Title of
Journal:
Ecosystem Health and Sustainability
Paper
Code:
Volume:
12
Number:
Page:
Article 0489
Others:
Classification:
Source:
Abstract:
Elevated river nitrogen (N) concentrations have contributed to eutrophication and subsequent ecological damage worldwide. However, current research has mostly focused on nitrate (NO3-) in rivers, with relatively few studies on the sources of different N forms, especially in tropical rainforest rivers. This study combined multiple natural abundance isotopes (delta 15N/delta 18O-NO3-, delta 15N-NH4+, delta 15N-PON, and delta D/delta 18O-H2O) and 15N-pairing incubations to demonstrate the processes underlying the unexpectedly high N concentrations in the rivers draining the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest (the largest rainforest in China) in winter. The natural abundance isotopes revealed that NO3- in the rivers was largely from forest soils. NH4+-N in the rivers was from precipitation (30.3%), sewage (19.3%), forest soil (27.4%), and agriculture (23.1%), and the PON were largely terrestrial plants and, to a lesser extent, phytoplankton. 15N-pairing experiments revealed that nitrification in the soils was associated with the soil organic carbon and NH4+-N contents. The strong nitrification, together with the high NO3--N contents and moisture, contributed to the substantial denitrification. Meanwhile, we found that the soil-to-river transports of NO3- and NH4+ were largely regulated by soil N production rates. Increases in the soil N contents, either anthropogenically or naturally, can directly increase the river NO3--N and NH4+-N loadings. These results are essential for advancing our understanding of elevated river N concentrations in rainforests and other minimally impacted or pristine regions.
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