Title
Nitrate uptake across biomes and the influence of elemental stoichiometry: A new look at LINX II
Abstract
Considering recent increases in anthropogenic N loading, it is essential to identify the controls on N removal and retention in aquatic ecosystems because the fate of N has consequences for water quality in streams and downstream ecosystems. Biological uptake of nitrate (NO3−) is a major pathway by which N is removed from these ecosystems. Here we used data from the second Lotic Intersite Nitrogen eXperiment (LINX II) in a multivariate analysis to identify the primary drivers of variation in NO3− uptake velocity among biomes. Across 69 study watersheds in North America, dissolved organic carbon:NO3− ratios and photosynthetically active radiation were identified as the two most important predictor variables in explaining NO3− uptake velocity. However, within a specific biome the predictor variables of NO3− uptake velocity varied and included various physical, chemical, and biological attributes. Our analysis demonstrates the broad control of elemental stoichiometry on NO3− uptake velocity as well as the importance of biome-specific predictors. Understanding this spatial variation has important implications for biome-specific watershed management and the downstream export of NO3−, as well as for development of spatially explicit global models that describe N dynamics in streams and rivers.
Department
New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station; New Hampshire EPSCoR
Publication Date
9-9-2016
Journal Title
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Scientific Contribution Number
2670
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Wymore, A. S., A. A. Coble, B. Rodríguez-Cardona, and W. H. McDowell (2016), Nitrate uptake across biomes and the influence of elemental stoichiometry: A new look at LINX II, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 30, 1183–1191, https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GB005468
Rights
©2016. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
This is an article published by AGU in Global Biogeochemical Cycles in 2016, available online: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GB005468