Examination of nitrate concentration, loading and isotope dynamics in subsurface drainage under standard agricultural cropping in Atlantic Canada

Determination of the nitrogen isotope enrichment factor associated with ammonification and nitrification in unsaturated soil at different temperatures

For nitrogen (N) migration and transformation from unsaturated soil to groundwater, the N stable isotope (δ¹⁵N) was modified due to the isotope fractionation effect. To quantitatively evaluate the N cycle in groundwater systems, the determination of isotope fractionation is decisive. In this research, for the first time, incubation experiments were conducted to quantitatively investigate the N isotope enrichment factor (ϵ_p/s) associated with ammonification in unsaturated soil. Under weak isotopic fractionation, the Rayleigh function cannot be directly applied during ammonification. Thus, we proposed a different method calculating the ϵ_p/s values during ammonification, which were -0.03‰ for 15 °C and -2.34‰ for 30 °C. Moreover, for the first time, experimental equipment is presented to explore the isotopic fractionation effects under the co-occurrence of nitrification and volatilization. The results indicated that the isotope effect of volatilization during nitrification can be ignored in this study, and the ϵ_p/s values during nitrification were -10.59 and -6.81‰ at 15 and 30 °C, respectively. This work provides a novel arrangement determining the crucial parameters for identifying nitrate pollution sources in groundwater systems.

Comparison of Contaminant Transport in Agricultural Drainage Water and Urban Stormwater Runoff

Transport of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural and urban landscapes to surface water bodies can cause adverse environmental impacts. The main objective of this long-term study was to quantify and compare contaminant transport in agricultural drainage water and urban stormwater runoff. We measured flow rate and contaminant concentration in stormwater runoff from Willmar, Minnesota, USA, and in drainage water from subsurface-drained fields with surface inlets, namely, Unfertilized and Fertilized Fields. Commercial fertilizer and turkey litter manure were applied to the Fertilized Field based on agronomic requirements. Results showed that the City Stormwater transported significantly higher loads per unit area of ammonium, total suspended solids (TSS), and total phosphorus (TP) than the Fertilized Field, but nitrate load was significantly lower. Nitrate load transport in drainage water from the Unfertilized Field was 58% of that from the Fertilized Field. Linear regression analysis indicated that a 1% increase in flow depth resulted in a 1.05% increase of TSS load from the City Stormwater, a 1.07% increase in nitrate load from the Fertilized Field, and a 1.11% increase in TP load from the Fertilized Field. This indicates an increase in concentration with a rise in flow depth, revealing that concentration variation was a significant factor influencing the dynamics of load transport. Further regression analysis showed the importance of targeting high flows to reduce contaminant transport. In conclusion, for watersheds similar to this one, management practices should be directed to load reduction of ammonium and TSS from urban areas, and nitrate from cropland while TP should be a target for both.

Multi-isotope ((15)N, (18)O and (13)C) indicators of sources and fate of nitrate in the upper stream of Chaobai River, Beijing, China

Dual isotopes of nitrate ((15)N and (18)O) and carbon isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon ((13)C) together with water chemistry were used to identify the sources and fate of nitrate in the upper stream of Chaobai River, north China. The results show that NO3(-) concentrations ranges from 0.03 mmol L(-1) to 0.80 mmol L(-1). Sampling sites from watershed with dominant forest land had higher NO3(-) concentrations and lower δ(15)N-NO3(-) (<10‰) in the wet season than in the dry season, while those from watershed with more anthropogenic activities had lower NO3(-) concentrations and higher δ(15)N-NO3(-) (>10‰) in the wet season. Compositions of isotopes and chemistry indicated that NO3(-) originated mainly from soil N, sewage and livestock wastes and atmospheric nitrogen. Furthermore, the mixing model suggested that soil N was the major NO3(-) source in the wet season, while the sewage and livestock wastes contributed the most in the dry season. Compared to rivers, the Miyun Reservoir had a higher contribution of atmospheric N and the N input from the upper rivers exerted significant influence over the reservoir. Mineralization and nitrification played an important role in N biogeochemistry based on the isotopes ((15)N and (18)O and (13)C) and chemical data. There appeared to be no significant denitrification in the watershed according to the three isotopes and chemical ions. The combined use of (15)N, (18)O and (13)C proved to be useful for further identification of the sources and fate of nitrate in watersheds with dominant forest land in the wet season.

Effect of nutrient management planning on crop yield, nitrate leaching and sediment loading in Thomas Brook watershed

Government priorities on provincial Nutrient Management Planning (NMP) programs include improving the program effectiveness for environmental quality protection, and promoting more widespread adoption. Understanding the effect of NMP on both crop yield and key water-quality parameters in agricultural watersheds requires a comprehensive evaluation that takes into consideration important NMP attributes and location-specific farming conditions. This study applied the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to investigate the effects of crop and rotation sequence, tillage type, and nutrient N application rate on crop yield and the associated groundwater [Formula: see text] leaching and sediment loss. The SWAT model was applied to the Thomas Brook Watershed, located in the most intensively managed agricultural region of Nova Scotia, Canada. Cropping systems evaluated included seven fertilizer application rates and two tillage systems (i.e., conventional tillage and no-till). The analysis reflected cropping systems commonly managed by farmers in the Annapolis Valley region, including grain corn-based and potato-based cropping systems, and a vegetable-horticulture system. ANOVA models were developed and used to assess the effects of crop management choices on crop yield and two water-quality parameters (i.e., [Formula: see text] leaching and sediment loading). Results suggest that existing recommended N-fertilizer rate can be reduced by 10-25 %, for grain crop production, to significantly lower [Formula: see text] leaching (P > 0.05) while optimizing the crop yield. The analysis identified the nutrient N rates in combination with specific crops and rotation systems that can be used to manage [Formula: see text] leaching while balancing impacts on crop yields within the watershed.