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Nitrogen Contents of Streams Draining an Agricultural and a Forested Watershed in Central Italy
Author(s) -
Caporali F.,
Nannipieri P.,
Pedrazzini F.
Publication year - 1981
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/jeq1981.00472425001000010016x
Subject(s) - watershed , environmental science , streams , hydrology (agriculture) , organic matter , mineralization (soil science) , nitrogen , agriculture , agricultural land , soil water , ecology , soil science , chemistry , biology , geology , computer network , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , machine learning , computer science
Water samples from an agricultural and a forested watershed (33,180, and 4,090 ha, respectively) were analyzed during the 1979 water year to determine the concentration of NO 3 ‐N, NH 4 ‐N, NO 2 ‐N, and organic‐N. Monthly fluctuations in the concentration of NO 3 ‐N from the agricultural watershed may represent an interaction of organic matter mineralization and N fertilization at the time of seeding. From both watersheds NO 3 ‐N and NH 4 ‐N concentrations do not exceed the upper limits recommended for drinking water. From both watersheds practically all monthly N losses, calculated as the product of the average flow and the respective average N concentration, occur during late autumn and winter and are more dependent upon total flow than upon concentration and land use. From the forested watershed yearly organic‐N and NO 3 ‐N losses account for the same proportion of total N losses. From the agricultural watershed yearly NO 3 ‐N losses, owing to higher concentrations, are nearly double the organic‐N losses.