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Nitrogen and Sulfur Content and pH of Precipitation in Iowa
Author(s) -
Tabatabai M. A.,
Laflen J. M.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1976.00472425000500010025x
Subject(s) - precipitation , hectare , nitrate , ammonium , nitrogen , zoology , environmental science , snow , chemistry , phosphate , sulfur , sulfate , nitrite , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental chemistry , geography , ecology , geology , biology , meteorology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , agriculture
Ammonium‐N, nitrate‐N, sulfate‐S, and phosphate‐P concentrations, along with pH of precipitation samples, were measured at six sites in Iowa from Sept. 1971 through Dec. 1973. The amounts of nutrient constituents added by precipitation were determined. The annual amounts of NH 4 ‐N and NO 3 ‐N added by precipitation at each site were about equal. The annual amounts of inorganic N added per hectare ranged from 10 kg in north‐central to 14 kg in west‐central Iowa, and the annual amounts of SO 4 ‐S added per hectare ranged from 13 kg in northeastern to 17 kg in north‐central Iowa. It was estimated that, on an average basis, precipitation adds about 0.6 kg of NH 4 ‐N, 0.6 kg of NO 3 ‐N, and 1.5 kg of SO 4 ‐S per hectare monthly in Iowa. However, seasonal variations were observed for SO 4 ‐S, higher during fall and winter than during spring and summer. Average annual pH value of the rainfall and snowfall samples collected at each site during each year was about 6; individual samples were seldom as low as pH 4. The data indicated that the P content of precipitation is very small; at the most about 0.1 kg of water‐soluble PO 4 ‐P was added per hectare annually, Nitrite‐N was not detected in any of the precipitation samples analyzed.