Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South America
Urbanization and land use changes alter the nitrogen (N) cycle, with critical consequences for continental freshwater resources, coastal zones, and human health. Sewage and poor watershed management lead to impoverishment of inland water resources and degradation of coastal zones. Here we review the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/6/065007 |
| _version_ | 1797748770024194048 |
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| author | Mercedes M C Bustamante Luiz Antonio Martinelli Tibisay Pérez Rafael Rasse Jean Pierre H B Ometto Felipe Siqueira Pacheco Silvia Rafaela Machado Lins Sorena Marquina |
| author_facet | Mercedes M C Bustamante Luiz Antonio Martinelli Tibisay Pérez Rafael Rasse Jean Pierre H B Ometto Felipe Siqueira Pacheco Silvia Rafaela Machado Lins Sorena Marquina |
| author_sort | Mercedes M C Bustamante |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urbanization and land use changes alter the nitrogen (N) cycle, with critical consequences for continental freshwater resources, coastal zones, and human health. Sewage and poor watershed management lead to impoverishment of inland water resources and degradation of coastal zones. Here we review the N contents of rivers of the three most important watersheds in South America: the Amazon, La Plata, and Orinoco basins. To evaluate potential impacts on coastal zones, we also present data on small- and medium-sized Venezuelan watersheds that drain into the Caribbean Sea and are impacted by anthropogenic activities. Median concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) were 325 μ g L ^−1 and 275 μ g L ^−1 in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, respectively, increasing to nearly 850 μ g L ^−1 in La Plata Basin rivers and 2000 μ g L ^−1 in small northern Venezuelan watersheds. The median TDN yield of Amazon Basin rivers (approximately 4 kg ha ^−1 yr ^−1 ) was larger than TDN yields of undisturbed rivers of the La Plata and Orinoco basins; however, TDN yields of polluted rivers were much higher than those of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. Organic matter loads from natural and anthropogenic sources in rivers of South America strongly influence the N dynamics of this region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:09:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-813de8343421473fa5f696fa0bd88c05 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:09:36Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-813de8343421473fa5f696fa0bd88c052023-08-09T14:11:08ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262015-01-0110606500710.1088/1748-9326/10/6/065007Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South AmericaMercedes M C Bustamante0Luiz Antonio Martinelli1Tibisay Pérez2Rafael Rasse3Jean Pierre H B Ometto4Felipe Siqueira Pacheco5Silvia Rafaela Machado Lins6Sorena Marquina7Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília , 70919-970 Brasilia, DF, BrasilCENA-Universidade de São Paulo , Av. Centenário 303, 13416-000 Piracicaba-SP, BrasilInstituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Centro de Ciencias Atmosféricas y Biogeoquímica (IVIC), Aptdo. 20632, Caracas 1020, VenezuelaInstituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Centro de Ciencias Atmosféricas y Biogeoquímica (IVIC), Aptdo. 20632, Caracas 1020, VenezuelaInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Centro de Ciëncias do Sistema Terrestre, Avenida dos Astronautas, 1758, 12227010-São José dos Campos, SP, BrasilInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Centro de Ciëncias do Sistema Terrestre, Avenida dos Astronautas, 1758, 12227010-São José dos Campos, SP, BrasilCENA-Universidade de São Paulo , Av. Centenário 303, 13416-000 Piracicaba-SP, BrasilInstituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Centro de Ciencias Atmosféricas y Biogeoquímica (IVIC), Aptdo. 20632, Caracas 1020, VenezuelaUrbanization and land use changes alter the nitrogen (N) cycle, with critical consequences for continental freshwater resources, coastal zones, and human health. Sewage and poor watershed management lead to impoverishment of inland water resources and degradation of coastal zones. Here we review the N contents of rivers of the three most important watersheds in South America: the Amazon, La Plata, and Orinoco basins. To evaluate potential impacts on coastal zones, we also present data on small- and medium-sized Venezuelan watersheds that drain into the Caribbean Sea and are impacted by anthropogenic activities. Median concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) were 325 μ g L ^−1 and 275 μ g L ^−1 in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, respectively, increasing to nearly 850 μ g L ^−1 in La Plata Basin rivers and 2000 μ g L ^−1 in small northern Venezuelan watersheds. The median TDN yield of Amazon Basin rivers (approximately 4 kg ha ^−1 yr ^−1 ) was larger than TDN yields of undisturbed rivers of the La Plata and Orinoco basins; however, TDN yields of polluted rivers were much higher than those of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. Organic matter loads from natural and anthropogenic sources in rivers of South America strongly influence the N dynamics of this region.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/6/065007nutrient managementwastewateragriculture |
| spellingShingle | Mercedes M C Bustamante Luiz Antonio Martinelli Tibisay Pérez Rafael Rasse Jean Pierre H B Ometto Felipe Siqueira Pacheco Silvia Rafaela Machado Lins Sorena Marquina Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South America Environmental Research Letters nutrient management wastewater agriculture |
| title | Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South America |
| title_full | Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South America |
| title_fullStr | Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South America |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South America |
| title_short | Nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of South America |
| title_sort | nitrogen management challenges in major watersheds of south america |
| topic | nutrient management wastewater agriculture |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/6/065007 |
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