WorldWideScience

Sample records for excessive nitrogen inputs

  1. Increased nitrogen input enhances Kandelia obovata seedling growth in the presence of invasive Spartina alterniflora in subtropical regions of China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Xiaowei; Song, Weimin; Feng, Jianxiang; Jia, Dai; Guo, Jiemin; Wang, Zhonglei; Wu, Hao; Qi, Fei; Liang, Jie; Lin, Guanghui

    2017-01-01

    Mangroves in China are severely affected by the rapid invasion of the non-native species Spartina alterniflora Although many studies have addressed the possible impacts of S. alterniflora on the performance of mangrove seedlings, how excessive nitrogen (N) input due to eutrophication affects the interactions between mangrove species and S. alterniflora remains unknown. Here, we report the results from a mesocosm experiment using seedlings of the native mangrove species Kandelia obovata and the exotic S. alterniflora grown in monoculture and mixed culture under no nitrogen addition and nitrogen (N) addition treatments for 18 months. Without N addition, the presence of S. alterniflora inhibited the growth of K. obovata seedlings. Excessive N addition significantly increased the growth rate of K. obovata in both cultures. However, the positive and significantly increasing relative interaction intensity index under excessive N input suggested that the invasion of S. alterniflora could favour the growth of K. obovata under eutrophication conditions. Our results imply that excessive N input in southeastern China can increase the competitive ability of mangrove seedlings against invasive S. alterniflora. © 2017 The Author(s).

  2. Identification of genotypic variation for nitrogen response in potato (Solanum tuberosum) under low nitrogen input circumstances

    OpenAIRE

    Tiemens-Hulscher, M.; Lammerts Van Bueren, E.; Struik, P.C.

    2009-01-01

    Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for crop growth. The demand for nitrogen in the potato crop is relatively high. However, in organic farming nitrogen input is rather limited, compared with conventional farming. In this research nine potato varieties were tested at three nitrogen levels. Genotypic variation for yield, leaf area index, period of maximum soil cover, sensitivity for N-shortage and nitrogen efficiency under low input circumstances was found. However, in these experiments varietie...

  3. Nitrogen inputs by precipitation in the Nigerian Savanna | Adeniyi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Inorganic nitrogen input via direct bulk precipitation was measured, and the relation between the different nitrogen species and rainfall characteristics determined over three rainy seasons at Shagunu, a remote, sparsely populated, non-industrialized site in the northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. Nitrogen concentration per ...

  4. The interactive effects of excess reactive nitrogen and climate change on aquatic ecosystems and water resources of the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baron, Jill S.; Hall, E.K.; Nolan, B.T.; Finlay, J.C.; Bernhardt, E.S.; Harrison, J.A.; Chan, F.; Boyer, E.W.

    2012-01-01

    Nearly all freshwaters and coastal zones of the US are degraded from inputs of excess reactive nitrogen (Nr), sources of which are runoff, atmospheric N deposition, and imported food and feed. Some major adverse effects include harmful algal blooms, hypoxia of fresh and coastal waters, ocean acidification, long-term harm to human health, and increased emissions of greenhouse gases. Nitrogen fluxes to coastal areas and emissions of nitrous oxide from waters have increased in response to N inputs. Denitrification and sedimentation of organic N to sediments are important processes that divert N from downstream transport. Aquatic ecosystems are particularly important denitrification hotspots. Carbon storage in sediments is enhanced by Nr, but whether carbon is permanently buried is unknown. The effect of climate change on N transport and processing in fresh and coastal waters will be felt most strongly through changes to the hydrologic cycle, whereas N loading is mostly climate-independent. Alterations in precipitation amount and dynamics will alter runoff, thereby influencing both rates of Nr inputs to aquatic ecosystems and groundwater and the water residence times that affect Nr removal within aquatic systems. Both infrastructure and climate change alter the landscape connectivity and hydrologic residence time that are essential to denitrification. While Nr inputs to and removal rates from aquatic systems are influenced by climate and management, reduction of N inputs from their source will be the most effective means to prevent or to minimize environmental and economic impacts of excess Nr to the nation’s water resources.

  5. Identification of genotypic variation for nitrogen response in potato (Solanum tuberosum) under low nitrogen input circumstances

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tiemens-Hulscher, M.; Lammerts Van Bueren, E.; Struik, P.C.

    2009-01-01

    Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for crop growth. The demand for nitrogen in the potato crop is relatively high. However, in organic farming nitrogen input is rather limited, compared with conventional farming. In this research nine potato varieties were tested at three nitrogen levels. Genotypic

  6. Nitrogen Excess in North American Ecosystems: Predisposing Factors, Ecosystem Responses, and Management Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mark E. Fenn; Mark A. Poth; John D. Aber; Jill S. Baron; Bernard T. Bormann; Dale W. Johnson; A. Dennis Lemly; Steven G. McNulty; Douglas F. Ryan; Robert Stottlemyer

    1998-01-01

    Most forests in North America remain nitrogen limited, although recent studies have identified forested areas that exhibit symptoms of N excess, analogous to overfertilization of arable land. Nitrogen excess in watersheds is detrimental because of disruptions in plant/soil nutrient relations, increased soil acidification and aluminum mobility, increased emissions of...

  7. Nitrogen excess in North American ecosystems: Predisposing factors, ecosystem responses, and management strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenn, M.E.; Poth, M.A.; Aber, J.D.; Baron, Jill S.; Bormann, B.T.; Johnson, D.W.; Lemly, A.D.; McNulty, S.G.; Ryan, D.F.; Stottlemyer, R.

    1998-01-01

    Most forests in North America remain nitrogen limited, although recent studies have identified forested areas that exhibit symptoms of N excess, analogous to overfertilization of arable land. Nitrogen excess in watersheds is detrimental because of disruptions in plant/soil nutrient relations, increased soil acidification and aluminum mobility, increased emissions of nitrogenous greenhouse gases from soil, reduced methane consumption in soil, decreased water quality, toxic effects on freshwater biota, and eutrophication of coastal marine waters. Elevated nitrate (NO3/-) loss to groundwater or surface waters is the primary symptom of N excess. Additional symptoms include increasing N concentrations and higher N:nutrient ratios in foliage (i.e., N:Mg, N:P), foliar accumulation of amino acids or NO3/-, and low soil C:N ratios. Recent nitrogen-fertilization studies in New England and Europe provide preliminary evidence that some forests receiving chronic N inputs may decline in productivity and experience greater mortality. Long-term fertilization at Mount Ascutney, Vermont, suggests that declining and slow N-cycling coniferous stands may be replaced by fast-growing and fast N-cycling deciduous forests. Symptoms of N saturation are particularly severe in high-elevation, nonaggrading spruce-fir ecosystems in the Appalachian Mountains and in eastern hardwood watersheds at the Fernow Experimental Forest near Parsons, West Virginia. In the Los Angeles Air Basin, mixed conifer forests and chaparral watersheds with high smog exposure are N saturated and exhibit the highest streamwater NO3/- concentrations for wildlands in North America. High-elevation alpine watersheds in the Colorado Front Range and a deciduous forest in Ontario, Canada, are N saturated, although N deposition is moderate (~8 kg??ha-1??yr-1). In contrast, the Harvard Forest hardwood stand in Massachusetts has absorbed >900 kg N/ha during 8 yr of N amendment studies without significant NO3/- leaching

  8. Management of Excess Reactive Nitrogen in the Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galloway, J. N.; Theis, T.; Doering, O.

    2011-12-01

    Managing the impacts of excessive reactive nitrogen (Nr) in the environment is a complex problem that begins with the recognition of the obligate dietary need for Nr by all living populations. The human solution to this need has been to devise ways to bring Nr into the biosphere (via the Haber-Bosch process) to grow food. Other Nr is created as a by-product of fossil-fuel combustion. The net result is the introduction of more than five times the Nr created by natural processes in the U.S., only a fraction of which is converted back to diatomic nitrogen through denitrification. This presentation summarizes findings and recommendations of the newly-released US EPA Science Advisory Board's Integrated Nitrogen Committee report, "Reactive Nitrogen in the United States: An Analysis of Flows, Consequences, and Management Options", that deal specifically with approaches for solving the excess Nr problem. These can be grouped into four general areas: (1) Recognition of the Problem. Until there is recognition that excess Nr is a serious problem with economic, health, and societal consequences, there will be little willingness to expend resources on this issue. Education, communication and outreach are critically important to engender in regulators, and the public at large, sufficient will to undertake the large scale effort needed to reduce Nr in the environment. (2) Development of Integrated Regulatory Approaches. Given what is known about the way Nr behaves, efforts to deal with excess Nr must be organized in a way that reflects the nature of the problem. Unfortunately, most approaches tend to conceive of Nr issues within a narrowly focused disciplinary model, and our policy and regulatory institutions are often bound by enabling legislation that stresses source-by-source, chemical-by-chemical, and media-by-media. The resulting regulatory structure that has evolved for problems such as Nr that affect human health and the environment is apt to miss the complex nature of the

  9. Monitoring plant tissue nitrogen isotopes to assess nearshore inputs of nitrogen to Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, Washington

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Stephen E.; Moran, Patrick W.; Huffman, Raegan L.; Fradkin, Steven C.

    2016-05-31

    Mats of filamentous-periphytic algae present in some nearshore areas of Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, Washington, may indicate early stages of eutrophication from nutrient enrichment of an otherwise highly oligotrophic lake. Natural abundance ratios of stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ15N) measured in plant tissue growing in nearshore areas of the lake indicate that the major source of nitrogen used by these primary producing plants is derived mainly from atmospherically fixed nitrogen in an undeveloped forested ecosystem. Exceptions to this pattern occurred in the Barnes Point area where elevated δ15N ratios indicate that effluent from septic systems also contribute nitrogen to filamentous-periphytic algae growing in the littoral zone of that area. Near the Lyre River outlet of Lake Crescent, the δ15N of filamentous-periphytic algae growing in close proximity to the spawning areas of a unique species of trout show little evidence of elevated δ15N indicating that nitrogen from on-site septic systems is not a substantial source of nitrogen for these plants. The δ15N data corroborate estimates that nitrogen input to Lake Crescent from septic sources is comparatively small relative to input from motor vehicle exhaust and vegetative sources in undeveloped forests, including litterfall, pollen, and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. The seasonal timing of blooms of filamentous-periphytic algal near the lake shoreline is also consistent with nitrogen exported from stands of red alder trees (Alnus rubra). Isotope biomonitoring of filamentous-periphytic algae may be an effective approach to monitoring the littoral zone for nutrient input to Lake Crescent from septic sources.

  10. Nitrogen excess in slowly-rotating beta Cephei stars: deep mixing or diffusion?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Morel, T.; Butler, K.; Aerts, C.C.; Neiner, C.; Briquet, M.

    2007-01-01

    We present the results of an NLTE abundance study of a small sample of beta Cephei stars, which point to the existence of a population of slowly-rotating B-type pulsators exhibiting a significant amount of nitrogen-enriched material at their surface. Although the origin of this nitrogen excess

  11. [Effects of reduced nitrogen application and soybean intercropping on nitrogen balance of sugarcane field].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yu; Zhang, Ying; Yang, Wen-ting; Li, Zhi-xian; Guan, Ao-mei

    2015-03-01

    A four-year (2010-2013) field experiment was carried out to explore the effects of three planting patterns (sugarcane, soybean monoculture and sugarcane-soybean 1:2 intercropping) with two nitrogen input levels (300 and 525 kg . hm-2) on soybean nitrogen fixation, sugarcane and soybean nitrogen accumulation, and ammonia volatilization and nitrogen leaching in sugarcane field. The results showed that the soybean nitrogen fixation efficiency (NFE) of sugarcane-soybean inter-cropping was lower than that of soybean monoculture. There was no significant difference in NFE among the treatments with the two nitrogen application rates. The nitrogen application rate and inter-cropping did not remarkably affect nitrogen accumulation of sugarcane and soybean. The ammonia volatilization of the reduced nitrogen input treatment was significantly lower than that of the conventional nitrogen input treatment. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in nitrogen leaching at different nitrogen input levels and among different planting patterns. The sugarcane field nitrogen balance analysis indicated that the nitrogen application rate dominated the nitrogen budget of sugarcane field. During the four-year experiment, all treatments leaved a nitrogen surplus (from 73.10 to 400.03 kg . hm-2) , except a nitrogen deficit of 66.22 kg . hm-2 in 2011 in the treatment of sugarcane monoculture with the reduced nitrogen application. The excessive nitrogen surplus might increase the risk of nitrogen pollution in the field. In conclusion, sugarcane-soybean intercropping with reduced nitrogen application is feasible to practice in consideration of enriching the soil fertility, reducing nitrogen pollution and saving production cost in sugarcane field.

  12. A NEW GIS NITROGEN TRADING TOOL CONCEPT FOR CONSERVATION AND REDUCTION OF REACTIVE NITROGEN LOSSES TO THE ENVIRONMENT

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen inputs to agricultural systems are important for their sustainability. However, when N inputs are unnecessarily high, the excess can contribute to greater agricultural N losses that impact air, surface water and groundwater quality. It is paramount to reduce off-site transport of N by using...

  13. Symbiosome-like intracellular colonization of cereals and other crop plants by nitrogen-fixing bacteria for reduced inputs of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cocking, Edward C; Stone, Philip J; Davey, Michael R

    2005-09-01

    It has been forecast that the challenge of meeting increased food demand and protecting environmental quality will be won or lost in maize, rice and wheat cropping systems, and that the problem of environmental nitrogen enrichment is most likely to be solved by substituting synthetic nitrogen fertilizers by the creation of cereal crops that are able to fix nitrogen symbiotically as legumes do. In legumes, rhizobia present intracellularly in membrane-bound vesicular compartments in the cytoplasm of nodule cells fix nitrogen endosymbiotically. Within these symbiosomes, membrane-bound vesicular compartments, rhizobia are supplied with energy derived from plant photosynthates and in return supply the plant with biologically fixed nitrogen, usually as ammonia. This minimizes or eliminates the need for inputs of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. Recently we have demonstrated, using novel inoculation conditions with very low numbers of bacteria, that cells of root meristems of maize, rice, wheat and other major non-legume crops, such as oilseed rape and tomato, can be intracellularly colonized by the non-rhizobial, non-nodulating, nitrogen fixing bacterium,Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus that naturally occurs in sugarcane.G. diazotrophicus expressing nitrogen fixing (nifH) genes is present in symbiosome-like compartments in the cytoplasm of cells of the root meristems of the target cereals and non-legume crop species, somewhat similar to the intracellular symbiosome colonization of legume nodule cells by rhizobia. To obtain an indication of the likelihood of adequate growth and yield, of maize for example, with reduced inputs of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, we are currently determining the extent to which nitrogen fixation, as assessed using various methods, is correlated with the extent of systemic intracellular colonization byG. diazotrophicus, with minimal or zero inputs.

  14. Environmental and human impacts of reactive nitrogen. Chapter 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Many ecological problems occur with increased inputs of reactive nitrogen (Nr) into the environment. Excessive Nr is directly associated with the need for food production. The importance of managing Nr is quite broad and extends to numerous issues associated with excessive Nr in the environment. ...

  15. Trends in nitrogen isotope ratios of juvenile winter flounder reflect changing nitrogen inputs to Rhode Island, USA estuarine systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pruell, Richard J; Taplin, Bryan K; Miller, Kenneth M

    2017-05-15

    Nitrogen isotope ratios (δ 15 N) in juvenile winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, were used to examine changes in nitrogen inputs to several Rhode Island, USA estuarine systems. Fish were collected over two three-year periods with a ten-year interval between sampling periods (2002-2004 and 2012-2014). During that interval numerous changes to nutrient management practices were initiated in the watersheds of these estuarine systems including the upgrade of several major wastewater treatment facilities that discharge to Narragansett Bay, which significantly reduced nitrogen inputs. Following these reductions, the δ 15 N values of flounder in several of the systems decreased as expected; however, isotope ratios in fish from upper Narragansett Bay significantly increased. We believe that low δ 15 N values measured in 2002-2004 were related to concentration-dependent fractionation at this location. Increased δ 15 N values measured between 2012 and 2014 may indicate reduced fractionation or that changes in wastewater treatment processes altered the nitrogen isotopic ratios of the effluents. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. A tradeoff frontier for global nitrogen use and cereal production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, Nathaniel D; West, Paul C; Gerber, James S; MacDonald, Graham K; Foley, Jonathan A; Polasky, Stephen

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen fertilizer use across the world’s croplands enables high-yielding agricultural production, but does so at considerable environmental cost. Imbalances between nitrogen applied and nitrogen used by crops contributes to excess nitrogen in the environment, with negative consequences for water quality, air quality, and climate change. Here we utilize crop input-yield models to investigate how to minimize nitrogen application while achieving crop production targets. We construct a tradeoff frontier that estimates the minimum nitrogen fertilizer needed to produce a range of maize, wheat, and rice production levels. Additionally, we explore potential environmental consequences by calculating excess nitrogen along the frontier using a soil surface nitrogen balance model. We find considerable opportunity to achieve greater production and decrease both nitrogen application and post-harvest excess nitrogen. Our results suggest that current (circa 2000) levels of cereal production could be achieved with ∼50% less nitrogen application and ∼60% less excess nitrogen. If current global nitrogen application were held constant but spatially redistributed, production could increase ∼30%. If current excess nitrogen were held constant, production could increase ∼40%. Efficient spatial patterns of nitrogen use on the frontier involve substantial reductions in many high-use areas and moderate increases in many low-use areas. Such changes may be difficult to achieve in practice due to infrastructure, economic, or political constraints. Increases in agronomic efficiency would expand the frontier to allow greater production and environmental gains

  17. A reevaluation of the magnitude and impacts of anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen inputs on the ocean

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jickells, T.D.; Buitenhuis, E.; Altieri, K.; Baker, A.R.; Capone, D.; Duce, R.A.; Dentener, Frank; Fennel, F.; Kanakidou, M.; LaRoche, J.; Lee, K.; Liss, P.; Middelburg, Jack J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/079665373; Moore, J.K.; Okin, G.; Oschlies, A.; Sarin, M.; Seitzinger, S.; Sharples, J.; Singh, A.; Suntharalingam, P.; Uematsu, M.; Zamora, L.M.

    We report a new synthesis of best estimates of the inputs of fixed nitrogen to the world ocean via atmospheric deposition and compare this to fluvial inputs and dinitrogen fixation. We evaluate the scale of human perturbation of these fluxes. Fluvial inputs dominate inputs to the continental shelf,

  18. Ecosystem responses to reduced and oxidised nitrogen inputs in European terrestrial habitats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stevens, C.J. [Department of Life Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA (United Kingdom); Manning, P. [School of Agriculture Food and Rural Development, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE1 7RU (United Kingdom); Van den Berg, L.J.L. [Environment Department, University of York, Heslington, York, YO 5DD (United Kingdom); De Graaf, M.C.C. [University of Applied Sciences, HAS Den Bosch, PO BOX 90108, 5200 MA ' s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands); Wieger Wamelink, G.W. [Alterra, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen (Netherlands); Boxman, A.W.; Vergeer, P.; Lamers, L.P.M. [Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, University of Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9010, NL-6500 GL, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Bleeker, A. [Energy research Centre of the Netherlands, Petten, NH, 1755 ZG (Netherlands); Arroniz-Crespo, M. [Departamento de Biologia Vegetal II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid (Spain); Limpens, J. [Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Bornsesteeg 69, 6708 PD Wageningen (Netherlands); Bobbink, R. [Ware Research Centre, Radboud University Nijmegen, PO Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen (Netherlands); Dorland, E. [Staatsbosbeheer, PO Box 1300, 3970 BH, Driebergen (Netherlands)

    2011-03-15

    While it is well established that ecosystems display strong responses to elevated nitrogen deposition, the importance of the ratio between the dominant forms of deposited nitrogen (NHx and NOy) in determining ecosystem response is poorly understood. As large changes in the ratio of oxidised and reduced nitrogen inputs are occurring, this oversight requires attention. One reason for this knowledge gap is that plants experience a different NHx:NOy ratio in soil to that seen in atmospheric deposits because atmospheric inputs are modified by soil transformations, mediated by soil pH. Consequently species of neutral and alkaline habitats are less likely to encounter high NH4+ concentrations than species from acid soils. We suggest that the response of vascular plant species to changing ratios of NHx:NOy deposits will be driven primarily by a combination of soil pH and nitrification rates. Testing this hypothesis requires a combination of experimental and survey work in a range of systems.

  19. Ecosystem responses to reduced and oxidised nitrogen inputs in European terrestrial habitats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevens, Carly J.; Manning, Pete; Berg, Leon J.L. van den; Graaf, Maaike C.C. de; Wamelink, G.W. Wieger; Boxman, Andries W.; Bleeker, Albert; Vergeer, Philippine; Arroniz-Crespo, Maria; Limpens, Juul; Lamers, Leon P.M.; Bobbink, Roland; Dorland, Edu

    2011-01-01

    While it is well established that ecosystems display strong responses to elevated nitrogen deposition, the importance of the ratio between the dominant forms of deposited nitrogen (NH x and NO y ) in determining ecosystem response is poorly understood. As large changes in the ratio of oxidised and reduced nitrogen inputs are occurring, this oversight requires attention. One reason for this knowledge gap is that plants experience a different NH x :NO y ratio in soil to that seen in atmospheric deposits because atmospheric inputs are modified by soil transformations, mediated by soil pH. Consequently species of neutral and alkaline habitats are less likely to encounter high NH 4 + concentrations than species from acid soils. We suggest that the response of vascular plant species to changing ratios of NH x :NO y deposits will be driven primarily by a combination of soil pH and nitrification rates. Testing this hypothesis requires a combination of experimental and survey work in a range of systems. - Changing ratios of NH x and NO y in deposition has important consequences for ecosystem function.

  20. Estimated anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the land surface of the conterminous United States--1992, 1997, and 2002

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sprague, Lori A.; Gronberg, Jo Ann M.

    2013-01-01

    Anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to each county in the conterminous United States and to the watersheds of 495 surface-water sites studied as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program were quantified for the years 1992, 1997, and 2002. Estimates of inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus from biological fixation by crops (for nitrogen only), human consumption, crop production for human consumption, animal production for human consumption, animal consumption, and crop production for animal consumption for each county are provided in a tabular dataset. These county-level estimates were allocated to the watersheds of the surface-water sites to estimate watershed-level inputs from the same sources; these estimates also are provided in a tabular dataset, together with calculated estimates of net import of food and net import of feed and previously published estimates of inputs from atmospheric deposition, fertilizer, and recoverable manure. The previously published inputs are provided for each watershed so that final estimates of total anthropogenic nutrient inputs could be calculated. Estimates of total anthropogenic inputs are presented together with previously published estimates of riverine loads of total nitrogen and total phosphorus for reference.

  1. Leaf nitrogen remobilisation for plant development and grain filling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masclaux-Daubresse, C; Reisdorf-Cren, M; Orsel, M

    2008-09-01

    A major challenge of modern agriculture is to reduce the excessive input of fertilisers and, at the same time, to improve grain quality without affecting yield. One way to achieve this goal is to improve plant nitrogen economy through manipulating nitrogen recycling, and especially nitrogen remobilisation, from senescing plant organs. In this review, the contribution of nitrogen remobilisation efficiency (NRE) to global nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and tools dedicated to the determination of NRE are described. An overall examination of the physiological, metabolic and genetic aspects of nitrogen remobilisation is presented.

  2. Nitrogen input inventory in the Nooksack-Abbotsford-Sumas ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen (N) is an essential biological element, so optimizing N use for food production while minimizing the release of N and co-pollutants to the environment is an important challenge. The Nooksack-Abbotsford-Sumas Transboundary (NAS) Region, spanning a portion of the western interface of British Columbia, Washington state, and the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Tribe, supports agriculture, fisheries, diverse wildlife, and vibrant urban areas. Groundwater nitrate contamination affects thousands of households in this region. Fisheries and air quality are also affected including periodic closures of shellfish harvest. To reduce the release of N to the environment, successful approaches are needed that partner all stakeholders with appropriate institutions to integrate science, outreach and management efforts. Our goal is to determine the distribution and quantities of N inventories of the watershed. This work synthesizes publicly available data on N sources including deposition, sewage and septic inputs, fertilizer and manure applications, marine-derived N from salmon, and more. The information on cross-boundary N inputs to the landscape will be coupled with stream monitoring data and existing knowledge about N inputs and exports from the watershed to estimate the N residual and inform N management in the search for the environmentally and economically viable and effective solutions. We will estimate the N inputs into the NAS region and transfers within

  3. Controls on Biogeochemical Cycling of Nitrogen in Urban Ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Templer, P. H.; Hutyra, L.; Decina, S.; Rao, P.; Gately, C.

    2017-12-01

    Rates of atmospheric nitrogen deposition are declining across much of the United States and Europe, yet they remain substantially elevated by almost an order of magnitude over pre-industrial levels and occur as hot spots in urban areas. We measured atmospheric inputs of inorganic and organic nitrogen in multiple urban sites around the Boston Metropolitan area, finding that urban rates are substantially elevated compared to nearby rural areas, and that the range of these atmospheric inputs are as large as observed urban to rural gradients. Within the City of Boston, the variation in deposition fluxes can be explained by traffic intensity, vehicle emissions, and spring fertilizer additions. Throughfall inputs of nitrogen are approximately three times greater than bulk deposition inputs in the city, demonstrating that the urban canopy amplifies rates of nitrogen reaching the ground surface. Similar to many other metropolitan areas of the United States, the City of Boston has 25% canopy cover; however, 25% of this tree canopy is located above impervious pavement. Throughfall inputs that do not have soil below the canopy to retain excess nitrogen may lead to greater inputs of nitrogen into nearby waterways through runoff. Most measurement stations for atmospheric nitrogen deposition are intentionally located away from urban areas and point sources of pollution to capture regional trends. Our data show that a major consequence of this network design is that hotspots of nitrogen deposition and runoff into urban and coastal waterways is likely underestimated to a significant degree. A more complete determination of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and its fate in urban ecosystems is critical for closing regional nitrogen budgets and for improving our understanding of biogeochemical nitrogen cycling across multiple spatial scales.

  4. Responses of tree and insect herbivores to elevated nitrogen inputs: A meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Furong; Dudley, Tom L.; Chen, Baoming; Chang, Xiaoyu; Liang, Liyin; Peng, Shaolin

    2016-11-01

    Increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) inputs have the potential to alter terrestrial ecosystem function through impacts on plant-herbivore interactions. The goal of our study is to search for a general pattern in responses of tree characteristics important for herbivores and insect herbivorous performance to elevated N inputs. We conducted a meta-analysis based on 109 papers describing impacts of nitrogen inputs on tree characteristics and 16 papers on insect performance. The differences in plant characteristics and insect performance between broadleaves and conifers were also explored. Tree aboveground biomass, leaf biomass and leaf N concentration significantly increased under elevated N inputs. Elevated N inputs had no significantly overall effect on concentrations of phenolic compounds and lignin but adversely affected tannin, as defensive chemicals for insect herbivores. Additionally, the overall effect of insect herbivore performance (including development time, insect biomass, relative growth rate, and so on) was significantly increased by elevated N inputs. According to the inconsistent responses between broadleaves and conifers, broadleaves would be more likely to increase growth by light interception and photosynthesis rather than producing more defensive chemicals to elevated N inputs by comparison with conifers. Moreover, the overall carbohydrate concentration was significantly reduced by 13.12% in broadleaves while increased slightly in conifers. The overall tannin concentration decreased significantly by 39.21% in broadleaves but a 5.8% decrease in conifers was not significant. The results of the analysis indicated that elevated N inputs would provide more food sources and ameliorate tree palatability for insects, while the resistance of trees against their insect herbivores was weakened, especially for broadleaves. Thus, global forest insect pest problems would be aggravated by elevated N inputs. As N inputs continue to rise in the future, forest

  5. 30-year changes in the nitrogen inputs to the Yangtze River Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Qinxue; Koshikawa, Hiroshi; Liu, Chen; Otsubo, Kuninori

    2014-01-01

    To understand both spatial and temporal changes in nitrogen inputs to the Yangtze River Basin (YRB), we collected decadal statistical data for 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 at the county level and the annual statistical data for the period 1980–2010 at the provincial level of China. Based on these datasets, we estimated the nitrogen inputs, including the atmospheric deposition, synthetic N fertilizer, biological N fixation and recycling reactive N inputs, such as N from human waste and animal excrement, crop residue recycled as manure, and N emission from burning crop residue. The results showed that, geographically, the variation of the total amount of N input during the last 30 years (δN = N 2010  – N 1980 ) has increased about 0–50 kg ha −1 over most of the area of the YRB. Moreover, it has increased dramatically by about 50–300 kg ha −1 in the Sichuan Basin, the Han River Basin, the Poyang and Dongting lake basins, and the Yangtze Delta as well. Temporally, the total amount of N inputs to the whole YRB was approximately 16.4 Tg N in 2010, which was a 2.0-fold increase over 1980. It increased dramatically in the 1990s and then stabilized at a high level in the 2000s. The major N inputs were human and animal wastes as well as synthetic fertilizers, but they varied regionally. Animal waste was the major input to the water source regions, and its contribution percentage gradually decreased from upper to lower reaches. In contrast, the contribution of N fertilizer increased from upper to lower reaches, and became the major input to the middle and lower reaches. The total N inputs changed slightly in the upper reaches, but increased largely in the middle reaches in the last 30 years. However, in the lower reaches, it had increased remarkably before 2000, and then tended to decrease in the last decade. Finally, the atmospheric N deposition over the basin increased continuously in the last 30 years. (paper)

  6. Inputs and internal cycling of nitrogen to a causeway influenced, hypersaline lake, Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naftz, David L.

    2017-01-01

    Nitrogen inputs to Great Salt Lake (GSL), located in the western USA, were quantified relative to the resident nitrogen mass in order to better determine numeric nutrient criteria that may be considered at some point in the future. Total dissolved nitrogen inputs from four surface-water sources entering GSL were modeled during the 5-year study period (2010–2014) and ranged from 1.90 × 106 to 5.56 × 106 kg/year. The railroad causeway breach was a significant conduit for the export of dissolved nitrogen from Gilbert to Gunnison Bay, and in 2011 and 2012, net losses of total nitrogen mass from Gilbert Bay via the Causeway breach were 9.59 × 105 and 1.51 × 106 kg. Atmospheric deposition (wet + dry) was a significant source of nitrogen to Gilbert Bay, exceeding the dissolved nitrogen load contributed via the Farmington Bay causeway surface-water input by >100,000 kg during 2 years of the study. Closure of two railroad causeway culverts in 2012 and 2013 likely initiated a decreasing trend in the volume of the higher density Deep Brine Layer and associated declines in total dissolved nitrogen mass contained in this layer. The large dissolved nitrogen pool in Gilbert Bay relative to the amount of nitrogen contributed by surface-water inflow sources is consistent with the terminal nature of GSL and the predominance of internal nutrient cycling. The opening of the new railroad causeway breach in 2016 will likely facilitate more efficient bidirectional flow between Gilbert and Gunnison Bays, resulting in potentially substantial changes in nutrient pools within GSL.

  7. Study on Release Characteristics and Recovery of Nitrogen and Phosphorus during the Anaerobic Fermentation of Excess Sludge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Yuqian; Hu, Shulong

    2018-01-01

    Ammonia nitrogen and phosphate are produced from activated excess sludge under anaerobic conditions,and will cause eutrophication upon release to the environment. A study of sludge from a eutrophication was carried out, to obtain knowledge of the nitrogen and phosphorus release patterns of the excess sludge during anaerobic fermentation and the recycling efficiency of both nitrogen and phosphorus, by adding magnesium salt and alkali solution to the supernatant liquors. The results showed that the concentration of ammonia nitrogen and phosphate of the supernatant liquors continued to increase during the process of anaerobic digestion, and both reached a maximum in 12 days, at 41.56mg / L and 47.02 mg / L respectively. By adding magnesium salt to the supernatant with c(Mg): c(P) = 1.1:1, adjusting pH value to 9.0 ∼ 9.5, phosphorus recovery rate reached up to 95.0%, while the recovery rate of ammonia was 47.4%, resulting in the formation of a sediment of magnesium ammonium phosphate, or MAP, which may he used as a high-quality fertilizer.

  8. Convergent responses of nitrogen and phosphorus resorption to nitrogen inputs in a semiarid grassland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lü, Xiao-Tao; Reed, Sasha; Yu, Qiang; He, Nian-Peng; Wang, Zheng-Wen; Han, Xing-Guo

    2013-01-01

    Human activities have significantly altered nitrogen (N) availability in most terrestrial ecosystems, with consequences for community composition and ecosystem functioning. Although studies of how changes in N availability affect biodiversity and community composition are relatively common, much less remains known about the effects of N inputs on the coupled biogeochemical cycling of N and phosphorus (P), and still fewer data exist regarding how increased N inputs affect the internal cycling of these two elements in plants. Nutrient resorption is an important driver of plant nutrient economies and of the quality of litter plants produce. Accordingly, resorption patterns have marked ecological implications for plant population and community fitness, as well as for ecosystem nutrient cycling. In a semiarid grassland in northern China, we studied the effects of a wide range of N inputs on foliar nutrient resorption of two dominant grasses, Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis. After 4 years of treatments, N and P availability in soil and N and P concentrations in green and senesced grass leaves increased with increasing rates of N addition. Foliar N and P resorption significantly decreased along the N addition gradient, implying a resorption-mediated, positive plant–soil feedback induced by N inputs. Furthermore, N : P resorption ratios were negatively correlated with the rates of N addition, indicating the sensitivity of plant N and P stoichiometry to N inputs. Taken together, the results demonstrate that N additions accelerate ecosystem uptake and turnover of both N and P in the temperate steppe and that N and P cycles are coupled in dynamic ways. The convergence of N and P resorption in response to N inputs emphasizes the importance of nutrient resorption as a pathway by which plants and ecosystems adjust in the face of increasing N availability.

  9. Solution and precipitation of excess phases and nitrogen partition between solid solution and nitrides in corrosion-resistant steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaputkina, L.M.; Svyazhin, A.G.; Prokoshkina, V.G.

    2006-01-01

    Experimental study results on dissolution and precipitation of nitrides during crystallization and heat treatment of high nitrogen austenitic steels are presented. It is established that even on rapid crystallization most of nitrogen is in nitrides, and for their dissolution high temperatures and long-term holding at heat are needed. A nitrogen content in the steel should be optimized according to the structure required (austenite or austenite + excess phases). It is noted that a high nitrogen concentration in the steel is not necessarily efficient to attain a high strength [ru

  10. Nitrogen-15 studies on identifying fertilizer excess in environmental systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freyer, H.D.; Aly, A.I.M.

    1975-01-01

    The feasibility of identifying fertilizer excesses in surface and ground waters on the basis of variations in the isotope ratio of nitrogen has been studied. The isotope ratio of the commonly used ammonium and nitrate fertilizers is similar to that of atmospheric nitrogen. These ratios are shifted when fertilizers are added to the soil. In the soil, fertilizer ammonium is oxidized and the nitrate formed is reduced in the heavy isotope. The fractionation factors are calculated. This artificially added nitrate becomes mixed with natural nitrate which, in general, is enriched in the heavy isotope. Only 50% (or even less) of the nitrate formed may stem from the added fertilizer. The mixing ratios are time-dependent, and different for various types and conditions of soil. In spite of this complexity, information on this isotopic process should be obtainable, if the isotope ratios of artificial and natural nitrate, respectively, are substantially different. Surface waters, in general, show no significant correlation between nitrate content and isotope ratio due to additions of sewage waters. Some data on ground waters from agricultural areas, however, where the nitrate content apparently resulted from fertilizers, gave a negative correlation of lower isotope ratios with higher nitrate contents. An inverse correlation was found in the isotope ratios of nitrate in untouched surface waters, and they even reflect the composition of the total soil nitrogen. (author)

  11. Nitrogen Exchanges: Testing the Hypothesis of a Country without Agricultural Production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.-F. Slak

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Today, finding data on agricultural nitrogen balances is quite easy. Calculations of such balances are carried out by most of the European countries as an indicator of environmental pollution attributable to the agricultural sector. In France, average values of agricultural nitrogen balances show an excess of 1.5 to 2 million tons of nitrogen. This excess is enormous. What would the balance of a country be if agricultural activity were stopped? In the following article, a country (France is used as an example without agriculture is studied in order to assess its nitrogen balance. Using a previously published model describing nitrogen input and output of a given country, nitrogen flows are identified. Inputs include deposition, fixation, and products not intended for agricultural use. Outputs are reduced to zero if agriculture disappears (in France, agriculture is the only sector exporting products containing nitrogen. All flows are calculated considering the hypothesis of disappearance of agriculture. Nitrogen requirements to feed people and pets in France are estimated based on medical and veterinary data (recommended daily amounts for proteins and/or usual average consumption. Indeed, most of the food that nourishes the French population is produced nationally. If agriculture stops, it will be necessary to import food from foreign countries. Results show an unexpectedly high excess (for a country without agriculture having a structure similar to France: number of human beings and pets of 1.5 million tons of nitrogen. An attempt to calculate an agricultural balance with the same data gives a result close to 3 million tons. Differences in French agricultural balances found in the literature can mainly be explained by values taken into account for deposition and fixation (values used here are at least 300,000 tons higher than values used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. In conclusion, nitrogen excess in agriculture

  12. Accounting for the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen in input-output life cycle assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Shweta; Bakshi, Bhavik R

    2013-08-20

    Nitrogen is indispensable for sustaining human activities through its role in the production of food, animal feed, and synthetic chemicals. This has encouraged significant anthropogenic mobilization of reactive nitrogen and its emissions into the environment resulting in severe disruption of the nitrogen cycle. This paper incorporates the biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen into the 2002 input-output model of the U.S. economy. Due to the complexity of this cycle, this work proposes a unique classification of nitrogen flows to facilitate understanding of the interaction between economic activities and various flows in the nitrogen cycle. The classification scheme distinguishes between the mobilization of inert nitrogen into its reactive form, use of nitrogen in various products, and nitrogen losses to the environment. The resulting inventory and model of the US economy can help quantify the direct and indirect impacts or dependence of economic sectors on the nitrogen cycle. This paper emphasizes the need for methods to manage the N cycle that focus not just on N losses, which has been the norm until now, but also include other N flows for a more comprehensive view and balanced decisions. Insight into the N profile of various sectors of the 2002 U.S. economy is presented, and the inventory can also be used for LCA or Hybrid LCA of various products. The resulting model is incorporated in the approach of Ecologically-Based LCA and available online.

  13. Nitrogen deposition and its contribution to nutrient inputs to intensively managed agricultural ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Chun-E; Wang, Xin; Liu, Xuejun; Fangmeier, Andreas; Christie, Peter; Zhang, Fusuo

    2010-01-01

    Interest in nitrogen inputs via atmospheric deposition to agricultural ecosystems has increased recently, especially on the North China Plain because of extremely intensive agricultural systems and rapid urbanization in this region. Nitrogen deposition may make a significant contribution to crop N requirements but may also impose a considerable nutrient burden on the environment in general. We quantified total N deposition at two locations, Dongbeiwang near Beijing and Quzhou in Hebei province, over a two-year period from 2005 to 2007 using an 15N tracer method, the integrated total N input (ITNI) system. Total airborne N inputs to a maize wheat rotation system at both locations ranged from 99 to 117 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1), with higher N deposition during the maize season (57-66 kg N/ha) than the wheat season (42-51 kg N/ha). Plant available N from deposition for maize and wheat was about 52 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1), accounting for 50% of the total N deposition or 31% of total N uptake by the two crop species. In addition, a correction factor was derived for the maize season to adjust values obtained from small pots (0.057 m2) compared with field trays (0.98 m2) because of higher plant density in the pots. The results indicate that atmospheric N deposition is a very important N input and must be taken into account when calculating nutrient budgets in very intensively managed agricultural ecosystems.

