Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets

<p>To monitor the effect of current nitrogen emissions and mitigation strategies, total (wet <span class="inline-formula">+</span> dry) atmospheric nitrogen deposition to forests is commonly estimated using chemical transport models or canopy budget models in combination...

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Main Authors: P. Wintjen, F. Schrader, M. Schaap, B. Beudert, R. Kranenburg, C. Brümmer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2022-11-01
Series:Biogeosciences
Online Access:https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/19/5287/2022/bg-19-5287-2022.pdf
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author P. Wintjen
F. Schrader
M. Schaap
M. Schaap
B. Beudert
R. Kranenburg
C. Brümmer
author_facet P. Wintjen
F. Schrader
M. Schaap
M. Schaap
B. Beudert
R. Kranenburg
C. Brümmer
author_sort P. Wintjen
collection DOAJ
description <p>To monitor the effect of current nitrogen emissions and mitigation strategies, total (wet <span class="inline-formula">+</span> dry) atmospheric nitrogen deposition to forests is commonly estimated using chemical transport models or canopy budget models in combination with throughfall measurements. Since flux measurements of reactive nitrogen (N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span>) compounds are scarce, dry deposition process descriptions as well as the calculated flux estimates and annual budgets are subject to considerable uncertainties. In this study, we compared four different approaches to quantify annual dry deposition budgets of total reactive nitrogen (<span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span>) at a mixed forest site situated in the Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany. Dry deposition budgets were quantified based on (I) 2.5 years of eddy covariance flux measurements with the Total Reactive Atmospheric Nitrogen Converter (TRANC); (II) an in situ application of the bidirectional inferential flux model DEPAC (Deposition of Acidifying Compounds), here called DEPAC-1D; (III) a simulation with the chemical transport model LOTOS-EUROS (Long-Term Ozone Simulation – European Operational Smog) v2.0, using DEPAC as dry deposition module; and (IV) a canopy budget technique (CBT).</p> <p>Averaged annual <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> dry deposition estimates determined from TRANC measurements were 4.7 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.2 and 4.3 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.4 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, depending on the gap-filling approach. DEPAC-1D-modeled dry deposition, using concentrations and meteorological drivers measured at the site, was 5.8 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.1 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>. In comparison to TRANC fluxes, DEPAC-1D estimates were systematically higher during summer and in close agreement in winter. Modeled <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> deposition velocities (<span class="inline-formula"><i>v</i><sub>d</sub></span>) of DEPAC-1D were found to increase with lower temperatures and higher relative humidity and in the presence of wet leaf surfaces, particularly from May to September. This observation was contrary to TRANC-observed fluxes. LOTOS-EUROS-modeled annual dry deposition was 6.5 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.3 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the site-specific weighting of land-use classes within the site's grid cell. LOTOS-EUROS showed substantial discrepancies to measured <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> deposition during spring and autumn, which was related to an overestimation of ammonia (NH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>3</sub></span>) concentrations by a factor of 2 to 3 compared to measured values as a consequence of a mismatch between gridded input NH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>3</sub></span> emissions and the site's actual (rather low) pollution climate. According to LOTOS-EUROS predictions, ammonia contributed most to modeled input <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> concentrations, whereas measurements showed NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> as the prevailing compound in <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> concentrations. Annual deposition estimates from measurements and modeling were in the range of minimum and maximum estimates determined from CBT being at 3.8 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.5 and 6.7 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.3 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, respectively. By adding locally measured wet-only deposition, we estimated an annual total nitrogen deposition input between 11.5 and 14.8 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, which is within the critical load ranges proposed for deciduous and coniferous forests.