| Title | Antropogenic input of nitrogen and riverine export from a Mediterranean catchment. The Celone, a temporary river case study |
| Abstract | In a catchmnent, nitrogen (N) export from terrestrial ecosystems to rivers is controlled by the hydrological
processes and N balance. In the present paper, the soil system N budget and riverine export
were quantified in a Mediterranean watershed, the Celone (South-East, Italy). The study area (72 km2)
consists of agricultural land (70%) and deciduous forests with three small residential areas. Major N
inputs derived from fertilizers and animal manure, corresponding for the whole watershed area to 68
and 12 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. N input from point sources was 1% of total input and atmospheric
depositions measured in a gauging station near the study area was quantified in ~6 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Crop
N uptake was the main N output from agricultural land; it was estimated in ~37 kg N ha-1 yr-1 by using
data on crop yields provided by local farmers. Total flux of N in surface water was quantified for a year at
the outlet of the study area by using continuous measures of flow and discrete measures of N concentrations
carried out with a different frequency during the normal and low flow and when floods occurred.
The hydrological regime of the stream, which is a temporary river, plays an important role in N transport.
Water quality was found to vary considerably through the year in terms of both nutrient concentrations
and loads. Riverine N export was quantified in 41% of total N input, and it was mainly transported during
flood events, ~60% of the annual load was delivered during floods occurred in 38 days. Organic nitrogen
and nitrate were the main N forms in surface water, and the contribution per hectare was about
24 and 14 kg N, respectively. On a yearly basis, the difference between N inputs and outputs including
riverine export was estimated in about 4 kg N ha-1 yr-1 for the whole watershed area. This amount partly
accumulates in soils in different N forms and the remaining part, mainly in form of nitrate, percolates
through unsaturated soiltowards groundwater. This study reports an important analysis of N pollution in
a Mediterranean watershed with a temporary river system and limited data availability. Data acquisition
and handling have proved to be an important challenge to overcome in N balance quantification. The
results and the methodology of the present work can be useful for understanding nitrogen loss dynamics
and for functional water management and land use planning. |
| Source | Agricultural water management (Print) 187, pp. 190–199 |
| Keywords | N balanceN exporttemporary riversMediterranean catchment |
| Journal | Agricultural water management (Print) |
| Editor | Elsevier, Amsterdam ;, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2017 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.agwat.2017.03.025 |
| Authors | De Girolamo A.M.; Balestrini R.; D'Ambrosio E.; Pappagallo G.; Soana E.; Lo Porto A. |
| Text | 368834 2017 10.1016/j.agwat.2017.03.025 ISI Web of Science WOS WOS 000401375800018 Scopus 2 s2.0 85016510976 N balance N export temporary rivers Mediterranean catchment Antropogenic input of nitrogen and riverine export from a Mediterranean catchment. The Celone, a temporary river case study De Girolamo A.M.; Balestrini R.; D Ambrosio E.; Pappagallo G.; Soana E.; Lo Porto A. Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Bari, , Italy; Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Brugherio, MI, , Italy; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, , Italy; Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, , Italy In a catchmnent, nitrogen N export from terrestrial ecosystems to rivers is controlled by the hydrological processes and N balance. In the present paper, the soil system N budget and riverine export were quantified in a Mediterranean watershed, the Celone South East, Italy . The study area 72 km2 consists of agricultural land 70% and deciduous forests with three small residential areas. Major N inputs derived from fertilizers and animal manure, corresponding for the whole watershed area to 68 and 12 kg N ha 1 yr 1, respectively. N input from point sources was 1% of total input and atmospheric depositions measured in a gauging station near the study area was quantified in 6 kg N ha 1 yr 1. Crop N uptake was the main N output from agricultural land; it was estimated in 37 kg N ha 1 yr 1 by using data on crop yields provided by local farmers. Total flux of N in surface water was quantified for a year at the outlet of the study area by using continuous measures of flow and discrete measures of N concentrations carried out with a different frequency during the normal and low flow and when floods occurred. The hydrological regime of the stream, which is a temporary river, plays an important role in N transport. Water quality was found to vary considerably through the year in terms of both nutrient concentrations and loads. Riverine N export was quantified in 41% of total N input, and it was mainly transported during flood events, 60% of the annual load was delivered during floods occurred in 38 days. Organic nitrogen and nitrate were the main N forms in surface water, and the contribution per hectare was about 24 and 14 kg N, respectively. On a yearly basis, the difference between N inputs and outputs including riverine export was estimated in about 4 kg N ha 1 yr 1 for the whole watershed area. This amount partly accumulates in soils in different N forms and the remaining part, mainly in form of nitrate, percolates through unsaturated soiltowards groundwater. This study reports an important analysis of N pollution in a Mediterranean watershed with a temporary river system and limited data availability. Data acquisition and handling have proved to be an important challenge to overcome in N balance quantification. The results and the methodology of the present work can be useful for understanding nitrogen loss dynamics and for functional water management and land use planning. 187 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85016510976 origin=inward Antropogenic input of nitrogen and riverine export from a Mediterranean catchment. The Celone, a temporary river case study Antropogenic input of nitrogen and riverine export from a Mediterranean catchment. The Celone, a temporary river case study Antropogenic input of N.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0378 3774 Agricultural water management Print Agricultural water management Print Agric. water manag. Print Agricultural water management. Print ersiliadambrosio D AMBROSIO ERSILIA antonio.loporto LO PORTO ANTONIO raffaella.balestrini BALESTRINI RAFFAELLA annamaria.degirolamo DE GIROLAMO ANNA MARIA giuseppe.pappagallo PAPPAGALLO GIUSEPPE MIRAGE Mediterranean Intermittent River Management |