  14. Regionalization of meso-scale physically based nitrogen modeling outputs to the macro-scale by the use of regression trees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Künne, A.; Fink, M.; Kipka, H.; Krause, P.; Flügel, W.-A.

    2012-06-01

    In this paper, a method is presented to estimate excess nitrogen on large scales considering single field processes. The approach was implemented by using the physically based model J2000-S to simulate the nitrogen balance as well as the hydrological dynamics within meso-scale test catchments. The model input data, the parameterization, the results and a detailed system understanding were used to generate the regression tree models with GUIDE (Loh, 2002). For each landscape type in the federal state of Thuringia a regression tree was calibrated and validated using the model data and results of excess nitrogen from the test catchments. Hydrological parameters such as precipitation and evapotranspiration were also used to predict excess nitrogen by the regression tree model. Hence they had to be calculated and regionalized as well for the state of Thuringia. Here the model J2000g was used to simulate the water balance on the macro scale. With the regression trees the excess nitrogen was regionalized for each landscape type of Thuringia. The approach allows calculating the potential nitrogen input into the streams of the drainage area. The results show that the applied methodology was able to transfer the detailed model results of the meso-scale catchments to the entire state of Thuringia by low computing time without losing the detailed knowledge from the nitrogen transport modeling. This was validated with modeling results from Fink (2004) in a catchment lying in the regionalization area. The regionalized and modeled excess nitrogen correspond with 94%. The study was conducted within the framework of a project in collaboration with the Thuringian Environmental Ministry, whose overall aim was to assess the effect of agro-environmental measures regarding load reduction in the water bodies of Thuringia to fulfill the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (Bäse et al., 2007; Fink, 2006; Fink et al., 2007).

  15. Investigation of intense XUV emission of nitrogen-puff Z-pinch with small energy input

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raus, J.; Krejci, A.; Piffl, V.

    1992-01-01

    Light elements like nitrogen or carbon are suggested as optimum working media for small Z-pinches (several kJ energy input). It is shown that such elements can be ionized up to K-shell ionization stages not only in hot-spots, but also in the bulk plasma. The yield of nitrogen K-shell radiation (about 10 J/shot) is therefore substantially higher than that of the conventionally used neon. In addition to pinch physics and radiation dynamics, such radiation could be of interest for applications in the 'water window' spectral region. (author) 1 tab., 4 figs., 8 refs

  16. Linking annual N2O emission in organic soils to mineral nitrogen input as estimated by heterotrophic respiration and soil C/N ratio.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Zhijian; Huang, Aiying; Ni, Jiupai; Xie, Deti

    2014-01-01

    Organic soils are an important source of N2O, but global estimates of these fluxes remain uncertain because measurements are sparse. We tested the hypothesis that N2O fluxes can be predicted from estimates of mineral nitrogen input, calculated from readily-available measurements of CO2 flux and soil C/N ratio. From studies of organic soils throughout the world, we compiled a data set of annual CO2 and N2O fluxes which were measured concurrently. The input of soil mineral nitrogen in these studies was estimated from applied fertilizer nitrogen and organic nitrogen mineralization. The latter was calculated by dividing the rate of soil heterotrophic respiration by soil C/N ratio. This index of mineral nitrogen input explained up to 69% of the overall variability of N2O fluxes, whereas CO2 flux or soil C/N ratio alone explained only 49% and 36% of the variability, respectively. Including water table level in the model, along with mineral nitrogen input, further improved the model with the explanatory proportion of variability in N2O flux increasing to 75%. Unlike grassland or cropland soils, forest soils were evidently nitrogen-limited, so water table level had no significant effect on N2O flux. Our proposed approach, which uses the product of soil-derived CO2 flux and the inverse of soil C/N ratio as a proxy for nitrogen mineralization, shows promise for estimating regional or global N2O fluxes from organic soils, although some further enhancements may be warranted.

  17. Nitrogen input from residential lawn care practices in suburban watersheds in Baltimore county, MD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neely L. Law; Lawrence E. Band; J. Morgan. Grove

    2004-01-01

    A residential lawn care survey was conducted as part of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, a Long-term Ecological Research project funded by the National Science Foundation and collaborating agencies, to estimate the nitrogen input to urban watersheds from lawn care practices. The variability in the fertilizer N application rates and the factors affecting the application...

  18. Evolution of farm management, nitrogen efficiency and economic performance on Dutch dairy farms reducing external inputs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groot, J.C.J.; Rossing, W.A.H.; Lantinga, E.A.

    2006-01-01

    The implementation of the statutory Mineral Accounting System (MINAS) in the Netherlands in the period 1998¿2003 required large reductions in nutrient inputs of dairy farms. Patterns in farm management adjustments throughout 6 years and their effectiveness in terms of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE)

  19. Toward a nitrogen footprint calculator for Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutton, Mary Olivia; Leach, Allison M.; Leip, Adrian; Galloway, James N.; Bekunda, Mateete; Sullivan, Clare; Lesschen, Jan Peter

    2017-03-01

    We present the first nitrogen footprint model for a developing country: Tanzania. Nitrogen (N) is a crucial element for agriculture and human nutrition, but in excess it can cause serious environmental damage. The Sub-Saharan African nation of Tanzania faces a two-sided nitrogen problem: while there is not enough soil nitrogen to produce adequate food, excess nitrogen that escapes into the environment causes a cascade of ecological and human health problems. To identify, quantify, and contribute to solving these problems, this paper presents a nitrogen footprint tool for Tanzania. This nitrogen footprint tool is a concept originally designed for the United States of America (USA) and other developed countries. It uses personal resource consumption data to calculate a per-capita nitrogen footprint. The Tanzania N footprint tool is a version adapted to reflect the low-input, integrated agricultural system of Tanzania. This is reflected by calculating two sets of virtual N factors to describe N losses during food production: one for fertilized farms and one for unfertilized farms. Soil mining factors are also calculated for the first time to address the amount of N removed from the soil to produce food. The average per-capita nitrogen footprint of Tanzania is 10 kg N yr-1. 88% of this footprint is due to food consumption and production, while only 12% of the footprint is due to energy use. Although 91% of farms in Tanzania are unfertilized, the large contribution of fertilized farms to N losses causes unfertilized farms to make up just 83% of the food production N footprint. In a developing country like Tanzania, the main audiences for the N footprint tool are community leaders, planners, and developers who can impact decision-making and use the calculator to plan positive changes for nitrogen sustainability in the developing world.

  20. Stream Nitrogen Inputs Reflect Groundwater Across a Snowmelt-Dominated Montane to Urban Watershed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Steven J; Weintraub, Samantha R; Eiriksson, David; Brooks, Paul D; Baker, Michelle A; Bowen, Gabriel J; Bowling, David R

    2016-02-02

    Snowmelt dominates the hydrograph of many temperate montane streams, yet little work has characterized how streamwater sources and nitrogen (N) dynamics vary across wildland to urban land use gradients in these watersheds. Across a third-order catchment in Salt Lake City, Utah, we asked where and when groundwater vs shallow surface water inputs controlled stream discharge and N dynamics. Stream water isotopes (δ(2)H and δ(18)O) reflected a consistent snowmelt water source during baseflow. Near-chemostatic relationships between conservative ions and discharge implied that groundwater dominated discharge year-round across the montane and urban sites, challenging the conceptual emphasis on direct stormwater inputs to urban streams. Stream and groundwater NO3(-) concentrations remained consistently low during snowmelt and baseflow in most montane and urban stream reaches, indicating effective subsurface N retention or denitrification and minimal impact of fertilizer or deposition N sources. Rather, NO3(-) concentrations increased 50-fold following urban groundwater inputs, showing that subsurface flow paths potentially impact nutrient loading more than surficial land use. Isotopic composition of H2O and NO3(-) suggested that snowmelt-derived urban groundwater intercepted NO3(-) from leaking sewers. Sewer maintenance could potentially mitigate hotspots of stream N inputs at mountain/valley transitions, which have been largely overlooked in semiarid urban ecosystems.

  1. Metabolism of organic acids, nitrogen and amino acids in chlorotic leaves of 'Honeycrisp' apple (Malus domestica Borkh) with excessive accumulation of carbohydrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Huicong; Ma, Fangfang; Cheng, Lailiang

    2010-07-01

    Metabolite profiles and activities of key enzymes in the metabolism of organic acids, nitrogen and amino acids were compared between chlorotic leaves and normal leaves of 'Honeycrisp' apple to understand how accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates affects the metabolism of organic acids, nitrogen and amino acids. Excessive accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates and much lower CO(2) assimilation were found in chlorotic leaves than in normal leaves, confirming feedback inhibition of photosynthesis in chlorotic leaves. Dark respiration and activities of several key enzymes in glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, ATP-phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, citrate synthase, aconitase and isocitrate dehydrogenase were significantly higher in chlorotic leaves than in normal leaves. However, concentrations of most organic acids including phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), pyruvate, oxaloacetate, 2-oxoglutarate, malate and fumarate, and activities of key enzymes involved in the anapleurotic pathway including PEP carboxylase, NAD-malate dehydrogenase and NAD-malic enzyme were significantly lower in chlorotic leaves than in normal leaves. Concentrations of soluble proteins and most free amino acids were significantly lower in chlorotic leaves than in normal leaves. Activities of key enzymes in nitrogen assimilation and amino acid synthesis, including nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, ferredoxin and NADH-dependent glutamate synthase, and glutamate pyruvate transaminase were significantly lower in chlorotic leaves than in normal leaves. It was concluded that, in response to excessive accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates, glycolysis and TCA cycle were up-regulated to "consume" the excess carbon available, whereas the anapleurotic pathway, nitrogen assimilation and amino acid synthesis were down-regulated to reduce the overall rate of amino acid and protein synthesis.

  2. Effectiveness of cattail ('Typha' spp. management techniques depends on exogenous nitrogen inputs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenneth J. Elgersma

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Wetlands occupy a position in the landscape that makes them vulnerable to the effects of current land use and the legacies of past land use. Many wetlands in agricultural regions like the North American Midwest are strongly affected by elevated nutrient inputs as well as high rates of invasion by the hybrid cattail 'Typha' x 'glauca'. These two stressors also exacerbate each other: increased nutrients increase invasion success, and invasions increase nutrient retention and nutrient loads in the wetland. This interaction could create a positive feedback that would inhibit efforts to manage and control invasions, but little is known about the effects of past or present nutrient inputs on wetland invasive plant management. We augmented a previously-published community-ecosystem model (MONDRIAN to simulate the most common invasive plant management tools: burning, mowing, and herbicide application. We then simulated different management strategies and 3 different durations in low and high nutrient input conditions, and found that the most effective management strategy and duration depends strongly on the amount of nutrients entering the wetland. In high-nutrient wetlands where invasions were most successful, a combination of herbicide and fire was most effective at reducing invasion. However, in low-nutrient wetlands this approach did little to reduce invasion. A longer treatment duration (6 years was generally better than a 1-year treatment in high-nutrient wetlands, but was generally worse than the 1-year treatment in low-nutrient wetlands. At the ecosystem level, we found that management effects were relatively modest: there was little effect of management on ecosystem C storage, and while some management strategies decreased wetland nitrogen retention, this effect was transient and disappeared shortly after management ceased. Our results suggest that considering nutrient inputs in invaded wetlands can inform and improve management, and reducing

  3. Optimization of Application of Nitrogen Fertilizers for Growth and Yield of Forage Sorghum under Low-Input and Conventional Farming Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Pourazizi

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available In order to maintain sustainable agriculture and prevent excessive use of chemical fertilizers, supplying part of the plant needs by organic fertilizers is necessary. In this respect, effects of nitrogen (N source and rate on yield and yield components of forage sorghum was evaluated as a factorial experiment arranged in randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the Research Farm of Shahrekord University in 2010. Treatments consisted of three N sources (urea fertilizer, cow manure and equal combination of urea fertilizer + cow manure and three N levels 80, 160 and 240 kg/ha N, equivalent to 174, 348 and 522 kg/ha urea and 26.2, 52.5 and 78.7 Mg/ha of cow manure and equal combination of urea fertilizer + cow manure at each nitrogen level, respectively. The results showed that increase of N utilization, with increase in leaf, stem and panicle weights and stem diameter, caused a linear increase of forage yield in urea fertilizer and cow manure treatments and a quadratic increase in the combined fertilizer. The highest leaf, stem and panicle weight (600, 3789 and 823 g/m2 and also fresh forage yield (44 Mg/ha were observed in 240 kg/ha N treatment in combined treatment. But, there was no significant difference in forage yield between this treatment and the 160 kg/ha N treatment. Overall, the results indicated that the potential of sorghum production can be increased by conjunctive use of animal manure and chemical fertilizers, even in low levels of these fertilizers, or low-input agriculture.

  4. The Effect of Percentage of Nitrogen in Plasma Gas on Nitrogen ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Increase in nitrogen percent in the plasma gas results in increased content of dissociated nitrogen and molecular nitrogen possessing excess vibrational energy and therefore the increased solution of nitrogen in the liquid iron. It would appear that above 35% nitrogen in the plasma gas, frequency of collisions of species in ...

  5. Atmospheric Inputs of Nitrogen, Carbon, and Phosphorus across an Urban Area: Unaccounted Fluxes and Canopy Influences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Decina, Stephen M.; Templer, Pamela H.; Hutyra, Lucy R.

    2018-02-01

    Rates of atmospheric deposition are declining across the United States, yet urban areas remain hotspots of atmospheric deposition. While past studies show elevated rates of inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition in cities, less is known about atmospheric inputs of organic N, organic carbon (C), and organic and inorganic phosphorus (P), all of which can affect ecosystem processes, water quality, and air quality. Further, the effect of the tree canopy on amounts and forms of nutrients reaching urban ground surfaces is not well-characterized. We measured growing season rates of total N, organic C, and total P in bulk atmospheric inputs, throughfall, and soil solution around the greater Boston area. We found that organic N constitutes a third of total N inputs, organic C inputs are comparable to rural inputs, and inorganic P inputs are 1.2 times higher than those in sewage effluent. Atmospheric inputs are enhanced two-to-eight times in late spring and are elevated beneath tree canopies, suggesting that trees augment atmospheric inputs to ground surfaces. Additionally, throughfall inputs may directly enter runoff when trees extend above impervious surfaces, as is the case with 26.1% of Boston's tree canopy. Our results indicate that the urban atmosphere is a significant source of elemental inputs that may impact urban ecosystems and efforts to improve water quality, particularly in terms of P. Further, as cities create policies encouraging tree planting to provide ecosystem services, locating trees above permeable surfaces to reduce runoff nutrient loads may be essential to managing urban biogeochemical cycling and water quality.

  6. Past and future trends in grey water footprints of anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to major world rivers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, C.; Kroeze, C.; Hoekstra, Arjen Ysbert; Gerbens-Leenes, Winnie

    2012-01-01

    The grey water footprint (GWF) is an indicator of aquatic pollution. We calculate past and future trends in GWFs related to anthropogenic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs into major rivers around the world. GWFs were calculated from past, current and future nutrient loads in river basins using

  7. Assessing future reactive nitrogen inputs into global croplands based on the shared socioeconomic pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mogollón, J. M.; Lassaletta, L.; Beusen, A. H. W.; van Grinsven, H. J. M.; Westhoek, H.; Bouwman, A. F.

    2018-04-01

    Reactive nitrogen (N) inputs in agriculture strongly outpace the outputs at the global scale due to inefficiencies in cropland N use. While improvement in agricultural practices and environmental legislation in developed regions such as Western Europe have led to a remarkable increase in the N use efficiency since 1985, this lower requirement for reactive N inputs via synthetic fertilizers has yet to occur in many developing and transition regions. Here, we explore future N input requirements and N use efficiency in agriculture for the five shared socioeconomic pathways. Results show that under the most optimistic sustainability scenario, the global synthetic fertilizer use in croplands stabilizes and even shrinks (85 Tg N yr‑1 in 2050) regardless of the increase in crop production required to feed the larger estimated population. This scenario is highly dependent on projected increases in N use efficiency, particularly in South and East Asia. In our most pessimistic scenario, synthetic fertilization application rates are expected to increase almost threefold by 2050 (260 Tg N yr‑1). Excepting the sustainability scenario, all other projected scenarios reveal that the areal N surpluses will exceed acceptable limits in most of the developing regions.

  8. New investigations in the USA into formation of nitrogen oxides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotler, V.R.

    1983-06-01

    This paper discusses laboratory investigations in the USA on air pollution by nitrogen oxides during coal combustion. Laboratory combustors used for combustion of black coal, anthracite and brown coal are described. Measuring systems and measuring instruments used for flue gas analyses and determining nitrogen oxide, hydrocyanic acid and ammonia content in flue gas are evaluated. Effects of excess air on nitrogen oxide formation are analyzed. Analyses show that excess air influences relation between nitrogen oxides, hydrocyanic acid and ammonia. Recommendations on the optimum excess air rate are made. In the case of all coal typs, with the exception of anthracite, the optimum excess air rate is 0.7 which guarantees the highest transformation rate of nitrogen in fuel into molecular nitrogen. Effects of excess air on oxidation of hydrocyanic acid and ammonia are described. The analyses consider effects of excess air on chemical reactions during coal combustion under laboratory conditions. (4 refs.) (In Russian)

  9. Productivity and carbon footprint of perennial grass-forage legume intercropping strategies with high or low nitrogen fertilizer input.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik; Lachouani, Petra; Knudsen, Marie Trydeman; Ambus, Per; Boelt, Birte; Gislum, René

    2016-01-15

    A three-season field experiment was established and repeated twice with spring barley used as cover crop for different perennial grass-legume intercrops followed by a full year pasture cropping and winter wheat after sward incorporation. Two fertilization regimes were applied with plots fertilized with either a high or a low rate of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the carbon footprint (global warming potential) of the grassland management including measured nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions after sward incorporation. Without applying any mineral N fertilizer, the forage legume pure stand, especially red clover, was able to produce about 15 t above ground dry matter ha(-1) year(-1) saving around 325 kg mineral Nfertilizer ha(-1) compared to the cocksfoot and tall fescue grass treatments. The pure stand ryegrass yielded around 3t DM more than red clover in the high fertilizer treatment. Nitrous oxide emissions were highest in the treatments containing legumes. The LCA showed that the low input N systems had markedly lower carbon footprint values than crops from the high N input system with the pure stand legumes without N fertilization having the lowest carbon footprint. Thus, a reduction in N fertilizer application rates in the low input systems offsets increased N2O emissions after forage legume treatments compared to grass plots due to the N fertilizer production-related emissions. When including the subsequent wheat yield in the total aboveground production across the three-season rotation, the pure stand red clover without N application and pure stand ryegrass treatments with the highest N input equalled. The present study illustrate how leguminous biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) represents an important low impact renewable N source without reducing crop yields and thereby farmers earnings. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Macroalgae δ15N values in well-mixed estuaries: Indicator of anthropogenic nitrogen input or macroalgae metabolism?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raimonet, Mélanie; Guillou, Gaël; Mornet, Françoise; Richard, Pierre

    2013-03-01

    Although nitrogen stable isotope ratio (δ15N) in macroalgae is widely used as a bioindicator of anthropogenic nitrogen inputs to the coastal zone, recent studies suggest the possible role of macroalgae metabolism in δ15N variability. Simultaneous determinations of δ15N of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) along the land-sea continuum, inter-species variability of δ15N and its sensitivity to environmental factors are necessary to confirm the efficiency of macroalgae δ15N in monitoring nitrogen origin in mixed-use watersheds. In this study, δ15N of annual and perennial macroalgae (Ulva sp., Enteromorpha sp., Fucus vesiculosus and Fucus serratus) are compared to δ15N-DIN along the Charente Estuary, after characterizing δ15N of the three main DIN sources (i.e. cultivated area, pasture, sewage treatment plant outlet). During late winter and spring, when human activities produce high DIN inputs, DIN sources exhibit distinct δ15N signals in nitrate (NO) and ammonium (NH): cultivated area (+6.5 ± 0.6‰ and +9.0 ± 11.0‰), pasture (+9.2 ± 1.8‰ and +12.4‰) and sewage treatment plant discharge (+16.9 ± 8.7‰ and +25.4 ± 5.9‰). While sources show distinct δN- in this multiple source catchment, the overall mixture of NO sources - generally >95% DIN - leads to low variations of δN-NO at the mouth of the estuary (+7.7 to +8.4‰). Even if estuarine δN-NO values are not significantly different from pristine continental and oceanic site (+7.3‰ and +7.4‰), macroalgae δ15N values are generally higher at the mouth of the estuary. This highlights high anthropogenic DIN inputs in the estuary, and enhanced contribution of 15N-depleted NH in oceanic waters. Although seasonal variations in δN-NO are low, the same temporal trends in macroalgae δ15N values at estuarine and oceanic sites, and inter-species differences in δ15N values, suggest that macroalgae δ15N values might be modified by the metabolic response of macroalgae to environmental parameters (e

  11. QTL and QTL x environment effects on agronomic and nitrogen acquisition traits in rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senthilvel, Senapathy; Vinod, Kunnummal Kurungara; Malarvizhi, Palaniappan; Maheswaran, Marappa

    2008-09-01

    Agricultural environments deteriorate due to excess nitrogen application. Breeding for low nitrogen responsive genotypes can reduce soil nitrogen input. Rice genotypes respond variably to soil available nitrogen. The present study attempted quantification of genotype x nitrogen level interaction and mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and other associated agronomic traits. Twelve parameters were observed across a set of 82 double haploid (DH) lines derived from IR64/Azucena. Three nitrogen regimes namely, native (0 kg/ha; no nitrogen applied), optimum (100 kg/ha) and high (200 kg/ha) replicated thrice were the environments. The parents and DH lines were significantly varying for all traits under different nitrogen regimes. All traits except plant height recorded significant genotype x environment interaction. Individual plant yield was positively correlated with nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen uptake. Sixteen QTLs were detected by composite interval mapping. Eleven QTLs showed significant QTL x environment interactions. On chromosome 3, seven QTLs were detected associated with nitrogen use, plant yield and associated traits. A QTL region between markers RZ678, RZ574 and RZ284 was associated with nitrogen use and yield. This chromosomal region was enriched with expressed gene sequences of known key nitrogen assimilation genes.

  12. Using Stable Isotopes to Detect Land Use Change and Nitrogen Sources in Aquatic Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rogers, K. M. [National Isotope Center, GNS Science, Lower Hutt (New Zealand)

    2013-05-15

    Changing land use is one of the primary causes of increased sedimentation and nutrient levels in aquatic systems, resulting in contamination and reduction of biodiversity. Detecting and quantifying these inputs is the first step towards remediation, and enabling targeted reductions of transport processes into waterways from human impacted land surfaces. More recently, stable isotope analyses are being used as detection and quantification tools in aquatic environments. Carbon ({delta}{sup 13}C) and nitrogen ({delta}{sup 15}N) isotopes of sediments, as well as algae and invertebrates from aquatic systems can be used as proxies to record both short and long term environmental change. Excess nitrogen (or nitrogen-compounds) derived from urbanization, industry, forestry, farming and agriculture, increase the bioavailability of nitrogen to aquatic organisms, changing their natural {delta}15N isotopic signatures. Allochthonous (terrestrial) input from soil destabilization and human activity in surrounding catchments changes {delta}{sup 13}C isotopic compositions and increases the C:N ratio of sediments. Heavy metal and other organic pollutants can also be used to indicate urbanization and industrial contamination. The combined use of carbon and nitrogen isotopes, C:N ratios and heavy metals are powerful environmental monitoring tools, which are useful indicators of source and transport pathways of terrestrial derived material and anthropogenic pollutants into streams, rivers and estuaries. (author)

  13. 40 CFR 76.13 - Compliance and excess emissions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Compliance and excess emissions. 76.13 Section 76.13 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) ACID RAIN NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSION REDUCTION PROGRAM § 76.13 Compliance and excess emissions...

  14. Identification and characterization of finger millet OPAQUE2 transcription factor gene under different nitrogen inputs for understanding their role during accumulation of prolamin seed storage protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaur, Vikram Singh; Kumar, Lallan; Gupta, Supriya; Jaiswal, J P; Pandey, Dinesh; Kumar, Anil

    2018-03-01

    In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of the mRNA encoding OPAQUE2 (O2) like TF of finger millet (FM) ( Eleusine coracana) ( EcO2 ). Full-length EcO2 mRNA was isolated using conserved primers designed by aligning O2 mRNAs of different cereals followed by 3' and 5' RACE (Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends). The assembled full-length EcO2 mRNA was found to contain an ORF of 1248-nt coding the 416 amino acids O2 protein. Domain analysis revealed the presence of the BLZ and bZIP-C domains which is a characteristic feature of O2 proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of EcO2 protein with other bZIP proteins identified using finger millet transcriptome data and O2 proteins of other cereals showed that EcO2 shared high sequence similarity with barley BLZ1 protein. Transcripts of EcO2 were detected in root, stem, leaves, and seed development stages. Furthermore, to investigate nitrogen responsiveness and the role of EcO2 in regulating seed storage protein gene expression, the expression profiles of EcO2 along with an α-prolamin gene were studied during the seed development stages of two FM genotypes (GE-3885 and GE-1437) differing in grain protein content (13.8 and 6.2%, respectively) grown under increasing nitrogen inputs. Compared to GE-1437, the EcO2 was relatively highly expressed during the S2 stage of seed development which further increased as nitrogen input was increased. The Ecα - prolamin gene was strongly induced in the high protein genotype (GE-3885) at all nitrogen inputs. These results indicate the presence of nitrogen responsiveness regulatory elements which might play an important role in accumulating protein in FM genotypes through modulating EcO2 expression by sensing plant nitrogen status.

  15. Abnormal excess heat observed during Mizuno-type experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fauvarque, Jean-Francois; Clauzon, Pierre Paul; Lalleve, Gerard Jean-Michel

    2006-01-01

    A simple calorimeter has been designed that works at constant temperature; that of boiling water. Heat Losses can be estimated accurately with an ohmic heater. As expected, losses are independent of the electric power input to the heater and the amount of evaporated water is linearly dependant on the power input. The device has been used to determine the heating power of a plasma electrolysis (the Ohmori-Mizuno experiment). We confirm that in this experiment, the heat output from electrolysis is greater than the electrical power input. The excess energy increases as the electrolysis voltage is increased from 200 up to 350 V (400 V input). The excess energy may be as high as 120 W. (author)

  16. Excess nitrogen in the U.S. environment: Trends, risks, and solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidson, E.A.; David, M.B.; Galloway, J.N.; Goodale, C.L.; Haeuber, R.; Harrison, J.A.; Howarth, R.W.; Jaynes, D.B.; Lowrance, R.R.; Thomas, Nolan B.; Peel, J.L.; Pinder, R.W.; Porter, E.; Snyder, C.S.; Townsend, A.R.; Ward, M.H.

    2011-01-01

    It is not surprising that humans have profoundly altered the global nitrogen (N) cycle in an effort to feed 7 billion people, because nitrogen is an essential plant and animal nutrient. Food and energy production from agriculture, combined with industrial and energy sources, have more than doubled the amount of reactive nitrogen circulating annually on land. Humanity has disrupted the nitrogen cycle even more than the carbon (C) cycle. We present new research results showing widespread effects on ecosystems, biodiversity, human health, and climate, suggesting that in spite of decades of research quantifying the negative consequences of too much available nitrogen in the biosphere, solutions remain elusive. There have been important successes in reducing nitrogen emissions to the atmosphere and this has improved air quality. Effective solutions for reducing nitrogen losses from agriculture have also been identified, although political and economic impediments to their adoption remain. Here, we focus on the major sources of reactive nitrogen for the United States (U.S.), their impacts, and potential mitigation options. Sources: ??? Intensive development of agriculture, industry, and transportation has profoundly altered the U.S. nitrogen cycle. ??? Nitrogen emissions from the energy and transportation sectors are declining, but agricultural emissions are increasing. ??? Approximately half of all nitrogen applied to boost agricultural production escapes its intended use and is lost to the environment. Impacts: ??? Two-thirds of U.S. coastal systems are moderately to severely impaired due to nutrient loading; there are now approximately 300 hypoxic (low oxygen) zones along the U.S. coastline and the number is growing. One third of U.S. streams and two fifths of U.S. lakes are impaired by high nitrogen concentrations. ??? Air pollution continues to reduce biodiversity. A nation-wide assessment has documented losses of nitrogen-sensitive native species in favor of exotic

  17. Measuring excess capital capacity in agricultural production

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhengfei, G.; Kumbhakar, S.C.; Myers, R.J.; Oude Lansink, A.G.J.M.

    2009-01-01

    We introduce the concept "excess capital capacity" and employ a stochastic input requirement frontier to measure excess capital capacity in agricultural production. We also propose a two-step estimation method that allows endogenous regressors in stochastic frontier models. The first step uses

  18. Urban rivers as hotspots of regional nitrogen pollution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xiaohong; Wu, Yiyun; Gu, Baojing

    2015-01-01

    Excess nitrogen inputs to terrestrial ecosystems via human activities have deteriorated water qualities on regional scales. Urban areas as settlements of over half global population, however, were usually not considered in the analysis of regional water pollution. Here, we used a 72-month monitoring data of water qualities in Hangzhou, China to test the role of urban rives in regional nitrogen pollution and how they response to the changes of human activities. Concentrations of ammonium nitrogen in urban rivers were 3–5 times higher than that in regional rivers. Urban rivers have become pools of reactive nitrogen and hotspots of regional pollution. Moreover, this river pollution is not being measured by current surface water monitoring networks that are designed to measure broader regional patterns, resulting in an underestimation of regional pollution. This is crucial to urban environment not only in China, but also in other countries, where urban rivers are seriously polluted. - Highlights: • Nitrogen concentrations in urban rivers are much higher than that in regional rivers. • Domestic wastewater is the main source of urban river pollution in Hangzhou. • Pollutant collecting and water diversion can sharply reduce the urban river pollution. - Urban river pollution is not being measured by the current monitoring networks that are designed to measure regional patterns causing an underestimation

  19. Input-Output Budget of Nitrogen and the Effect of Experimentally Changed Deposition in the Forest Ecosystems in Central Japan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junko Shindo

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available To evaluate the current nitrogen (N status in Japanese forests, field measurements of rainfall, throughfall, litter layer percolation, and soil solution percolation were conducted in a red pine stand (Kannondai and a deciduous stand (Yasato located in central Japan. N input via throughfall was 31 and 14 kg ha–1 year–1and output below rooting zone was 9.6 and 5.5 kg ha1 year–1 in Kannondai and in Yasato, respectively. Two thirds of input N were retained in plant-soil systems. Manipulation of N input was carried out. Ionic constituents were removed from throughfall with ion exchange resin at removal sites and ammonium nitrate containing twice the N of the throughfall was applied at N addition sites periodically. SO42– output below 20-cm soil layer changed depending on the input, while NO3– output was regulated mainly by the internal cycle and effect of manipulation was undetected. These Japanese stands were generally considered to have a larger capacity to assimilate N than NITREX sites in Europe. However, N output fluxes had large spatial variability and some sites in Kannondai showed high N leaching below rooting zone almost balanced with the input via throughfall.

  20. Moss-nitrogen input to boreal forest soils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rousk, Kathrin; Jones, Davey; DeLuca, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Cyanobacteria living epiphytically on mosses in pristine, unpolluted areas fix substantial amounts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) and therefore represent a primary source of N in N-limited boreal forests. However, the fate of this N is unclear, in particular, how the fixed N2 enters the soil and bec...... and that transfer of N to the soil is not facilitated by fungal hyphae....

  1. The cyanobacterial nitrogen fixation paradox in natural waters [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans Paerl

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen fixation, the enzymatic conversion of atmospheric N (N2 to ammonia (NH3, is a microbially mediated process by which “new” N is supplied to N-deficient water bodies. Certain bloom-forming cyanobacterial species are capable of conducting N2 fixation; hence, they are able to circumvent N limitation in these waters. However, this anaerobic process is highly sensitive to oxygen, and since cyanobacteria produce oxygen in photosynthesis, they are faced with a paradoxical situation, where one critically important (for supporting growth biochemical process is inhibited by another. N2-fixing cyanobacterial taxa have developed an array of biochemical, morphological, and ecological adaptations to minimize the “oxygen problem”; however, none of these allows N2 fixation to function at a high enough efficiency so that it can supply N needs at the ecosystem scale, where N losses via denitrification, burial, and advection often exceed the inputs of “new” N by N2 fixation. As a result, most marine and freshwater ecosystems exhibit chronic N limitation of primary production. Under conditions of perpetual N limitation, external inputs of N from human sources (agricultural, urban, and industrial play a central role in determining ecosystem fertility and, in the case of N overenrichment, excessive primary production or eutrophication. This points to the importance of controlling external N inputs (in addition to traditional phosphorus controls as a means of ensuring acceptable water quality and safe water supplies. Nitrogen fixation, the enzymatic conversion of atmospheric N2 to ammonia (NH3 is a  microbially-mediated process by which “new” nitrogen is supplied to N-deficient water bodies.  Certain bloom-forming cyanobacterial species are capable of conducting N2 fixation; hence they are able to circumvent nitrogen limitation in these waters. However, this anaerobic process is highly sensitive to oxygen, and since cyanobacteria produce

  2. Influence of lag effect, soil release, and climate change on watershed anthropogenic nitrogen inputs and riverine export dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Dingjiang; Huang, Hong; Hu, Minpeng; Dahlgren, Randy A

    2014-05-20

    This study demonstrates the importance of the nitrogen-leaching lag effect, soil nitrogen release, and climate change on anthropogenic N inputs (NANI) and riverine total nitrogen (TN) export dynamics using a 30-yr record for the Yongan River watershed in eastern China. Cross-correlation analysis indicated a 7-yr, 5-yr, and 4-yr lag time in riverine TN export in response to changes in NANI, temperature, and drained agricultural land area, respectively. Enhanced by warmer temperature and improved agricultural drainage, the upper 20 cm of agricultural soils released 270 kg N ha(-1) between 1980 and 2009. Climate change also increased the fractional export of NANI to river. An empirical model (R(2) = 0.96) for annual riverine TN flux incorporating these influencing factors estimated 35%, 41%, and 24% of riverine TN flux originated from the soil N pool, NANI, and background N sources, respectively. The model forecasted an increase of 45%, 25%, and 6% and a decrease of 13% in riverine TN flux from 2010 to 2030 under continued development, climate change, status-quo, and tackling scenarios, respectively. The lag effect, soil N release, and climate change delay riverine TN export reductions with respect to decreases in NANI and should be considered in developing and evaluating N management measures.

  3. Gestures and multimodal input

    OpenAIRE

    Keates, Simeon; Robinson, Peter

    1999-01-01

    For users with motion impairments, the standard keyboard and mouse arrangement for computer access often presents problems. Other approaches have to be adopted to overcome this. In this paper, we will describe the development of a prototype multimodal input system based on two gestural input channels. Results from extensive user trials of this system are presented. These trials showed that the physical and cognitive loads on the user can quickly become excessive and detrimental to the interac...

  4. Input reduction for long-term morphodynamic simulations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Walstra, D.J.R.; Ruessink, G.; Hoekstra, R.; Tonnon, P.K.

    2013-01-01

    Input reduction is imperative to long-term (> years) morphodynamic simulations to avoid excessive computation times. Here, we discuss the input-reduction framework for wave-dominated coastal settings introduced by Walstra et al. (2013). The framework comprised 4 steps, viz. (1) the selection of the

  5. Nitrogen efficiency of Dutch dairy farms : A shadow cost system approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reinhard, S.; Thijssen, G.J.

    2000-01-01

    In this paper we analyse the cost efficiency and nitrogen efficiency of an unbalanced panel of Dutch dairy farms. Nitrogen efficiency is defined as the ratio of minimal to observed use of nitrogen (N-containing inputs), conditional on output and quasi-fixed inputs. Nitrogen efficiency is computed in

  6. Relationship of Nitrogen Use Efficiency with the Activities of Enzymes Involved in Nitrogen Uptake and Assimilation of Finger Millet Genotypes Grown under Different Nitrogen Inputs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nidhi Gupta

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen responsiveness of three-finger millet genotypes (differing in their seed coat colour PRM-1 (brown, PRM-701 (golden, and PRM-801 (white grown under different nitrogen doses was determined by analyzing the growth, yield parameters and activities of nitrate reductase (NR, glutamine synthetase (GS, glutamate synthase; GOGAT, and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH at different developmental stages. High nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen utilization efficiency were observed in PRM-1 genotype, whereas high nitrogen uptake efficiency was observed in PRM-801 genotype. At grain filling nitrogen uptake efficiency in PRM-1 negatively correlated with NR, GS, GOGAT activities whereas it was positively correlated in PRM-701 and PRM-801, however, GDH showed a negative correlation. Growth and yield parameters indicated that PRM-1 responds well at high nitrogen conditions while PRM-701 and PRM-801 respond well at normal and low nitrogen conditions respectively. The study indicates that PRM-1 is high nitrogen responsive and has high nitrogen use efficiency, whereas golden PRM-701 and white PRM-801 are low nitrogen responsive genotypes and have low nitrogen use efficiency. However, the crude grain protein content was higher in PRM-801 genotype followed by PRM-701 and PRM-1, indicating negative correlation of nitrogen use efficiency with source to sink relationship in terms of seed protein content.

  7. Improvements to the Characterization of Organic Nitrogen Chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Excess atmospheric nitrogen deposition can cause significant harmful effects to ecosystems. Organic nitrogen deposition can be an important contributor to the total nitrogen budget, contributing 10-30%, however there are large uncertainties in the chemistry and deposition of thes...

  8. Flood-controlled excess-air formation favors aerobic respiration and limits denitrification activity in riparian groundwater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone ePeter

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The saturated riparian zones of rivers act as spatially and temporally variable biogeochemical reactors. This complicates the assessment of biogeochemical transport and transformation processes. During a flood event, excess-air formation, i.e. the inclusion and dissolution of air bubbles into groundwater, can introduce high amounts of dissolved O2 and thereby affect biogeochemical processes in groundwater. With the help of a field-installed membrane-inlet mass-spectrometer we resolved the effects of flood induced excess-air formationon organic carbon and nitrogen transformations in groundwater of different riparian zones of a restored section of the River Thur, Switzerland. The results show that the flood event triggered high aerobic respiration activity in the groundwater below a zone densely populated with willow plants. The flood introduced high concentrations of O2 (230 µmol L–1 to the groundwater through the formation of excess air and transported up to ~400 µmol L 1 organic carbon from the soil/root layer into groundwater during the movement of the water table. A rapid respiration process, quantified via the measurements of O2, CO2 and noble-gas concentrations, led to fast depletion of the introduced O2 and organic carbon and to high CO2 concentration (590 µmol L–1 in the groundwater shortly after the flood. The synchronous analysis of different nitrogen species allowed studying the importance of denitrification activity. The results indicate that in the willow zone excess-air formation inhibited denitrification through high O2 concentration input. Instead, the observed decrease in nitrate concentration (~50 µmol N L 1 may be related to fostered nitrate uptake by plants. In the other riparian zones closer to the river, no significant excess-air formation and corresponding respiration activity was observed. Overall, analyzing the dissolved gases in the groundwater significantly contributed to deciphering biogeochemical processes in

  9. Deposition of nitrogen into the North Sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leeuw, G. de; Skjøth, C.A.; Hertel, O.

    2003-01-01

    The flux of nitrogen species from the atmosphere into the ocean, with emphasis on coastal waters, was addressed during the ANICE project (Atmospheric Nitrogen Inputs into the Coastal Ecosystem). ANICE focused on quantifying the deposition of atmospheric inputs of inorganic nitrogen compounds (HNO3...... and Harwich/Newcastle. These measurements provided data for sensitivity studies of a variety of problems associated with the coastal region that are not easily evaluated with larger scale models, to constrain models and to test model results. Concentrations of nitrogen compounds over the North Sea...... on experimental results and small-scale model studies. In particular, effects of the aerosol size distribution on the nitrogen deposition are discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved....

