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Groffman PM, Suchy AK, Locke DH, Johnston RJ, Newburn DA, Gold AJ, Band LE, Duncan J, Grove JM, Kao-Kniffin J, Meltzer H, Ndebele T, O’Neil-Dunne J, Polsky C, Thompson GL, Wang H, Zawojska E. Hydro-bio-geo-socio-chemical interactions and the sustainability of residential landscapes. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad316. [PMID: 37854707 PMCID: PMC10581338 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Residential landscapes are essential to the sustainability of large areas of the United States. However, spatial and temporal variation across multiple domains complicates developing policies to balance these systems' environmental, economic, and equity dimensions. We conducted multidisciplinary studies in the Baltimore, MD, USA, metropolitan area to identify locations (hotspots) or times (hot moments) with a disproportionate influence on nitrogen export, a widespread environmental concern. Results showed high variation in the inherent vulnerability/sensitivity of individual parcels to cause environmental damage and in the knowledge and practices of individual managers. To the extent that hotspots are the result of management choices by homeowners, there are straightforward approaches to improve outcomes, e.g. fertilizer restrictions and incentives to reduce fertilizer use. If, however, hotspots arise from the configuration and inherent characteristics of parcels and neighborhoods, efforts to improve outcomes may involve more intensive and complex interventions, such as conversion to alternative ecosystem types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Groffman
- Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, City University of NewYork, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Amanda K Suchy
- Institute for Great Lakes Research and Biology Department, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48858, USA
| | - Dexter H Locke
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Baltimore Field Station, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Robert J Johnston
- George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA
| | - David A Newburn
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Arthur J Gold
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Lawrence E Band
- Department of Environmental Science, and Engineering Systems and Environment, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Jonathan Duncan
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - J Morgan Grove
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Baltimore Field Station, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Jenny Kao-Kniffin
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Hallee Meltzer
- NOAA National Sea Grant Office, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Tom Ndebele
- George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University, Worcester, MA 01610, USA
| | | | - Colin Polsky
- Center for Environmental Studies, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL 33314, USA
| | - Grant L Thompson
- Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Haoluan Wang
- Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Ewa Zawojska
- Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 00-241, Poland
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Kong Y, Zhang H, Tian L, Yuan J, Chen Y, Li Y, Chen J, Chang SX, Fang Y, Tavakkoli E, Cai Y. Relationships between denitrification rates and functional gene abundance in a wetland: The roles of single- and multiple-species plant communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 863:160913. [PMID: 36529393 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Wetland soil denitrification removes excess inorganic nitrogen (N) and prevents eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems. Wetland plants have been considered the key factors determining the capacity of wetland soil denitrification to remove N pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. However, the influences of various plant communities on wetland soil denitrification remain unknown. In the present study, we measured variations in soil denitrification under different herbaceous plant communities including single Phragmites karka (PK), single Paspalum thunbergia (PT), single Zizania latifolia (ZL), a mixture of Paspalum thunbergia plus Phragmites karka (PTPK), a mixture of Paspalum thunbergia plus Zizania latifolia (PTZL), and bare soil (CK) in the Estuary of Nantiaoxi River, the largest tributary of Qingshan Lake in Hangzhou, China. The soil denitrification rate was significantly higher in the surface (0-10 cm) than the subsurface (10-20 cm) layer. Wetland plant growth increased the soil denitrification rate by significantly increasing the soil water content, nitrate concentration, and ln(nirS) + ln(nirK). A structural equation model (SEM) showed that wetland plants indirectly regulated soil denitrification by altering the aboveground and belowground plant biomass, nitrate concentration, abundances of denitrifying functional genes, and denitrification potential. There was no significant difference in soil denitrification rates among PT, PK and ZL. The soil denitrification rate was significantly lower in PTZL than PTPK. Two-plant communities did not necessarily enhance the denitrification rate compared to single planting, the former had a greater competitiveness on N uptake and consequently reduced the amount of nitrate available for denitrification. As PTPK had the highest denitrification rate, co-planting P. thunbergia and P. karka could effectively improve N removal efficiency and help mitigate eutrophication in adjacent aquatic ecosystems. The results of this investigation provide useful information guiding the selection of appropriate wetland herbaceous plant species for wetland construction and the removal of N pollutants in aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushuang Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Haikuo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Linlin Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China.
| | - Junji Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Youchao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Jian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Scott X Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - Yunying Fang
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle 2568, Australia
| | - Ehsan Tavakkoli
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Wagga Wagga 2650, Australia
| | - Yanjiang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
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Stephan E, Groffman P, Vidon P, Stella JC, Endreny T. Interacting drivers and their tradeoffs for predicting denitrification potential across a strong urban to rural gradient within heterogeneous landscapes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 294:113021. [PMID: 34139648 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Denitrification is a significant regulator of nitrogen pollution in diverse landscapes but is difficult to quantify. We examined relationships between denitrification potential and soil and landscape properties to develop a model that predicts denitrification potential at a landscape level. Denitrification potential, ancillary soil variables, and physical landscape attributes were measured at study sites within urban, suburban, and forested environments in the Gwynns Falls watershed in Baltimore, Maryland in a series of studies between 1998 and 2014. Data from these studies were used to develop a statistical model for denitrification potential using a subset of the samples (N = 188). The remaining measurements (N = 150) were used to validate the model. Soil moisture, soil respiration, and total soil nitrogen were the best predictors of denitrification potential (R2adj = 0.35), and the model was validated by regressing observed vs. predicted values. Our results suggest that soil denitrification potential can be modeled successfully using these three parameters, and that this model performs well across a variety of natural and developed land uses. This model provides a framework for predicting nitrogen dynamics in varying land use contexts. We also outline approaches to develop appropriate landscape-scale proxies for the key model inputs, including soil moisture, respiration, and soil nitrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Stephan
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| | - Peter Groffman
- CUNY Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, 5th Floor, New York, NY, 10031, USA; Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA.
| | - Philippe Vidon
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| | - John C Stella
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| | - Theodore Endreny
- SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
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O'Brien JM, Warburton HJ, Graham SE, Franklin HM, Febria CM, Hogsden KL, Harding JS, McIntosh AR. Leaf litter additions enhance stream metabolism, denitrification, and restoration prospects for agricultural catchments. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. O'Brien
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - Helen J. Warburton
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - S. Elizabeth Graham
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - Hannah M. Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - Catherine M. Febria
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - Kristy L. Hogsden
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - Jon S. Harding
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
| | - Angus R. McIntosh
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Canterbury; Private Bag 4800 Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
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Reisinger AJ, Groffman PM, Rosi-Marshall EJ. Nitrogen-cycling process rates across urban ecosystems. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2016; 92:fiw198. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiw198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Impacts of Land Use on Surface Water Quality in a Subtropical River Basin: A Case Study of the Dongjiang River Basin, Southeastern China. WATER 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/w7084427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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