the baseflow contribution. In addition, the artificial drainage networks common in the agricultural fields of the study areas would promote the drainage of nutrient-laden excess water from soils. Such findings suggest the need for environmental management customized considering nitrogen transport pathways.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12740-1 |
| spellingShingle | Jung-Hun Song Younggu Her Tian Guo Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie Basins Scientific Reports |
| title | Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie Basins |
| title_full | Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie Basins |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie Basins |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie Basins |
| title_short | Quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the Western Lake Erie Basins |
| title_sort | quantifying the contribution of direct runoff and baseflow to nitrogen loading in the western lake erie basins |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12740-1 |
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