  10. Nitrogen fixation, denitrification, and ecosystem nitrogen pools in relation to vegetation development in the Subarctic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Pernille Lærkedal; Jonasson, Sven Evert; Michelsen, Anders

    2006-01-01

    Nitrogen (N) fixation, denitrification, and ecosystem pools of nitrogen were measured in three subarctic ecosystem types differing in soil frost-heaving activity and vegetation cover. N2-fixation was measured by the acetylene reduction assay and converted to absolute N ecosystem input by estimates...... of conversion factors between acetylene reduction and 15N incorporation. One aim was to relate nitrogen fluxes and nitrogen pools to the mosaic of ecosystem types of different stability common in areas of soil frost movements. A second aim was to identify abiotic controls on N2-fixation by simultaneous...... measurements of temperature, light, and soil moisture. Nitrogen fixation rate was high with seasonal input estimated at 1.1 g N m2 on frostheaved sorted circles, which was higher than the total plant N content and exceeded estimated annual plant N uptake several-fold but was lower than the microbial N content...

  11. The influence of nitrogen inputs on biomass and trophic structure of ocean plankton: a study using biomass and stable isotope size-spectra

    KAUST Repository

    Mompeán, Carmen

    2016-08-18

    Large scale patterns in planktonic food web structure were studied by applying continuous size-scaled models of biomass and δ15N to plankton samples, collected at 145 stations during the Malaspina-2010 Expedition across three ocean basins and including major biomes. Carbon biomass and δ15N were determined in size-fractionated samples (40 to 5000 μm) collected by vertical hauls (0–200 m). Biomass-normalized size-spectra were constructed to summarize food web structure and spatial patterns in spectral parameters were analyzed using geographically-weighted regression analysis. Except in the northwestern Atlantic, size-spectra showed low variability, reflecting a homogeneity in nitrogen sources and food web structure for the central oceans. Estimated predator-to-prey mass ratios <104 and mean trophic transfer efficiency values between 16% (coastal biome) and >20% (Trades and Westerlies biomes) suggested that oceanic plankton food webs may support a larger number of trophic levels than current estimates based on high efficiency values. The largest changes in spectral parameters and nitrogen sources were related to inputs of atmospheric nitrogen, either from diazotrophic organisms or dust deposition. These results suggest geographic homogeneity in the net transfer of nitrogen up the food web.

  12. [Nitrogen input altered testate amoebae community in peatland of Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Li-hong; Yan, Xiu-min; Wang, Ke-hong; Zhu, Xiao-yan; Wu, Dong-hu

    2015-02-01

    In the present study, an in situ control experiment was carried out to explore the response of testate amoebae to exogenous nitrogen addition in peatland of Sanjiang Plain. The results showed that nitrogen addition increased the biomass of testate amoebae at lower levels (6 g N · m(-2)), while decreased it at higher levels (> 12 g N · m(-2)). At genus level, nitrogen addition significantly increased the biomass of Arcella and Phryganella, decreased the biomass of Euglypha. Only lower nitrogen addition significantly increased the biomass of Centropyxis. At species level, nitrogen addition significantly decreased the biomass of Euglypha rotunda, while the biomass of either Centropyxis cassis or Phryganella acropodia was increased by a lower nitrogen addition treatment. This study suggested that the response of peatland testate amoebae to nitrogen addition was species specific, which could potentially be used as an indicator for the environment of peatlands.

  13. Nitrogen mass balance in the Brazilian Amazon: an update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinelli, L A; Pinto, A S; Nardoto, G B; Ometto, J P H B; Filoso, S; Coletta, L D; Ravagnani, E C

    2012-08-01

    The main purpose of this study is to perform a nitrogen budget survey for the entire Brazilian Amazon region. The main inputs of nitrogen to the region are biological nitrogen fixation occurring in tropical forests (7.7 Tg.yr(-1)), and biological nitrogen fixation in agricultural lands mainly due to the cultivation of a large area with soybean, which is an important nitrogen-fixing crop (1.68 Tg.yr(-1)). The input due to the use of N fertilizers (0.48 Tg.yr(-1)) is still incipient compared to the other two inputs mentioned above. The major output flux is the riverine flux, equal to 2.80 Tg.yr(-1) and export related to foodstuff, mainly the transport of soybean and beef to other parts of the country. The continuous population growth and high rate of urbanization may pose new threats to the nitrogen cycle of the region through the burning of fossil fuel and dumping of raw domestic sewage in rivers and streams of the region.

  14. Effect of enhanced nitrogen input on release of nutrients and nutrient availability in stands of tall fern Athyrium distentifolium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tå¯Ma, Ivan; Holuib, Petr; Záhora, Jaroslav; Fiala, Karel

    2010-05-01

    Improved light conditions, after destruction of tree canopy, soil acidification and increased nitrogen availability, support intensive spreading of acidophilous perennial grasses and stands of tall fern (Athyrium distentifolium) on deforested sites in the Moravian-Silesian Beskydy Mts. (the Czech Republic). The aim of the study was to determine how higher inputs of nitrogen affect the release of nutrients during decomposition processes of fern litter. The experimental site was chosen on a southwest-facing slope of the Kněhyně Mt. (49o31´ N, 18o 32´E, 1170 m a.s.l.) in the Moravian-Silesin Beskydy Mts. in the Czech Republic. The area is characterized by an annual mean air temperature of 5.6 oC and annual precipitation of 1110 mm. A large fern stand was divided in four blocks (5x3 m) and on two of them higher doses of nitrogen were applied (50 kgN/ha in five doses in the course of the growing season). Similarly, mesh-bags with fresh natural litter of fern were used to determine rate of litter decomposition during one year. Samples were inserted in both nitrogen treated and untreated fern stands in autumn 2006 and 2007 collected in autumn 2007 and 2008. On the basis of litter amount estimated at the start and at the end of exposure and of actual content of minerals in original and exposed litter, the release and/or accumulation of minerals during decomposition were calculated. The availability (more or less in the case of ammonia-nitrogen) and movement of percolated nitrogen (mainly in the case of nitrate-nitrogen) was estimated in situ by the trapping of mineral N into the ion exchange resin (IER) inserted into special cover. The decomposition rate of native A. distentifolium litter was approximately the same (29-30 %) at both nitrogen availability, however the element release from decomposed litter was higher for N, P and Ca in both years and for K and Mg in the first year as well. However, decomposition rate of cellulose was two times greater in fern stands

  15. External nitrogen input affects pre- and post-harvest cell wall composition but not the enzymatic saccharification of wheat straw

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Baldwin, Laetitia Andrée; Glazowska, Sylwia Emilia; Mravec, Jozef

    2017-01-01

    Wheat is one of the most important crops for food and feed and its straw is a potential feedstock for biorefinery purposes. Nitrogen (N) is an essential input factor in wheat agriculture but no information is available on how it affects straw composition during maturation and at harvest....... To investigate this, we conducted a large scale field experiment in which wheat plants were cultivated at three levels of externally applied N. The plants were harvested at different stages of maturation, spanning green straw at heading (ear emergence) to fully yellow straw at final maturity. Defined parts...

  16. Assessing variable rate nitrogen fertilizer strategies within an extensively instrument field site using the MicroBasin model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, N. K.; Maureira, F.; Yourek, M. A.; Brooks, E. S.; Stockle, C. O.

    2014-12-01

    The current use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture has many negative environmental and economic costs, necessitating improved nitrogen management. In the highly heterogeneous landscape of the Palouse region in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, crop nitrogen needs vary widely within a field. Site-specific nitrogen management is a promising strategy to reduce excess nitrogen lost to the environment while maintaining current yields by matching crop needs with inputs. This study used in-situ hydrologic, nutrient, and crop yield data from a heavily instrumented field site in the high precipitation zone of the wheat-producing Palouse region to assess the performance of the MicroBasin model. MicroBasin is a high-resolution watershed-scale ecohydrologic model with nutrient cycling and cropping algorithms based on the CropSyst model. Detailed soil mapping conducted at the site was used to parameterize the model and the model outputs were evaluated with observed measurements. The calibrated MicroBasin model was then used to evaluate the impact of various nitrogen management strategies on crop yield and nitrate losses. The strategies include uniform application as well as delineating the field into multiple zones of varying nitrogen fertilizer rates to optimize nitrogen use efficiency. We present how coupled modeling and in-situ data sets can inform agricultural management and policy to encourage improved nitrogen management.

  17. Nitrogen inputs accelerate phosphorus cycling rates across a wide variety of terrestrial ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marklein, Alison R; Houlton, Benjamin Z

    2012-02-01

    • Biologically essential elements--especially nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)--constrain plant growth and microbial functioning; however, human activities are drastically altering the magnitude and pattern of such nutrient limitations on land. Here we examine interactions between N and P cycles of P mineralizing enzyme activities (phosphatase enzymes) across a wide variety of terrestrial biomes. • We synthesized results from 34 separate studies and used meta-analysis to evaluate phosphatase activity with N, P, or N×P fertilization. • Our results show that N fertilization enhances phosphatase activity, from the tropics to the extra-tropics, both on plant roots and in bulk soils. By contrast, P fertilization strongly suppresses rates of phosphatase activity. • These results imply that phosphatase enzymes are strongly responsive to changes in local nutrient cycle conditions. We also show that plant phosphatases respond more strongly to fertilization than soil phosphatases. The tight coupling between N and P provides a mechanism for recent observations of N and P co-limitation on land. Moreover, our results suggest that terrestrial plants and microbes can allocate excess N to phosphatase enzymes, thus delaying the onset of single P limitation to plant productivity as can occur via human modifications to the global N cycle. © 2011 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2011 New Phytologist Trust.

  18. Reduction of excess sludge production using mechanical disintegration devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strünkmann, G W; Müller, J A; Albert, F; Schwedes, J

    2006-01-01

    The usability of mechanical disintegration techniques for the reduction of excess sludge production in the activated sludge process was investigated. Using three different disintegration devices (ultrasonic homogeniser, stirred media mill, high pressure homogeniser) and different operational parameters of the disintegration, the effect of mechanical disintegration on the excess sludge production and on the effluent quality was studied within a continuously operated, laboratory scale wastewater treatment system with pre-denitrification. Depending on the operational conditions and the disintegration device used, a reduction of excess sludge production of up to 70% was achieved. A combination of mechanical disintegration with a membrane bioreactor process with high sludge age is more energy effective concerning reduction of sludge production than with a conventional activated sludge process at lower sludge ages. Depending on the disintegration parameters, the disintegration has no, or only minor, negative effect on the soluble effluent COD and on the COD-removal capacity of the activated sludge process. Nitrogen-removal was slightly deteriorated by the disintegration, whereas the system used was not optimised for nitrogen removal before disintegration was implemented.

  19. Nitrogen and phosphorus removed from a subsurface flow multi-stage filtration system purifying agricultural runoff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yaqi; Huang, Lei; Chen, Yucheng

    2018-07-01

    Agricultural nonpoint source pollution has been increasingly serious in China since the 1990s. The main causes were excessive inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides. A multi-stage filtration system was built to test the purification efficiencies and removal characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus when treating agricultural runoff. Simulated runoff pollution was prepared by using river water as source water based on the monitoring of local agricultural runoff. Experimental study had been performed from September to November 2013, adopting 12 h for flooding and 12 h for drying. The results showed that the system was made adaptive to variation of inflow quality and quantity, and had good removal for dissolved total nitrogen, total nitrogen, dissolved total phosphorus (DTP), and total phosphorus, and the average removal rate was 27%, 36%, 32%, and 48%, respectively. Except nitrate ([Formula: see text]), other forms of nitrogen and phosphorus all decreased with the increase of stages. Nitrogen was removed mainly in particle form the first stage, and mostly removed in dissolved form the second and third stage. Phosphorus was removed mainly in particulate during the first two stages, but the removal of particulate phosphorus and DTP were almost the same in the last stage. An approximate logarithmic relationship between removal loading and influent loading to nitrogen and phosphorus was noted in the experimental system, and the correlation coefficient was 0.78-0.94. [Formula: see text]: ammonium; [Formula: see text]: nitrite; [Formula: see text]: nitrate; DTN: dissolved total nitrogen; TN: total nitrogen; DTP: dissolved total phosphorus; TP: total phosphorus; PN: particulate nitrogen; PP: particulate phosphorus.

  20. 40 CFR 60.332 - Standard for nitrogen oxides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standard for nitrogen oxides. 60.332... Turbines § 60.332 Standard for nitrogen oxides. (a) On and after the date on which the performance test... stationary gas turbine, any gases which contain nitrogen oxides in excess of: EC16NO91.020 where: STD...

  1. Nitrogen balance and groundwater nitrate contamination: Comparison among three intensive cropping systems on the North China Plain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ju, X.T. [Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094 (China); Kou, C.L. [Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094 (China); Institute of Soils and Fertilizers, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou 450002 (China); Zhang, F.S. [Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094 (China)]. E-mail: zfs@cau.edu.cn; Christie, P. [Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094 (China); Agricultural and Environmental Science Department, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5PX (United Kingdom)

    2006-09-15

    The annual nitrogen (N) budget and groundwater nitrate-N concentrations were studied in the field in three major intensive cropping systems in Shandong province, north China. In the greenhouse vegetable systems the annual N inputs from fertilizers, manures and irrigation water were 1358, 1881 and 402 kg N ha{sup -1} on average, representing 2.5, 37.5 and 83.8 times the corresponding values in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-maize (Zea mays L.) rotations and 2.1, 10.4 and 68.2 times the values in apple (Malus pumila Mill.) orchards. The N surplus values were 349, 3327 and 746 kg N ha{sup -1}, with residual soil nitrate-N after harvest amounting to 221-275, 1173 and 613 kg N ha{sup -1} in the top 90 cm of the soil profile and 213-242, 1032 and 976 kg N ha{sup -1} at 90-180 cm depth in wheat-maize, greenhouse vegetable and orchard systems, respectively. Nitrate leaching was evident in all three cropping systems and the groundwater in shallow wells (<15 m depth) was heavily contaminated in the greenhouse vegetable production area, where total N inputs were much higher than crop requirements and the excessive fertilizer N inputs were only about 40% of total N inputs. - Intensive greenhouse vegetable production systems may pose a greater nitrogen pollution threat than apple orchards or cereal rotations to soil and water quality in north China.

  2. Nitrogen balance and groundwater nitrate contamination: Comparison among three intensive cropping systems on the North China Plain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ju, X.T.; Kou, C.L.; Zhang, F.S.; Christie, P.

    2006-01-01

    The annual nitrogen (N) budget and groundwater nitrate-N concentrations were studied in the field in three major intensive cropping systems in Shandong province, north China. In the greenhouse vegetable systems the annual N inputs from fertilizers, manures and irrigation water were 1358, 1881 and 402 kg N ha -1 on average, representing 2.5, 37.5 and 83.8 times the corresponding values in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-maize (Zea mays L.) rotations and 2.1, 10.4 and 68.2 times the values in apple (Malus pumila Mill.) orchards. The N surplus values were 349, 3327 and 746 kg N ha -1 , with residual soil nitrate-N after harvest amounting to 221-275, 1173 and 613 kg N ha -1 in the top 90 cm of the soil profile and 213-242, 1032 and 976 kg N ha -1 at 90-180 cm depth in wheat-maize, greenhouse vegetable and orchard systems, respectively. Nitrate leaching was evident in all three cropping systems and the groundwater in shallow wells (<15 m depth) was heavily contaminated in the greenhouse vegetable production area, where total N inputs were much higher than crop requirements and the excessive fertilizer N inputs were only about 40% of total N inputs. - Intensive greenhouse vegetable production systems may pose a greater nitrogen pollution threat than apple orchards or cereal rotations to soil and water quality in north China

  3. Excess Sodium Tetraphenylborate and Intermediates Decomposition Studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barnes, M.J.

    1998-12-07

    The stability of excess amounts of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) facility depends on a number of variables. Concentration of palladium, initial benzene, and sodium ion as well as temperature provide the best opportunities for controlling the decomposition rate. This study examined the influence of these four variable on the reactivity of palladium-catalyzed sodium tetraphenylborate decomposition. Also, single effects tests investigated the reactivity of simulants with continuous stirring and nitrogen ventilation, with very high benzene concentrations, under washed sodium concentrations, with very high palladium concentrations, and with minimal quantities of excess NaTPB.

  4. Total Nitrogen in Surface Water

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Excess nitrogen in surface water can result in eutrophication. TOTALN is reported in kilograms/hectare/year. More information about these resources, including the...

  5. Hydrologic connectivity to streams increases nitrogen and phosphorus inputs and cycling in soils of created and natural floodplain wetlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Kristin L.; Noe, Gregory; Ahn, Changwoo

    2013-01-01

    Greater connectivity to stream surface water may result in greater inputs of allochthonous nutrients that could stimulate internal nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling in natural, restored, and created riparian wetlands. This study investigated the effects of hydrologic connectivity to stream water on soil nutrient fluxes in plots (n = 20) located among four created and two natural freshwater wetlands of varying hydrology in the Piedmont physiographic province of Virginia. Surface water was slightly deeper; hydrologic inputs of sediment, sediment-N, and ammonium were greater; and soil net ammonification, N mineralization, and N turnover were greater in plots with stream water classified as their primary water source compared with plots with precipitation or groundwater as their primary water source. Soil water-filled pore space, inputs of nitrate, and soil net nitrification, P mineralization, and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) were similar among plots. Soil ammonification, N mineralization, and N turnover rates increased with the loading rate of ammonium to the soil surface. Phosphorus mineralization and ammonification also increased with sedimentation and sediment-N loading rate. Nitrification flux and DEA were positively associated in these wetlands. In conclusion, hydrologic connectivity to stream water increased allochthonous inputs that stimulated soil N and P cycling and that likely led to greater retention of sediment and nutrients in created and natural wetlands. Our findings suggest that wetland creation and restoration projects should be designed to allow connectivity with stream water if the goal is to optimize the function of water quality improvement in a watershed.

  6. Nitrogen balance in a hilly semi-agricultural watershed in Northern Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Pieri

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The research was carried out for 7 years, 1998-2005, in a semi-agricultural watershed, called Centonara, set within a natural regional park and situated in the hills surrounding Bologna, northern Italy. This area is characterized by one of the most interesting badlands complexes in Europe and represents one of the main points of naturalistic interest. The watershed is partially cultivated (about 30% of the total area with arable crops, mostly cereals and alfalfa. To evaluate the impact of agricultural activity on the eco-sustainability of this area, the nitrogen (N balance was computed. Although it is only an estimation of the potential environmental damage, the nitrogen balance is a useful indicator of the risk posed to the environment from excessive nitrogen and can be useful to understand the possible effects of a certain type of agricultural and environmental management and policy. The balance was calculated by computing the difference between all inputs and all outputs. The nitrogen balance of the watershed was found to be sustainable, with an annual nitrogen balance ranging between –2.3 and +4.4 kg ha–1. Despite the limited presence of arable lands, the agricultural management played the main role in determining the sustainability of the watershed, strongly influencing both the principal N sources and sinks. In fact, major N inputs derived from inorganic fertilization (8.1-15.5 kg ha–1yr–1 and biological fixation (8.3-14.3 kg ha–1yr–1. On the other hand, plant removal constituted the most important output (17.7-25.6 kg ha–1yr–1. N losses in the drainage water were limited (3.0-9.5 kg ha–1yr–1 and the Centonara stream water was found to be unpolluted, with a nitrate concentration always below the EU limit for drinking water. The similar magnitude of total N inputs and outputs indicated that the crop management, especially the crop rotation and the N fertilization, in the Centonara watershed has reached a good level of

  7. Improvements to the treatment of organic nitrogen chemistry & deposition in CMAQ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Excess atmospheric nitrogen deposition can cause significant harmful effects to ecosystems. Organic nitrogen deposition can be an important contributor to the total nitrogen budget, contributing 10-30%, however there are large uncertainties in the chemistry and deposition of thes...

  8. Gradual combustion - method for nitrogen oxide suppression during brown coal combustion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotler, V.P.; Verzakov, V.N.; Lobov, T.V.

    1990-10-01

    Discusses combustion of brown coal in BKZ-500-140-1 boilers and factors that influence emission of nitrogen oxides. Temperature distribution in the furnace was evaluated. Effects of burner position, burner number and burner type as well as air excess ratio on chemical reactions during brown coal combustion, formation of nitrogen oxides and their emission were comparatively evaluated. Analyses showed that by optimum arrangement of burners and selecting the optimum air excess ratio a part of nitrogen oxides formed during the initial phase of combustion was reduced to molecular nitrogen in the second phase. On the basis of evaluations the following recommendations for furnace design are made: use of straight-flow burners characterized by a reduced mixing ratio with secondary air, parallel arrangement of burners which guarantees mixing of the combustion products from the burners with stable and unstable combustion (products of incomplete coal combustion), reducing the air excess ratio to below 1.0. 5 refs.

  9. Atmospheric nutrient inputs to the northern levantine basin from a long-term observation: sources and comparison with riverine inputs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koçak, M.; Kubilay, N.; Tuğrul, S.; Mihalopoulos, N.

    2010-12-01

    Aerosol and rainwater samples have been collected at a rural site located on the coastline of the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdemli, Turkey between January 1999 and December 2007. Riverine sampling was carried out at five Rivers (Ceyhan, Seyhan, Göksu, Berdan and Lamas) draining into the Northeastern Levantine Basin (NLB) between March 2002 and July 2007. Samples have been analyzed for macronutrients of phosphate, silicate, nitrate and ammonium (PO43-, Sidiss, NO3- and NH4+). Phosphate and silicate in aerosol and rainwater showed higher and larger variations during the transitional period when air flows predominantly originate from North Africa and Middle East/Arabian Peninsula. Deficiency of alkaline material have been found to be the main reason of the acidic rain events whilst high pH values (>7) have been associated with high Sidiss concentrations due to sporadic dust events. In general, lowest nitrate and ammonium concentrations in aerosol and rainwater have been associated with air flow from the Mediterranean Sea. Comparison of atmospheric with riverine fluxes demonstrated that DIN and PO43- fluxes to NLB have been dominated by atmosphere (~90% and ~60% respectively) whereas the input of Si was mainly derived from riverine runoff (~90%). N/P ratios in the atmospheric deposition (233); riverine discharge (28) revealed that NLB receives excessive amounts of DIN and this unbalanced P and N inputs may provoke even more phosphorus deficiency. Observed molar Si/N ratio suggested Si limitation relative to nitrogen might cause a switch from diatom dominated communities to non-siliceous populations particularly at coastal NLB.

  10. Hydrologic connectivity to streams increases nitrogen and phosphorus inputs and cycling in soils of created and natural floodplain wetlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, Kristin L; Noe, Gregory B; Ahn, Changwoo

    2013-07-01

    Greater connectivity to stream surface water may result in greater inputs of allochthonous nutrients that could stimulate internal nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling in natural, restored, and created riparian wetlands. This study investigated the effects of hydrologic connectivity to stream water on soil nutrient fluxes in plots ( = 20) located among four created and two natural freshwater wetlands of varying hydrology in the Piedmont physiographic province of Virginia. Surface water was slightly deeper; hydrologic inputs of sediment, sediment-N, and ammonium were greater; and soil net ammonification, N mineralization, and N turnover were greater in plots with stream water classified as their primary water source compared with plots with precipitation or groundwater as their primary water source. Soil water-filled pore space, inputs of nitrate, and soil net nitrification, P mineralization, and denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) were similar among plots. Soil ammonification, N mineralization, and N turnover rates increased with the loading rate of ammonium to the soil surface. Phosphorus mineralization and ammonification also increased with sedimentation and sediment-N loading rate. Nitrification flux and DEA were positively associated in these wetlands. In conclusion, hydrologic connectivity to stream water increased allochthonous inputs that stimulated soil N and P cycling and that likely led to greater retention of sediment and nutrients in created and natural wetlands. Our findings suggest that wetland creation and restoration projects should be designed to allow connectivity with stream water if the goal is to optimize the function of water quality improvement in a watershed. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  11. Variation in nitrogen use efficiencies on Dutch dairy farms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Daatselaar, Co Hg; Reijs, Joan R.; Oenema, Jouke; Doornewaard, Gerben J.; Aarts, Frans

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: On dairy farms, the input of nutrients including nitrogen is higher than the output in products such as milk and meat. This causes losses of nitrogen to the environment. One of the indicators for the losses of nitrogen is the nitrogen use efficiency. In the Dutch Minerals Policy

  12. 40 CFR 60.55a - Standard for nitrogen oxides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Standard for nitrogen oxides. 60.55a... § 60.55a Standard for nitrogen oxides. On and after the date on which the initial compliance test is... gases that contain nitrogen oxides in excess of 180 parts per million by volume, corrected to 7 percent...

  13. Molecular simulation of excess isotherm and excess enthalpy change in gas-phase adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Do, D D; Do, H D; Nicholson, D

    2009-01-29

    We present a new approach to calculating excess isotherm and differential enthalpy of adsorption on surfaces or in confined spaces by the Monte Carlo molecular simulation method. The approach is very general and, most importantly, is unambiguous in its application to any configuration of solid structure (crystalline, graphite layer or disordered porous glass), to any type of fluid (simple or complex molecule), and to any operating conditions (subcritical or supercritical). The behavior of the adsorbed phase is studied using the partial molar energy of the simulation box. However, to characterize adsorption for comparison with experimental data, the isotherm is best described by the excess amount, and the enthalpy of adsorption is defined as the change in the total enthalpy of the simulation box with the change in the excess amount, keeping the total number (gas + adsorbed phases) constant. The excess quantities (capacity and energy) require a choice of a reference gaseous phase, which is defined as the adsorptive gas phase occupying the accessible volume and having a density equal to the bulk gas density. The accessible volume is defined as the mean volume space accessible to the center of mass of the adsorbate under consideration. With this choice, the excess isotherm passes through a maximum but always remains positive. This is in stark contrast to the literature where helium void volume is used (which is always greater than the accessible volume) and the resulting excess can be negative. Our definition of enthalpy change is equivalent to the difference between the partial molar enthalpy of the gas phase and the partial molar enthalpy of the adsorbed phase. There is no need to assume ideal gas or negligible molar volume of the adsorbed phase as is traditionally done in the literature. We illustrate this new approach with adsorption of argon, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide under subcritical and supercritical conditions.

  14. Carbon source recovery from excess sludge by mechanical disintegration for biological denitrification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zubrowska-Sudol, M

    2018-04-01

    The goal of the study was to evaluate the possibility of carbon source recovery from excess sludge by mechanical disintegration for biological denitrification. The total efficiency of denitrification, unit demand for organic compounds for denitrification, unit volume of disintegrated sludge and unit cost of nitrogen removal as a function of energy density used for excess sludge disintegration (70, 140 and 210 kJ/L) were analyzed. In the study a full-scale disc disintegrator was used (motor power: 30 kWh, motor speed: 2,950 rpm). It was shown that the amounts of organic compounds released from the activated sludge flocs at all tested levels of energy density are high enough to be used to intensify the removal of nitrogen compounds from wastewater. It was also documented that the energy density provided during process of disintegration was an important factor determining the characteristics of organic compounds obtained under the disintegration for their use in order to intensify the process of denitrification. The highest value of total efficiency of denitrification (50.5 ± 3.1 mg N/L) was obtained for carbon source recovery from excess sludge at 70 kJ/L, but the lowest unit cost of nitrogen removal occurred for 140 kJ/L (0.0019 ± 0.0011 EUR/g N).

  15. Biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal by filamentous bacteria ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The availability of excess nutrients (phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N)) in wastewater systems causes many water quality problems. These problems include eutrophication whereby algae grow excessively and lead to depletion of oxygen, death of the aquatic life and bad odours. Biological phosphorus removal has gained ...

  16. Identification and Evaluation of Cases for Excess Heat Utilisation Using GIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabian Bühler

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Excess heat is present in many sectors, and its utilization could reduce the primary energy use and emission of greenhouse gases. This work presents a geographical mapping of excess heat, in which excess heat from the industry and utility sector was distributed to specific geographical locations in Denmark. Based on this mapping, a systematic approach for identifying cases for the utilization of excess heat is proposed, considering the production of district heat and process heat, as well as power generation. The technical and economic feasibility of this approach was evaluated for six cases. Special focus was placed on the challenges for the connection of excess heat sources to heat users. To account for uncertainties in the model input, different methods were applied to determine the uncertainty of the results and the most important model parameters. The results show how the spatial mapping of excess heat sources can be used to identify their utilization potentials. The identified case studies show that it can be economically feasible to connect the heat sources to the public energy network or to use the heat to generate electricity. The uncertainty analysis suggests that the results are indicative and are particularly useful for a fast evaluation, comparison and prioritization of possible matches. The excess heat temperature and obtainable energy price were identified as the most important input parameters.

  17. Piling up reactive nitrogen and declining nitrogen use efficiency in Pakistan: a challenge not challenged (1961-2013)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raza, Sajjad; Zhou, Jianbin; Aziz, Tariq; Rahil Afzal, Muhammad; Ahmed, Muneer; Javaid, Shahbaz; Chen, Zhujun

    2018-03-01

    Excessive nitrogen (N) application and reduced nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) are the key reasons behind N notoriety worldwide, including in Pakistan. We estimated the changes in NUE of Pakistan by calculating the N budget of Pakistan’s agriculture during the last 53 years (1961-2013). A more than ten-fold increase in N input (including N fertilizer, biological N fixation, manure, and atmospheric deposition) from 408 GgNyr-1 (1961-1965) to 4636 GgNyr-1 (2009-2013) highlights the fact that Pakistan is experiencing a massive expansion of N consumption. Significantly declining NUE (from 58% to 23%) and sharply increasing surplus N (171 GgNyr-1 to 3581 GgNyr-1) may cause N-related environment problems in the future if not handled immediately. Escalating gaseous N emissions of NH3, N2O, and NO (70, 10, and 1 GgNyr-1 to 1023, 155, and 46 GgNyr-1, respectively) is already posing a serious threat in terms of impaired air quality. There is a dire need to devise/adapt strategies and consistent policies for improving NUE, using proper management approaches at the grass root level and applying appropriate legislative measures for judicious N use as per crops requirements. Moreover, promotion of a balanced use of fertilizers would help in improving NUE in agriculture.

  18. Improvements to the characterization of organic nitrogen chemistry and deposition in CMAQ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Excess atmospheric nitrogen deposition can cause significant harmful effects to ecosystems. Organic nitrogen deposition can be an important contributor to the total nitrogen budget, contributing 10-30%, however there are large uncertainties in the chemistry and deposition of thes...

  19. Long-term atmospheric nutrient inputs to the Eastern Mediterranean: sources, solubility and comparison with riverine inputs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koçak, M.; Kubilay, N.; Tuǧrul, S.; Mihalopoulos, N.

    2010-07-01

    Aerosol and rain samples were collected at a rural site located on the coastline of the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdemli, Turkey between January 1999 and December 2007. Riverine sampling was carried out at five Rivers (Ceyhan, Seyhan, Göksu, Berdan and Lamas) draining into the Northeastern Levantine Basin (NLB) between March 2002 and July 2007. Samples were analyzed for macronutrients of phosphate, silicate, nitrate and ammonium (PO43-, Sidiss, NO3- and NH4+). Phosphate and silicate in aerosol and rainwater showed higher and larger variation during the transitional period (March-May, September) when air flows predominantly originate from North Africa and Middle East/Arabian Peninsula. Deficiency of alkaline material were found to be the main reason of the acidic rain events whilst high pH values (>7) were associated with high Sidiss concentrations due to sporadic dust events. In general, lowest nitrate and ammonium concentrations in aerosol and rainwater were associated with air flow from the Mediterranean Sea. Unlike NO3- and NH4+ (Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, DIN), there were statistical differences for PO43- and Sidiss solubilities in sea-water and pure-water. Solubilities of PO43- and Sidiss were found to be related with air mass back trajectories and pH. Comparison of atmospheric with riverine fluxes demonstrated that DIN and PO43- fluxes to NLB were dominated by atmosphere (~90% and ~60% respectively) whereas the input of Si was mainly derived from riverine runoff (~90%). N/P ratios (atmosphere ~233; riverine ~28) revealed that NLB receives excessive amounts of DIN and this unbalanced P and N inputs may provoke even more phosphorus deficiency. Molar Si/N ratios (atmosphere + riverine) suggested Si limitation which might cause a switch from diatom dominated phytoplankton communities to non-siliceous populations in NLB.

  20. Corrosion behavior in high heat input welded heat-affected zone of Ni-free high-nitrogen Fe–18Cr–10Mn–N austenitic stainless steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moon, Joonoh; Ha, Heon-Young; Lee, Tae-Ho

    2013-01-01

    The pitting corrosion and interphase corrosion behaviors in high heat input welded heat-affected zone (HAZ) of a metastable high-nitrogen Fe–18Cr–10Mn–N austenitic stainless steel were explored through electrochemical tests. The HAZs were simulated using Gleeble simulator with high heat input welding condition of 300 kJ/cm and the peak temperature of the HAZs was changed from 1200 °C to 1350 °C, aiming to examine the effect of δ-ferrite formation on corrosion behavior. The electrochemical test results show that both pitting corrosion resistance and interphase corrosion resistance were seriously deteriorated by δ-ferrite formation in the HAZ and their aspects were different with increasing δ-ferrite fraction. The pitting corrosion resistance was decreased by the formation of Cr-depleted zone along δ-ferrite/austenite (γ) interphase resulting from δ-ferrite formation; however it didn't depend on δ-ferrite fraction. The interphase corrosion resistance depends on the total amount of Cr-depleted zone as well as ferrite area and thus continuously decreased with increasing δ-ferrite fraction. The different effects of δ-ferrite fraction on pitting corrosion and interphase corrosion were carefully discussed in terms of alloying elements partitioning in the HAZ based on thermodynamic consideration. - Highlights: • Corrosion behavior in the weld HAZ of high-nitrogen austenitic alloy was studied. • Cr 2 N particle was not precipitated in high heat input welded HAZ of tested alloy. • Pitting corrosion and interphase corrosion show a different behavior. • Pitting corrosion resistance was affected by whether or not δ-ferrite forms. • Interphase corrosion resistance was affected by the total amount of δ-ferrite

  1. Nitrogen in Agricultural Systems: Implications for Conservation Policy

    OpenAIRE

    Ribaudo, Marc; Delgado, Jorge; Hansen, LeRoy T.; Livingston, Michael J.; Mosheim, Roberto; Williamson, James M.

    2011-01-01

    Nitrogen is an important agricultural input that is critical for crop production. However, the introduction of large amounts of nitrogen into the environment has a number of undesirable impacts on water, terrestrial, and atmospheric resources. This report explores the use of nitrogen in U.S. agriculture and assesses changes in nutrient management by farmers that may improve nitrogen use effi ciency. It also reviews a number of policy approaches for improving nitrogen management and identifi e...

  2. The long-term impact of urbanization on nitrogen patterns and dynamics in Shanghai, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Baojing; Dong, Xiaoli; Peng, Changhui; Luo, Weidong; Chang, Jie; Ge, Ying

    2012-12-01

    Urbanization is an important process that alters the regional and global nitrogen biogeochemistry. In this study, we test how long-term urbanization (1952-2004) affects the nitrogen flows, emissions and drivers in the Greater Shanghai Area (GSA) based on the coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) approach. Results show that: (1) total nitrogen input to the GSA increased from 57.7 to 587.9 Gg N yr(-1) during the period 1952-2004, mainly attributing to fossil fuel combustion (43%), Haber-Bosch nitrogen fixation (31%), and food/feed import (26%); (2) per capita nitrogen input increased from 13.5 to 45.7 kg N yr(-1), while per gross domestic product (GDP) nitrogen input reduced from 22.2 to 0.9 g N per Chinese Yuan, decoupling of nitrogen with GDP; (3) emissions of reactive nitrogen to the environment transformed from agriculture dominated to industry and human living dominated, especially for air pollution. This study provides decision-makers a novel view of nitrogen management. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Increasing importance of deposition of reduced nitrogen in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi Li; Bret A. Schichtel; John T. Walker; Donna B. Schwede; Xi Chen; Christopher M. B. Lehmann; Melissa A. Puchalski; David A. Gay; Jeffrey L. Collett

    2016-01-01

    Rapid development of agriculture and fossil fuel combustion greatly increased US reactive nitrogen emissions to the atmosphere in the second half of the 20th century, resulting in excess nitrogen deposition to natural ecosystems. Recent efforts to lower nitrogen oxides emissions have substantially decreased nitrate wet deposition. Levels of wet ammonium...

  4. Productivity and carbon footprint of perennial grass-forage legume intercropping strategies with high or low nitrogen fertilizer input

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik; Lachouani, Petra; Knudsen, Marie Trydeman

    2016-01-01

    with either a high or a low rate of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to evaluate the carbon footprint (global warming potential) of the grassland management including measured nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions after sward incorporation. Without applying any mineral N......A three-season field experiment was established and repeated twice with spring barley used as cover crop for different perennial grass-legume intercrops followed by a full year pasture cropping and winter wheat after sward incorporation. Two fertilization regimes were applied with plots fertilized...... carbon footprint. Thus, a reduction in N fertilizer application rates in the low input systems offsets increased N2O emissions after forage legume treatments compared to grass plots due to the N fertilizer production-related emissions. When including the subsequent wheat yield in the total aboveground...

  5. Nitrogen footprints: Regional realities and options to reduce nitrogen loss to the environment Ambio

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shibata, H.; Galloway, J.N.; Leach, A.M.; Noll, C.; Erisman, J.W.

    2016-01-01

    Nitrogen (N) management presents a sustainability dilemma: N is strongly linked to energy and food production, but excess reactive N causes environmental pollution. The N footprint is an indicator that quantifies reactive N losses to the environment from consumption and production of food and the

  6. A nitrogen mass balance for California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liptzin, D.; Dahlgren, R. A.

    2010-12-01

    Human activities have greatly altered the global nitrogen cycle and these changes are apparent in water quality, air quality, ecosystem and human health. However, the relative magnitude of the sources of new reactive nitrogen and the fate of this nitrogen is not well established. Further, the biogeochemical aspects of the nitrogen cycle are often studied in isolation from the economic and social implications of all the transformations of nitrogen. The California Nitrogen Assessment is an interdisciplinary project whose aim is evaluating the current state of nitrogen science, practice, and policy in the state of California. Because of the close proximity of large population centers, highly productive and diverse agricultural lands and significant acreage of undeveloped land, California is a particularly interesting place for this analysis. One component of this assessment is developing a mass balance of nitrogen as well as identifying gaps in knowledge and quantifying uncertainty. The main inputs of new reactive nitrogen to the state are 1) synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, 2) biological nitrogen fixation, and 3) atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Permanent losses of nitrogen include 1) gaseous losses (N2, N2O, NHx, NOy), 2) riverine discharge, 3) wastewater discharge to the ocean, and 4) net groundwater recharge. A final term is the balance of food, feed, and fiber to support the human and animal populations. The largest input of new reactive nitrogen to California is nitrogen fertilizer, but both nitrogen fixation and atmospheric deposition contribute significantly. Non-fertilizer uses, such as the production of nylon and polyurethane, constitutes about 5% of the synthetic N synthesized production. The total nitrogen fixation in California is roughly equivalent on the 400,000 ha of alfalfa and the approximately 40 million ha of natural lands. In addition, even with highly productive agricultural lands, the large population of livestock, in particular dairy cows

  7. Input reduction for long-term morphodynamic simulations in wave-dominated coastal settings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Walstra, D.J.R.; Hoekstra, R.; Tonnon, P.K.; Ruessink, B.G.