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-996e060559dd4d1f8bab03becbd1dbbf2022-12-22T04:39:38ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892022-11-01195287531110.5194/bg-19-5287-2022Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets P. Wintjen0F. Schrader1M. Schaap2M. Schaap3B. Beudert4R. Kranenburg5C. Brümmer6Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 68, 38116 Braunschweig, GermanyThünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 68, 38116 Braunschweig, GermanyTNO, Climate Air and Sustainability, Utrecht, 3584 CB, the NetherlandsInstitute of Meteorology, Freie Universität Berlin, 12165 Berlin, GermanyBavarian Forest National Park, 94481 Grafenau, GermanyTNO, Climate Air and Sustainability, Utrecht, 3584 CB, the NetherlandsThünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 68, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany<p>To monitor the effect of current nitrogen emissions and mitigation strategies, total (wet <span class="inline-formula">+</span> dry) atmospheric nitrogen deposition to forests is commonly estimated using chemical transport models or canopy budget models in combination with throughfall measurements. Since flux measurements of reactive nitrogen (N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span>) compounds are scarce, dry deposition process descriptions as well as the calculated flux estimates and annual budgets are subject to considerable uncertainties. In this study, we compared four different approaches to quantify annual dry deposition budgets of total reactive nitrogen (<span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span>) at a mixed forest site situated in the Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany. Dry deposition budgets were quantified based on (I) 2.5 years of eddy covariance flux measurements with the Total Reactive Atmospheric Nitrogen Converter (TRANC); (II) an in situ application of the bidirectional inferential flux model DEPAC (Deposition of Acidifying Compounds), here called DEPAC-1D; (III) a simulation with the chemical transport model LOTOS-EUROS (Long-Term Ozone Simulation – European Operational Smog) v2.0, using DEPAC as dry deposition module; and (IV) a canopy budget technique (CBT).</p> <p>Averaged annual <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> dry deposition estimates determined from TRANC measurements were 4.7 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.2 and 4.3 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.4 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, depending on the gap-filling approach. DEPAC-1D-modeled dry deposition, using concentrations and meteorological drivers measured at the site, was 5.8 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.1 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>. In comparison to TRANC fluxes, DEPAC-1D estimates were systematically higher during summer and in close agreement in winter. Modeled <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> deposition velocities (<span class="inline-formula"><i>v</i><sub>d</sub></span>) of DEPAC-1D were found to increase with lower temperatures and higher relative humidity and in the presence of wet leaf surfaces, particularly from May to September. This observation was contrary to TRANC-observed fluxes. LOTOS-EUROS-modeled annual dry deposition was 6.5 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.3 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the site-specific weighting of land-use classes within the site's grid cell. LOTOS-EUROS showed substantial discrepancies to measured <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> deposition during spring and autumn, which was related to an overestimation of ammonia (NH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>3</sub></span>) concentrations by a factor of 2 to 3 compared to measured values as a consequence of a mismatch between gridded input NH<span class="inline-formula"><sub>3</sub></span> emissions and the site's actual (rather low) pollution climate. According to LOTOS-EUROS predictions, ammonia contributed most to modeled input <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> concentrations, whereas measurements showed NO<span class="inline-formula"><sub><i>x</i></sub></span> as the prevailing compound in <span class="inline-formula">Σ</span>N<span class="inline-formula"><sub>r</sub></span> concentrations. Annual deposition estimates from measurements and modeling were in the range of minimum and maximum estimates determined from CBT being at 3.8 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.5 and 6.7 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 0.3 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, respectively. By adding locally measured wet-only deposition, we estimated an annual total nitrogen deposition input between 11.5 and 14.8 kg N ha<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, which is within the critical load ranges proposed for deciduous and coniferous forests.</p>https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/19/5287/2022/bg-19-5287-2022.pdf
spellingShingle P. Wintjen
F. Schrader
M. Schaap
M. Schaap
B. Beudert
R. Kranenburg
C. Brümmer
Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets
Biogeosciences
title Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets
title_full Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets
title_fullStr Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets
title_full_unstemmed Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets
title_short Forest–atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region – Part II: Modeling annual budgets
title_sort forest atmosphere exchange of reactive nitrogen in a remote region part ii modeling annual budgets
url https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/19/5287/2022/bg-19-5287-2022.pdf
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