| Title | Isotopic biomonitoring of N pollution in rivers embedded in complex human landscapes |
| Abstract | The dynamic and hierarchical structure of rivers, together with disruption of the natural river continuum by human activities, makes it difficult to identify and locate sources of nutrient pollution affecting receiving waters and observe its dispersion, thus impairing monitoring efforts. The identification of reliable indicators of anthropogenic nitrogen inputs in catchments is therefore key to achieving effective management of polluted rivers. We tested the capacity of N isotopic signatures (delta N-15) of epilithon and snails to provide useful indications of organic and inorganic anthropogenic N inputs in three Mediterranean rivers differing in terms of surrounding land use and physicochemical conditions. We used a combined approach based on (i) analysis of nutrient concentrations in water, (ii) CORINE land cover classification and drainage patterns in catchments and (iii) isotopic analysis of river biota to verify whether isotopic variations were indicative of anthropic activities in the watershed, the associated alteration of water quality, and the consequent impact on snail abundance and diversity. |
| Source | Science of the total environment 706 |
| Keywords | Stable isotopesMediterranean riversEpilithonSnailsLand useMultiple pollution sources |
| Journal | Science of the total environment |
| Editor | Elsevier, Lausanne ;, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2019 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136081 |
| Authors | Calizza, E.; Favero, F.; Rossi, D.; Careddu, G.; Fiorentino, F.; Caputi, S. Sporta; Rossi, L.; Costantini, M. L. |
| Text | 421113 2019 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136081 ISI Web of Science WOS 000506376300084 Scopus 2 s2.0 85076428910 Stable isotopes Mediterranean rivers Epilithon Snails Land use Multiple pollution sources Isotopic biomonitoring of N pollution in rivers embedded in complex human landscapes Calizza, E.; Favero, F.; Rossi, D.; Careddu, G.; Fiorentino, F.; Caputi, S. Sporta; Rossi, L.; Costantini, M. L. Sapienza Univ Rome; CoNISMa; CNR Water Res Inst The dynamic and hierarchical structure of rivers, together with disruption of the natural river continuum by human activities, makes it difficult to identify and locate sources of nutrient pollution affecting receiving waters and observe its dispersion, thus impairing monitoring efforts. The identification of reliable indicators of anthropogenic nitrogen inputs in catchments is therefore key to achieving effective management of polluted rivers. We tested the capacity of N isotopic signatures delta N 15 of epilithon and snails to provide useful indications of organic and inorganic anthropogenic N inputs in three Mediterranean rivers differing in terms of surrounding land use and physicochemical conditions. We used a combined approach based on i analysis of nutrient concentrations in water, ii CORINE land cover classification and drainage patterns in catchments and iii isotopic analysis of river biota to verify whether isotopic variations were indicative of anthropic activities in the watershed, the associated alteration of water quality, and the consequent impact on snail abundance and diversity. Variation in the delta N 15 of epilithon within and between rivers reflected localised and diffuse N inputs from inorganic and organic sources. Negative epilithon delta N 15 values <0 parts per thousand indicated inorganic pollution from agriculture. Values between 4 parts per thousand and 8 parts per thousand and those above 8 parts per thousand respectively indicated moderate organic pollution from urban areas, and high organic pollution, mostly from waste waters. The diversity and abundance of snails decreased with increasing water pollution. While their isotopic variations reflected between river differences, they failed to indicate within river variations in anthropogenic N inputs, since the proportion of epilithon in their diet varied along the rivers. Concluding, epilithon was a reliable indicator of anthropogenic N sources across a wide range of nutrient concentrations and anthropogenic inputs, and the proposed approach allowed us to determine the nature of nitrogen pollutants, their sources, location and dispersion along rivers embedded in complex human landscapes. C 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 706 Published version https //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969719360772 via%3Dihub Isotopic biomonitoring of N pollution in rivers embedded in complex human landscapes file del paper 2020 Isotopic biomonitoring of N pollution in rivers embedded in complex human landscapes2020Science of the Total Environment.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0048 9697 Science of the total environment Science of the total environment Sci. total environ. david rossi ROSSI DAVID |