    2013-01-01

    Input reduction is imperative to long-term (> years) morphodynamic simulations to avoid excessive computation times. Here, we introduce an input-reduction framework for wave-dominated coastal settings. Our framework comprises 4 steps, viz. (1) the selection of the duration of the original (full)

  8. Fertilizing nature: a tragedy of excess in the commons.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allen G Good

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Globally, we are applying excessive nitrogen (N fertilizers to our agricultural crops, which ultimately causes nitrogen pollution to our ecosphere. The atmosphere is polluted by N₂O and NO(x gases that directly and indirectly increase atmospheric warming and climate change. Nitrogen is also leached from agricultural lands as the water-soluble form NO₃⁻, which increases nutrient overload in rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing "dead zones", reducing property values and the diversity of aquatic life, and damaging our drinking water and aquatic-associated industries such as fishing and tourism. Why do some countries show reductions in fertilizer use while others show increasing use? What N fertilizer application reductions could occur, without compromising crop yields? And what are the economic and environmental benefits of using directed nutrient management strategies?

  9. The long-term impact of urbanization on nitrogen patterns and dynamics in Shanghai, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gu Baojing; Dong Xiaoli; Peng Changhui; Luo Weidong; Chang Jie; Ge Ying

    2012-01-01

    Urbanization is an important process that alters the regional and global nitrogen biogeochemistry. In this study, we test how long-term urbanization (1952–2004) affects the nitrogen flows, emissions and drivers in the Greater Shanghai Area (GSA) based on the coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) approach. Results show that: (1) total nitrogen input to the GSA increased from 57.7 to 587.9 Gg N yr −1 during the period 1952–2004, mainly attributing to fossil fuel combustion (43%), Haber–Bosch nitrogen fixation (31%), and food/feed import (26%); (2) per capita nitrogen input increased from 13.5 to 45.7 kg N yr −1 , while per gross domestic product (GDP) nitrogen input reduced from 22.2 to 0.9 g N per Chinese Yuan, decoupling of nitrogen with GDP; (3) emissions of reactive nitrogen to the environment transformed from agriculture dominated to industry and human living dominated, especially for air pollution. This study provides decision-makers a novel view of nitrogen management. - Highlights: ► Major Nr emission source shifts from agriculture to industry alongside urbanization. ► Decoupling of nitrogen with GDP and urban expansion arises alongside urbanization. ► Nitrogen fluxes increase with population growth and living standard promotion. - Major nitrogen emission source shifts from agriculture to industry and human, and decoupling of nitrogen with GDP and urban expansion arises alongside urbanization.

  10. Assessment of the fate of anthropogenic nitrogen in large watersheds by isotopic techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayer, B.

    1999-01-01

    Human activity has greatly altered the nitrogen cycle in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and increased the nitrogen flow in many rivers. Preliminary work of the International SCOPE Nitrogen Project indicates that only 20% of the human-controlled nitrogen inputs to large watersheds are exported to the oceans in riverine flow (Howarth, 1998). Therefore, approximately 80% of the anthropogenic nitrogen inputs are either stored or denitrified in the catchments. Anthropogenic nitrogen can be retained in forests (possibly as a result of increased productivity) or in agricultural soils. It can also be stored in groundwater. These sinks are, however, often not large enough to account for the 'missing' nitrogen. It is, therefore, assumed that the majority of the human-controlled nitrogen inputs to large watersheds is denitrified in soils, riparian zones, wetlands, lakes, and rivers. Within the SCOPE Nitrogen Project, preliminary isotope analyses were performed on dissolved nitrates from several streams draining into the North Atlantic Ocean. Both δ 15 N nitrate and δ 18 O nitrate values were determined in order to identify nitrate sources. A further objective was to test, whether the isotopic composition of dissolved nitrate provides a measure for the extent to which denitrification occurs in the respective watersheds

  11. International food trade reduces environmental effects of nitrogen pollution in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Yaxing; Wu, Shaohua; Zhou, Shenglu; Wang, Chunhui; Chen, Hao

    2016-09-01

    The globalization of agricultural trade has dramatically altered global nitrogen flows by changing the spatial pattern of nitrogen utilization and emissions at a global scale. As a major trading country, China uses a large amount of nitrogen, which has a profound impact on global nitrogen flows. Using data on food production and trade between China and 26 other countries and regions, we calculated nitrogen inputs and outputs in food production ecosystem in each country. We estimated nitrogen flows in international food trade and analyzed their impact on nitrogen pollution in China. We divided nitrogen flows into embodied and virtual nitrogen flows. Embodied nitrogen is taken up by the plant and incorporated into the final food product, whereas virtual nitrogen is lost to the environment throughout the food production process and is not contained in the final food product. Our results show that China mainly imports food products from America and Asia, accounting for 95 % of all imported food. Asia (mainly Japan) and Europe are the main exporters of food from China, with Japan and the EU accounting for 17 and 10 % of all exported food, respectively. Total nitrogen inputs and outputs in food production in China were 55,400 and 61,000 Gg respectively, which were much higher than in other countries. About 1440 and 950 Gg of embodied and virtual nitrogen respectively flow into China through the food trade, mainly from food-exporting countries such as the USA, Argentina, and Brazil. Meanwhile, 177 and 160 Gg of embodied and virtual nitrogen respectively flow out of China from the export of food products, mainly to Japan. China's net food imports have reduced 720 and 458 Gg for nitrogen utilization and outputs, respectively, which accounted for 1.3 and 0.78 % of total nitrogen inputs and outputs in China. These results suggest that food trade in China has a profound effect on nitrogen flows and has greatly reduced environmental impacts on nitrogen pollution in China.

  12. Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition in the Western United States: Sources, Sinks and Changes over Time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Sarah Marie

    Anthropogenic activities have greatly modified the way nitrogen moves through the atmosphere and terrestrial and aquatic environments. Excess reactive nitrogen generated through fossil fuel combustion, industrial fixation, and intensification of agriculture is not confined to anthropogenic systems but leaks into natural ecosystems with consequences including acidification, eutrophication, and biodiversity loss. A better understanding of where excess nitrogen originates and how that changes over time is crucial to identifying when, where, and to what degree environmental impacts occur. A major route into ecosystems for excess nitrogen is through atmospheric deposition. Excess nitrogen is emitted to the atmosphere where it can be transported great distances before being deposited back to the Earth's surface. Analyzing the composition of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and biological indicators that reflect deposition can provide insight into the emission sources as well as processes and atmospheric chemistry that occur during transport and what drives variation in these sources and processes. Chapter 1 provides a review and proof of concept of lichens to act as biological indicators and how their elemental and stable isotope composition can elucidate variation in amounts and emission sources of nitrogen over space and time. Information on amounts and emission sources of nitrogen deposition helps inform natural resources and land management decisions by helping to identify potentially impacted areas and causes of those impacts. Chapter 2 demonstrates that herbaria lichen specimens and field lichen samples reflect historical changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition from urban and agricultural sources across the western United States. Nitrogen deposition increases throughout most of the 20 th century because of multiple types of emission sources until the implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 eventually decrease nitrogen deposition around the turn of

  13. Improvements to the characterization of organic nitrogen chemistry and deposition in CMAQ (CMAS Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Excess atmospheric nitrogen deposition can cause significant harmful effects to ecosystems. Organic nitrogen deposition can be an important contributor to the total nitrogen budget, contributing 10-30%, however there are large uncertainties in the chemistry and deposition of thes...

  14. Cycling of grain legume residue nitrogen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, E.S.

    1995-01-01

    Symbiotic nitrogen fixation by legumes is the main input of nitrogen in ecological agriculture. The cycling of N-15-labelled mature pea (Pisum sativum L.) residues was studied during three years in small field plots and lysimeters. The residual organic labelled N declined rapidly during the initial...... management methods in order to conserve grain legume residue N sources within the soil-plant system....

  15. Looking beyond fertilizer: Assessing the contribution of nitrogen from hydrologic inputs and organic matter to plant growth in the cranberry agroecosystem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stackpoole, S.M.; Kosola, K.R.; Workmaster, B.A.A.; Guldan, N.M.; Browne, B.A.; Jackson, R. D.

    2011-01-01

    Even though nitrogen (N) is a key nutrient for successful cranberry production, N cycling in cranberry agroecosystems is not completely understood. Prior research has focused mainly on timing and uptake of ammonium fertilizer, but the objective of our study was to evaluate the potential for additional N contributions from hydrologic inputs (flooding, irrigation, groundwater, and precipitation) and organic matter (OM). Plant biomass, soil, surface and groundwater samples were collected from five cranberry beds (cranberry production fields) on four different farms, representing both upland and lowland systems. Estimated average annual plant uptake (63.3 ?? 22.5 kg N ha-1 year-1) exceeded total average annual fertilizer inputs (39.5 ?? 11.6 kg N ha-1 year-1). Irrigation, precipitation, and floodwater N summed to an average 23 ?? 0.7 kg N ha-1 year-1, which was about 60% of fertilizer N. Leaf and stem litterfall added 5.2 ?? 1.2 and 24.1 ?? 3.0 kg N ha-1 year-1 respectively. The estimated net N mineralization rate from the buried bag technique was 5 ?? 0.2 kg N ha-1 year-1, which was nearly 15% of fertilizer N. Dissolved organic nitrogen represented a significant portion of the total N pool in both surface water and soil samples. Mixed-ion exchange resin core incubations indicated that 80% of total inorganic N from fertilizer, irrigation, precipitation, and mineralization was nitrate, and approximately 70% of recovered inorganic N from groundwater was nitrate. There was a weak but significant negative relationship between extractable soil ammonium concentrations and ericoid mycorrhizal colonization (ERM) rates (r = -0.22, P fertilizer N in order to maximize the benefits of ERM fungi in actively mediating N cycling in cranberry agroecosystems. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

  16. Nitrogen utilization efficiency and nitrogen nutrition of rice crops at MADA using the microplot nitrogen balance method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad Nazrul Abd Wahid; Abdul Razak Ruslan; Latiffah Norddin; Hazlina Abdullah; Khairuddin Abdul Rahim

    2004-01-01

    Nitrogen (N) is a very important nutrient for rice crops and is a main component of protein. Nitrogen is essential in the production of plant chlorophyll and involves in vegetative and fruit growth and development processes. Nitrogen is a critical input and exert high cost in rice crop production. Nitrogen fertilizer is not fully utilised by the rice crop; some is lost due the processes of vaporization, hydrolysis, erosion, leaching and used by other plants and microorganisms. Several agronomic practices have been studied and adopted in this country with the purpose of increasing the efficiency nitrogen fertilizer utilization and thus, reducing the output cost for rice crops. The microplot nitrogen balance method is one of the methods used to determine uptake efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers by rice crops. In this research, the microplot of 1 m x 1 m squares in paddy plot were used, to ensure that sequential sampling was done at predetermined areas. Scheduled monthly sampling of soil and rice crops was conducted until the mature stage, harvest and post-harvest period. This MINT-MADA cooperative project contains the elements of information sharing on fertilizer efficiency measurement methods by using the N-15 isotopic tracer technique and the N-balance technique in soil, besides the cooperation on use of infrastructure and facilities, expertise and labour. (Author)

  17. Mechanisms of formation and destruction of nitrogen oxides during polyamide incineration in a fluidized bed

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hahnel, F; Gadiou, R; Prado, G [Univ. de Haute Alsace, Mulhouse (France). Lab. de Gestion des Risques et Environnement

    1998-09-01

    In order to study the incineration of nitrogen-containing polymers, a fludized bed has been built. This paper reports the results for polyamide 6-6 incineration. The main nitrogen containing species have been identified, and the axial profiles of concentration of nitrogen oxides, HCN and NH3 have been measured. The main steps of decomposition of the polyamide were identified. We present an experimental investigation of the influence of operating parameters (temperature, excess air) on the formation and reduction of polymer combustion products. The yields of conversion of nitrogen to the different N-species have been calculated as a function of excess air in the fluidized bed. (orig.)

  18. Sm2Fe17Nx with discontinuous nitrogen profiles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skomski, R.; Kobayashi, K.; Brennan, S.; Coey, J.M.D.

    1995-01-01

    Microprobe analysis and theoretical calculations based on Hooke's law are used to investigate Sm 2 Fe 17 N x nitrides produced by N 2 and NH 3 interstitial modification. In the case of molecular nitrogen, stress and strain as well as Curie temperature, magnetization and anisotropy exhibit a smooth spatial variation, while nitrogen overloading due to the presence of ammonia leads to large excess strain and lattice incoherency. Discontinuous nitrogen profiles are associated with the occurrence of microcracks. ((orig.))

  19. Atmospheric nutrient inputs to the northern levantine basin from a long-term observation: sources and comparison with riverine inputs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Koçak

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Aerosol and rainwater samples have been collected at a rural site located on the coastline of the Eastern Mediterranean, Erdemli, Turkey between January 1999 and December 2007. Riverine sampling was carried out at five Rivers (Ceyhan, Seyhan, Göksu, Berdan and Lamas draining into the Northeastern Levantine Basin (NLB between March 2002 and July 2007. Samples have been analyzed for macronutrients of phosphate, silicate, nitrate and ammonium (PO43−, Sidiss, NO3 and NH4+. Phosphate and silicate in aerosol and rainwater showed higher and larger variations during the transitional period when air flows predominantly originate from North Africa and Middle East/Arabian Peninsula. Deficiency of alkaline material have been found to be the main reason of the acidic rain events whilst high pH values (>7 have been associated with high Sidiss concentrations due to sporadic dust events. In general, lowest nitrate and ammonium concentrations in aerosol and rainwater have been associated with air flow from the Mediterranean Sea. Comparison of atmospheric with riverine fluxes demonstrated that DIN and PO43− fluxes to NLB have been dominated by atmosphere (~90% and ~60% respectively whereas the input of Si was mainly derived from riverine runoff (~90%. N/P ratios in the atmospheric deposition (233; riverine discharge (28 revealed that NLB receives excessive amounts of DIN and this unbalanced P and N inputs may provoke even more phosphorus deficiency. Observed molar Si/N ratio suggested Si limitation relative to nitrogen might cause a switch from diatom dominated communities to non-siliceous populations particularly at coastal NLB.

  20. Impact of bioenergy on regionalized nitrogen balances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Häußermann, Uwe; Klement, Laura; Bach, Martin

    2017-04-01

    Results of regionalized and overall net-N-balances are used to fulfil different reporting obligations, as well as input data for nitrate leaching modelling (Bach et al. 2014). For Germany, these regionalized net-N-balances are calculated for 402 administrative units on the NUTS-III-level (Landkreise and kreisfreie Städte in Germany), 16 administrative units on the NUTS-I-level (Bundesländer in Germany) and the whole country for every year from 1995 to 2015. The so far existing net-N-balancing method includes nitrogen inputs and outputs of crop production and animal husbandry, however, not the utilization of crops and farmyard manure for energy production (Bach et al. 2014). Due to the introduction of guaranteed feed in tariffs for electricity production from biomass by the German renewable energy law in 2000 and the introduction of more favourable conditions for electricity production from biogas in 2004 (EEG 2000, EEG 2004) in the frame of the German policy of energy transition towards renewable energies („Energiewende"), the electric capacity of biogas plants had a steep increase in the years afterwards, the installed electric capacity increased from 149 MW in 2004 to 5080 MW in 2015 (BMWi and AGEE Stat 2016). The cropping area for the production of energy cops for biogas production increased as well from 0.4 Mio ha in 2007 to 1.393 Mio ha in 2015 (Statista 2017). We introduced a method to calculate the nitrogen input via energy crops, farmyard manure and organic waste, output via biogas digestates and gaseous nitrogen losses via NH3, N2O, NOx and N2 during the anaerobic digestion, digestate storage and spreading on the field, the emission factors for these nitrogen species are obtained from the report on methods and data for the agricultural part of the German national greenhouse gas inventory and informative inventory report (Haenel et al. 2016). To obtain highly resolved information on the distribution and capacity of biogas plants on NUTS-III-level, we

  1. Influence of carbon dioxide content in the biogas to nitrogen oxides emissions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Živković Marija A.

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Fuels derived from biomass are an alternative solution for the fossil fuel shortage. Usually this kind of fuels is called low calorific value fuels, due to the large proportion of inert components in their composition. The most common is carbon dioxide, and its proportion in biogas can be different, from 10 up to 40%, or even more. The presence of inert component in the composition of biogas causes the problems that are related with flame blow off limits. One of the possibilities for efficient combustion of biogas is the combustion in swirling flow including a pilot burner, aimed to expand the borders of stable combustion. This paper presents an analysis of the influence of the carbon dioxide content to the nitrogen oxides emissions. Laboratory biogas was used with different content of CO2 (10, 20, 30 and 40%. Investigation was carried out for different nominal powers, coefficients of excess air and carbon dioxide content. With increasing content of carbon dioxide, emission of nitrogen oxides was reduced, and this trend was the same throughout the whole range of excess air, carried out through measurements. Still, the influence of carbon dioxide content is significantly less than the influence of excess air. The coefficient of excess air greatly affects the production of radicals which are essential for the formation of nitrogen oxides, O, OH and CH. Also, the results show that the nominal power has no impact on the emission of nitrogen oxides.

  2. Natural abundance of 15N in barley as influenced by prior cropping or fallow, nitrogen fertilizer and tillage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doughton, J.A.; Saffigna, P.G.; Vallis, I.

    1991-01-01

    The 15 N abundance of nitrogen was measured in barley grown with 0,50 and 100 kg/ha of applied nitrogen after pretreatments of either fallow or grain sorghum, where sorghum stubble was either incorporated, removed or retained on the soil surface (zero-till). Barley 15 N abundance was assumed to reflect that of assimilated soil mineral nitrogen. 15 N enrichment was assumed to be mostly the result of isotope fractionation between 14 N and 15 N during denitrification of the large excess of NO 3 -N present prior to and during the experiment. Nitrogen fertilizer additions caused 15 N depletion of nitrogen in barley. However, where fertilizer additions resulted in excess availability of NO 3 -N, subsequent denitrification and 15 N enrichment of this NO 3 -N levels partially counterbalanced the 15 N depleting effect of fertilizer additions. Where soil NO 3 -N levels were low ( 3 -N/ha) following sorghum there were no differences in 15 N abundance of nitrogen in barley between tillage treatments. With additions of nitrogen fertilizer and the availability of excess NO 3 -N for denitrification, differences between tillage treatments occurred with some being significant. 27 refs., 6 tabs

  3. Stable nitrogen isotopes in coastal macroalgae: geographic and anthropogenic variability

    OpenAIRE

    González-Viana, I. (Inés); Bode, A. (Antonio)

    2013-01-01

    Proyectos ANILE (CTM2009-08396 and CTM2010-08804-E) del Plan Nacional de I+D+i y RADIALES del Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO). I.G.V. recibió un contrato FPI del Ministerio de Economía y Competividad Growing human population add to the natural nitrogen loads to coastal waters. As the excess nitrogen is readily incorporated in new biomass anthropogenic and natural nitrogen sources may be traced by the measurement of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15N). In this study δ15N was dete...

  4. Historical balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur of the Argentine Pampas

    OpenAIRE

    Álvarez, Roberto; Steinbach, Haydee S; de Paepe, Josefina L

    2016-01-01

    A surface balance for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) was performed for the Argentine Pampas during the 1870-2010 time interval, comprising the agricultural expansion period in the region. Nitrogen inputs accounted in the balance were atmospheric deposition, symbiotic fixation, and fertilization. Outputs included were grain harvest and livestock products. P and S balances included atmospheric deposition and fertilization as inputs and the same outputs than in the case of N balanc...

  5. Nitrogen soil emissions and belowground plant processes in Mediterranean annual pastures are altered by ozone exposure and N-inputs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Martín, L.; Bermejo-Bermejo, V.; García-Torres, L.; Alonso, R.; de la Cruz, A.; Calvete-Sogo, H.; Vallejo, A.

    2017-09-01

    Increasing tropospheric ozone (O3) and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition alter the structure and composition of pastures. These changes could affect N and C compounds in the soil that in turn can influence soil microbial activity and processes involved in the emission of N oxides, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), but these effects have been scarcely studied. Through an open top chamber (OTC) field experiment, the combined effects of both pollutants on soil gas emissions from an annual experimental Mediterranean community were assessed. Four O3 treatments and three different N input levels were considered. Fluxes of nitric (NO) and nitrous (N2O) oxide, CH4 and CO2 were analysed as well as soil mineral N and dissolved organic carbon. Belowground plant parameters like root biomass and root C and N content were also sampled. Ozone strongly increased soil N2O emissions, doubling the cumulative emission through the growing cycle in the highest O3 treatment, while N-inputs enhanced more slightly NO; CH4 and CO2 where not affected. Both N-gases had a clear seasonality, peaking at the start and at the end of the season when pasture physiological activity is minimal; thus, higher microorganism activity occurred when pasture had a low nutrient demand. The O3-induced peak of N2O under low N availability at the end of the growing season was counterbalanced by the high N inputs. These effects were related to the O3 x N significant interaction found for the root-N content in the grass and the enhanced senescence of the community. Results indicate the importance of the belowground processes, where competition between plants and microorganisms for the available soil N is a key factor, for understanding the ecosystem responses to O3 and N.

  6. New, national bottom-up estimate for tree-based biological nitrogen fixation in the US

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen is a limiting nutrient in many ecosystems, but is also a chief pollutant from human activity. Quantifying human impacts on the nitrogen cycle and investigating natural ecosystem nitrogen cycling both require an understanding of the magnitude of nitrogen inputs from biolo...

  7. Response of yield and quality of cauliflower varieties (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) to nitrogen supply

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rather, K.; Schenk, M.K.; Everaarts, A.P.; Vethman, S.

    1999-01-01

    The fertilizer nitrogen (N) inputs to some vegetables such as cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) can be large. One approach to decreasing the input of N may be to select for cultivars efficient in the use of nitrogen. The objective of this investigation was to identify a cultivar which

  8. Residual N effects from livestock manure inputs to soils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schröder, Jaap; Bechini, Luca; Bittman, Shabtai

    Organic inputs including livestock manures provide nitrogen (N) to crops beyond the year of their application. This so-called residual N effect should be taken into account when making decisions on N rates for individual fields, but also when interpreting N response trials in preparation...

  9. Nitrogen dynamics in northern peatland ecosystems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen pollution has become a global issue over the last century due to increased fertilizer use and burning of fossil fuels. Excess N has been responsible for algal blooms, hypoxic zones, climate change, and human health issues. Extent of peatlands in the Great Lakes basin is ...

  10. Impact of Crab Bioturbation on Nitrogen-Fixation Rates in Red Sea Mangrove Sediment

    KAUST Repository

    Qashqari, Maryam S.

    2017-01-01

    be uptaken by plants. Hence, biological nitrogen fixation increases the input of nitrogen in the mangrove ecosystem. In this project, we focus on measuring the rates of nitrogen fixation on Red Sea mangrove (Avicennia marina) located at Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

  11. Impacts of atmospheric anthropogenic nitrogen on the open ocean

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duce, R.A.; LaRoche, J.; Altieri, K.; Arrigo, K.R.; Baker, A.R.; Capone, D.G.; Cornell, S.; Dentener, F.; Galloway, J.; Ganeshram, R.S.; Geider, R.J.; Jickells, T.; Kuypers, M.M.; Langlois, R.; Liss, P.S.; Liu, S.; Middelburg, J.J.; Moore, C.M.; Nickovic, S.; Oschlies, A.; Pedersen, T.; Prospero, J.; Schlitzer, R.; Seitzinger, S.; Sorensen, L.L.; Uematsu, M.; Ulloa, O.; Voss, M.; Ward, B.; Zamora, L.

    2008-01-01

    Increasing quantities of atmospheric anthropogenic fixed nitrogen entering the open ocean could account for up to about a third of the ocean's external (nonrecycled) nitrogen supply and up to 3% of the annual new marine biological production, 0.3 petagram of carbon per year. This input could account

  12. Ruminal Nitrogen Recycling and Nitrogen Efficiency in Lactating Dairy Cattle

    OpenAIRE

    Aguilar, Michelle

    2012-01-01

    Excess nitrogen (N) excretion from animal agriculture results in reduced air and water quality, and poses a risk to human health. Although the dairy industry utilizes milk urea N (MUN) to monitor protein feeding and N excretion, phenotypic diversity among cows may influence MUN and thus bias feed management. An initial study using data from 2 previously published research trials and a field trial, observed that cow had a significant effect on MUN variation. Regression models, utilized ...

  13. Recent studies of the ocean nitrogen cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eppley, R. W.

    1984-01-01

    The nitrogen cycle in the ocean is dominated by the activities of organisms. External nitrogen inputs from land and from the atmosphere are small compared with rates of consumption and production by organisms and with rates of internal rearrangements of nitrogen pools within the ocean. The chief reservoirs of nitrogen are, in decreasing order of size: nitrogen in sediments, dissolved N2, nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), particulate organic nitrogen (PON) (mostly organisms and their by-products). The biogenic fluxes of nitrogen were reviewed. The rate of PON decomposition in the surface layer must be comparable to the rate of ammonium consumption; and at the same time the nitrate consumption rate will be similar to the rates of: (1) sinking of PON out of the surface layer and its decompositon at depth, (2) the rate of nitrification at depth, and (3) the rate of nitrate return to the surface layer by upwelling.

  14. Residual N effects from livestock manure inputs to soils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schroder, J.J.; Bechini, L.; Bittman, S.; Brito, M.P.; Delin, S.; Lalor, S.T.J.; Morvan, T.; Chambers, B.J.; Sakrabani, R.; Sørensen, P.B.

    2013-01-01

    Organic inputs including livestock manures provide nitrogen (N) to crops beyond the year of their application. This so-called residual N effect should be taken into account when making decisions on N rates for individual fields, but also when interpreting N response trials in preparation of

  15. Mean age distribution of inorganic soil-nitrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, Dong K.; Kumar, Praveen

    2016-07-01

    Excess reactive nitrogen in soils of intensively managed landscapes causes adverse environmental impact, and continues to remain a global concern. Many novel strategies have been developed to provide better management practices and, yet, the problem remains unresolved. The objective of this study is to develop a model to characterize the "age" of inorganic soil-nitrogen (nitrate, and ammonia/ammonium). We use the general theory of age, which provides an assessment of the time elapsed since inorganic nitrogen has been introduced into the soil system. We analyze a corn-corn-soybean rotation, common in the Midwest United States, as an example application. We observe two counter-intuitive results: (1) the mean nitrogen age in the topsoil layer is relatively high; and (2) mean nitrogen age is lower under soybean cultivation compared to corn although no fertilizer is applied for soybean cultivation. The first result can be explained by cation-exchange of ammonium that retards the leaching of nitrogen, resulting in an increase in the mean nitrogen age near the soil surface. The second result arises because the soybean utilizes the nitrogen fertilizer left from the previous year, thereby removing the older nitrogen and reducing mean nitrogen age. Estimating the mean nitrogen age can thus serve as an important tool to disentangle complex nitrogen dynamics by providing a nuanced characterization of the time scales of soil-nitrogen transformation and transport processes.

  16. Remote sensing of nitrogen and water stress in wheat

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tilling, A.K.; O'Leary, G.J.; Ferwerda, J.G.; Jones, S.D.; Fitzgerald, G.J.; Rodriguez, D.; Belford, R.

    2007-01-01

    Nitrogen (N) is the largest agricultural input in many Australian cropping systems and applying the right amount of N in the right place at the right physiological stage is a significant challenge for wheat growers. Optimizing N uptake could reduce input costs and minimize potential off-site

  17. Excess Sodium Tetraphenylborate and Intermediates Decomposition Studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barnes, M.J. [Westinghouse Savannah River Company, AIKEN, SC (United States); Peterson , R.A.

    1998-04-01

    The stability of excess amounts of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) facility depends on a number of variables. Concentration of palladium, initial benzene, and sodium ion as well as temperature provide the best opportunities for controlling the decomposition rate. This study examined the influence of these four variables on the reactivity of palladium-catalyzed sodium tetraphenylborate decomposition. Also, single effects tests investigated the reactivity of simulants with continuous stirring and nitrogen ventilation, with very high benzene concentrations, under washed sodium concentrations, with very high palladium concentrations, and with minimal quantities of excess NaTPB. These tests showed the following.The testing demonstrates that current facility configuration does not provide assured safety of operations relative to the hazards of benzene (in particular to maintain the tank headspace below 60 percent of the lower flammability limit (lfl) for benzene generation rates of greater than 7 mg/(L.h)) from possible accelerated reaction of excess NaTPB. Current maximal operating temperatures of 40 degrees C and the lack of protection against palladium entering Tank 48H provide insufficient protection against the onset of the reaction. Similarly, control of the amount of excess NaTPB, purification of the organic, or limiting the benzene content of the slurry (via stirring) and ionic strength of the waste mixture prove inadequate to assure safe operation.

  18. Excess Sodium Tetraphenylborate and Intermediates Decomposition Studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnes, M.J.; Peterson, R.A.

    1998-04-01

    The stability of excess amounts of sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) in the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) facility depends on a number of variables. Concentration of palladium, initial benzene, and sodium ion as well as temperature provide the best opportunities for controlling the decomposition rate. This study examined the influence of these four variables on the reactivity of palladium-catalyzed sodium tetraphenylborate decomposition. Also, single effects tests investigated the reactivity of simulants with continuous stirring and nitrogen ventilation, with very high benzene concentrations, under washed sodium concentrations, with very high palladium concentrations, and with minimal quantities of excess NaTPB. These tests showed the following.The testing demonstrates that current facility configuration does not provide assured safety of operations relative to the hazards of benzene (in particular to maintain the tank headspace below 60 percent of the lower flammability limit (lfl) for benzene generation rates of greater than 7 mg/(L.h)) from possible accelerated reaction of excess NaTPB. Current maximal operating temperatures of 40 degrees C and the lack of protection against palladium entering Tank 48H provide insufficient protection against the onset of the reaction. Similarly, control of the amount of excess NaTPB, purification of the organic, or limiting the benzene content of the slurry (via stirring) and ionic strength of the waste mixture prove inadequate to assure safe operation

  19. Effect of nitrogen alloying of stainless steels on their corrosion stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chigal, V.; Knyazheva, V.M.; Pitter, Ya.; Babich, S.G.; Bogolyubskij, S.D.

    1986-01-01

    Results of corrosion tests and structural investigations of 03Cr18Ni10 and 03Cr18Ni10Mo3 steels without nitrogen and with nitrogen content of 0.15-0.3% are presented. Corrosion-electrochemical behaviour of Cr20Ni20 steel with ultralow carbon content (0.004-0.006%) and nitrogen content with 0-0.5% as well as Cr 2 N nitride behaviour are investigated. A conclusion is made on nitrogen and excessive nitride phase effect on corrosion stability of steel in corrosive media with different reduction-oxidation properties

  20. The relative importance of oceanic nutrient inputs for Bass Harbor Marsh Estuary at Acadia National Park, Maine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huntington, Thomas G.; Culbertson, Charles W.; Fuller, Christopher; Glibert, Patricia; Sturtevant, Luke

    2014-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey and Acadia National Park (ANP) collaborated on a study of nutrient inputs into Bass Harbor Marsh Estuary on Mount Desert Island, Maine, to better understand ongoing eutrophication, oceanic nutrient inputs, and potential management solutions. This report includes the estimation of loads of nitrate, ammonia, total dissolved nitrogen, and total dissolved phosphorus to the estuary derived from runoff within the watershed and oceanic inputs during summers 2011 and 2012. Nutrient outputs from the estuary were also monitored, and nutrient inputs in direct precipitation to the estuary were calculated. Specific conductance, water temperature, and turbidity were monitored at the estuary outlet. This report presents a first-order analysis of the potential effects of projected sea-level rise on the inundated area and estuary volume. Historical aerial photographs were used to investigate the possibility of widening of the estuary channel over time. The scope of this report also includes analysis of sediment cores collected from the estuary and fringing marsh surfaces to assess the sediment mass accumulation rate. Median concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, and total dissolved phosphorus on the flood tide were approximately 25 percent higher than on the ebb tide during the 2011 and 2012 summer seasons. Higher concentrations on the flood tide suggest net assimilation of these nutrients in biota within the estuary. The dissolved organic nitrogen fraction dominated the dissolved nitrogen fraction in all tributaries. The median concentration of dissolved organic nitrogen was about twice as high on the on the ebb tide than the flood tide, indicating net export of dissolved organic nitrogen from the estuary. The weekly total oceanic inputs of nitrate, ammonium, and total dissolved phosphorus to the estuary were usually much larger than inputs from runoff or direct precipitation. The estuary was a net sink for nitrate and ammonium in most weeks during both

  1. Nitrogen removal in shallow groundwater below three arable land systems in a high nitrogen loading region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, X.; Zhou, W.

    2017-12-01

    The Taihu Lake region (TLR) is one of the most intensive agricultural regions with high nitrogen (N) loading in eastern China. Large inputs of synthetic N fertilizer have led to a series of environmental problems including eutrophication of surface waters, nitrate (NO3-) pollution of groundwater. To fully evaluate the risk of NO3- on groundwater environments, it is necessary to know the natural NO3- removal ability. In this study, denitrification capacity was assessed for two years through measuring the concentration of different N species (NO3-, NH4+, TN, excess N2 and dissolved N2O) in groundwater below three typical agricultural land-use types in the TLR. The results suggested that the conversion of paddy field (PF) to vineyard (VY) and vegetable (VF) significantly increased the groundwater NO3-N concentration, but denitrification consumed 76%, 83% and 65% of the groundwater NO3-N in VY, VF and PF, respectively. Because of the low O2 and high DOC concentrations in groundwater, denitrification activity was high in the study sites, resulting in high excess N2 accumulation in groundwater, and the concentration even exceeded the total active N in the deep layer. The large amounts of excess N2 observed in the VY and VF over all the sample times indicated that considerable N was stored as gaseous N2 in groundwater and should not be ignored in balancing N budgets in aquifers where denitrification is high. Our results also demonstrated that the indirect N2O emission factor (EF5-g) in VY (0.0052)and VF (0.0057)was significantly higher than PF (0.0011)as well as higher than the IPCC default values (0.0025. In view of the increasing trend of paddy fields being converted to uplands combined with the low GWT in the TLR, we thus concluded that the risk of NO3- contamination in groundwater and indirect N2O emission will intensify below arable land.

  2. Effects of increased deposition of atmospheric nitrogen on an upland moor: leaching of N species and soil solution chemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pilkington, M G; Caporn, S J M; Carroll, J A; Cresswell, N; Lee, J A; Ashenden, T W; Brittain, S A; Reynolds, B; Emmett, B A

    2005-05-01

    This study was designed to investigate the leaching response of an upland moorland to long-term (10 yr) ammonium nitrate additions of 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) and to relate this response to other indications of potential system damage, such as acidification and cation displacement. Results showed increases in nitrate leaching only in response to high rates of N input, in excess of 96 and 136 kg total N input ha(-1) yr(-1) for the organic Oh horizon and mineral Eag horizon, respectively. Individual N additions did not alter ammonium leaching from either horizon and ammonium was completely retained by the mineral horizon. Leaching of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) from the Oh horizon was increased by the addition of 40 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1), but in spite of increases, retention of total dissolved nitrogen reached a maximum of 92% and 95% of 80 kg added N ha(-1) yr(-1) in the Oh and Eag horizons, respectively. Calcium concentrations and calcium/aluminium ratios were decreased in the Eag horizon solution with significant acidification mainly in the Oh horizon leachate. Nitrate leaching is currently regarded as an early indication of N saturation in forest systems. Litter C:N ratios were significantly lowered but values remained above a threshold predicted to increase leaching of N in forests.

  3. Imprint of oaks on nitrogen availability and δ15N in California grassland-savanna: A case of enhanced N inputs?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perakis, S.S.; Kellogg, C.H.

    2007-01-01

    Woody vegetation is distributed patchily in many arid and semi-arid ecosystems, where it is often associated with elevated nitrogen (N) pools and availability in islands of fertility. We measured N availability and δ15N in paired blue-oak versus annual grass dominated patches to characterize the causes and consequences of spatial variation in N dynamics of grassland-savanna in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. We found significantly greater surface soil N pools (0–20 cm) in oak patches compared to adjacent grass areas across a 700 m elevation gradient from foothills to the savanna-forest boundary. N accumulation under oaks was associated with a 0.6‰ depletion in soil δ15N relative to grass patches. Results from a simple δ15N mass balance simulation model, constrained by surface soil N and δ15N measured in the field, suggest that the development of islands of N fertility under oaks can be traced primarily to enhanced N inputs. Net N mineralization and percent nitrification in laboratory incubations were consistently higher under oaks across a range of experimental soil moisture regimes, suggesting a scenario whereby greater N inputs to oak patches result in net N accumulation and enhanced N cycling, with a potential for greater nitrate loss as well. N concentrations of three common herbaceous annual plants were nearly 50% greater under oak than in adjacent grass patches, with community composition shifted towards more N-demanding species under oaks. We find that oaks imprint distinct N-rich islands of fertility that foster local feedback between soil N cycling, plant N uptake, and herbaceous community composition. Such patch-scale differences in N inputs and plant–soil interactions increase biogeochemical heterogeneity in grassland-savanna ecosystems and may shape watershed-level responses to chronic N deposition.

  4. Metabolic acclimation to excess light intensity in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Maria C; Fiehn, Oliver; Durnford, Dion G

    2013-07-01

    There are several well-described acclimation responses to excess light in green algae but the effect on metabolism has not been thoroughly investigated. This study examines the metabolic changes during photoacclimation to high-light (HL) stress in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Using principal component analysis, a clear metabolic response to HL intensity was observed on global metabolite pools, with major changes in the levels of amino acids and related nitrogen metabolites. Amino acid pools increased during short-term photoacclimation, but were especially prominent in HL-acclimated cultures. Unexpectedly, we observed an increase in mitochondrial metabolism through downstream photorespiratory pathways. The expression of two genes encoding key enzymes in the photorespiratory pathway, glycolate dehydrogenase and malate synthase, were highly responsive to the HL stress. We propose that this pathway contributes to metabolite pools involved in nitrogen assimilation and may play a direct role in photoacclimation. Our results suggest that primary and secondary metabolism is highly pliable and plays a critical role in coping with the energetic imbalance during HL exposure and a necessary adjustment to support an increased growth rate that is an effective energy sink for the excess reducing power generated during HL stress. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Nitrogen input inventory in the Nooksack-Abbotsford-Sumas Transboundary Region: Key component of an international nitrogen management study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background/Question/Methods: Nitrogen (N) is an essential biological element, so optimizing N use for food production while minimizing the release of N and co-pollutants to the environment is an important challenge. The Nooksack-lower Fraser Valley, spanning a portion of the w...

  6. Aquatic subsidies transport anthropogenic nitrogen to riparian spiders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akamatsu, Fumikazu, E-mail: f-akamt55@pwri.go.jp [Department of Environmental Sciences, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621 (Japan); Toda, Hideshige [Department of Environmental Sciences, Shinshu University, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano 390-8621 (Japan)

    2011-05-15

    Stable nitrogen isotopic composition ({delta}{sup 15}N) of aquatic biota increases with anthropogenic N inputs such as sewage and livestock waste downstream. Increase in {delta}{sup 15}N of riparian spiders downstream may reflect the anthropogenic pollution exposure through predation on aquatic insects. A two-source mixing model based on stable carbon isotopic composition showed the greatest dependence on aquatic insects (84%) by horizontal web-building spiders, followed by intermediate (48%) and low (31%) dependence by cursorial and vertical web-building spiders, respectively. The spider body size was negatively correlated with the dietary proportion of aquatic insects and spider {delta}{sup 15}N. The aquatic subsidies transported anthropogenic N to smaller riparian spiders downstream. This transport of anthropogenic N was regulated by spider's guild designation and body size. - Highlights: > {delta}{sup 15}N of aquatic insects increases downstream with anthropogenic nitrogen inputs. > {delta}{sup 15}N of riparian spiders increases with a high dietary proportion of aquatic insects and smaller spider body size. > The aquatic subsidies transport anthropogenic nitrogen to smaller riparian spiders downstream. - Smaller spiders assimilate anthropogenic nitrogen through the predation on aquatic subsides.

