Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchment
Nitrate (NO3−) export from agricultural land poses an ongoing threat to both inland and coastal waters. Experimental studies investigating the hydrology-NO3−-export mechanisms require long-term data to identify reliable causal relationships. In this study, utilizing a 23-year continuous dataset with...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2024.1369552/full |
| _version_ | 1797208822708699136 |
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| author | Andreas Bauwe Bernd Lennartz |
| author_facet | Andreas Bauwe Bernd Lennartz |
| author_sort | Andreas Bauwe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nitrate (NO3−) export from agricultural land poses an ongoing threat to both inland and coastal waters. Experimental studies investigating the hydrology-NO3−-export mechanisms require long-term data to identify reliable causal relationships. In this study, utilizing a 23-year continuous dataset with a high temporal resolution (daily to twice a week), we aim to identify potential drivers for NO3-losses and assess the impact of nitrogen (N) soil surface budgets on NO3-export. A drainage plot (4.2 ha) and a ditch catchment (179 ha) were fully equipped to register hydrological parameters, including water sample collection. Mean annual NO3−-N concentrations (loads) for the drainage plot and the ditch catchment were 9.4 mg l−1 (20.6 kg ha−1) and 6.0 mg L−1 (20.9 kg ha−1), respectively. Annual discharge was closely positively correlated with annual NO3-losses, highlighting the significant influence of prevailing weather and, consequently, hydrologic conditions on NO3-export rates. The majority of the annual NO3−-load was exported during winter (56% at the drainage plot, 51% at the ditch catchment), while the rest was exported during spring (28, 29%), summer (9, 9%) and fall (7, 11%). We could not find any direct relationships between N soil surface budgets and NO3-losses. Putting all results together, it can be concluded that agricultural activities for many decades resulted in high soil N stocks, which determined the general high NO3−-N concentration levels. Nevertheless, temporal NO3-export dynamics during the last two decades were clearly driven by hydro-meteorological conditions, nearly independently of land management and N soil surface budgets on the fields. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:44:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6ea637872ab4d0e935f5b7cdb04b2a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:44:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6ea637872ab4d0e935f5b7cdb04b2a02024-04-15T04:20:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Water2624-93752024-04-01610.3389/frwa.2024.13695521369552Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchmentAndreas BauweBernd LennartzNitrate (NO3−) export from agricultural land poses an ongoing threat to both inland and coastal waters. Experimental studies investigating the hydrology-NO3−-export mechanisms require long-term data to identify reliable causal relationships. In this study, utilizing a 23-year continuous dataset with a high temporal resolution (daily to twice a week), we aim to identify potential drivers for NO3-losses and assess the impact of nitrogen (N) soil surface budgets on NO3-export. A drainage plot (4.2 ha) and a ditch catchment (179 ha) were fully equipped to register hydrological parameters, including water sample collection. Mean annual NO3−-N concentrations (loads) for the drainage plot and the ditch catchment were 9.4 mg l−1 (20.6 kg ha−1) and 6.0 mg L−1 (20.9 kg ha−1), respectively. Annual discharge was closely positively correlated with annual NO3-losses, highlighting the significant influence of prevailing weather and, consequently, hydrologic conditions on NO3-export rates. The majority of the annual NO3−-load was exported during winter (56% at the drainage plot, 51% at the ditch catchment), while the rest was exported during spring (28, 29%), summer (9, 9%) and fall (7, 11%). We could not find any direct relationships between N soil surface budgets and NO3-losses. Putting all results together, it can be concluded that agricultural activities for many decades resulted in high soil N stocks, which determined the general high NO3−-N concentration levels. Nevertheless, temporal NO3-export dynamics during the last two decades were clearly driven by hydro-meteorological conditions, nearly independently of land management and N soil surface budgets on the fields.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2024.1369552/fullagriculturenitratenitrogenlong-term monitoringsoil surface budgettile drainage agriculture |
| spellingShingle | Andreas Bauwe Bernd Lennartz Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchment Frontiers in Water agriculture nitrate nitrogen long-term monitoring soil surface budget tile drainage agriculture |
| title | Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchment |
| title_full | Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchment |
| title_fullStr | Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchment |
| title_short | Insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring: hydrology and nitrate export in a tile-drained agricultural catchment |
| title_sort | insights gained from two decades of intensive monitoring hydrology and nitrate export in a tile drained agricultural catchment |
| topic | agriculture nitrate nitrogen long-term monitoring soil surface budget tile drainage agriculture |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2024.1369552/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andreasbauwe insightsgainedfromtwodecadesofintensivemonitoringhydrologyandnitrateexportinatiledrainedagriculturalcatchment AT berndlennartz insightsgainedfromtwodecadesofintensivemonitoringhydrologyandnitrateexportinatiledrainedagriculturalcatchment |