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Nitrogen Fertilizer and Nitrate Concentrations in Tributaries of the Upper Sangamon River in Illinois
Author(s) -
Klepper Robert
Publication year - 1978
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/jeq1978.00472425000700010003x
Subject(s) - tributary , nitrogen , nitrate , watershed , fertilizer , hectare , environmental science , water year , hydrology (agriculture) , agronomy , chemistry , geography , ecology , water resources , agriculture , biology , geology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , machine learning , computer science , cartography
Cross section multiple regressions were used to test the importance of nitrogen fertilizer use for variations in the nitrate nitrogen concentrations in 16 small tributaries of the Sangamon River in east central Illinois. Data were collected and regressions were run for 2 years, 1974 and 1975. Nitrate nitrogen concentrations in the spring of each year were regressed on estimated nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare of watershed in the previous crop or calendar year and variables representing other aspects of agronomic practice and hydrologic features. The fertilizer data were collected by surveying approximately 300 farmers. Nitrate nitrogen concentrations were measured at 4‐week intervals. The regression results are not clear‐cut but lend support to nitrogen fertilizer use as an important explanatory variable for variations in nitrate nitrogen concentrations.