  7. Aquatic subsidies transport anthropogenic nitrogen to riparian spiders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akamatsu, Fumikazu; Toda, Hideshige

    2011-01-01

    Stable nitrogen isotopic composition (δ 15 N) of aquatic biota increases with anthropogenic N inputs such as sewage and livestock waste downstream. Increase in δ 15 N of riparian spiders downstream may reflect the anthropogenic pollution exposure through predation on aquatic insects. A two-source mixing model based on stable carbon isotopic composition showed the greatest dependence on aquatic insects (84%) by horizontal web-building spiders, followed by intermediate (48%) and low (31%) dependence by cursorial and vertical web-building spiders, respectively. The spider body size was negatively correlated with the dietary proportion of aquatic insects and spider δ 15 N. The aquatic subsidies transported anthropogenic N to smaller riparian spiders downstream. This transport of anthropogenic N was regulated by spider's guild designation and body size. - Highlights: → δ 15 N of aquatic insects increases downstream with anthropogenic nitrogen inputs. → δ 15 N of riparian spiders increases with a high dietary proportion of aquatic insects and smaller spider body size. → The aquatic subsidies transport anthropogenic nitrogen to smaller riparian spiders downstream. - Smaller spiders assimilate anthropogenic nitrogen through the predation on aquatic subsides.

  8. Nitrogen cycling in summer active perennial grass systems in South Australia: Non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gupta, V.V.S.R.; Kroker, S.J.; Hicks, M.; Davoren, W.; Descheemaeker, K.K.E.; Llewellyn, R.

    2014-01-01

    Non-symbiotic nitrogen (N2) fixation by diazotrophic bacteria is a potential source for biological N inputs in non-leguminous crops and pastures. Perennial grasses generally add larger quantities of above- and belowground plant residues to soil, and so can support higher levels of soil biological

  9. The environmental impact of nitrogen in field vegetable production

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Neeteson, J.J.; Carton, O.T.

    2001-01-01

    Many intensive systems of field vegetable production are not sustainable because they lose excessive amounts of nitrogen (N) to the environment. Processes in the N cycle of agricultural systems include assimilation, mineralization/immobilization, nitrification, denitrification, ammonia

  10. The stream subsurface: nitrogen cycling and the cleansing function of hyporheic zones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhonda Mazza; Steve Wondzell; Jay Zarnetske

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen is an element essential to plant growth and ecosystem productivity. Excess nitrogen, however, is a common water pollutant. It can lead to algal blooms that deplete the water's dissolved oxygen, creating "dead zones" devoid of fish and aquatic insects.Previous research showed that the subsurface area of a stream, known as the hyporheic...

  11. Nitrogen turnover and effects in forests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Erisman, J.W.; De Vries, W.

    1999-10-01

    Apart from effects on the crown condition, atmospheric deposition also affects the nutritional status of forests. This refers specifically to the impact of N deposition that has gained in importance since the last decades due to steady decline in S emissions over that period. Preliminary data of bulk deposition and throughfall at some 60 Intensive Monitoring (level II) plots suggest that the average input of N and S is about equal. At low N deposition, an increase may be beneficial for forest growth, whereas the reverse may be true at elevated deposition. The relative contribution of the different fluxes in the nitrogen cycle is reasonably well known, with the exception of denitrification. The quantification of the input and output fluxes and the allocation of deposited nitrogen in the forest ecosystem prove to be difficult. Although knowledge on the response of forest ecosystems to N inputs has increased over the last decade, there is still a lack of information on the dynamics in critical N loads over a large range of environmental conditions. Furthermore, a European wide perspective of N saturation is still lacking. 132 refs

  12. Reducing fertilizer-nitrogen losses from rowcrop landscapes: Insights and implications from a spatially explicit watershed model

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLellan, Eileen; Schilling, Keith; Robertson, Dale M.

    2015-01-01

    We present conceptual and quantitative models that predict changes in fertilizer-derived nitrogen delivery from rowcrop landscapes caused by agricultural conservation efforts implemented to reduce nutrient inputs and transport and increase nutrient retention in the landscape. To evaluate the relative importance of changes in the sources, transport, and sinks of fertilizer-derived nitrogen across a region, we use the spatially explicit SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes watershed model to map the distribution, at the small watershed scale within the Upper Mississippi-Ohio River Basin (UMORB), of: (1) fertilizer inputs; (2) nutrient attenuation during delivery of those inputs to the UMORB outlet; and (3) nitrogen export from the UMORB outlet. Comparing these spatial distributions suggests that the amount of fertilizer input and degree of nutrient attenuation are both important in determining the extent of nitrogen export. From a management perspective, this means that agricultural conservation efforts to reduce nitrogen export would benefit by: (1) expanding their focus to include activities that restore and enhance nutrient processing in these highly altered landscapes; and (2) targeting specific types of best management practices to watersheds where they will be most valuable. Doing so successfully may result in a shift in current approaches to conservation planning, outreach, and funding.

  13. A marine eutrophication impacts assessment method in LCIA coupling coastal ecosystems exposure to nitrogen and species sensitivity to hypoxia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Koski, Marja; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

    Characterisation modelling in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) aims at quantifying potential impacts of anthropogenic emissions. It delivers substance-specific Characterisation Factors (CF) expressing ecosystem responses to marginal increments in emitted quantities. Nitrogen (N) emissions from e.......g. agriculture and industry enrich coastal marine ecosystems. Excessive algal growth and dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion typify the resulting marine eutrophication. LCIA modelling frameworks typically encompass fate, exposure and effect in the environment. The present novel method couples relevant marine...... biological processes of ecosystem’s N exposure (Exposure Factor, XF) with the sensitivity of select species to hypoxia (Effect Factor, EF). The XF converts N-inputs into a sinking carbon flux from planktonic primary production and DO consumed by bacterial respiration in bottom waters, whereas EF builds...

  14. Effects of nitrogen and hydrogen in argon shielding gas on bead profile, delta-ferrite and nitrogen contents of the pulsed GTAW welds of AISI 316L stainless steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Viyanit, Ekkarut [National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC), Pathaumthani (Thailand). Failure Analysis and Surface Technology Lab; Hartung, Fritz; Lothongkum, Gobboon [Chulalongkom University, Bangkok (Thailand). Dept. of Metallurgical Engineering,; Phakpeetinan, Panyasak; Chianpairot, Amnuysak

    2016-08-01

    The general effects of 1, 2, 3 and 4 vol.-% nitrogen and 1, 5 and 10 vol.-% hydrogen in argon shielding gas on weld bead profile (depth/width ratio: D/W) and the δ-ferrite content of AISI 316L pulsed GTAW welds were investigated. The limits for imperfections for the quality levels of welds were based on ISO 5817 B. The plates with a thickness of 6 mm were welded at the flat position and the bead on plate. Increasing hydrogen content in argon shielding gas increases the D/W ratio. Excessive hydrogen addition to argon shielding gas will result in incompletely filled groove and excessive penetration of weld. Increasing welding speed decreases the weld-metal volume and the D/W ratios. Nitrogen addition to argon shielding gas has no effect on the D/W ratio. The addition of a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen to argon shielding gas on the D/W ratio does not show any interaction between them. An effect on the D/W ratio can be exclusively observed as a function of hydrogen content. Increasing hydrogen content in argon shielding gas increases the δ-ferrite content of weld metal. Increasing either nitrogen content in shielding gas or welding speed decreases the δ-ferrite content of weld metal. The nitrogen addition increases the weld metal nitrogen content, however, the hydrogen addition leads to a decrease of weld metal nitrogen content.

  15. Microbial nitrogen sinks in the water column of a large coastal hypoxic area, the Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogener, M. K.; Roberts, B. J.; Rabalais, N. N.; Stewart, F. J.; Joye, S. B.

    2016-02-01

    Excess nitrogen in coastal environments leads to eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, habitat loss, oxygen depletion and reductions in biodiversity. As such, biological nitrogen (N) removal through the microbially-mediated process of denitrification is a critical ecosystem function that can mitigate the negative consequences of excess nitrogen loading. However, denitrification can produce nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas, as a byproduct under some environmental conditions. To understand how excess nitrogen loading impacts denitrification, we measured rates of this process in the water column of the Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone" three times over the summer of 2015. The Dead Zone is generated by excessive nitrogen loading from the Mississippi River co-occurring with strong water column stratification, which leads to a large summer-time hypoxic/anoxic area at the mouth of the river and along the coast of Louisiana. Rates of denitrification ranged from 31 to 153 nmol L-1 d-1. Dead Zone waters are also enriched in methane and aerobic methane oxidation rates ranged from 0.1 to 4.3 nmol L-1 d-1. Maximal denitrification rates were observed at stations with the lowest oxygen concentrations and highest methane oxidation rates, suggesting a potential coupling between nitrate reduction and methane oxidation which both scrubs reactive N and methane from the system, thus performing a duel ecosystem service.

  16. Coupling ecosystems exposure to nitrogen and species sensitivity to hypoxia: modelling marine eutrophication in LCIA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Koski, Marja; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

    Characterisation modelling in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) quantifies impacts of anthropogenic emissions by applying substance-specific impact potentials, or Characterisation Factors (CF), to the amount of substances emitted. Nitrogen (N) emissions from human activities enrich coastal marine...... ecosystems and promote planktonic growth that may lead to marine eutrophication impacts. Excessive algal biomass and dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion typify the ecosystem response to the nutrient input. The present novel method couples a mechanistic model of coastal biological processes that determines...... the ecosystem response (exposure) to anthropogenic N enrichment (eXposure Factor, XF [kgO2·kgN-1]) with the sensitivity of species exposed to oxygen-depleted waters (Effect Factor, EF [(PAF)·m3·kgO2-1], expressed as a Potentially Affected Fraction (PAF) of species). Thus, the coupled indicator (XF*EF, [(PAF)·m3...

  17. Impacts of Nitrogen and Phosphorus: From Genomes to Natural Ecosystems and Agriculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maïté S. Guignard

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen (N and/or phosphorus (P availability can limit growth of primary producers across most of the world's aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. These constraints are commonly overcome in agriculture by applying fertilizers to improve yields. However, excessive anthropogenic N and P inputs impact natural environments and have far-reaching ecological and evolutionary consequences, from individual species up to entire ecosystems. The extent to which global N and P cycles have been perturbed over the past century can be seen as a global fertilization experiment with significant redistribution of nutrients across different ecosystems. Here we explore the effects of N and P availability on stoichiometry and genomic traits of organisms, which, in turn, can influence: (i plant and animal abundances; (ii trophic interactions and population dynamics; and (iii ecosystem dynamics and productivity of agricultural crops. We articulate research priorities for a deeper understanding of how bioavailable N and P move through the environment and exert their ultimate impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

  18. An Isotopic view of water and nitrogen transport through the ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groundwater nitrate contamination affects thousands of households in Oregon’s southern Willamette Valley and many more across the Pacific Northwest. The southern Willamette Valley Groundwater Management Area (SWV GWMA) was established in 2004 due to nitrate levels in the groundwater exceeding the human health standard of 10 mg nitrate-N L-1. Much of the nitrogen inputs to the GWMA comes from agricultural nitrogen use, and thus efforts to reduce N inputs to groundwater are focused upon improving N management. However, the effectiveness of these improvements on groundwater quality is unclear because of the complexity of nutrient transport through the vadose zone and long groundwater residence times. Our objective was to focus on vadose zone transport and understand the dynamics and timing of N and water movement below the rooting zone in relation to N management and water inputs. Stable isotopes are a powerful tool for tracking water movement, and understanding nitrogen transformations within the vadose zone. In partnership with local farmers, and state agencies, we established lysimeters and groundwater wells in multiple agricultural fields in the GWMA, and have monitored nitrate, nitrate isotopes, and water isotopes weekly for multiple years. Our results indicate that vadose zone transport is highly complex, and the residence time of water collected in lysimeters was much longer than expected. While input precipitation water isotopes were highly variab

  19. Transcriptome analysis documents induced competence of Bacillus subtilis during nitrogen limiting conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jarmer, Hanne Østergaard; Berka, R.; Knudsen, Steen

    2002-01-01

    DNA microarrays were used to analyze the changes in gene expression in Bacillus subtilis strain 168 when nitrogen limiting (glutamate) and nitrogen excess (ammonium plus glutamate) growth conditions were compared. Among more than 100 genes that were significantly induced during nitrogen starvation...... we detected the comG, comF, comE, nin-nucA and comK transcription units together with recA. DNA was added to B. subtilis grown in minimal medium with glutamate as the sole nitrogen source and it was demonstrated that the cells were competent. Based on these observations we propose a simplification...

  20. Nitrogen retention across a gradient of 15N additions to an unpolluted temperate forest soil in Chile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perakis, Steven S.; Compton, J.E.; Hedin, L.O.

    2005-01-01

    Accelerated nitrogen (N) inputs can drive nonlinear changes in N cycling, retention, and loss in forest ecosystems. Nitrogen processing in soils is critical to understanding these changes, since soils typically are the largest N sink in forests. To elucidate soil mechanisms that underlie shifts in N cycling across a wide gradient of N supply, we added 15NH415NO3 at nine treatment levels ranging in geometric sequence from 0.2 kg to 640 kg NA? ha-1A? yr-1 to an unpolluted old-growth temperate forest in southern Chile. We recovered roughly half of tracers in 0-25 cm of soil, primarily in the surface 10 cm. Low to moderate rates of N supply failed to stimulate N leaching, which suggests that most unrecovered 15N was transferred from soils to unmeasured sinks above ground. However, soil solution losses of nitrate increased sharply at inputs > 160 kg NA? ha-1A? yr-1, corresponding to a threshold of elevated soil N availability and declining 15N retention in soil. Soil organic matter (15N in soils at the highest N inputs and may explain a substantial fraction of the 'missing N' often reported in studies of fates of N inputs to forests. Contrary to expectations, N additions did not stimulate gross N cycling, potential nitrification, or ammonium oxidizer populations. Our results indicate that the nonlinearity in N retention and loss resulted directly from excessive N supply relative to sinks, independent of plant-soil-microbial feedbacks. However, N additions did induce a sharp decrease in microbial biomass C:N that is predicted by N saturation theory, and which could increase long-term N storage in soil organic matter by lowering the critical C:N ratio for net N mineralization. All measured sinks accumulated 15N tracers across the full gradient of N supply, suggesting that short-term nonlinearity in N retention resulted from saturation of uptake kinetics, not uptake capacity, in plant, soil, and microbial pools.

  1. Export of nitrogen from catchments: A worldwide analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez-Cobelas, M.; Angeler, D.G.; Sanchez-Carrillo, S.

    2008-01-01

    This study reviews nitrogen export rates from 946 rivers of the world to determine the influence of quantitative (runoff, rainfall, inhabitant density, catchment area, percentage of land use cover, airborne deposition, fertilizer input) and qualitative (dominant type of forest, occurrence of stagnant waterbodies, dominant land use, occurrence of point sources, runoff type) environmental factors on nitrogen fluxes. All fractions (total, nitrate, ammonia, dissolved organic and particulate organic) of nitrogen export showed a left-skewed distribution, which suggests a relatively pristine condition for most systems. Total nitrogen export showed the highest variability whereas total organic nitrogen export comprised the dominant fraction of export. Nitrogen export rates were only weakly explained by our qualitative and quantitative environmental variables. Our study suggests that the consideration of spatial and temporal scales is important for predicting nitrogen export rates using simple and easy-to-get environmental variables. Regionally based modelling approaches prove more useful than global-scale analyses. - Spatial and temporal scales are important determinants for nitrogen export from catchments and emphasis should be put on regional approaches

  2. Atmospheric nitrogen inputs to the Delaware Inland Bays: the role of ammonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scudlark, Joseph R.; Jennings, Jennifer A.; Roadman, Megan J.; Savidge, Karen B.; Ullman, William J.

    2005-01-01

    A previous assessment of nitrogen loading to the Delaware Inland Bays indicates that atmospheric deposition provides 15-25% of the total, annual N input to these estuaries. A large and increasing fraction of the atmospheric wet flux is NH 4 + , which for most aquatic organisms represents the most readily assimilated form of this nutrient. Particularly noteworthy is a 60% increase in the precipitation NH 4 + concentration at Lewes, DE over the past 20 years, which parallels the increase in poultry production on the Delmarva Peninsula over this period (currently standing at nearly 585 million birds annually). To further examine the relationship between local NH 3 emissions and deposition, biweekly-integrated gaseous NH 3 concentrations were determined using Ogawa passive samplers deployed at 13 sampling sites throughout the Inland Bays watershed over a one-year period. Annual mean concentrations at the 13 sites ranged from 3 m -3 to >6 μg NH 3 m -3 , with a mean of 1.6 ± 1.0 μg NH 3 m -3 . At most sites, highest NH 3 concentrations were evident during spring and summer, when fertilizer application and poultry house ventilation rates are greatest, and seasonally elevated temperatures induce increased rates of microbial activity and volatilization from soils and animal wastes. The observed north-to-south concentration gradient across the watershed is consistent with the spatial distribution of poultry houses, as revealed by a GIS analysis of aerial photographs. Based on the average measured NH 3 concentration and published NH 3 deposition rates to water surfaces (5-8 mm s -1 ), the direct atmospheric deposition of gaseous NH 3 to the Inland Bays is 3.0-4.8 kg ha -1 yr -1 . This input, not accounted for in previous assessments of atmospheric loading to the Inland Bays, would effectively double the estimated direct dry deposition rate, and is on par with the NO 3 - and NH 4 + wet fluxes. A second component of this study examined spatial differences in NO 3 - and NH 4

  3. Fast increases in urban sewage inputs to rivers of Indonesia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Suwarno, D.; Löhr, A.; Kroeze, C.; Widianarko, B.

    2014-01-01

    We present estimates for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) sewage inputs to 19 Indonesian rivers for 1970–2050. Future trends are based on the four scenarios of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Our results indicate a rapid increase in N and P pollution from sewage over time. In 1970, N and P

  4. GESAMP Working Group 38, The Atmospheric Input of Chemicals to the Ocean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duce, Robert; Liss, Peter

    2014-05-01

    There is growing recognition of the impact of the atmospheric input of both natural and anthropogenic substances on ocean chemistry, biology, and biogeochemistry as well as climate. These inputs are closely related to a number of important global change issues. For example, the increasing input of anthropogenic nitrogen species from the atmosphere to much of the ocean may cause a low level fertilization that could result in an increase in marine 'new' productivity of up to ~3% and thus impact carbon drawdown from the atmosphere. Similarly, much of the oceanic iron, which is a limiting nutrient in significant areas of the ocean, originates from the atmospheric input of minerals as a result of the long-range transport of mineral dust from continental regions. The increased supply of soluble phosphorus from atmospheric anthropogenic sources (through large-scale use of fertilizers) may also have a significant impact on surface-ocean biogeochemistry, but estimates of any effects are highly uncertain. There have been few assessments of the atmospheric inputs of sulfur and nitrogen oxides to the ocean and their impact on the rates of ocean acidification. These inputs may be particularly critical in heavily trafficked shipping lanes and in ocean regions proximate to highly industrialized land areas. Other atmospheric substances may also have an impact on the ocean, in particular lead, cadmium, and POPs. To address these and related issues the United Nations Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) initiated Working Group 38, The Atmospheric Input of Chemicals to the Ocean, in 2008. This Working Group has had four meetings. To date four peer reviewed papers have been produced from this effort, with a least eight others in the process of being written or published. This paper will discuss some of the results of the Working Group's deliberations and its plans for possible future work.

  5. Does high reactive nitrogen input from the atmosphere decrease the carbon sink strength of a peatland?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brümmer, Christian; Zöll, Undine; Hurkuck, Miriam; Schrader, Frederik; Kutsch, Werner

    2017-04-01

    Mid-latitude peatlands are often exposed to high atmospheric nitrogen deposition when located in close vicinity to agricultural land. As the impacts of altered deposition rates on nitrogen-limited ecosystems are poorly understood, we investigated the surface-atmosphere exchange of several nitrogen and carbon compounds using multiple high-resolution measurement techniques and modeling. Our study site was a protected semi-natural bog ecosystem. Local wind regime and land use in the adjacent area clearly regulated whether total reactive nitrogen (ΣNr) concentrations were ammonia (NH3) or NOx-dominated. Eddy-covariance measurements of NH3 and ΣNr revealed concentration, temperature and surface wetness-dependent deposition rates. Intermittent periods of NH3 and ΣNr emission likely attributed to surface water re-emission and soil efflux, respectively, were found, thereby indicating nitrogen oversaturation in this originally N-limited ecosystem. Annual dry plus wet deposition resulted in 20 to 25 kg N ha-1 depending on method and model used, which translated into a four- to fivefold exceedance of the ecosystem-specific critical load. As the bog site had likely been exposed to the observed atmospheric nitrogen burden over several decades, a shift in grass species' composition towards a higher number of nitrophilous plants was already visible. Three years of CO2 eddy flux measurements showed that the site was a small net sink in the range of 33 to 268 g CO2 m-2 yr-1. Methane emissions of 32 g CO2-eq were found to partly offset the sequestered carbon through CO2. Our study indicates that the sink strength of the peatland has likely been decreased through elevated N deposition over the past decades. It also demonstrates the applicability of novel micrometeorological measurement techniques in biogeochemical sciences and stresses the importance of monitoring long-term changes in vulnerable ecosystems under anthropogenic pressure and climate change.

  6. Mapping critical loads of nitrogen deposition for aquatic ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nanus, Leora; Clow, David W.; Saros, Jasmine E.; Stephens, Verlin C.; Campbell, Donald H.

    2012-01-01

    Spatially explicit estimates of critical loads of nitrogen (N) deposition (CL Ndep ) for nutrient enrichment in aquatic ecosystems were developed for the Rocky Mountains, USA, using a geostatistical approach. The lowest CL Ndep estimates ( −1 yr −1 ) occurred in high-elevation basins with steep slopes, sparse vegetation, and abundance of exposed bedrock and talus. These areas often correspond with areas of high N deposition (>3 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ), resulting in CL Ndep exceedances ≥1.5 ± 1 kg N ha −1 yr −1 . CL Ndep and CL Ndep exceedances exhibit substantial spatial variability related to basin characteristics and are highly sensitive to the NO 3 − threshold at which ecological effects are thought to occur. Based on an NO 3 − threshold of 0.5 μmol L −1 , N deposition exceeds CL Ndep in 21 ± 8% of the study area; thus, broad areas of the Rocky Mountains may be impacted by excess N deposition, with greatest impacts at high elevations. - Highlights: ► Critical loads maps for nutrient enrichment effects of nitrogen deposition. ► Critical load estimates show spatial variability related to basin characteristics. ► Critical loads are sensitive to the nitrate threshold value for ecological effects. ► Broad areas of the Rocky Mountains may be impacted by excess nitrogen deposition. - Critical loads maps for nutrient enrichment effects of nitrogen deposition show that broad areas of the Rocky Mountains may be impacted by excess nitrogen deposition.

  7. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition budget in a subtropical hydroelectric reservoir (Nam Theun II case study, Lao PDR)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adon, Marcellin; Galy-Lacaux, Corinne; Serça, Dominique; Guerin, Frederic; Guedant, Pierre; Vonghamsao, Axay; Rode, Wanidaporn

    2016-04-01

    With 490 km² at full level of operation, Nam Theun 2 (NT2) is one of the largest hydro-reservoir in South East Asia. NT2 is a trans-basin hydropower project that diverts water from the Nam Theun river (a Mekong tributary) to the Xe Ban Fai river (another Mekong tributary). Atmospheric deposition is an important source of nitrogen (N), and it has been shown that excessive fluxes of N from the atmosphere has resulted in eutrophication of many coastal waters. A large fraction of atmospheric N input is in the form of inorganic N. This study presents an estimation of the atmospheric inorganic nitrogen budget into the NT2 hydroelectric reservoir based on a two-year monitoring (July 2010 to July 2012) including gas concentrations and precipitation. Dry deposition fluxes are calculated from monthly mean surface measurements of NH3, HNO3 and NO2 concentrations (passive samplers) together with simulated deposition velocities, and wet deposition fluxes from NH4+ and NO3- concentrations in single event rain samples (automated rain sampler). Annual rainfall amount was 2500 and 3160 mm for the two years. The average nitrogen deposition flux is estimated at 1.13 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 from dry processes and 5.52 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 from wet ones, i.e., an average annual total nitrogen flux of 6.6 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 deposited into the NT2 reservoir. The wet deposition contributes to 83% of the total N deposition. The nitrogen deposition budget has been also calculated over the rain tropical forest surrounding the reservoir. Due to higher dry deposition velocities above forested ecosystems, gaseous dry deposition flux is estimated at 4.0 kgN.ha-1.yr-1 leading to a total nitrogen deposition about 9.5 kgN.ha-1.yr-1. This result will be compared to nitrogen deposition in the African equatorial forested ecosystems in the framework of the IDAF program (IGAC-DEBITS-AFrica).

  8. Nutrient and organic matter inputs to Hawaiian anchialine ponds: influences of n-fixing and non-n-fixing trees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kehauwealani K. Nelson-Kaula; Rebecca Ostertag; R. Flint Hughes; Bruce D. Dudley

    2016-01-01

    Invasive nitrogen-fixing plants often increase energy and nutrient inputs to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems via litterfall, and these effects may be more pronounced in areas lacking native N2-fixers. We examined organic matter and nutrient inputs to and around anchialine ponds...

  9. Convergent evidence for widespread rock nitrogen sources in Earth’s surface environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houlton, B. Z.; Morford, S. L.; Dahlgren, R. A.

    2018-04-01

    Nitrogen availability is a pivotal control on terrestrial carbon sequestration and global climate change. Historical and contemporary views assume that nitrogen enters Earth’s land-surface ecosystems from the atmosphere. Here we demonstrate that bedrock is a nitrogen source that rivals atmospheric nitrogen inputs across major sectors of the global terrestrial environment. Evidence drawn from the planet’s nitrogen balance, geochemical proxies, and our spatial weathering model reveal that ~19 to 31 teragrams of nitrogen are mobilized from near-surface rocks annually. About 11 to 18 teragrams of this nitrogen are chemically weathered in situ, thereby increasing the unmanaged (preindustrial) terrestrial nitrogen balance from 8 to 26%. These findings provide a global perspective to reconcile Earth’s nitrogen budget, with implications for nutrient-driven controls over the terrestrial carbon sink.

  10. Electronic structure of copper nitrides as a function of nitrogen content

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordillo, N.; Gonzalez-Arrabal, R.; Diaz-Chao, P.; Ares, J.R.; Ferrer, I.J.; Yndurain, F.; Agulló-López, F.

    2013-01-01

    The nitrogen content dependence of the electronic properties for copper nitride thin films with an atomic percentage of nitrogen ranging from 26 ± 2 to 33 ± 2 have been studied by means of optical (spectroscopic ellipsometry), thermoelectric (Seebeck), and electrical resistivity measurements. The optical spectra are consistent with direct optical transitions corresponding to the stoichiometric semiconductor Cu 3 N plus a free-carrier contribution, essentially independent of temperature, which can be tuned in accordance with the N-excess. Deviation of the N content from stoichiometry drives to significant decreases from − 5 to − 50 μV/K in the Seebeck coefficient and to large enhancements, from 10 −3 up to 10 Ω cm, in the electrical resistivity. Band structure and density of states calculations have been carried out on the basis of the density functional theory to account for the experimental results. - Highlights: ► Electronic structure of N-rich Cu 3 N ► Stoichiometric films behave as an intrinsic semiconductor. ► N excess drives to the introduction of a narrow band at the Fermi level. ► Decrease of the Seebeck coefficient when increasing nitrogen content ► Increase of the electrical resistivity when increasing nitrogen content

  11. Ultrasonic reduction of excess sludge from the activated sludge system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Guangming; Zhang Panyue; Yang Jinmei; Chen Yanming

    2007-01-01

    Sludge treatment has long become the most challenging problem in wastewater treatment plants. Previous studies showed that ozone or chlorine effectively liquefies sludge into substrates for bio-degradation in the aeration tank, and thus reduces the excess sludge. This paper employs ultrasound to reduce the excess sludge from the sequential batch reactor (SBR) system. Partial sludge was disintegrated into dissolved substrates by ultrasound in an external sono-tank and was then returned to the SBR for bio-degradation. The results showed that ultrasound (25 kHz) effectively liquefied the sludge. The most effective conditions for sludge reduction were as following: sludge sonication ratio of 3/14, ultrasound intensity of 120 kW/kgDS, and sonication duration of 15 min. The amount of excess sludge was reduced by 91.1% to 17.8 mg/(L d); the organic content and settleability of sludge in the SBR were not impacted. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was 81.1%, the total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency was 17-66%, and high phosphorus concentration in the effluent was observed

  12. Modeling pathways of riverine nitrogen and phosphorus in the Baltic Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radtke, H.; Neumann, T.; Voss, M.; Fennel, W.

    2012-09-01

    A better understanding of the fate of nutrients entering the Baltic Sea ecosystem is an important issue with implications for environmental management. There are two sources of nitrogen and phosphorus: riverine input and atmospheric deposition. In the case of nitrogen, the fixation of dinitrogen by diazotrophic bacteria represents a third source. From an analysis of stable nitrogen isotope ratios it was suggested that most of the riverine nitrogen is sequestered in the coastal rim, specifically along the southern Baltic Sea coast with its coarse sediments, whereas nitrogen from fixation dominates the central basins. However, pathways of nutrients and timescales between the input of the nutrients and their arrival in different basins are difficult to obtain from direct measurements. To elucidate this problem, we use a source attribution technique in a three-dimensional ecosystem model, ERGOM, to track nutrients originating from various rivers. An “age” variable is attributed to the marked elements to indicate their propagation speeds and residence times. In this paper, we specifically investigate the spreading of nitrogen and phosphorus from the riverine discharges of the Oder, Vistula, Neman and Daugava. We demonstrate which regions they are transported to and for how long they remain in the ecosystem. The model results show good agreement with source estimations from observed δ15N values in sediments. The model results suggest that 95% of nitrogen is lost by denitrification in sediments, after an average time of 1.4 years for riverine nitrogen. The residence time of riverine phosphorus is much longer and exceeds our simulated period of 35 years.

  13. Input and output of dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen in subtropical forests of South China under high air pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. T. Fang

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available The nitrogen (N emissions to the atmosphere and N deposition to forest ecosystems are increasing rapidly in Southeast Asia, but little is known about the fates and effects of elevated N deposition in forest ecosystems in this warm and humid region. Here we report the concentrations and fluxes of dissolved inorganic (DIN and organic N (DON in precipitation, throughfall, surface runoff and soil solution for three subtropical forests in a region of South China under high air pollution over two years (2004 and 2005, to investigate how deposited N is processed, and to examine the importance of DON in the N budget. The precipitation DIN input was 32–34 kg N ha−1 yr−1. An additional input of 18 kg N ha−1 yr−1 as DON was measured in 2005, which to our knowledge is the highest DON flux ever measured in precipitation. A canopy uptake of DIN was indicated in two young conifer dominated forests (72–85% of DIN input reached the floor in throughfall, whereas no uptake occurred in an old-growth broadleaf forest. The DON fluxes in throughfall were similar to that in precipitation in all forests. In the younger forests, DIN was further retained in the soil, with 41–63% of precipitation DIN leached below the 20-cm soil depth. Additionally, about half of the DON input was retained in these forests. The N retention in two young aggrading forests (21–28 kg N ha−1 yr−1 was in accordance with the estimates of N accumulation in biomass and litter accretion. In the old-growth forest, no N retention occurred, but rather a net loss of 8–16 kg N ha−1 yr−1 from the soil was estimated. In total up to 60 kg N ha−1 yr−1 was leached from the old-growth forest, indicating that this forest was completely N saturated and could not retain additional anthropogenic N inputs. We found that the majority of DIN deposition as well as of DIN leaching

  14. Modelling the ecosystem effects of nitrogen deposition: Model of Ecosystem Retention and Loss of Inorganic Nitrogen (MERLIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. J. Cosby

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available A catchment-scale mass-balance model of linked carbon and nitrogen cycling in ecosystems has been developed for simulating leaching losses of inorganic nitrogen. The model (MERLIN considers linked biotic and abiotic processes affecting the cycling and storage of nitrogen. The model is aggregated in space and time and contains compartments intended to be observable and/or interpretable at the plot or catchment scale. The structure of the model includes the inorganic soil, a plant compartment and two soil organic compartments. Fluxes in and out of the ecosystem and between compartments are regulated by atmospheric deposition, hydrological discharge, plant uptake, litter production, wood production, microbial immobilization, mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification. Nitrogen fluxes are controlled by carbon productivity, the C:N ratios of organic compartments and inorganic nitrogen in soil solution. Inputs required are: 1 temporal sequences of carbon fluxes and pools- 2 time series of hydrological discharge through the soils, 3 historical and current external sources of inorganic nitrogen; 4 current amounts of nitrogen in the plant and soil organic compartments; 5 constants specifying the nitrogen uptake and immobilization characteristics of the plant and soil organic compartments; and 6 soil characteristics such as depth, porosity, bulk density, and anion/cation exchange constants. Outputs include: 1 concentrations and fluxes of NO3 and NH4 in soil solution and runoff; 2 total nitrogen contents of the organic and inorganic compartments; 3 C:N ratios of the aggregated plant and soil organic compartments; and 4 rates of nitrogen uptake and immobilization and nitrogen mineralization. The behaviour of the model is assessed for a combination of land-use change and nitrogen deposition scenarios in a series of speculative simulations. The results of the simulations are in broad agreement with observed and hypothesized behaviour of nitrogen

  15. Effect of nitrogen source on curdlan production by Alcaligenes faecalis ATCC 31749.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Longfa

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to investigate the effect of nitrogen source on curdlan production by Alcaligenes faecalis ATCC 31749. Curdlan production fell when excess nitrogen source was present, while biomass accumulation increased as the level of nitrogen source raised. Curdlan production and biomass accumulation were greater with urea compared with those with other nitrogen sources. The highest production of curdlan and biomass accumulation by A. faecalis ATCC 31749 was 28.16 g L(-1) and 9.58 g L(-1), respectively, with urea, whereas those with NH(4)Cl were 15.17 g L(-1) and 6.25 g L(-1), respectively. The optimum fermentation time for curdlan production was also affected by the nitrogen source in the medium. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The Nitrogen Balancing Act: Tracking the Environmental Performance of Food Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McLellan, Eileen L; Cassman, Kenneth G; Eagle, Alison J; Woodbury, Peter B; Sela, Shai; Tonitto, Christina; Marjerison, Rebecca D; van Es, Harold M

    2018-03-01

    Farmers, food supply-chain entities, and policymakers need a simple but robust indicator to demonstrate progress toward reducing nitrogen pollution associated with food production. We show that nitrogen balance-the difference between nitrogen inputs and nitrogen outputs in an agricultural production system-is a robust measure of nitrogen losses that is simple to calculate, easily understood, and based on readily available farm data. Nitrogen balance provides farmers with a means of demonstrating to an increasingly concerned public that they are succeeding in reducing nitrogen losses while also improving the overall sustainability of their farming operation. Likewise, supply-chain companies and policymakers can use nitrogen balance to track progress toward sustainability goals. We describe the value of nitrogen balance in translating environmental targets into actionable goals for farmers and illustrate the potential roles of science, policy, and agricultural support networks in helping farmers achieve them.

  17. Climate Strategy Impact on Nitrogen Deposition in the USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen (N) leakage to the environment in the United States costs an estimated $210 billion per year, equivalent to 1-3% of the national GDP, in part due to atmospheric N pollution. Excess N deteriorates ecosystems via eutrophication in water bodies, causing fish kills and addi...

  18. Substantial nitrogen pollution embedded in international trade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oita, Azusa; Malik, Arunima; Kanemoto, Keiichiro; Geschke, Arne; Nishijima, Shota; Lenzen, Manfred

    2016-02-01

    Anthropogenic emissions of reactive nitrogen to the atmosphere and water bodies can damage human health and ecosystems. As a measure of a nation’s contribution to this potential damage, a country’s nitrogen footprint has been defined as the quantity of reactive nitrogen emitted during the production, consumption and transportation of commodities consumed within that country, whether those commodities are produced domestically or internationally. Here we use global emissions databases, a global nitrogen cycle model, and a global input-output database of domestic and international trade to calculate the nitrogen footprints for 188 countries as the sum of emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides and nitrous oxide to the atmosphere, and of nitrogen potentially exportable to water bodies. Per-capita footprints range from under 7 kg N yr-1 in some developing countries to over 100 kg N yr-1 in some wealthy nations. Consumption in China, India, the United States and Brazil is responsible for 46% of global emissions. Roughly a quarter of the global nitrogen footprint is from commodities that were traded across country borders. The main net exporters have significant agricultural, food and textile exports, and are often developing countries, whereas important net importers are almost exclusively developed economies. We conclude that substantial local nitrogen pollution is driven by demand from consumers in other countries.

  19. Fertilizer nitrogen recovery efficiencies in crop production systems of China with and without consideration of the residual effect of nitrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Xiaoyuan; Ti, Chaopu; Zhu, Zhaoliang; Vitousek, Peter; Chen, Deli; Leip, Adrian; Cai, Zucong

    2014-01-01

    China is the world’s largest consumer of synthetic nitrogen (N), where very low rates of fertilizer N recovery in crops have been reported, raising discussion around whether fertilizer N use can be significantly reduced without yield penalties. However, using recovery rates as indicator ignores a possible residual effect of fertilizer N—a factor often unknown at large scales. Such residual effect might store N in the soil increasing N availability for subsequent crops. The objectives of the present study were therefore to quantify the residual effect of fertilizer N in China and to obtain more realistic rates of the accumulative fertilizer N recovery efficiency (RE) in crop production systems of China. Long-term spatially-extensive data on crop production, fertilizer N and other N inputs to croplands in China were used to analyze the relationship between crop N uptake and fertilizer N input (or total N input), and to estimate the amount of residual fertilizer N. Measurement results of cropland soil N content in two time periods were obtained to compare the change in the soil N pool. At the provincial scale, it was found that there is a linear relationship between crop N uptake and fertilizer N input or total N input. With the increase in fertilizer N input, annual direct fertilizer N RE decreased and was indeed low (below 30% in recent years), while its residual effect increased continuously, to the point that 40–68% of applied fertilizer was used for crop production sooner or later. The residual effect was evidenced by a buildup of soil N and a large difference between nitrogen use efficiencies of long-term and short-term experiments. (paper)

  20. Use of stable nitrogen isotope signatures of riparian macrophytes as an indicator of anthropogenic N inputs to river ecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohzu, Ayato; Miyajima, Toshihiro; Tayasu, Ichiro; Yoshimizu, Chikage; Hyodo, Fujio; Matsui, Kiyoshi; Nakano, Takanori; Wada, Eitaro; Fujita, Noboru; Nagata, Toshi

    2008-11-01

    Deterioration of aquatic ecosystems resulting from enhanced anthropogenic N loading has become an issue of increasing concern worldwide, and methods are needed to trace sources of N in rivers. Because nitrate from sewage is enriched in 15N relative to nitrate from natural soils, delta(15)N values of stream nitrate (delta(15)Nnitrate) should be an appropriate index of anthropogenic N loading to rivers, as should the delta(15)N values of riparian plants (delta(15)Nplant) because they are consumers of nitrate. We determined the delta(15)N values of stream nitrate and six species of riparian macrophytes in 31 rivers in the Lake Biwa Basin in Japan. We then tested the correlation between these values and various land-use parameters, including the percentage of land used for residential and agricultural purposes as well as for natural areas. These delta(15)N values were significantly positively correlated with land use (%) that had a high N load (i.e., residential or agricultural use) and significantly negatively correlated with forest (%). These findings indicate that delta(15)N values of stream nitrate and riparian plants might be good indicators of anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen.

  1. Nitrogen vertical distribution by canopy reflectance spectrum in winter wheat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, W J; Yang, Q Y; Peng, D L; Huang, L S; Zhang, D Y; Yang, G J

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen is a key factor for plant photosynthesis, ecosystem productivity and leaf respiration. Under the condition of nitrogen deficiency, the crop shows the nitrogen deficiency symptoms in the bottom leaves, while excessive nitrogen will affect the upper layer leaves first. Thus, timely measurement of vertical distribution of foliage nitrogen content is critical for growth diagnosis, crop management and reducing environmental impact. This study presents a method using bi-directional reflectance difference function (BRDF) data to invert foliage nitrogen vertical distribution. We developed upper-layer nitrogen inversion index (ULNI), middle-layer nitrogen inversion index (MLNI) and bottom-layer nitrogen inversion index (BLNI) to reflect foliage nitrogen inversion at upper layer, middle layer and bottom layer, respectively. Both ULNI and MLNI were made by the value of the ratio of Modified Chlorophyll Absorption Ration Index to the second Modified Triangular Vegetation Index (MCARI/MTVI2) referred to as canopy nitrogen inversion index (CNII) in this study at ±40° and ±50°, and at ±30° and ±40° view angles, respectively. The BLNI was composed by the value of nitrogen reflectance index (NRI) at ±20° and ±30° view angles. These results suggest that it is feasible to measure foliage nitrogen vertical-layer distribution in a large scale by remote sensing

  2. Effects of nitrogen fertilization strategies on nitrogen use efficiency in physiology, recovery, and agronomy and redistribution of dry matter accumulation and nitrogen accumulation in two typical rice cultivars in Zhejiang, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Wen-xia; Wang, Guang-huo; Zhang, Qi-chun; Guo, Hai-chao

    2007-03-01

    Field experiments were conducted in farmers' rice fields in 2001 and 2002 to study the effects of nitrogen (N) management strategies on N use efficiency in recovery (RE), agronomy (AE) and physiology (PE) and redistribution of dry matter accumulation (DMA) and nitrogen accumulation (NA) in two typical rice cultivars in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province. This study aimed mainly at identifying the possible causes of poor fertilizer N use efficiency (NUE) of rice in Zhejiang by comparing farmers' fertilizer practice (FFP) with advanced site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) and real-time N management (RTNM). The results showed that compared to FFP, SSNM and RTNM reduced DMA and NA before panicle initiation and increased DMA and NA at post-flowering. There is no significant difference between SSNM and FFP in post-flowering dry matter redistribution (post-DMR) and post-flowering nitrogen redistribution (post-NR). These results suggest that high input rate of fertilizer N and improper fertilizer N timing are the main factors causing low NUE of irrigated rice in the farmer's routine practice of Zhejiang. With SSNM, about 15% of the current total N input in direct-seeding early rice and 45% in single rice could be reduced without yield loss in Zhejiang, China.

  3. Operation of transition-edge sensors with excess thermal noise

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maasilta, I J; Kinnunen, K M; Nuottajaervi, A K; Leppaeniemi, J; Luukanen, A

    2006-01-01

    The superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) is currently one of the most attractive choices for ultra-high resolution calorimetry in the keV x-ray band, and is being considered for future ESA and NASA missions. We have performed a study on the noise characteristics of Au/Ti bilayer TESs, at operating temperatures around ∼100 mK, with the SQUID readout at 1.5 K. Experimental results indicate that without modifications the back-action noise from the SQUID chip degrades the noise characteristics significantly. We present a simple and effective solution to the problem: by installing an extra shunt resistor which absorbs the excess radiation from the SQUID input, we have reduced the excess thermal (photon) noise power down by approximately a factor of five, allowing high resolution operation of the sensors

  4. Nitrogen emissions from broilers measured by mass balance over eighteen consecutive flocks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coufal, C D; Chavez, C; Niemeyer, P R; Carey, J B

    2006-03-01

    Emission of nitrogen in the form of ammonia from poultry rearing facilities has been an important topic for the poultry industry because of concerns regarding the effects of ammonia on the environment. Sound scientific data is needed to accurately estimate air emissions from poultry operations. Many factors, such as season of the year, ambient temperature and humidity, bird health, and management practices can influence ammonia volatilization from broiler rearing facilities. Precise results are often difficult to attain from commercial facilities, particularly over long periods of time. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to determine nitrogen loss from broilers in a research facility under conditions simulating commercial production for 18 consecutive flocks. Broilers were reared to 40 to 42 d of age and fed diets obtained from a commercial broiler integrator. New rice hulls were used for litter for the first flock, and the same litter was recycled for all subsequent flocks with caked litter removed between flocks. All birds, feeds, and litter materials entering and leaving the facility were quantified, sampled, and analyzed for total nitrogen content. Nitrogen loss was calculated by the mass balance method in which loss was equal to the difference between the nitrogen inputs and the nitrogen outputs. Nitrogen partitioning as a percentage of inputs averaged 15.29, 6.84, 55.52, 1.27, and 21.08% for litter, caked litter, broiler carcasses, mortalities, and nitrogen loss, respectively, over all eighteen flocks. During the production of 18 flocks of broilers on the same recycled litter, the average nitrogen emission rate was calculated to range from 4.13 to 19.74 g of N/ kg of marketed broiler (grams of nitrogen per kilogram) and averaged 11.07 g of N/kg. Nitrogen loss was significantly (P broiler grow-out facilities varies significantly on a flock-to-flock basis.

  5. Convergent evidence for widespread rock nitrogen sources in Earth's surface environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houlton, B Z; Morford, S L; Dahlgren, R A

    2018-04-06

    Nitrogen availability is a pivotal control on terrestrial carbon sequestration and global climate change. Historical and contemporary views assume that nitrogen enters Earth's land-surface ecosystems from the atmosphere. Here we demonstrate that bedrock is a nitrogen source that rivals atmospheric nitrogen inputs across major sectors of the global terrestrial environment. Evidence drawn from the planet's nitrogen balance, geochemical proxies, and our spatial weathering model reveal that ~19 to 31 teragrams of nitrogen are mobilized from near-surface rocks annually. About 11 to 18 teragrams of this nitrogen are chemically weathered in situ, thereby increasing the unmanaged (preindustrial) terrestrial nitrogen balance from 8 to 26%. These findings provide a global perspective to reconcile Earth's nitrogen budget, with implications for nutrient-driven controls over the terrestrial carbon sink. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  6. Regional nitrogen budgets and riverine N & P fluxes for the drainages to the North Atlantic Ocean: Natural and human influences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howarth, R.W.; Billen, G.; Swaney, D.; Townsend, A.; Jaworski, N.; Lajtha, K.; Downing, J.A.; Elmgren, Ragnar; Caraco, N.; Jordan, T.; Berendse, F.; Freney, J.; Kudeyarov, V.; Murdoch, P.; Zhu, Z.-L.

    1996-01-01

    We present estimates of total nitrogen and total phosphorus fluxes in rivers to the North Atlantic Ocean from 14 regions in North America, South America, Europe, and Africa which collectively comprise the drainage basins to the North Atlantic. The Amazon basin dominates the overall phosphorus flux and has the highest phosphorus flux per area. The total nitrogen flux from the Amazon is also large, contributing 3.3 Tg yr-1 out of a total for the entire North Atlantic region of 13.1 Tg yr-1. On a per area basis, however, the largest nitrogen fluxes are found in the highly disturbed watersheds around the North Sea, in northwestern Europe, and in the northeastern U.S., all of which have riverine nitrogen fluxes greater than 1,000 kg N km-2 yr-1. Non-point sources of nitrogen dominate riverine fluxes to the coast in all regions. River fluxes of total nitrogen from the temperate regions of the North Atlantic basin are correlated with population density, as has been observed previously for fluxes of nitrate in the world's major rivers. However, more striking is a strong linear correlation between river fluxes of total nitrogen and the sum of anthropogenically-derived nitrogen inputs to the temperate regions (fertilizer application, human-induced increases in atmospheric deposition of oxidized forms of nitrogen, fixation by leguminous crops, and the import/export of nitrogen in agricultural products). On average, regional nitrogen fluxes in rivers are only 25% of these anthropogenically derived nitrogen inputs. Denitrification in wetlands and aquatic ecosystems is probably the dominant sink, with storage in forests perhaps also of importance. Storage of nitrogen in groundwater, although of importance in some localities, is a very small sink for nitrogen inputs in all regions. Agricultural sources of nitrogen dominate inputs in many regions, particularly the Mississippi basin and the North Sea drainages. Deposition of oxidized nitrogen, primarily of industrial origin, is the

  7. Benthic biogeochemical cycling, nutrient stoichiometry, and carbon and nitrogen mass balances in a eutrophic freshwater bay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klump, J.V.; Fitzgerald, S.A.; Waplesa, J.T.

    2009-01-01

    Green Bay, while representing only ,7% of the surface area and ??1.4% of the volume of Lake Michigan, contains one-third of the watershed of the lake, and receives approximately one-third of the total nutrient loading to the Lake Michigan basin, largely from the Fox River at the southern end of the bay. With a history of eutrophic conditions dating back nearly a century, the southern portion of the bay behaves as an efficient nutrient and sediment trap, sequestering much of the annual carbon and nitrogen input within sediments accumulating at up to 1 cm per year. Depositional fluxes of organic matter varied from ??0.1 mol C m-2 yr-1 to >10 mol C m-2 yr-1 and were both fairly uniform in stoichiometric composition and relatively labile. Estimates of benthic recycling derived from pore-water concentration gradients, whole-sediment incubation experiments, and deposition-burial models of early diagenesis yielded an estimated 40% of the carbon and 50% of the nitrogen recycled back into the overlying water. Remineralization was relatively rapid with ??50% of the carbon remineralized within <15 yr of deposition, and a mean residence time for metabolizable carbon and nitrogen in the sediments of 20 yr. On average, organic carbon regeneration occurred as 75% CO2, 15% CH4, and 10% dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Carbon and nitrogen budgets for the southern bay were based upon direct measurements of inputs and burial and upon estimates of export and production derived stoichiometrically from a coupled phosphorus budget. Loadings of organic carbon from rivers were ??3.7 mol m-2 yr-1, 80% in the form of DOC and 20% as particulate organic carbon. These inputs were lost through export to northern Green Bay and Lake Michigan (39%), through sediment burial (26%), and net CO2 release to the atmosphere (35%). Total carbon input, including new production, was 4.54 mol m-2 C yr-1, equivalent to ??10% of the gross annual primary production. Nitrogen budget terms were less well quantified

  8. Nitrogen use efficiency and crop production: Patterns of regional variation in the United States, 1987-2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swaney, Dennis P; Howarth, Robert W; Hong, Bongghi

    2018-04-17

    National-level summaries of crop production and nutrient use efficiency, important for international comparisons, only partially elucidate agricultural dynamics within a country. Agricultural production and associated environmental impacts in large countries vary significantly because of regional differences in crops, climate, resource use and production practices. Here, we review patterns of regional crop production, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and major inputs of nitrogen to US crops over 1987-2012, based on the Farm Resource Regions developed by the Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS). Across the US, NUE generally decreased over time over the period studied, mainly due to increased use in mineral N fertilizer above crop N requirements. The Heartland region dominates production of major crops and thus tends to drive national patterns, showing linear response of crop production to nitrogen inputs broadly consistent with an earlier analysis of global patterns of country-scale data by Lassaletta et al. (2014). Most other regions show similar responses, but the Eastern Uplands region shows a negative response to nitrogen inputs, and the Southern Seaboard shows no significant relationship. The regional differences appear as two branches in the response of aggregate production to N inputs on a cropland area basis, but not on a total area basis, suggesting that the type of scaling used is critical under changing cropland area. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is positively associated with fertilizer as a percentage of N inputs in four regions, and all regions considered together. NUE is positively associated with crop N fixation in all regions except Northern Great Plains. It is negatively associated with manure (livestock excretion); in the US, manure is still treated largely as a waste to be managed rather than a nutrient resource. This significant regional variation in patterns of crop production and NUE vs N inputs, has implications for environmental quality and

  9. Fresh meteoric versus recirculated saline groundwater nutrient inputs into a subtropical estuary

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadat-Noori, Mahmood; Santos, Isaac R.; Tait, Douglas R.; Maher, Damien T.

    2016-01-01

    The role of groundwater in transporting nutrients to coastal aquatic systems has recently received considerable attention. However, the relative importance of fresh versus saline groundwater-derived nutrient inputs to estuaries and how these groundwater pathways may alter surface water N:P ratios remains poorly constrained. We performed detailed time series measurements of nutrients in a tidal estuary (Hat Head, NSW, Australia) and used radium to quantify the contribution of fresh and saline groundwater to total surface water estuarine exports under contrasting hydrological conditions (wet and dry season). Tidally integrated nutrient fluxes showed that the estuary was a source of nutrients to the coastal waters. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux rate for rivers likely due to the small catchment size, surrounding wetlands and high groundwater inputs. Fresh groundwater discharge was dominant in the wet season accounting for up to 45% of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and 48% of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) estuarine exports. In the dry season, fresh and saline groundwater accounted for 21 and 33% of TDN export, respectively. The combined fresh and saline groundwater fluxes of NO_3, PO_4, NH_4, DON, DOP, TDN and TDP were estimated to account for 66, 58, 55, 31, 21, 53 and 47% of surface water exports, respectively. Groundwater-derived nitrogen inputs to the estuary were responsible for a change in the surface water N:P ratio from typical N-limiting conditions to P-limiting as predicted by previous studies. This shows the importance of both fresh and saline groundwater as a source of nutrients for coastal productivity and nutrient budgets of coastal waters. - Highlights: • Groundwater TDN and TDP fluxes account for 53 and 47% of surface water exports. • The estuary DIN export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux. • Fresh GW nutrient input dominated the wet season and saline GW the

  10. Managing Nitrogen in the anthropocene: integrating social and ecological science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, X.; Mauzerall, D. L.; Davidson, E. A.; Kanter, D.; Cai, R.; Searchinger, T.

    2014-12-01

    Human alteration of the global nitrogen cycle by agricultural activities has provided nutritious food to society, but also poses increasing threats to human and ecosystem health through unintended pollution. Managing nitrogen more efficiently in crop production is critical for addressing both food security and environmental challenges. Technologies and management practices have been developed to increase the uptake of applied nitrogen by crops. However, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE, yield per unit nitrogen input) is also affected by social and economic factors. For example, to maximize profit, farmers may change crop choice or their nitrogen application rate, both of which lead to a change in NUE. To evaluate such impacts, we use both theoretical and empirical approaches on micro (farm) and macro (national) scales: 1) We developed a bio-economic model (NUE3) on a farm scale to investigate how market signals (e.g. fertilizer and crop prices), government policies, and nitrogen-efficient technologies affect NUE. We demonstrate that if factors that influence nitrogen inputs (e.g. fertilizer-to-crop price ratios) are not considered, NUE projections will be poorly constrained. The impact of nitrogen-efficient technologies on NUE not only depends on how technology changes the production function, but also relies on the prices of the technologies, fertilizers, and crops. 2) We constructed a database of the nitrogen budget in crop production for major crops and major crop producing countries from 1961 to 2010. Using this database, we investigate historical trends of NUE and its relationship to agronomic, economic, social, and policy factors. We find that NUE in most developed countries follows a "U-shape" relationship with income level, consistent with the Environmental Kuznets Curve theory. According to the dynamics revealed in the NUE3 model, we propose three major pathways by which economic development affects NUE, namely consumption, technology, and public policy

  11. Optimization of polyhydroxylalkanoates production from excess activated sludge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chua, H.; Yu, P.H.F.; Ma, C.K.

    2000-01-01

    Polyhydroxy alkanoates (PHAS) produced by microbial fermentation are biodegradable and can be used as environmentally-friendly substitutes for conventional plastics to resolve the environmental problems associated with plastics wastes. However, widespread applications of PHA are hampered by high production cost. In this study, activated sludge bacteria from a conventional wastewater treatment process were induced, by controlling the carbon-nitrogen (C:N) ratio in the reactor liquor, to accumulate PHA as a low-cost source of biodegradable plastic. Specific polymer yield increased to a maximum of O.27 g polymer/g dry cell mass when the C:N ratio was increased from 24 to 144, whereas specific growth yield decreased with increasing C:N ratio. An optimum C:N ratio of 96 provided the highest overall polymer production yield of 0.09 g polymer/g carbonaceous substrate consumed. Moreover, an intermittent nitrogen feeding program was established to further optimize the polymer volumetric productivity. The overall polymer production yield of O.11 g polymer/g carbonaceous substrate consumed was achieved under C:N ratio of 96 by feeding nitrogen in the reactor liquor once every 4 cycles. While reducing the production costs of biodegradable plastics, this technique also reduced the amount of excess sludge generated from the wastewater treatment process as the polymer portion of biomass was extracted for use. (Author)

  12. Changes in nitrogen budget and potential risk to the environment over 20years (1990-2010) in the agroecosystems of the Haihe Basin, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Mengmeng; Zheng, Hua; Wu, Yingxia; Xiao, Yi; Du, Yihua; Xu, Weihua; Lu, Fei; Wang, Xiaoke; Ouyang, Zhiyun

    2015-02-01

    The nitrogen balance can serve as an indicator of the risk to the environment of nitrogen loss from agricultural land. To investigate the temporal and spatial changes in agricultural nitrogen application and its potential threat to the environment of the Haihe Basin in China, we used a database of county-level agricultural statistics to calculate agricultural nitrogen input, output, surplus intensity, and use efficiency. Chemical fertilizer nitrogen input increased by 51.7% from 1990 to 2000 and by 37.2% from 2000 to 2010, concomitant with increasing crop yields. Simultaneously, the nitrogen surplus intensity increased by 53.5% from 1990 to 2000 and by 16.5% from 2000 to 2010, presenting a continuously increased environmental risk. Nitrogen use efficiency decreased from 0.46 in 1990 to 0.42 in 2000 and remained constant at 0.42 in 2010, partly due to fertilizer composition and type improvement. This level indicates that more than half of nitrogen inputs are lost in agroecosystems. Our results suggest that although the improvement in fertilizer composition and types has partially offset the decrease in nitrogen use efficiency, the environmental risk has still increased gradually over the past 20 years, along with the increase in crop yields and nitrogen application. It is important to achieve a better nitrogen balance through more effective management to significantly reduce the environmental risk, decrease nitrogen surplus intensity, and increase nitrogen use efficiency without sacrificing crop yields. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Ammonia nitrogen removal from aqueous solution by local agricultural wastes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azreen, I.; Lija, Y.; Zahrim, A. Y.

    2017-06-01

    Excess ammonia nitrogen in the waterways causes serious distortion to environment such as eutrophication and toxicity to aquatic organisms. Ammonia nitrogen removal from synthetic solution was investigated by using 40 local agricultural wastes as potential low cost adsorbent. Some of the adsorbent were able to remove ammonia nitrogen with adsorption capacity ranging from 0.58 mg/g to 3.58 mg/g. The highest adsorption capacity was recorded by Langsat peels with 3.58 mg/g followed by Jackfruit seeds and Moringa peels with 3.37 mg/g and 2.64 mg/g respectively. This experimental results show that the agricultural wastes can be utilized as biosorbent for ammonia nitrogen removal. The effect of initial ammonia nitrogen concentration, pH and stirring rate on the adsorption process were studied in batch experiment. The adsorption capacity reached maximum value at pH 7 with initial concentration of 500 mg/L and the removal rate decreased as stirring rate was applied.

  14. Nitrogen fixation in denitrified marine waters.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Fernandez

    Full Text Available Nitrogen fixation is an essential process that biologically transforms atmospheric dinitrogen gas to ammonia, therefore compensating for nitrogen losses occurring via denitrification and anammox. Currently, inputs and losses of nitrogen to the ocean resulting from these processes are thought to be spatially separated: nitrogen fixation takes place primarily in open ocean environments (mainly through diazotrophic cyanobacteria, whereas nitrogen losses occur in oxygen-depleted intermediate waters and sediments (mostly via denitrifying and anammox bacteria. Here we report on rates of nitrogen fixation obtained during two oceanographic cruises in 2005 and 2007 in the eastern tropical South Pacific (ETSP, a region characterized by the presence of coastal upwelling and a major permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ. Our results show significant rates of nitrogen fixation in the water column; however, integrated rates from the surface down to 120 m varied by ∼30 fold between cruises (7.5±4.6 versus 190±82.3 µmol m(-2 d(-1. Moreover, rates were measured down to 400 m depth in 2007, indicating that the contribution to the integrated rates of the subsurface oxygen-deficient layer was ∼5 times higher (574±294 µmol m(-2 d(-1 than the oxic euphotic layer (48±68 µmol m(-2 d(-1. Concurrent molecular measurements detected the dinitrogenase reductase gene nifH in surface and subsurface waters. Phylogenetic analysis of the nifH sequences showed the presence of a diverse diazotrophic community at the time of the highest measured nitrogen fixation rates. Our results thus demonstrate the occurrence of nitrogen fixation in nutrient-rich coastal upwelling systems and, importantly, within the underlying OMZ. They also suggest that nitrogen fixation is a widespread process that can sporadically provide a supplementary source of fixed nitrogen in these regions.

  15. Nitrogen Fixation in Denitrified Marine Waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Camila; Farías, Laura; Ulloa, Osvaldo

    2011-01-01

    Nitrogen fixation is an essential process that biologically transforms atmospheric dinitrogen gas to ammonia, therefore compensating for nitrogen losses occurring via denitrification and anammox. Currently, inputs and losses of nitrogen to the ocean resulting from these processes are thought to be spatially separated: nitrogen fixation takes place primarily in open ocean environments (mainly through diazotrophic cyanobacteria), whereas nitrogen losses occur in oxygen-depleted intermediate waters and sediments (mostly via denitrifying and anammox bacteria). Here we report on rates of nitrogen fixation obtained during two oceanographic cruises in 2005 and 2007 in the eastern tropical South Pacific (ETSP), a region characterized by the presence of coastal upwelling and a major permanent oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Our results show significant rates of nitrogen fixation in the water column; however, integrated rates from the surface down to 120 m varied by ∼30 fold between cruises (7.5±4.6 versus 190±82.3 µmol m−2 d−1). Moreover, rates were measured down to 400 m depth in 2007, indicating that the contribution to the integrated rates of the subsurface oxygen-deficient layer was ∼5 times higher (574±294 µmol m−2 d−1) than the oxic euphotic layer (48±68 µmol m−2 d−1). Concurrent molecular measurements detected the dinitrogenase reductase gene nifH in surface and subsurface waters. Phylogenetic analysis of the nifH sequences showed the presence of a diverse diazotrophic community at the time of the highest measured nitrogen fixation rates. Our results thus demonstrate the occurrence of nitrogen fixation in nutrient-rich coastal upwelling systems and, importantly, within the underlying OMZ. They also suggest that nitrogen fixation is a widespread process that can sporadically provide a supplementary source of fixed nitrogen in these regions. PMID:21687726

  16. The nitrogen cost of food production: Norwegian society

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Azzaroli Bleken, M. [Agricultural Univ. of Norway, Aas (Norway). Dept. of Horticulture and Crop Sciences; Bakken, L.R. [Agricultural Univ. of Norway, Aas (Norway). Dept. of Soil and Water Sciences

    1997-05-01

    The N-enrichment of the biosphere due to human activities has potential global consequences in enhancing cumulatively, the emission of N{sub 2}O to the atmosphere. This aspect of nitrogen pollution demands a global analysis of the `human nitrogen cycle`. We have used Norway as an example to analyze the nitrogen flows within a society and the dissipation of N to the environment. The present paper concentrates on the food producing sector, which was found to represent the largest N-flow and had the most complex interferences within the nitrogen cycle. The edible products that reach the consumers` mouths account for around 10% of the total N inputs at the primary (plant) production level. The largest N-dissipation occurs in plant production, but the performance of the society as a whole is largely determined by the human diet. The N-cost, defined as the ratio between fertilizer N-input (including animal manure) and the N products, is around 3 for wheat, 14 for dairy products and 21 for meat. The analysis of different mitigation options also reveal the importance of recycling at the highest possible trophic level. Major reductions in the total consumption of N can be obtained by moderate changes towards a more vegetarian diet and better utilization of existing food. In contrast, recycling of waste at the lowest trophic level (compost) is very inefficient. 43 refs, 2 figs, 5 tabs

  17. Nitrogen balances at farm level as a tool to monitor effects of agri-environment policy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brouwer, F.M.

    1998-01-01

    Nitrogen balances at farm level are an important tool for monitoring the effects of agri-environmental policy in the European Union. Nitrogen surpluses, defined as the difference between input and output flows, are a pressure indicator to link agricultural activities with environmental quality

  18. Imbalanced phosphorus and nitrogen deposition in China's forests

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Du, Enzai; Vries, de Wim; Han, Wenxuan; Liu, Xuejun; Yan, Zhengbing; Jiang, Yuan

    2016-01-01

    Acceleration of anthropogenic emissions in China has substantially increased nitrogen (N) deposition during the last 3 decades and may result in an imbalance of atmospheric N and phosphorus (P) inputs in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the status of P deposition in China is poorly understood.

  19. Recent changes in anthropogenic reactive nitrogen compounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andronache, Constantin

    2014-05-01

    Significant anthropogenic perturbations of the nitrogen cycle are the result of rapid population growth, with mounting need for food and energy production. The increase of reactive nitrogen compounds (such as NOx, HNO3, NH3, and N2O) has a significant impact on human health, environment, and climate. NOx emissions contribute to O3 chemistry, aerosol formation and acidic precipitation. Ammonia is a notable atmospheric pollutant that may deteriorate ecosystems and contribute to respiratory problems. It reacts with acidic gases to form aerosols or is deposited back to ecosystems. The application of fertilizers accounts for most of the N2O production, adding to greenhouse gas emissions. We analyze the change of some reactive nitrogen compounds based on observations, in eastern United States. Results show that the control of NOx and SO2 emissions over the last decades caused a significant decrease of acidic deposition. The nitrate deposition is highest in eastern US, while the ammonium ion concentration is highest in central US regions. Overall, the inorganic nitrogen wet deposition from nitrate and ammonium is enhanced in central, and eastern US. Research shows that sensitive ecosystems in northeastern regions exhibit a slow recovery from the accumulated effects of acidic deposition. Given the growing demand for nitrogen in agriculture and industry, we discuss possible pathways to reduce the impact of excess reactive nitrogen on the environment.

  20. Response of hippocampal mossy fiber zinc to excessive glutamate release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeda, Atsushi; Minami, Akira; Sakurada, Naomi; Nakajima, Satoko; Oku, Naoto

    2007-01-01

    The response of hippocampal mossy fiber zinc to excessive glutamate release was examined to understand the role of the zinc in excessive excitation in the hippocampus. Extracellular zinc and glutamate concentrations during excessive stimulation with high K(+) were compared between the hippocampal CA3 and CA1 by the in vivo microdialysis. Zinc concentration in the CA3 was more increased than that in the CA1, while glutamate concentration in the CA3 was less increased than that in the CA1. It is likely that more increase in extracellular zinc is linked with less increase in extracellular glutamate in the CA3. To see zinc action in mossy fiber synapses during excessive excitation, furthermore, 1mM glutamate was regionally delivered to the stratum lucidum in the presence of zinc or CaEDTA, a membrane-impermeable zinc chelator, and intracellular calcium signal was measured in the CA3 pyramidal cell layer. The persistent increase in calcium signal during stimulation with glutamate was significantly attenuated in the presence of 100 microM zinc, while significantly enhanced in the presence of 1mM CaEDTA. These results suggest that zinc released from mossy fibers attenuates the increase in intracellular calcium signal in mossy fiber synapses and postsynaptic CA3 neurons after excessive inputs to dentate granular cells.

  1. Carbon-nitrogen interactions and biomass partitioning of Carex rostrata grown at three levels of nitrogen supply

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saarinen, T [Helsinki Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Ecology and Systematics

    1997-12-31

    Biomass and production of vascular plants constitutes a major source of carbon input in peatlands. As rates of decomposition vary considerably with depth, the vertical distribution of biomass may substantially affect accumulation of carbon in peatlands. Therefore, allocation patterns between shoot and roots are particularly important when considering carbon balance of peatland ecosystems. The stimulatory effect of increasing atmospheric concentration of CO{sub 2} or photosynthesis may increase availability of carbon to most C3 plants. Availability of nitrogen may also alter both due to increased atmospheric deposition and changer in mineralisation rates associated with climate change. Most root-shoot partitioning models predict that allocation of biomass is dependent of the availability and uptake of carbon and nitrogen. A decrease in supply of carbon would favour allocation to shoots and a decrease in supply of nitrogen would increase allocation to roots. At a cellular level, non structural carbohydrates and free amino acids are thought to represent the biochemically available fraction of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. The aim of this work is study the long-term growth responses of Carex rostrata to changes in the availability of nitrogen. Special attention is paid to soluble sugars ant free amino acids, which may control partitioning of biomass. (10 refs.)

  2. Carbon-nitrogen interactions and biomass partitioning of Carex rostrata grown at three levels of nitrogen supply

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saarinen, T. [Helsinki Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Ecology and Systematics

    1996-12-31

    Biomass and production of vascular plants constitutes a major source of carbon input in peatlands. As rates of decomposition vary considerably with depth, the vertical distribution of biomass may substantially affect accumulation of carbon in peatlands. Therefore, allocation patterns between shoot and roots are particularly important when considering carbon balance of peatland ecosystems. The stimulatory effect of increasing atmospheric concentration of CO{sub 2} or photosynthesis may increase availability of carbon to most C3 plants. Availability of nitrogen may also alter both due to increased atmospheric deposition and changer in mineralisation rates associated with climate change. Most root-shoot partitioning models predict that allocation of biomass is dependent of the availability and uptake of carbon and nitrogen. A decrease in supply of carbon would favour allocation to shoots and a decrease in supply of nitrogen would increase allocation to roots. At a cellular level, non structural carbohydrates and free amino acids are thought to represent the biochemically available fraction of carbon and nitrogen, respectively. The aim of this work is study the long-term growth responses of Carex rostrata to changes in the availability of nitrogen. Special attention is paid to soluble sugars ant free amino acids, which may control partitioning of biomass. (10 refs.)

  3. A contemporary national nitrogen inventory as a benchmark for future progress in mitigating nitrogen pollution in the USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, E. W.; Galloway, J. N.; Theis, T.; Alexander, R. B.

    2011-12-01

    We present a contemporary inventory of reactive nitrogen (Nr) inputs to land, air, and water in the United States. Inputs of Nr to the nation and the world have been increasing, largely due to human activities associated with food production and energy consumption via the combustion of fossil fuels and biofuels. Despite the obvious essential benefits of a plentiful supply of food and energy, the adverse consequences associated with the accumulation of Nr in the environment are large. Most of the Nr created by anthropogenic activities is released to the environment, often with unintended negative consequences. The greater the inputs of Nr to the landscape, the greater the potential for negative effects, caused by greenhouse gas production, ground level ozone, acid deposition, and Nr overload that can contribute to climate change, degradation of soils and vegetation, acidification of surface waters, coastal eutrophication, hypoxia and habitat loss. Here, we present a consistent accounting method for quantifying Nr sources and transport that was used in our inventory, and discuss associated data needs for tallying Nr inputs at regional scales. The inventory is a necessary tool for exploring the role of Nr contributed to the environment from various sources (e.g., from fertilizers, manure, biological fixation, human waste, atmospheric deposition) and from various industrial sectors (e.g., from agriculture, transportation, electricity generation). Agriculture and use of fertilizers to produce food, feed, and fiber (including bioenergy and biological nitrogen fixation) and combustion of fossil fuels are the largest sources of Nr released into the environment in the USA. Our inventory is currently being used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark of the current Nr situation against which future progress can be assessed -- amidst changing Nr inputs and implementation of policy and management strategies to mitigate Nr pollution.

  4. Application time of nitrogen fertilizer 15N by a potato crop (Solanum Tuberosum L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bastidas, O.G.; Urquiaga, S.

    1987-01-01

    This study was performed at the ''San Jorge'' experimental farm of the Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA), Bogota, Colombia. The study was performed to investigate the effect of timing of application of nitrogen fertilizer on the productivity of, and the efficiency of utilization of 15 N-labelled fertilizer by, a potato crop (Solanum tuberosum L.), cv. Tequendama. The crop was fertilized with 100, 200 and 100 Kg/ha -1 of N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O respectively. The N fertilizers were either added as 15 N labelled urea (2.955 at.% 15 N excess) or as labelled ammonium sulphate (2.071 at.% 15 N excess). In all treatments with nitrogen, a total of 100 Kg N ha -1 was added, but the nitrogen was added either in two or three split doses (only one dose being labelled with 15 N) at the following times: at planting, 35 days after emergence (DAE) and/or 60 DAE. It was found that: a) Nitrogen fertilization increased tuber production from 24 to 43 t/ha -1 ; b) The tubers constituted approximately 80% of total plant dry matter and 70% of the total nitrogen and fertilizer N accumulated by the plant; c) The fertilizer use efficiency varied between 49 and 68%, and the highest efficiency occurred when the nitrogen was split in three doses; d) The urea and ammonium sulphate gave similar results in all parameters evaluated; e) When the total nitrogen difference method was applied to interpretation of the results the fertilizer use efficiency was overestimated by 15 to 30%

  5. Dynamical Analysis of a Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Phytoplankton Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunli Deng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a nitrogen-phosphorus-phytoplankton model in a water ecosystem. The main aim of this research is to analyze the global system dynamics and to study the existence and stability of equilibria. It is shown that the phytoplankton-eradication equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if the input nitrogen concentration is less than a certain threshold. However, the coexistence equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable as long as it exists. The system is uniformly persistent within threshold values of certain key parameters. Finally, to verify the results, numerical simulations are provided.

  6. Influence of forest disturbance on stable nitrogen isotope ratios in soil and vegetation profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennifer D. Knoepp; Scott R. Taylor; Lindsay R. Boring; Chelcy F. Miniat

    2015-01-01

    Soil and plant stable nitrogen isotope ratios (15 N) are influenced by atmospheric nitrogen (N) inputs and processes that regulate organic matter (OM) transformation and N cycling. The resulting 15N patterns may be useful for discerning ecosystem differences in N cycling. We studied two ecosystems; longleaf pine wiregrass (...

  7. Determination of biological nitrogen fixation capacities of winter and spring lentil varieties by using ''1''5N methodology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akin, A.

    2001-01-01

    In order to determine the biological nitrogen fixation capacities of winter and spring varieties of lentil which have of agronomic importance under the Central Anatolia region, the field experiments (winter and spring) were carried out. In both experiments, the effects of two different iconoclasts and different harvesting times on the biological nitrogen fixation capacities of lentil varieties, were investigated. The field experiments were conducted using by randomized block design as split-split plot for 4 replications. Barley was selected as the reference crop and 20 cm row spacing were used for lentil and barley. Inoculations were done immediately before sowing. 10.0 kg N/ ha for lentil varieties as 10.0 % ''1''5N atom excess and 40.0 kg N/ ha for barley (reference crop) as 2.0 % ''1''5N atom excess ammonium sulphate fertilizer were applied. In addition, 60.0 kgP 2 O 5 / ha were applied as triple superphosphate for all treatments. Plants were harvested at the different growth stages and than plant materials prepared for the analysis. Total nitrogen and % ''1''5N atom excess analysis were done by Kjeldahl method and Emission spectrometer, respectively. The amount of nitrogen fixation capacities of winter and spring lentil varieties were calculated according to the A-Value method (IAEA 1990). The results showed us that the winter varieties of lentil had higher dry matter yields and nitrogen fixation capacities than the spring varieties. Inoculation treatments had no statistically significant effects on the percentage of nitrogen derived from atmosphere (% Ndfa) and the amount of fixed nitrogen (kg N/ ha) for both experiments. In comparison between the harvesting times, the highest amount of fixed nitrogen was found at the pod formation stage for all cultivars. The average amounts of % Ndfa and fixed nitrogen (kg N/ ha) were 75.0 and 70.0 for winter cultivars, 70.0 and 45.0 for spring cultivars, respectively

  8. Is There Synchronicity in Nitrogen Input and Output Fluxes at the Noland Divide Watershed, a Small N-Saturated Forested Catchment in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. Van Miegroet

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available High-elevation red spruce [Picea rubens Sarg.]-Fraser fir [Abies fraseri (Pursh. Poir] forests in the Southern Appalachians currently receive large nitrogen (N inputs via atmospheric deposition (30 kg N ha�1 year�1 but have limited N retention capacity due to a combination of stand age, heavy fir mortality caused by exotic insect infestations, and numerous gaps caused by windfalls and ice storms. This study examined the magnitude and timing of the N fluxes into, through, and out of a small, first-order catchment in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It also examined the role of climatic conditions in causing interannual variations in the N output signal. About half of the atmospheric N input was exported annually in the streamwater, primarily as nitrate (NO3-N. While most incoming ammonium (NH4-N was retained in the canopy and the forest floor, the NO3-N fluxes were very dynamic in space as well as in time. There was a clear decoupling between NO3-N input and output fluxes. Atmospheric N input was greatest in the growing season while largest NO3-N losses typically occurred in the dormant season. Also, as water passed through the various catchment compartments, the NO3-N flux declined below the canopy, increased in the upper soil due to internal N mineralization and nitrification, and declined again deeper in the mineral soil due to plant uptake and microbial processing. Temperature control on N production and hydrologic control on NO3-N leaching during the growing season likely caused the observed inter-annual variation in fall peak NO3-N concentrations and N discharge rates in the stream.

  9. Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Herbivores and Its Stimulation to Major Insect Pests in Rice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong-xian LU

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen is one of the most important factors in development of herbivore populations. The application of nitrogen fertilizer in plants can normally increase herbivore feeding preference, food consumption, survival, growth, reproduction, and population density, except few examples that nitrogen fertilizer reduces the herbivore performances. In most of the rice growing areas in Asia, the great increases in populations of major insect pests of rice, including planthoppers (Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera, leaffolder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, and stem borers (Scirpophaga incertulas, Chilo suppressalis, S. innotata, C. polychrysus and Sesamia inferens were closely related to the long-term excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers. The optimal regime of nitrogen fertilizer in irrigated paddy fields is proposed to improve the fertilizer-nitrogen use efficiency and reduce the environmental pollution.

  10. Environmental Nitrogen Losses from Commercial Crop Production Systems in the Suwannee River Basin of Florida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Rishi; Hochmuth, George J

    2016-01-01

    The springs and the Suwannee river of northern Florida in Middle Suwanee River Basin (MSRB) are among several examples in this planet that have shown a temporal trend of increasing nitrate concentration primarily due to the impacts of non-point sources such as agriculture. The rate of nitrate increase in the river as documented by Ham and Hatzell (1996) was 0.02 mg N L-1 y-1. Best management practices (BMPs) for nutrients were adopted by the commercial farms in the MSRB region to reduce the amounts of pollutants entering the water bodies, however the effectiveness of BMPs remains a topic of interest and discussion among the researchers, environmental administrators and policy makers about the loads of nitrogen entering into groundwater and river systems. Through this study, an initiative was taken to estimate nitrogen losses into the environment from commercial production systems of row and vegetable crops that had adopted BMPs and were under a presumption of compliance with state water quality standards. Nitrogen mass budget was constructed by quantifying the N sources and sinks for three crops (potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), sweet corn (Zea mays L.) and silage corn (Zea mays L.)) over a four year period (2010-2013) on a large representative commercial farm in northern Florida. Fertilizer N was found to be the primary N input and represented 98.0 ± 1.4, 91.0 ± 13.9, 78.0 ± 17.3% of the total N input for potato, sweet corn, and silage corn, respectively. Average crop N uptake represented 55.5%, 60.5%, and 65.2% of the mean total input N whereas average mineral N left in top 0.3 m soil layer at harvest represented 9.1%, 4.5%, and 2.6% of the mean total input N. Mean environmental N losses represented 35.3%, 34.3%, and 32.7% of the mean total input N for potato, sweet corn, and silage corn, respectively. Nitrogen losses showed a linear trend with increase in N inputs. Although, there is no quick fix for controlling N losses from crop production in MSRB, the

  11. Effects of Anthropogenic Nitrogen Loading on Riverine Nitrogen Export in the Northeastern USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, E. W.; Goodale, C. L.; Howarth, R. W.

    2001-05-01

    Human activities have greatly altered the nitrogen (N) cycle, accelerating the rate of N fixation in landscapes and delivery of N to water bodies. To examine the effects of anthropogenic N inputs on riverine N export, we quantified N inputs and riverine N loss for 16 catchments along a latitudinal profile from Maine to Virginia, which encompass a range of climatic variability and are major drainages to the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean. We quantified inputs of N to each catchment: atmospheric deposition, fertilizer application, agricultural and forest biological N fixation, and the net import of N in food and feed. We compared these inputs with N losses from the system in riverine export. The importance of the relative sources varies widely by watershed and is related to land use. Atmospheric deposition was the largest source (>60%) to the forested catchments of northern New England (e.g., Penobscot and Kennebec); import of N in food was the largest source of N to the more populated regions of southern New England (e.g., Charles and Blackstone); and agricultural inputs were the dominant N sources in the Mid-Atlantic region (e.g., Schuylkill and Potomac). Total N inputs to each catchment increased with percent cover in agriculture and urban land, and decreased with percent forest. Over the combined area of the catchments, net atmospheric deposition was the largest single source input (34%), followed by imports of N in food and feed (24%), fixation in agricultural lands (21%), fertilizer use (15%), and fixation in forests (6%). Riverine export of N is well correlated with N inputs, but it accounts for only a fraction (28%) of the total N inputs. This work provides an understanding of the sources of N in landscapes, and highlights how human activities impact N cycling in the northeast region.

  12. Combining stable isotopes with contamination indicators: A method for improved investigation of nitrate sources and dynamics in aquifers with mixed nitrogen inputs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minet, E P; Goodhue, R; Meier-Augenstein, W; Kalin, R M; Fenton, O; Richards, K G; Coxon, C E

    2017-11-01

    Excessive nitrate (NO 3 - ) concentration in groundwater raises health and environmental issues that must be addressed by all European Union (EU) member states under the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive. The identification of NO 3 - sources is critical to efficiently control or reverse NO 3 - contamination that affects many aquifers. In that respect, the use of stable isotope ratios 15 N/ 14 N and 18 O/ 16 O in NO 3 - (expressed as δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - , respectively) has long shown its value. However, limitations exist in complex environments where multiple nitrogen (N) sources coexist. This two-year study explores a method for improved NO 3 - source investigation in a shallow unconfined aquifer with mixed N inputs and a long established NO 3 - problem. In this tillage-dominated area of free-draining soil and subsoil, suspected NO 3 - sources were diffuse applications of artificial fertiliser and organic point sources (septic tanks and farmyards). Bearing in mind that artificial diffuse sources were ubiquitous, groundwater samples were first classified according to a combination of two indicators relevant of point source contamination: presence/absence of organic point sources (i.e. septic tank and/or farmyard) near sampling wells and exceedance/non-exceedance of a contamination threshold value for sodium (Na + ) in groundwater. This classification identified three contamination groups: agricultural diffuse source but no point source (D+P-), agricultural diffuse and point source (D+P+) and agricultural diffuse but point source occurrence ambiguous (D+P±). Thereafter δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - data were superimposed on the classification. As δ 15 N-NO 3 - was plotted against δ 18 O-NO 3 - , comparisons were made between the different contamination groups. Overall, both δ variables were significantly and positively correlated (p contamination groups revealed that denitrification did not occur in the absence of point

  13. Energy inputs and greenhouse gases emissions in wheat production in Gorgan, Iran

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soltani, Afshin; Rajabi, M.H.; Zeinali, E.; Soltani, Elias

    2013-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to analyze energy use and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in various wheat production scenarios in north eastern Iran and to identify measures to reduce energy use and GHG emissions. Three high-input, a low-input, a better crop management and a usual production scenarios were included. All activities and production processes were monitored and recorded. Averages of total energy input and output were 15.58 and 94.4 GJ ha −1 , respectively. Average across scenarios, GHG emissions of 1137 kg CO 2 -eq ha −1 and 291 kg CO 2 -eq t −1 were estimated. The key factors relating to energy use and GHG emissions were seedbed preparation and sowing and applications of nitrogen fertilizer. The better crop management production scenario required 38% lower nitrogen fertilizer (and 33% lower total fertilizer), consumed 11% less input energy and resulted in 33% more grain yield and output energy compared to the usual production scenario. It also resulted in 20% less GHG emissions per unit field area and 40% less GHG emissions per ton of grain. It was concluded that this scenario was the cleaner production scenario in terms of energy use and GHG emissions. Measures of improvement in energy use and GHG emission were identified. - Highlights: ► Wheat production scenarios were evaluated for energy use and greenhouse gases emission. ► A better crop management production scenario was the cleaner production scenario. ► Measures to reduce energy use and greenhouse gases emission were identified

  14. Simulating nitrogen budgets in complex farming systems using INCA: calibration and scenario analyses for the Kervidy catchment (W. France)

    OpenAIRE

    P. Durand; P. Durand

    2004-01-01

    The integrated nitrogen model INCA (Integrated Nitrogen in Catchments) was used to analyse the nitrogen dynamics in a small rural catchment in Western France. The agrosystem studied is very complex, with: extensive use of different organic fertilisers, a variety of crop rotations, a structural excess of nitrogen (i.e. more animal N produced by the intensive farming than the N requirements of the crops and pastures), and nitrate retention in both hydrological stores and riparian zones. The ...

  15. System and method for controlling ammonia levels in a selective catalytic reduction catalyst using a nitrogen oxide sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    None

    2017-07-25

    A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an air/fuel ratio determination module and an emission level determination module. The air/fuel ratio determination module determines an air/fuel ratio based on input from an air/fuel ratio sensor positioned downstream from a three-way catalyst that is positioned upstream from a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. The emission level determination module selects one of a predetermined value and an input based on the air/fuel ratio. The input is received from a nitrogen oxide sensor positioned downstream from the three-way catalyst. The emission level determination module determines an ammonia level based on the one of the predetermined value and the input received from the nitrogen oxide sensor.

  16. Hvede, rug og triticale til energi - input, udbytte og kvalitet

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Johannes Ravn

    2000-01-01

    Yield and quality of wheat, rye or triticale for energy purposes have been evaluated in field trials. Triticale and rye had a higher biomass production than wheat in spite of a lower input of nitrogen. The straw fraction contained more chloride, potassium and sodium than the grain fraction...... of chloride and sulphur in the straw as well as content of potassium, sodium and ash may be reduced due to precipitation before harvest........ These minerals may lead to corrosion processes, ash slagging and fouling. The grain fraction contained more sulphur and nitrogen, which may lead to emission of SO2 and NOx. Fertilizers containing chloride and sulphur, may lead to an increased content of chloride and sulphur in the straw fraction. Content...

  17. Nitrogen modulation of legume root architecture signalling pathways involves phytohormones and small regulatory molecules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadiatul Akmal Mohd-Radzman

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen, particularly nitrate is an important yield determinant for crops. However, current agricultural practice with excessive fertilizer usage has detrimental effects on the environment. Therefore, legumes have been suggested as a sustainable alternative for replenishing soil nitrogen. Legumes can uniquely form nitrogen-fixing nodules through symbiotic interaction with specialized soil bacteria. Legumes possess a highly plastic root system which modulates its architecture according to the nitrogen availability in the soil. Understanding how legumes regulate root development in response to nitrogen availability is an important step to improving root architecture. The nitrogen-mediated root development pathway starts with sensing soil nitrogen level followed by subsequent signal transduction pathways involving phytohormones, microRNAs and regulatory peptides that collectively modulate the growth and shape of the root system. This review focuses on the current understanding of nitrogen-mediated legume root architecture including local and systemic regulations by different N-sources and the modulations by phytohormones and small regulatory molecules.

  18. Nitrogen modulation of legume root architecture signaling pathways involves phytohormones and small regulatory molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohd-Radzman, Nadiatul A; Djordjevic, Michael A; Imin, Nijat

    2013-10-01

    Nitrogen, particularly nitrate is an important yield determinant for crops. However, current agricultural practice with excessive fertilizer usage has detrimental effects on the environment. Therefore, legumes have been suggested as a sustainable alternative for replenishing soil nitrogen. Legumes can uniquely form nitrogen-fixing nodules through symbiotic interaction with specialized soil bacteria. Legumes possess a highly plastic root system which modulates its architecture according to the nitrogen availability in the soil. Understanding how legumes regulate root development in response to nitrogen availability is an important step to improving root architecture. The nitrogen-mediated root development pathway starts with sensing soil nitrogen level followed by subsequent signal transduction pathways involving phytohormones, microRNAs and regulatory peptides that collectively modulate the growth and shape of the root system. This review focuses on the current understanding of nitrogen-mediated legume root architecture including local and systemic regulations by different N-sources and the modulations by phytohormones and small regulatory molecules.

  19. Corn nitrogen fertilization rate tools compared over eight Midwest states

    Science.gov (United States)

    Publicly-available nitrogen (N) rate recommendation tools are utilized to help maximize yield in corn production. These tools often fail when N is over-applied and results in excess N being lost to the environment, or when N is under-applied and results in decreased yield and economic returns. Perfo...

  20. Assessment of nitrogen oxide emission for designing boilers fired with coal dust

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotler, V.R.; Gusev, L.N.; Babii, V.I.

    1983-09-01

    A method for forecasting emission of nitrogen oxides from steam boilers fired with coal is described. The method produces accurate results when nitrogen oxide emission from furnaces with straight-flow burners and turbulent-type burners fired with coal dusts is forecast. Oxides formed by decomposition of chemical compounds in coal (so-called 'fuel' nitrogen oxides) and nitrogen oxides formed by oxidation of molecular nitrogen by atomic oxygen (so-called 'thermal' nitrogen oxides) are evaluated. Zones in which the two types of nitrogen oxide are formed in flames are characterized. Factors which influence formation of nitrogen oxides in a furnace are evaluated: excess air, flue gas recirculation, design of a furnace and burners, movement of air and coal dust mixture in a furnace, temperature, methods for coal dust preparation, coal dust properties. Equations for forecasting emission of nitrogen oxides from furnaces are derived. Nomograms for easy calculation of emission are also given. Examples of using the method for forecasting emission of nitrogen oxides from furnaces fired with coal from the Kuzbass, the Donbass and Ehkibastuz are discussed. Comparisons of emission of nitrogen oxides calculated on the basis of the method and emission determined experimentally show that forecasting accuracy is high and errors do not exceed 10%. 5 references.

  1. Tourism's nitrogen footprint on a Mesoamerican coral reef

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, D. M.; Rodríguez-Martínez, R. E.; Fogel, M. L.

    2013-09-01

    Globally, the eutrophication of coastal marine environments is a worsening problem that is accelerating the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Coral reefs are among the most sensitive to this change, as chronic inputs of agricultural and wastewater effluents and atmospheric deposition disrupt their naturally oligotrophic state. Often, anthropogenic alteration of the coastal nitrogen pool can proceed undetected as rapid mixing with ocean waters can mask chronic and ephemeral nitrogen inputs. Monitoring nitrogen stable isotope values ( δ 15N) of benthic organisms provides a useful solution to this problem. Through a 7-yr monitoring effort in Quintana Roo, Mexico, we show that δ 15N values of the common sea fan Gorgonia ventalina were more variable near a developed (Akumal) site than at an undeveloped (Mahahual) site. Beginning in 2007, the global recession decreased tourist visitations to Akumal, which corresponded with a pronounced 1.6 ‰ decline in sea fan δ 15N through 2009, at which time δ 15N values were similar to those from Mahahual. With the recovery of tourism, δ 15N values increased to previous levels. Overall, 84 % of the observed variation in δ 15N was explained by tourist visitations in the preceding year alone, indicating that variable nitrogen source contributions are correlated with sea fan δ 15N values. We also found that annual precipitation accounted for some variation in δ 15N, likely due to its role in groundwater flushing into the sea. Together, these factors accounted for 96 % of the variation in δ 15N. Using a mixing model, we estimate that sewage can account for up to 42 % of nitrogen in sea fan biomass. These findings illustrate the high connectivity between land-based activities and coral reef productivity and the measurable impact of the tourism industry on the ecosystem it relies on.

  2. Identification of Excess Heat Utilisation Potential using GIS: Analysis of Case Studies for Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bühler, Fabian; Petrovic, Stefan; Ommen, Torben Schmidt

    2017-01-01

    feasibility of using this approach is evaluated for four scenarios. Special focus is placed on the challenges for the connection of excess heat sources to heat consumers, as well as tax schemes applicable in Denmark. To account for uncertainties in the model input, Monte Carlo simulations and Morris...

  3. Genetic diversity of potato for nitrogen use efficiency under low input conditions in Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Getahun, Baye Berihun

    2017-01-01

    Potato is a prime food security crop for smallholder farmers in the highland part of North western Ethiopia. In this region, nutrient availability, especially nitrogen (N) is a major constraint for crop productivity. To obtain insight in the possibility of improving potato for growth under low N

  4. Nitrogen fertilization plans for the main crops of Turkey to mitigate nitrates pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theodore Karyotis

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available To create a rational nitrogen fertilization plan, a mass nitrogen (N balance was used for the main crops of Turkey. The following components are included in the suggested N fertilization plans: the quantity of N fertilizer which is required by the crop for a targeted and sustainable yield, nitrogen inputs available to the crop without fertilization, nitrogen losses mainly due to nitrates leaching and emissions to the atmosphere. This simple equation was transformed to a more detailed one and fertilization plans are based on the total N required to produce a crop of a targeted yield, N mineralized from Soil Organic Matter (SOM, the residual plant available inorganic N before sowing or planting, input of nitrogen from rainfall and losses through leaching and emissions. This work is based on available data and is an open sheet balance which can be easily used by local authorities. Decreased N fertilization can be applied without significant yield reduction and this can be explained by increased N use efficiency, as a result of proper time of application and splitting of N fertilizers in doses. This model can be appropriately adapted according to site-specific conditions, whilst new parameters can be added to improve precision of the performed calculations.

  5. 40 CFR 77.6 - Penalties for excess emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... the check or money order number of the payment. (c) If an excess emissions penalty due under this part... shall be made by money order, cashier's check, certified check, or U.S. Treasury check made payable to.... Box 952491, St. Louis, MO 63195-2491. (3) Payments of penalties of $25,000 or more may be made by wire...

  6. Energy assessment of nitrogen variable rate fertilization on wheat; Analise energetica da aplicacao de nitrogenio em taxa variavel em trigo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colaco, A.F.; Karam, E.H.; Romanelli, T.L.; Molin, J.P. [Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz Queiroz (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia de Biossistemas], Email: andrecolaco@usp.br; Povh, F.P. [Fundacao ABC Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Agropecuario, Castro, PR (Brazil)

    2011-07-01

    Precision Agriculture (PA) is a technique that can reduce the inputs utilization in agriculture production, including the nitrogen fertilizer consume. Great importance is given to this fertilizer, due to its contribution on energy input in agriculture. Methodologies based on the calculation of energy flow of agriculture systems are capable to identify management practices that use energy more efficiently. So, this study's objective is to evaluate the variable-rate nitrogen fertilization on wheat, using energy assessment. This study was carried on in two wheat fields, in which the fertilization was done adopting strips alternated by conventional method (single nitrogen dose) and by nitrogen variable-rate technology. Thus, the input and output energy in the system, energy balance, energy return on investment (EROI) and incorporated energy were determined for each geo-referenced point within the fields. Results showed that less energy was demanded when using variable-rate technology, due to the nitrogen saving, providing greater energy balance, EROI and lower incorporated energy on the areas managed using PA. The energy assessment showed to be an important tool to evaluate systems that use PA, because it is capable of monitoring crops energy potential. (author)

  7. Growth response of Douglas-fir seedlings to nitrogen fertilization: importance of Rubisco activation state and respiration rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel K. Manter; Kathleen L. Kavanagh; Cathy L. Rose

    2005-01-01

    High foliar nitrogen concentration ([N]) is associated with high rates of photosynthesis and thus high tree productivity; however, at excessive [N], tree productivity is reduced. Reports of excessive [N] in the Douglas-fir forests of the Oregon Coast Range prompted this investigation of growth and needle physiological responses to increasing foliar N concentrations in...

  8. A wooded riparian strip set up for nitrogen removal can affect the water flux microbial composition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mizanur Md. Rahman

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This research is part of a project aimed at verifying the potential of a specifically assessed wooded riparian zone in removing excess of combined nitrogen from the Zero river flow for the reduction of nutrient input into Venice Lagoon. Specific objectives were pursued to determine seasonal fluctuations of the microbial populations from the input water to a drainage ditch, conveying back the flux into the river after passing through the soil of the wooded riparian strip. The bacterial communities were determined by combined approaches involving cultivation, microscopic methods and DNA based techniques to determine both culturable and total microbial community in water. The results indicate that the size of the bacterial population, including the culturable fraction, increases from the river to the drainage ditch especially on the warm season. The multiple approach here adopted enabled also to demonstrate that the special condition created in the buffer strip supports the development and the metabolism of the microbial community. The nature of the bacterial population, in terms of phylotypes distribution, was investigated by 16S rDNA analysis indicating that the most represented genera belong to Gamma-proteobacteria, which is known to include an exceeding number of important pathogens. In spring, the effect of the buffer strip seems to significantly reduce such a sub-population. The changes observed for the total bacterial community composition become much evident in summer, as revealed by both denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis cluster analysis and by the diversity index calculation. The hydraulic management coupled to the suspension of farming practices and the development of the woody and herbaceous vegetation resulted in a condition suitable for the containment of undesired microbiota (mainly during the spring season while continuing to support denitrification activity (especially throughout the summer as verified by the total nitrogen

  9. Simulation of the decomposition and nitrogen mineralization of aboveground plant material in two unfertilized grassland ecosystems.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bloemhof, H.S.; Berendse, F.

    1995-01-01

    A simple model of the decomposition and nitrogen mineralization of plant material from two unfertilized grassland ecosystems has been developed, with only the proportion of leaves and stems in the original material, the initial nitrogen contents of these plant parts and temperature as input data.

  10. A Precision Nitrogen Management Approach to Minimize Impacts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen fertilizer is a crucial input for crop production but contributes to agriculture’s environmental footprint via CO2 emissions, N2O emissions, and eutrophication of coastal waters. The low-cost way to minimize this impact is to eliminate over-application of N. This is more difficult than it s...

  11. Discrimination factors of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in meerkat feces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaena Montanari

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Stable isotope analysis of feces can provide a non-invasive method for tracking the dietary habits of nearly any mammalian species. While fecal samples are often collected for macroscopic and genetic study, stable isotope analysis can also be applied to expand the knowledge of species-specific dietary ecology. It is somewhat unclear how digestion changes the isotope ratios of animals’ diets, so more controlled diet studies are needed. To date, most diet-to-feces controlled stable isotope experiments have been performed on herbivores, so in this study I analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in the diet and feces of the meerkat (Suricata suricatta, a small omnivorous mammal. The carbon trophic discrimination factor between diet and feces (Δ13Cfeces is calculated to be 0.1 ± 1.5‰, which is not significantly different from zero, and in turn, not different than the dietary input. On the other hand, the nitrogen trophic discrimination factor (Δ15Nfeces is 1.5 ± 1.1‰, which is significantly different from zero, meaning it is different than the average dietary input. Based on data generated in this experiment and a review of the published literature, carbon isotopes of feces characterize diet, while nitrogen isotope ratios of feces are consistently higher than dietary inputs, meaning a discrimination factor needs to be taken into account. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values of feces are an excellent snapshot of diet that can be used in concert with other analytical methods to better understand ecology, diets, and habitat use of mammals.

  12. Nutrient additions in pristine Patagonian Sphagnum bog vegetation: can phosphorus addition alleviate (the effects of) increased nitrogen loads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fritz, C; van Dijk, G; Smolders, A J P; Pancotto, V A; Elzenga, T J T M; Roelofs, J G M; Grootjans, A P

    2012-05-01

    Sphagnum-bog ecosystems have a limited capability to retain carbon and nutrients when subjected to increased nitrogen (N) deposition. Although it has been proposed that phosphorus (P) can dilute negative effects of nitrogen by increasing biomass production of Sphagnum mosses, it is still unclear whether P-addition can alleviate physiological N-stress in Sphagnum plants. A 3-year fertilisation experiment was conducted in lawns of a pristine Sphagnum magellanicum bog in Patagonia, where competing vascular plants were practically absent. Background wet deposition of nitrogen was low (≈ 0.1-0.2 g · N · m(-2) · year(-1)). Nitrogen (4 g · N · m(-2) · year(-1)) and phosphorus (1 g · P · m(-2) · year(-1)) were applied, separately and in combination, six times during the growing season. P-addition substantially increased biomass production of Sphagnum. Nitrogen and phosphorus changed the morphology of Sphagnum mosses by enhancing height increment, but lowering moss stem density. In contrast to expectations, phosphorus failed to alleviate physiological stress imposed by excess nitrogen (e.g. amino acid accumulation, N-saturation and decline in photosynthetic rates). We conclude that despite improving growth conditions by P-addition, Sphagnum-bog ecosystems remain highly susceptible to nitrogen additions. Increased susceptibility to desiccation by nutrients may even worsen the negative effects of excess nitrogen especially in windy climates like in Patagonia. © 2011 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  13. Electron delocalization in α-nitrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Storchak, V.; Brewer, J.H.; Morris, G.D.; British Columbia Univ., Vancouver, BC

    1995-06-01

    A new technique has been developed for measuring electron drift mobility in crystals on a microscopic scale through its effect on muonium (Mu = μ + + e - ) atom formation via transport of electrons to thermalized positive muons (μ + ). Electron transport mechanisms are shown to be fundamentally different in the α and β phases of solid nitrogen, giving of about 5 orders of magnitude difference in electron mobilities. Contrary to previously reported results of macroscopic time-of-flight measurements, excess electrons appear to be delocalized in α-N 2 . (author). 22 refs., 3 figs

  14. A Nitrogen Inventory of Major Water Regions Across the USA as a Benchmark for Future Progress in Mitigating Nitrogen Pollution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, E. W.; Galloway, J. N.; Alexander, R. B.

    2012-12-01

    We present a contemporary inventory of reactive nitrogen (Nr) inputs and, air, and surface waters throughout major water regions in the United States. Inputs of Nr to the nation and the world have been increasing, largely due to human activities associated with food production and energy consumption via the combustion of fossil fuels and biofuels. Despite the obvious essential benefits of a plentiful supply of food and energy, the adverse consequences associated with the accumulation of Nr in the environment are large. Most of the Nr created by anthropogenic activities is released to the environment, often with unintended negative consequences. The greater the inputs of Nr to the landscape, the greater the potential for negative effects, caused by greenhouse gas production, ground level ozone, acid deposition, and Nr overload that can contribute to climate change, degradation of soils and vegetation, acidification of surface waters, coastal eutrophication, hypoxia and habitat loss. Here, we present a consistent accounting method for quantifying Nr sources and transport that was used in our inventory, and discuss associated data needs for tallying Nr inputs at regional scales. The inventory is a necessary tool for exploring the role of Nr contributed to the environment from various sources (e.g., from fertilizers, manure, biological fixation, human waste, atmospheric deposition) and from various industrial sectors (e.g., from agriculture, transportation, electricity generation). Agriculture and use of fertilizers to produce food, feed, and fiber (including bioenergy and biological nitrogen fixation) and combustion of fossil fuels are the largest sources of Nr released into the environment in the USA. Our inventory can be used as a benchmark of the current Nr situation against which future progress can be assessed in varying regions of the country, amidst changing Nr inputs and implementation of policy and management strategies to mitigate Nr pollution.

  15. The role of above-ground competition and nitrogen vs. phosphorus enrichment in seedling survival of common European plant species of semi-natural grasslands.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tobias Ceulemans

    Full Text Available Anthropogenic activities have severely altered fluxes of nitrogen and phosphorus in ecosystems worldwide. In grasslands, subsequent negative effects are commonly attributed to competitive exclusion of plant species following increased above-ground biomass production. However, some studies have shown that this does not fully account for nutrient enrichment effects, questioning whether lowering competition by reducing grassland productivity through mowing or herbivory can mitigate the environmental impact of nutrient pollution. Furthermore, few studies so far discriminate between nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. We performed a full factorial experiment in greenhouse mesocosms combining nitrogen and phosphorus addition with two clipping regimes designed to relax above-ground competition. Next, we studied the survival and growth of seedlings of eight common European grassland species and found that five out of eight species showed higher survival under the clipping regime with the lowest above-ground competition. Phosphorus addition negatively affected seven plant species and nitrogen addition negatively affected four plant species. Importantly, the negative effects of nutrient addition and higher above-ground competition were independent of each other for all but one species. Our results suggest that at any given level of soil nutrients, relaxation of above-ground competition allows for higher seedling survival in grasslands. At the same time, even at low levels of above-ground competition, nutrient enrichment negatively affects survival as compared to nutrient-poor conditions. Therefore, although maintaining low above-ground competition appears essential for species' recruitment, for instance through mowing or herbivory, these management efforts are likely to be insufficient and we conclude that environmental policies aimed to reduce both excess nitrogen and particularly phosphorus inputs are also necessary.

  16. Modeling nitrate leaching and optimizing water and nitrogen management under irrigated maize in desert oases in Northwestern China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Kelin; Li, Yong; Chen, Weiping; Chen, Deli; Wei, Yongping; Edis, Robert; Li, Baoguo; Huang, Yuanfang; Zhang, Yuanpei

    2010-01-01

    Understanding water and N transport through the soil profile is important for efficient irrigation and nutrient management to minimize nitrate leaching to the groundwater, and to promote agricultural sustainable development in desert oases. In this study, a process-based water and nitrogen management model (WNMM) was used to simulate soil water movement, nitrate transport, and crop growth (maize [Zea mays L.]) under desert oasis conditions in northwestern China. The model was calibrated and validated with a field experiment. The model simulation results showed that about 35% of total water input and 58% of the total N input were leached to <1.8 m depth under traditional management practice. Excessive irrigation and N fertilizer application, high nitrate concentration in the irrigation water, together with the sandy soil texture, resulted in large nitrate leaching. Nitrate leaching was significantly reduced under the improved management practice suggested by farm extension personnel; however, the water and nitrate inputs still far exceeded the crop requirements. More than 1700 scenarios combining various types of irrigation and fertilizer practices were simulated. Quantitative analysis was conducted to obtain the best management practices (BMPs) with simultaneous consideration of crop yield, water use efficiency, fertilizer N use efficiency, and nitrate leaching. The results indicated that the BMPs under the specific desert oasis conditions are to irrigate the maize with 600 mm of water in eight times with a single fertilizer application at a rate of 75 kg N ha(-1).

  17. Fresh meteoric versus recirculated saline groundwater nutrient inputs into a subtropical estuary

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sadat-Noori, Mahmood, E-mail: mahmood.sadat-noori@scu.edu.au [National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Australia); School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW (Australia); Santos, Isaac R. [National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Australia); Tait, Douglas R. [National Marine Science Centre, School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW (Australia); School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW (Australia); Maher, Damien T. [School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW (Australia)

    2016-10-01

    The role of groundwater in transporting nutrients to coastal aquatic systems has recently received considerable attention. However, the relative importance of fresh versus saline groundwater-derived nutrient inputs to estuaries and how these groundwater pathways may alter surface water N:P ratios remains poorly constrained. We performed detailed time series measurements of nutrients in a tidal estuary (Hat Head, NSW, Australia) and used radium to quantify the contribution of fresh and saline groundwater to total surface water estuarine exports under contrasting hydrological conditions (wet and dry season). Tidally integrated nutrient fluxes showed that the estuary was a source of nutrients to the coastal waters. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux rate for rivers likely due to the small catchment size, surrounding wetlands and high groundwater inputs. Fresh groundwater discharge was dominant in the wet season accounting for up to 45% of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and 48% of total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) estuarine exports. In the dry season, fresh and saline groundwater accounted for 21 and 33% of TDN export, respectively. The combined fresh and saline groundwater fluxes of NO{sub 3}, PO{sub 4}, NH{sub 4}, DON, DOP, TDN and TDP were estimated to account for 66, 58, 55, 31, 21, 53 and 47% of surface water exports, respectively. Groundwater-derived nitrogen inputs to the estuary were responsible for a change in the surface water N:P ratio from typical N-limiting conditions to P-limiting as predicted by previous studies. This shows the importance of both fresh and saline groundwater as a source of nutrients for coastal productivity and nutrient budgets of coastal waters. - Highlights: • Groundwater TDN and TDP fluxes account for 53 and 47% of surface water exports. • The estuary DIN export was 7-fold higher than the average global areal flux. • Fresh GW nutrient input dominated the wet season and

  18. Sugar enrichment provides evidence for a role of nitrogen fixation in coral bleaching

    KAUST Repository

    Pogoreutz, Claudia; Radecker, Nils; Cardenas, Anny; Gä rdes, Astrid; Voolstra, Christian R.; Wild, Christian

    2017-01-01

    The disruption of the coral-algae symbiosis (coral bleaching) due to rising sea surface temperatures has become an unprecedented global threat to coral reefs. Despite decades of research, our ability to manage mass bleaching events remains hampered by an incomplete mechanistic understanding of the processes involved. In this study, we induced a coral bleaching phenotype in the absence of heat and light stress by adding sugars. The sugar addition resulted in coral symbiotic breakdown accompanied by a fourfold increase of coral-associated microbial nitrogen fixation. Concomitantly, increased N:P ratios by the coral host and algal symbionts suggest excess availability of nitrogen and a disruption of the nitrogen limitation within the coral holobiont. As nitrogen fixation is similarly stimulated in ocean warming scenarios, here we propose a refined coral bleaching model integrating the cascading effects of stimulated microbial nitrogen fixation. This model highlights the putative role of nitrogen-fixing microbes in coral holobiont functioning and breakdown.

  19. Sugar enrichment provides evidence for a role of nitrogen fixation in coral bleaching

    KAUST Repository

    Pogoreutz, Claudia

    2017-04-21

    The disruption of the coral-algae symbiosis (coral bleaching) due to rising sea surface temperatures has become an unprecedented global threat to coral reefs. Despite decades of research, our ability to manage mass bleaching events remains hampered by an incomplete mechanistic understanding of the processes involved. In this study, we induced a coral bleaching phenotype in the absence of heat and light stress by adding sugars. The sugar addition resulted in coral symbiotic breakdown accompanied by a fourfold increase of coral-associated microbial nitrogen fixation. Concomitantly, increased N:P ratios by the coral host and algal symbionts suggest excess availability of nitrogen and a disruption of the nitrogen limitation within the coral holobiont. As nitrogen fixation is similarly stimulated in ocean warming scenarios, here we propose a refined coral bleaching model integrating the cascading effects of stimulated microbial nitrogen fixation. This model highlights the putative role of nitrogen-fixing microbes in coral holobiont functioning and breakdown.

  20. Nitrogen deposition in precipitation to a monsoon-affected eutrophic embayment: Fluxes, sources, and processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yunchao; Zhang, Jingping; Liu, Songlin; Jiang, Zhijian; Arbi, Iman; Huang, Xiaoping; Macreadie, Peter Ian

    2018-06-01

    Daya Bay in the South China Sea (SCS) has experienced rapid nitrogen pollution and intensified eutrophication in the past decade due to economic development. Here, we estimated the deposition fluxes of nitrogenous species, clarified the contribution of nitrogen from precipitation and measured ions and isotopic composition (δ15N and δ18O) of nitrate in precipitation in one year period to trace its sources and formation processes among different seasons. We found that the deposition fluxes of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), NO3-, NH4+, NO2-, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) to Daya Bay were 132.5, 64.4 17.5, 1.0, 49.6 mmol m-2•yr-1, respectively. DON was a significant contributor to nitrogen deposition (37% of TDN), and NO3- accounted for 78% of the DIN in precipitation. The nitrogen deposition fluxes were higher in spring and summer, and lower in winter. Nitrogen from precipitation contributed nearly 38% of the total input of nitrogen (point sources input and dry and wet deposition) in Daya Bay. The δ15N-NO3- abundance, ion compositions, and air mass backward trajectories implicated that coal combustion, vehicle exhausts, and dust from mainland China delivered by northeast monsoon were the main sources in winter, while fossil fuel combustion (coal combustion and vehicle exhausts) and dust from PRD and southeast Asia transported by southwest monsoon were the main sources in spring; marine sources, vehicle exhausts and lightning could be the potential sources in summer. δ18O results showed that OH pathway was dominant in the chemical formation process of nitrate in summer, while N2O5+ DMS/HC pathways in winter and spring.

  1. Nitrogen fertilization affects silicon concentration, cell wall composition and biofuel potential of wheat straw

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Murozuka, Emiko; Laursen, Kristian Holst; Lindedam, Jane

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen is an essential input factor required for plant growth and biomass production. However, very limited information is available on how nitrogen fertilization affects the quality of crop residues to be used as lignocellulosic feedstock. In the present study, straw of winter wheat plants grown...... linearly from 0.32% to 0.71% over the range of nitrogen treatments. Cellulose and hemicellulose were not affected by the nitrogen supply while lignin peaked at medium rates of nitrogen application. The nitrogen treatments had a distinct influence on the silicon concentration, which decreased from 2.5% to 1.......5% of the straw dry matter when the nitrogen supply increased from 48 to 192kgha-1. No further decline in Si occurred at higher rates of nitrogen application. The most abundant metals in the straw were potassium and calcium and their concentrations almost doubled over the range of nitrogen supplies. The enzymatic...

  2. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition influences denitrification and nitrous oxide production in lakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCrackin, Michelle L; Elser, James J

    2010-02-01

    Microbially mediated denitrification is an important process that may ameliorate the effects of nitrogen (N) loading by permanently removing excess N inputs. In this study, we measured the rate of denitrification and nitrous oxide (N2O) production during denitrification in sediments from 32 Norwegian lakes at the high and low ends of a gradient of atmospheric N deposition. Denitrification and N2O production rates averaged 41.7 and 1.1 micromol N x m(-2) x h(-1), respectively, for high-deposition lakes. There was no detectable denitrification or N2O production in low-deposition lakes. Epilimnetic nitrate concentration was strongly correlated with denitrification rate (r2 = 0.67). We also measured the denitrification rate in response to experimental additions of organic carbon, nitrate, and phosphorus. Experimental nitrate additions stimulated denitrification in sediments of all lakes, regardless of N deposition level. In fact, the rate of denitrification in nitrate-amended treatments was the same magnitude for lakes in both deposition areas. These findings suggest that lake sediments possess considerable capacity to remove nitrate and that this capacity has not been saturated under conditions of chronic N loading. Further, nitrous oxide was nearly 3% of the total gaseous product during denitrification in high-deposition lakes, a fraction that is comparable to polluted marine sediments. Our findings suggest that, while lakes play an important role in N removal in the landscape, they may be a source of N2O emissions, especially in areas subject to elevated N inputs.

  3. Optimising Nitrogen utilization by fertigated protected cucumber in coastal Lebanon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atallah, Therese; Darwich, Talal; Awad, Souhail; El-Moujabber, Maroun

    1999-01-01

    Full text.In Lebanon, protected cultures are in expansion with indications of new greenhouses installed every year, particularly at altitudes between 400 and 500 m. In these intensive systems, few studies looked at the crop requirements, the management practices and their consequences on the soil and water. This study was carried out under field conditions in Jbeil (lebanon) at 100 m of altitude for a spring cucumber. For the follow-up of the nitrogen use efficiency, labelled nitrogen fertilizer (with the heavy isotope 15 N) was used. Treatments consisted of combining two irrigation frequencies: every 2 or 3 days with two modalities of fertigation: continuous and discontinuous, with every other irrigation. Otherwise, the levels of water and nutrients were equal among all treatments. Results focused on the plant performance under these modalities and also on the nitrogen balance in the plant-soil system. The plants fertigated continuously, every two days, presented higher fresh fruit yield and above-ground dry ,matter production. In addition, the number of non-commercial fruits were significantly smaller than in the other treatments. This suggests less stressful conditions under the continuous input of nutrients and the stable EC of the fertigation solution. Concerning the nitrogen balance, it was calculated by the difference between input removal for each treatment. These values were compared with the nitrate-nitrogen build-up in the soil. Very close correspondence was found, which indicates minimal nitrogen losses for all treatments which could be related to the amount accumulated in the soil as nitrates. Overall, under the experimental conditions the continuous fertigation at a 2-day frequency was the most adequate in promoting plant production and minimizing losses from the soil-plant system

  4. Natural and anthropogenic nitrogen uptake by bloom-forming macroalgae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thornber, Carol S.; DiMilla, Peter; Nixon, Scott W.; McKinney, Richard A.

    2008-01-01

    The frequency and duration of macroalgal blooms have increased in many coastal waters over the past several decades. We used field surveys and laboratory culturing experiments to examine the nitrogen content and δ 15 N values of Ulva and Gracilaria, two bloom-forming algal genera in Narragansett Bay, RI (USA). The northern end of this bay is densely populated with large sewage treatment plant nitrogen inputs; the southern end is more lightly populated and opens to the Atlantic Ocean. Field-collected Ulva varied in δ 15 N among sites, but with two exceptions had δ 15 N above 10 per mille , reflecting a significant component of heavy anthropogenic N. This variation was not correlated with a north-south gradient. Both Ulva and Gracilaria cultured in water from across Narragansett Bay also had high signals (δ 15 N = ∼14-17 per mille and 8-12 per mille , respectively). These results indicate that inputs of anthropogenic N can have far-reaching impacts throughout estuaries

  5. Natural and anthropogenic nitrogen uptake by bloom-forming macroalgae

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thornber, Carol S. [Department of Biological Sciences, 100 Flagg Road, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881 (United States)], E-mail: thornber@uri.edu; DiMilla, Peter; Nixon, Scott W. [Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02881 (United States); McKinney, Richard A. [US Environmental Protection Agency, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882 (United States)

    2008-02-15

    The frequency and duration of macroalgal blooms have increased in many coastal waters over the past several decades. We used field surveys and laboratory culturing experiments to examine the nitrogen content and {delta}{sup 15}N values of Ulva and Gracilaria, two bloom-forming algal genera in Narragansett Bay, RI (USA). The northern end of this bay is densely populated with large sewage treatment plant nitrogen inputs; the southern end is more lightly populated and opens to the Atlantic Ocean. Field-collected Ulva varied in {delta}{sup 15}N among sites, but with two exceptions had {delta}{sup 15}N above 10 per mille , reflecting a significant component of heavy anthropogenic N. This variation was not correlated with a north-south gradient. Both Ulva and Gracilaria cultured in water from across Narragansett Bay also had high signals ({delta}{sup 15}N = {approx}14-17 per mille and 8-12 per mille , respectively). These results indicate that inputs of anthropogenic N can have far-reaching impacts throughout estuaries.

  6. Natural and anthropogenic nitrogen uptake by bloom-forming macroalgae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornber, Carol S; DiMilla, Peter; Nixon, Scott W; McKinney, Richard A

    2008-02-01

    The frequency and duration of macroalgal blooms have increased in many coastal waters over the past several decades. We used field surveys and laboratory culturing experiments to examine the nitrogen content and delta(15)N values of Ulva and Gracilaria, two bloom-forming algal genera in Narragansett Bay, RI (USA). The northern end of this bay is densely populated with large sewage treatment plant nitrogen inputs; the southern end is more lightly populated and opens to the Atlantic Ocean. Field-collected Ulva varied in delta(15)N among sites, but with two exceptions had delta(15)N above 10 per thousand, reflecting a significant component of heavy anthropogenic N. This variation was not correlated with a north-south gradient. Both Ulva and Gracilaria cultured in water from across Narragansett Bay also had high signals (delta(15)N= approximately 14-17 per thousand and 8-12 per thousand, respectively). These results indicate that inputs of anthropogenic N can have far-reaching impacts throughout estuaries.

  7. Sensitivity Analysis of SWAT Nitrogen Simulations with and without In-Stream Processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen (N) losses to surface waters are of great concern on both national and regional scales. Scientists have concluded that large areas of hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico are due to excessive nutrients derived primarily from agricultural runoff via the Mississippi Rive...

  8. Nitrogen Cycling in Permeable Sediments: Process-based Models for Streams and the Coastal Ocean

    OpenAIRE

    Azizian, Morvarid

    2017-01-01

    Bioavailable forms of nitrogen, such as nitrate, are necessary for aquatic ecosystem productivity. Excess nitrate in aquatic systems, however, can adversely affect ecosystems and degrade both surface water and groundwater. Some of this excess nitrate can be removed in the sediments that line the bottom of rivers and coastal waters, through the exchange of water between surface water and groundwater (known as hyporheic exchange).Several process-based models have been proposed for estimating ni...

  9. Nitrogen and carbon export from urban areas through removal and export of litterfall

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Templer, Pamela H.; Toll, Jonathan W.; Hutyra, Lucy R.; Raciti, Steve M.

    2015-01-01

    We found that up to 52 ± 17% of residential litterfall carbon (C) and nitrogen (N; 390.6 kg C and 6.5 kg N ha −1  yr −1 ) is exported through yard waste removed from the City of Boston, which is equivalent to more than half of annual N outputs as gas loss (i.e. denitrification) or leaching. Our results show that removing yard waste results in a substantial decrease in N inputs to urban areas, which may offset excess N inputs from atmospheric deposition, fertilizer application and pet waste. However, export of C and N via yard waste removal may create nutrient limitation for some vegetation due to diminished recycling of nutrients. Removal of leaf litter from residential areas disrupts nutrient cycling and residential yard management practices are an important modification to urban biogeochemical cycling, which could contribute to spatial heterogeneity of ecosystems that are either N limited or saturated within urban ecosystems. - Highlights: • We monitored yard waste bags for one complete fall yard waste collection season. • 52% of residential litterfall C and N is exported annually from the City of Boston. • Litterfall export may create nutrient limitation hotspots in urban ecosystems. • C and N export through litterfall collection modifies urban biogeochemical cycling. - Litterfall removal leads to C and N export from urban ecosystems and disrupts nutrient cycling, showing that this activity is an important modification to urban biogeochemical cycling

  10. Nd Fe10 Mo2 alloys production through reduction-diffusion for nitrogenation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guilherme, Eneida da G.; Rechenberg, Hercilio R.

    1996-01-01

    In this work we have examined the effect of various processing variables on the Nd Fe 10 Mo 2 phase formation by reduction-diffusion calciothermic process (R D C). The best results were obtained for 4 hours treatment at 950 deg C with 40% excess content Nd Cl 3 and 50% excess content of Ca, for alloy Nd Fe 10.5 Mo 1.5 . Preliminary nitrogen absorption experiments have been done, without any further powder size reduction at temperatures between 300 and 350 deg C. (author)

  11. Evaluating the Ability of Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) to Mitigate Coastal Nitrogen Over-Enrichment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Human actions have resulted in a doubling of the rate of bio-available nitrogen production in the biosphere, leading to over-fertilization of coastal ecosystems worldwide. Such over-fertilization has numerous negative consequences for coastal ecosystems, such as excessive algal g...

  12. Effects of potassium application on the accumulated nitrogen source and yield of peanut

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yuefu; Kang Yujie; Wang Minglun; Zhao Changxing

    2013-01-01

    Pot experiments and were carried out respectively to study the effects of different potassium application on soil nitrogen uptake, fertilizer nitrogen uptake, nodule nitrogen fixation and their proportion and yield of peanut (Arachis Hypogaea L.) by "1"5N tracer technique, and explore the reasons, which may provide a theoretical basis and technical guidance for peanut production in the scientific fertilizer application. Results showed that nitrogen in peanut all mainly accumulated in the kernel for different treatments of potassium fertilizer application. However, with increasing of potassium application, the increasing extent of nitrogen content of stems was the biggest during all the peanut organs, with nut shells the smallest. Properly increasing the amount of potassium can improve nitrogen content, "1"5N abundance, nitrogen and "1"5N accumulation of every organ, and promote absorption and utilization three nitrogen-source especially with the most effect for the kernel biomass (economic output). The ratio of fertilizer nitrogen, soil nitrogen and atmospheric nitrogen absorbed by peanut was respectively between 12.37%-13.10%, 38.29%-45.10%, and 42.53%-48.31% respectively. Properly increasing potassium fertilizer application improved the absorption ratio of fertilizer nitrogen and nodule nitrogen fixation, reduced the proportion of soil uptake and enhanced fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency. However, the influences of excessive application of potassium fertilizer decreased. (authors)

  13. Whole-ecosystem nitrogen effects research in Europe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sullivan, T.J.

    1993-01-01

    There has been an enormous increase during the past few years in the amount of research being conducted in Europe on the effects of atmospheric deposition of nitrogen on aquatic, and especially terrestrial, ecosystems. Nitrogen deposition increases the emissions of N 2 O from forest soils and may decrease CH 4 uptake. Both increased N 2 O production and decreased CH 4 consumption would increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Thus there are important linkages between nitrogen deposition (and consequent ecosystem effects) and the release of greenhouse gases that have been implicated in potential global climate change. This paper summarises some of the European research that has been carried out in recent years. The experimental approach has shifted heavily into whole-ecosystem experimental manipulations, which are being conducted across gradients of atmospheric deposition and other environmental factors. Manipulations are focused primarily on coniferous forest ecosystems and involve increasing ambient deposition of sulfur and nitrogen; excluding ambient deposition via the construction of roofs over entire forested plots or catchments; and manipulating climatic factors, especially water availability. Experiments are designed to continue for long periods (i.e., 5-10 years) and are augmented by detailed, process-level studies at the manipulation sites. Results of the broad-scale and detailed studies are being used to build, test, and validate mathematical models that simulate nitrogen processing, nutrient cycling, and water regulation in coniferous forest ecosystems under varying depositional and climatic regimes. Ultimately, these models will be used to predict nitrogen saturation, estimate the critical loads of nitrogen for European forests, and specify emission controls needed to protect European forests and surface waters from the detrimental effects of excess nitrogen deposition. 19 refs., 1 fig., 2 photos

  14. A scenario analysis of effects of reduced nitrogen input on oxygen conditions in the Kattegat and the Belt Sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, I.S.; Ærtebjerg, G.; Richardson, K.

    1995-01-01

    A numerical tool has been developed for analyzing the potential effects of reduced nitrogen loading to the Kattegat and the Belt Sea. The analyzed effects relate to general trends in the occurrence of hypoxia and anoxia in the water below the pycnocline during the summer and autumn. Nitrogen...... is assumed to be the nutrient controlling production in these waters. The tool is a dynamic numerical model which includes the dominant hydrodynamic processes of the study area as well as the nitrogen cycle and is linked to oxygen conditions. The model has been calibrated based on the average intraannual...

  15. Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) by bacterial consortium from excess sludge fermentation liquid at laboratory and pilot scales.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Qianqian; Xiong, Huilei; Wang, Hui; Shi, Hanchang; Sheng, Xinying; Sun, Run; Chen, Guoqiang

    2014-11-01

    The generation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from excess sludge fermentation liquid (SFL) was studied at lab and pilot scale. A PHA-accumulated bacterial consortium (S-150) was isolated from activated sludge using simulated SFL (S-SFL) contained high concentration volatile fatty acids (VFA) and nitrogen. The maximal PHA content accounted for 59.18% in S-SFL and dropped to 23.47% in actual SFL (L-SFL) of the dry cell weight (DCW) at lab scale. The pilot-scale integrated system comprised an anaerobic fermentation reactor (AFR), a ceramic membrane system (CMS) and a PHA production bio-reactor (PHAR). The PHA content from pilot-scale SFL (P-SFL) finally reached to 59.47% DCW with the maximal PHA yield coefficient (YP/S) of 0.17 g PHA/g COD. The results indicated that VFA-containing SFL was suitable for PHA production. The adverse impact of excess nitrogen and non-VFAs in SFL might be eliminated by pilot-scale domestication, which might resulted in community structure optimization and substrate selective ability improvement of S-150. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Nitrogen metabolism of the eutrophic Delaware River ecosystem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1986-01-01

    A comprehensive investigation of the nitrogen cycle in the Delaware River was carried out using 13 N tracers to measure rates for important transformations of nitrogen. Daily, depth-averaged 15 N rates for the principal inorganic nitrogen species were consistent with rates derived from longitudinal profiles of concentration in the river. The data indicated that nitrification was a rapid, irreversible sink for NH 4 + , with export of the product NO 3 - from the study area. Utilization of NO 3 - by primary producers was negligible, owing to low irradiance levels and to high NH 4 + concentrations. The oxygen sag near Philadelphia was found to result from oxygen demand in the water column, with only minor benthic influence. Reaeration provided the major oxygen input. Nitrification accounted for about 1% of the net oxygen demand near Philadelphia but as much as 25% farther downstream

  17. The fertilizer nitrogen problem

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Olson, R A; Halstead, E H

    1974-07-01

    A world-wide fossil fuel crisis has surfaced in the past year by reason of shortage and high cost, which is felt throughout all segments of human society. Nor has the agriculture sector, with its very high demand for energy to supply its power, machinery, fertilizer, processing and transport, escaped the energy crisis. Among the agricultural inputs, fertilizer nitrogen is one of major concern. This commodity is currently in extremely short supply, world prices having more than doubled in the past year alone. Serious as this situation is to agricultural production in the highly developed countries of the world, it is a real disaster to the production potential of the developing countries. The birth of the 'Green Revolution' in those countries in the last ten years came about from an amalgamation of higher yielding varieties, improved pest and disease control, better crop watering practices, and the introduction of fertilizer nitrogen. Shortcomings in any one of these requisites invalidates the entire package. (author)

  18. The fertilizer nitrogen problem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olson, R.A.; Halstead, E.H.

    1974-01-01

    A world-wide fossil fuel crisis has surfaced in the past year by reason of shortage and high cost, which is felt throughout all segments of human society. Nor has the agriculture sector, with its very high demand for energy to supply its power, machinery, fertilizer, processing and transport, escaped the energy crisis. Among the agricultural inputs, fertilizer nitrogen is one of major concern. This commodity is currently in extremely short supply, world prices having more than doubled in the past year alone. Serious as this situation is to agricultural production in the highly developed countries of the world, it is a real disaster to the production potential of the developing countries. The birth of the 'Green Revolution' in those countries in the last ten years came about from an amalgamation of higher yielding varieties, improved pest and disease control, better crop watering practices, and the introduction of fertilizer nitrogen. Shortcomings in any one of these requisites invalidates the entire package. (author)

  19. Factoring stream turbulence into global assessments of nitrogen pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Stanley B; Azizian, Morvarid; Cook, Perran; Boano, Fulvio; Rippy, Megan A

    2018-03-16

    The discharge of excess nitrogen to streams and rivers poses an existential threat to both humans and ecosystems. A seminal study of headwater streams across the United States concluded that in-stream removal of nitrate is controlled primarily by stream chemistry and biology. Reanalysis of these data reveals that stream turbulence (in particular, turbulent mass transfer across the concentration boundary layer) imposes a previously unrecognized upper limit on the rate at which nitrate is removed from streams. The upper limit closely approximates measured nitrate removal rates in streams with low concentrations of this pollutant, a discovery that should inform stream restoration designs and efforts to assess the effects of nitrogen pollution on receiving water quality and the global nitrogen cycle. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  20. Effects of seabird nitrogen input on biomass and carbon accumulation after 50 years of primary succession on a young volcanic island, Surtsey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leblans, N. I. W.; Sigurdsson, B. D.; Roefs, P.; Thuys, R.; Magnússon, B.; Janssens, I. A.

    2014-11-01

    What happens during primary succession after the first colonizers have occupied a pristine surface largely depends on how they ameliorate living conditions for other species. For vascular plants the onset of soil development and associated increase in nutrient (mainly nitrogen; N) and water availability is especially important. Here, we report the relationship between N accumulation and biomass and ecosystem carbon (C) stocks in a 50-year-old volcanic island, Surtsey, Iceland, where N stocks are still exceptionally low. However, a 28-year-old seagull colony on the island provided nutrient-enriched areas, which enabled us to assess the relationship between N stock and biomass and ecosystem C stocks across a much larger range in N stock. Further, we compared areas on shallow and deep tephra sands as we expected that deep-rooted systems would be more efficient in retaining N. The sparsely vegetated area outside the colony had accumulated 0.7 kg N ha-1 yr-1, which was ca. 50-60% of the estimated N input rate from wet deposition. This approximates values for systems under low N input and bare dune habitats. The seagulls have added, on average, 47 kg N ha-1 yr-1, which induced a shift from belowground to aboveground in ecosystem N and C stocks and doubled the ecosystem N-use efficiency, determined as the ratio of biomass and C storage per unit N input. Soil depth did not significantly affect total N stocks, which suggests a high N retention potential. Both total ecosystem biomass and C stocks were strongly correlated with N stock inside the colony, which indicated the important role of N during the first steps of primary succession. Inside the colony, the ecosystem biomass C stocks (17-27 ton C ha-1) had reached normal values for grasslands, while the soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks (4-10 ton C ha-1 were only a fraction of normal grassland values. Thus, it will take a long time until the SOC stock reaches equilibrium with the current primary production, during which

  1. Simulated Impacts of Emerald Ash Borer on Throughfall and Stemflow Inputs of Water and Nitrogen in Black Ash Wetlands in Northern Michigan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pypker, T. G.; Davis, J.; Van Grinsven, M. J.; Bolton, N. W.; Shannon, J.; Kolka, R. K.; Nelson, J.; Wagenbrenner, J. W.

    2014-12-01

    Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (EAB)) is an invasive insect that effectively kills ash trees (genus: Fraxinus) greater than 2.5 cm in diameter, resulting in near-complete stand mortality within 3-4 years. Black ash wetlands occupy approximately 270,000 ha in Michigan, and have 40 to 90% of the basal area occupied by black ash (F. nigra Marshall); hence the loss of black ash may result in dramatic changes in the canopy hydrology and nutrient deposition. We assessed the impact of a simulated EAB invasion on throughfall and stemflow quantity and nitrogen (N) content in 9 uninfected black ash wetlands located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Within the 9 stands, 3 stands were left untreated ('Control'), 3 stands had all the black ash trees manually girdled ('Girdled') and 3 had all the black ash trees felled by chainsaw ('Clearcut'). We measured the quantity and inorganic-N content of throughfall using an array of randomly placed collectors (n = 16 per site). Stemflow was monitored at 2 sites (n = 12 trees) on the 3 most common tree species (black ash, yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) and red maple (Acer rubra L.)). Preliminary results indicate that relative to the Control, average monthly throughfall was 25% and 1% greater in the Clearcut and Girdled sites, respectively. While the loss of the ash trees resulted in greater throughfall inputs in the Clearcut sites, water table heights did not significantly change as a result of the treatments. Stemflow from live black ash trees was lower than from the yellow birch and red maple trees. As a result, we predict stemflow will increase over time as species with smoother bark and less upright branching begin replacing the black ash. Hence, the change in tree species may result in a greater concentration of inorganic-N inputs to the base of the trees, thereby altering the distribution of inorganic-N inputs into the wetland. Our preliminary results show no significant change in the total

  2. Analysis of nitrogen saturation potential in Rocky Mountain tundra and forest: implications for aquatic systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baron, Jill S.; Ojima, Dennis S.; Holland, Elisabeth A.; Parton, William J.

    1994-01-01

    We employed grass and forest versions of the CENTURY model under a range of N deposition values (0.02–1.60 g N m−2 y−1) to explore the possibility that high observed lake and stream N was due to terrestrial N saturation of alpine tundra and subalpine forest in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Model results suggest that N is limiting to subalpine forest productivity, but that excess leachate from alpine tundra is sufficient to account for the current observed stream N. Tundra leachate, combined with N leached from exposed rock surfaces, produce high N loads in aquatic ecosystems above treeline in the Colorado Front Range. A combination of terrestrial leaching, large N inputs from snowmelt, high watershed gradients, rapid hydrologic flushing and lake turnover times, and possibly other nutrient limitations of aquatic organisms constrain high elevation lakes and streams from assimilating even small increases in atmospheric N. CENTURY model simulations further suggest that, while increased N deposition will worsen the situation, nitrogen saturation is an ongoing phenomenon.

  3. Adding a nitrogen footprint to Colorado State University’s sustainability plan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimiecik, Jacob; Baron, Jill S.; Weinmann, Timothy; Taylor, Emily

    2017-01-01

    As a large land grant university with more than 32,000 students, Colorado State University has both on-campus non-agricultural and agricultural sources of nitrogen (N) released to the environment. We used the Nitrogen Footprint Tool to estimate the amount of N released from different sectors of the university for the CSU 2014 academic year. The largest on campus sources were food production, utilities (heating, cooling, electricity), and research animals. The total on-campus N footprint in 2014 was 287 metric tons. This value was equivalent to the nitrogen footprint of agricultural experiment stations and other agricultural facilities, whose nitrogen footprint was 273 metric tons. CSU has opportunities to reduce its on-campus footprint through educational programs promoting low-meat diets and commuting by bicycle or bus. There is also an opportunity to advance ideas of agricultural best management practices, including precision farming and better livestock management. This article describes the planned and ongoing efforts to educate CSU about how societal activities release nitrogen to the environment, contributing to global change. It offers personal and institutional options for taking action, which would ultimately reduce CSU’s excess reactive nitrogen loss to the environment. The N-footprint for CSU, including scenarios of possible future nitrogen reductions, is also discussed.

  4. Soil properties and not inputs control carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus ratios in cropped soils in the long-term

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frossard, E.; Buchmann, N.; Bünemann, E. K.; Kiba, D. I.; Lompo, F.; Oberson, A.; Tamburini, F.; Traoré, O. Y. A.

    2015-09-01

    Stoichiometric approaches have been applied to understand the relationship between soil organic matter dynamics and biological nutrient transformations. However, very few studies explicitly considered the effects of agricultural management practices on soil C : N : P ratio. The aim of this study was to assess how different input types and rates would affect the C : N : P molar ratios of bulk soil, organic matter and microbial biomass in cropped soils in the long-term. Thus, we analysed the C, N and P inputs and budgets as well as soil properties in three long-term experiments established on different soil types: the Saria soil fertility trial (Burkina Faso), the Wagga Wagga rotation/stubble management/soil preparation trial (Australia), and the DOK cropping system trial (Switzerland). In each of these trials, there was a large range of C, N and P inputs which had a strong impact on element concentrations in soils. However, although C : N : P ratios of the inputs were highly variable, they had only weak effects on soil C : N : P ratios. At Saria, a positive correlation was found between the N : P ratio of inputs and microbial biomass, while no relation was observed between the nutrient ratios of inputs and soil organic matter. At Wagga Wagga, the C : P ratio of inputs was significantly correlated to total soil C : P, N : P and C : N ratios, but had no impact on the elemental composition of microbial biomass. In the DOK trial, a positive correlation was found between the C budget and the C to organic P ratio in soils, while the nutrient ratios of inputs were not related to those in the microbial biomass. We argue that these responses are due to differences in soil properties among sites. At Saria, the soil is dominated by quartz and some kaolinite, has a coarse texture, a fragile structure and a low nutrient content. Thus, microorganisms feed on inputs (plant residues, manure). In contrast, the soil at Wagga Wagga contains illite and haematite, is richer in clay and

  5. Soil properties and not inputs control carbon : nitrogen : phosphorus ratios in cropped soils in the long term

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frossard, Emmanuel; Buchmann, Nina; Bünemann, Else K.; Kiba, Delwende I.; Lompo, François; Oberson, Astrid; Tamburini, Federica; Traoré, Ouakoltio Y. A.

    2016-02-01

    Stoichiometric approaches have been applied to understand the relationship between soil organic matter dynamics and biological nutrient transformations. However, very few studies have explicitly considered the effects of agricultural management practices on the soil C : N : P ratio. The aim of this study was to assess how different input types and rates would affect the C : N : P molar ratios of bulk soil, organic matter and microbial biomass in cropped soils in the long term. Thus, we analysed the C, N, and P inputs and budgets as well as soil properties in three long-term experiments established on different soil types: the Saria soil fertility trial (Burkina Faso), the Wagga Wagga rotation/stubble management/soil preparation trial (Australia), and the DOK (bio-Dynamic, bio-Organic, and "Konventionell") cropping system trial (Switzerland). In each of these trials, there was a large range of C, N, and P inputs which had a strong impact on element concentrations in soils. However, although C : N : P ratios of the inputs were highly variable, they had only weak effects on soil C : N : P ratios. At Saria, a positive correlation was found between the N : P ratio of inputs and microbial biomass, while no relation was observed between the nutrient ratios of inputs and soil organic matter. At Wagga Wagga, the C : P ratio of inputs was significantly correlated to total soil C : P, N : P, and C : N ratios, but had no impact on the elemental composition of microbial biomass. In the DOK trial, a positive correlation was found between the C budget and the C to organic P ratio in soils, while the nutrient ratios of inputs were not related to those in the microbial biomass. We argue that these responses are due to differences in soil properties among sites. At Saria, the soil is dominated by quartz and some kaolinite, has a coarse texture, a fragile structure, and a low nutrient content. Thus, microorganisms feed on inputs (plant residues, manure). In contrast, the soil at

  6. Impact of Crab Bioturbation on Nitrogen-Fixation Rates in Red Sea Mangrove Sediment

    KAUST Repository

    Qashqari, Maryam S.

    2017-05-01

    Mangrove plants are a productive ecosystem that provide several benefits for marine organisms and industry. They are considered to be a food source and habitat for many organisms. However, mangrove growth is limited by nutrient availability. According to some recent studies, the dwarfism of the mangrove plants is due to the limitation of nitrogen in the environment. Biological nitrogen fixation is the process by which atmospheric nitrogen is fixed into ammonium. Then, this fixed nitrogen can be uptaken by plants. Hence, biological nitrogen fixation increases the input of nitrogen in the mangrove ecosystem. In this project, we focus on measuring the rates of nitrogen fixation on Red Sea mangrove (Avicennia marina) located at Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. The nitrogen fixation rates are calculated by the acetylene reduction assay. The experimental setup will allow us to analyze the effect of crab bioturbation on nitrogen fixing rates. This study will help to better understand the nitrogen dynamics in mangrove ecosystems in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, this study points out the importance of the sediment microbial community in mangrove trees development. Finally, the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria should be taken in account for future restoration activities.

  7. Macrophyte Community Response to Nitrogen Loading and Thermal Stressors in Rapidly Flushed Mesocosm Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Increased nitrogen loading has been directly linked to the proliferation of planktonic and macroalgal blooms at a global scale with negative impacts on estuarine ecology and human health. Under excessive anthropogenic nutrient loads, seagrass systems can be replaced by either ma...

  8. Impact of glacial/interglacial sea level change on the ocean nitrogen cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Haojia; Sigman, Daniel M.; Martínez-García, Alfredo; Anderson, Robert F.; Chen, Min-Te; Ravelo, Ana Christina; Straub, Marietta; Wong, George T. F.; Haug, Gerald H.

    2017-08-01

    The continental shelves are the most biologically dynamic regions of the ocean, and they are extensive worldwide, especially in the western North Pacific. Their area has varied dramatically over the glacial/interglacial cycles of the last million years, but the effects of this variation on ocean biological and chemical processes remain poorly understood. Conversion of nitrate to N2 by denitrification in sediments accounts for half or more of the removal of biologically available nitrogen (“fixed N”) from the ocean. The emergence of continental shelves during ice ages and their flooding during interglacials have been hypothesized to drive changes in sedimentary denitrification. Denitrification leads to the occurrence of phosphorus-bearing, N-depleted surface waters, which encourages N2 fixation, the dominant N input to the ocean. An 860,000-y record of foraminifera shell-bound N isotopes from the South China Sea indicates that N2 fixation covaried with sea level. The N2 fixation changes are best explained as a response to changes in regional excess phosphorus supply due to sea level-driven variations in shallow sediment denitrification associated with the cyclic drowning and emergence of the continental shelves. This hypothesis is consistent with a glacial ocean that hosted globally lower rates of fixed N input and loss and a longer residence time for oceanic fixed N—a “sluggish” ocean N budget during ice ages. In addition, this work provides a clear sign of sea level-driven glacial/interglacial oscillations in biogeochemical fluxes at and near the ocean margins, with implications for coastal organisms and ecosystems.

  9. The abundance of nitrogen in starburst nucleus galaxies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coziol, R.; Reyes, R. E. Carlos; Considère, S.; Davoust, E.; Contini, T.

    1999-05-01

    We show that the excess of nitrogen emission observed in a large sample of Starburst Nucleus Galaxies (SBNGs) can only be explained at a given metallicity by an overabundance of nitrogen with respect to normal H ii regions in the disks of late-type spirals. The N/O ratios in the SBNGs are comparable to the values found in the bulges of normal early-type spirals, which suggests that what we observe could be the main production of nitrogen in the bulges of these galaxies. The variation of the N/O ratio as a function of metallicity in SBNGs follows a primary + secondary relation, but the increase of nitrogen does not appear as a continuous process. In SBNGs, nitrogen is probably produced by different populations of intermediate-mass stars, which were formed during past sequences of bursts of star formation. This assumption pushes the origin of the main bursts 2-3 Gyrs back in the past. On a cosmological scale, this time interval corresponds to redshifts z ~ 0.2-0.3, where a significant increase of star formation activity occurred. The origin of the SBNG phenomenon would thus have cosmological implications, it would be related to a more active phase of star formation in the Universe sometime in its recent past. Based on observations obtained at the 193cm telescope of Observatoire de Haute-Provence, operated by INSU (CNRS)

  10. Dry Deposition of Reactive Nitrogen From Satellite Observations of Ammonia and Nitrogen Dioxide Over North America

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharol, S. K.; Shephard, M. W.; McLinden, C. A.; Zhang, L.; Sioris, C. E.; O'Brien, J. M.; Vet, R.; Cady-Pereira, K. E.; Hare, E.; Siemons, J.; Krotkov, N. A.

    2018-01-01

    Reactive nitrogen (Nr) is an essential nutrient to plants and a limiting element for growth in many ecosystems, but it can have harmful effects on ecosystems when in excess. Satellite-derived surface observations are used together with a dry deposition model to estimate the dry deposition flux of the most abundant short-lived nitrogen species, NH3 and NO2, over North America during the 2013 warm season. These fluxes demonstrate that the NH3 contribution dominates over NO2 for most regions (comprising 85% of their sum in Canada and 65% in the U.S.), with some regional exceptions (e.g. Alberta and northeastern U.S.). Nationwide, 51 t of N from these species were dry deposited in the U.S., approximately double the 28 t in Canada over this period. Forest fires are shown to be the major contributor of dry deposition of Nr from NH3 in northern latitudes, leading to deposition fluxes 2-3 times greater than from expected amounts without fires.

  11. Reducing uncertainty at minimal cost: a method to identify important input parameters and prioritize data collection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Uwizeye, U.A.; Groen, E.A.; Gerber, P.J.; Schulte, Rogier P.O.; Boer, de I.J.M.

    2016-01-01

    The study aims to illustrate a method to identify important input parameters that explain most of the output variance ofenvironmental assessment models. The method is tested for the computation of life-cycle nitrogen (N) use efficiencyindicators among mixed dairy production systems in Rwanda. We

  12. Exploring changes in river nitrogen export to the world's oceans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouwman, A. F.; van Drecht, G.; Knoop, J. M.; Beusen, A. H. W.; Meinardi, C. R.

    2005-03-01

    Anthropogenic disturbance of river nutrient loads and export to coastal marine systems is a major global problem affecting water quality and biodiversity. Nitrogen is the major nutrient in rivers. On the basis of projections for food production and wastewater effluents, the global river N flux to coastal marine systems is shown to increase by 13% in the coming 3 decades. While the river N flux will grow by about 10% in North America and Oceania and will decrease in Europe, a 27% increase is projected for developing countries, which is a continuation of the trend observed in the past decades. This is a consequence of increasing nitrogen inputs to surface water associated with urbanization, sanitation, development of sewerage systems, and lagging wastewater treatment, as well as increasing food production and associated inputs of N fertilizer, animal manure, atmospheric N deposition, and biological N fixation in agricultural systems. Growing river N loads will lead to increased incidence of problems associated with eutrophication in coastal seas.

  13. Stable Isotope Identification of Nitrogen Sources for United ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    We used natural abundance stable isotope data to evaluate nitrogen sources to U.S. west coast estuaries. We collected δ15N of macroalgae data and supplemented this with available data from the literature for estuaries from Mexico to Alaska. Stable isotope ratios of green macroalgae were compared to δ15N of dissolved inorganic nitrogen of oceanic and watershed end members. There was a latitudinal gradient in δ15N of macroalgae with southern estuaries being 7 per mil heavier than northern estuaries. Gradients in isotope data were compared to nitrogen sources estimated by the USGS using the SPARROW model. In California estuaries, the elevation of isotope data appeared to be related to anthropogenic nitrogen sources. In Oregon systems, the nitrogen levels of streams flowing into the estuaries are related to forest cover, rather than to developed land classes. In addition, the δ15N of macroalgae suggested that the ocean and nitrogen-fixing trees in the watersheds were the dominant nitrogen sources. There was also a strong gradient in δ15N of macroalgae with heavier sites located near the estuary mouth. In some Oregon estuaries, there was an elevation an elevation of δ15N above marine end members in the vicinity of wastewater treatment facility discharge locations, suggesting isotopes may be useful for distinguishing inputs along an estuarine gradient. Nutrients are the leading cause of water quality impairments in the United States, and as a result too

  14. Carbon input increases microbial nitrogen demand, but not microbial nitrogen mining in boreal forest soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wild, Birgit; Alaei, Saeed; Bengtson, Per; Bodé, Samuel; Boeckx, Pascal; Schnecker, Jörg; Mayerhofer, Werner; Rütting, Tobias

    2016-04-01

    Plant primary production at mid and high latitudes is often limited by low soil N availability. It has been hypothesized that plants can indirectly increase soil N availability via root exudation, i.e., via the release of easily degradable organic compounds such as sugars into the soil. These compounds can stimulate microbial activity and extracellular enzyme synthesis, and thus promote soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition ("priming effect"). Even more, increased C availability in the rhizosphere might specifically stimulate the synthesis of enzymes targeting N-rich polymers such as proteins that store most of the soil N, but are too large for immediate uptake ("N mining"). This effect might be particularly important in boreal forests, where plants often maintain high primary production in spite of low soil N availability. We here tested the hypothesis that increased C availability promotes protein depolymerization, and thus soil N availability. In a laboratory incubation experiment, we added 13C-labeled glucose to a range of soil samples derived from boreal forests across Sweden, and monitored the release of CO2 by C mineralization, distinguishing between CO2 from the added glucose and from the native, unlabeled soil organic C (SOC). Using a set of 15N pool dilution assays, we further measured gross rates of protein depolymerization (the breakdown of proteins into amino acids) and N mineralization (the microbial release of excess N as ammonium). Comparing unamended control samples, we found a high variability in C and N mineralization rates, even when normalized by SOC content. Both C and N mineralization were significantly correlated to SOM C/N ratios, with high C mineralization at high C/N and high N mineralization at low C/N, suggesting that microorganisms adjusted C and N mineralization rates to the C/N ratio of their substrate and released C or N that was in excess. The addition of glucose significantly stimulated the mineralization of native SOC in soils

  15. Constraint-Based Modeling Highlights Cell Energy, Redox Status and α-Ketoglutarate Availability as Metabolic Drivers for Anthocyanin Accumulation in Grape Cells Under Nitrogen Limitation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric Soubeyrand

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Anthocyanin biosynthesis is regulated by environmental factors (such as light, temperature, and water availability and nutrient status (such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate nutrition. Previous reports show that low nitrogen availability strongly enhances anthocyanin accumulation in non carbon-limited plant organs or cell suspensions. It has been hypothesized that high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio would lead to an energy excess in plant cells, and that an increase in flavonoid pathway metabolic fluxes would act as an “energy escape valve,” helping plant cells to cope with energy and carbon excess. However, this hypothesis has never been tested directly. To this end, we used the grapevine Vitis vinifera L. cultivar Gamay Teinturier (syn. Gamay Freaux or Freaux Tintorier, VIVC #4382 cell suspension line as a model system to study the regulation of anthocyanin accumulation in response to nitrogen supply. The cells were sub-cultured in the presence of either control (25 mM or low (5 mM nitrate concentration. Targeted metabolomics and enzyme activity determinations were used to parametrize a constraint-based model describing both the central carbon and nitrogen metabolisms and the flavonoid (phenylpropanoid pathway connected by the energy (ATP and reducing power equivalents (NADPH and NADH cofactors. The flux analysis (2 flux maps generated, for control and low nitrogen in culture medium clearly showed that in low nitrogen-fed cells all the metabolic fluxes of central metabolism were decreased, whereas fluxes that consume energy and reducing power, were either increased (upper part of glycolysis, shikimate, and flavonoid pathway or maintained (pentose phosphate pathway. Also, fluxes of flavanone 3β-hydroxylase, flavonol synthase, and anthocyanidin synthase were strongly increased, advocating for a regulation of the flavonoid pathway by alpha-ketoglutarate levels. These results strongly support the hypothesis of anthocyanin biosynthesis acting as

  16. Decision model for evaluating reactor disposition of excess plutonium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Edmunds, T.

    1995-02-01

    The US Department of Energy is currently considering a range of technologies for disposition of excess weapon plutonium. Use of plutonium fuel in fission reactors to generate spent fuel is one class of technology options. This report describes the inputs and results of decision analyses conducted to evaluate four evolutionary/advanced and three existing fission reactor designs for plutonium disposition. The evaluation incorporates multiple objectives or decision criteria, and accounts for uncertainty. The purpose of the study is to identify important and discriminating decision criteria, and to identify combinations of value judgments and assumptions that tend to favor one reactor design over another

  17. The nitrogen footprint of food products in the European Union

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leip, A.; Weiss, F.; Lesschen, J.P.; Westhoek, H.

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen (N) is an essential element for plants and animals. Due to large inputs of mineral fertilizer, crop yields and livestock production in Europe have increased markedly over the last century, but as a consequence losses of reactive N to air, soil and water have intensified as well. Two

  18. Nitrogen retention in river corridors: European perspective

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haycock, N [Dept. of Agriculture and Water Management, Silsoe College, Cranfield Institute of Technology (United Kingdom); Pinay, G [CERR/CNRS, Toulouse (France); Walker, Charles [SBEG, Inst. of Ecology, Lund Univ. (Sweden)

    1993-01-01

    The problem of nitrogen pollution in European surface- and groundwaters has become a focus of recent European and Scandinavian directives, with legislation calling for a 50% reduction of N losses by the years 1995 and 2000, respectively. This paper provides a conceptual framework upon which management strategies to reduce losses of diffuse nitrogen pollution to surface waters may be based. The control of nitrogen pollution may take place through an increase in the complexity of the landscape, not throughout the catchment area, but rather in specific zones, the river corridor in particular. Within river corridors, riparian areas have been recognized globally for their value as nutrient removal ''buffer systems''. Studies have identified vegetation uptake and microbial denitrification as the primary mechanisms responsible for N removal in these systems. For these processes to function optimally on an annual basis, both vegetation and water regime must be managed. The establishment and management of riparian buffer zones in suitable places within river corridors, will provide a stable and sustainable water-protection function. This will complement future nitrogen input control strategies, needed for both the long-term protection of groundwater and surface waters in Europe as a whole, and for the proposed 50% reduction in nitrogen loading to the Baltic and North Sea coastal waters by the turn of the century. 52 refs, 5 figs

  19. Economy-wide material input/output and dematerialization analysis of Jilin Province (China).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, MingSheng; Zhang, HuiMin; Li, Zhi; Tong, LianJun

    2010-06-01

    In this paper, both direct material input (DMI) and domestic processed output (DPO) of Jilin Province in 1990-2006 were calculated and then based on these two indexes, a dematerialization model was established. The main results are summarized as follows: (1) both direct material input and domestic processed output increase at a steady rate during 1990-2006, with average annual growth rates of 4.19% and 2.77%, respectively. (2) The average contribution rate of material input to economic growth is 44%, indicating that the economic growth is visibly extensive. (3) During the studied period, accumulative quantity of material input dematerialization is 11,543 x 10(4) t and quantity of waste dematerialization is 5,987 x10(4) t. Moreover, dematerialization gaps are positive, suggesting that the potential of dematerialization has been well fulfilled. (4) In most years of the analyzed period, especially 2003-2006, the economic system of Jilin Province represents an unsustainable state. The accelerated economic growth relies mostly on excessive resources consumption after the Revitalization Strategy of Northeast China was launched.

  20. Contribution of waterborne nitrogen emissions to hypoxia-driven marine eutrophication: modelling of damage to ecosystems in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias

    Marine eutrophication refers to the ecosystem response to the loading of a growth limiting nutrient, typically nitrogen (N), to coastal waters, where it may cause several impacts. One of the possible impact pathways to these impacts involves the excessive depletion of dissolved oxygen hypoxia) in...... and atmospheric deposition as a consequence of fossil fuels combustion.......Marine eutrophication refers to the ecosystem response to the loading of a growth limiting nutrient, typically nitrogen (N), to coastal waters, where it may cause several impacts. One of the possible impact pathways to these impacts involves the excessive depletion of dissolved oxygen hypoxia......) in bottom waters. Hypoxia is identified as an important and widespread cause of disturbance to marine ecosystems and has been linked to the increasing anthropogenic pressure. This is driven by environmental emissions of reactive nitrogen, mainly from N-containing fertilizers used in agriculture...

  1. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yavuz Selvi

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Excessive daytime sleepiness is one of the most common sleep-related patient symptoms, with preva-lence in the community estimated to be as high as 18%. Patients with excessive daytime sleepiness may exhibit life threatening road and work accidents, social maladjustment, decreased academic and occupational performance and have poorer health than comparable adults. Thus, excessive daytime sleepiness is a serious condition that requires investigation, diagnosis and treatment primarily. As with most medical condition, evaluation of excessive daytime sleepiness begins a precise history and various objective and subjective tools have been also developed to assess excessive daytime sleepiness. The most common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are insufficient sleep hygiene, chronic sleep deprivation, medical and psychiatric conditions and sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, medications, and narcolepsy. Treatment option should address underlying contributors and promote sleep quantity by ensuring good sleep hygiene. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2016; 8(2: 114-132

  2. Denitrification and inference of nitrogen sources in the karstic Floridan Aquifer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. B. Heffernan

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Aquifer denitrification is among the most poorly constrained fluxes in global and regional nitrogen budgets. The few direct measurements of denitrification in groundwaters provide limited information about its spatial and temporal variability, particularly at the scale of whole aquifers. Uncertainty in estimates of denitrification may also lead to underestimates of its effect on isotopic signatures of inorganic N, and thereby confound the inference of N source from these data. In this study, our objectives are to quantify the magnitude and variability of denitrification in the Upper Floridan Aquifer (UFA and evaluate its effect on N isotopic signatures at the regional scale. Using dual noble gas tracers (Ne, Ar to generate physical predictions of N2 gas concentrations for 112 observations from 61 UFA springs, we show that excess (i.e. denitrification-derived N2 is highly variable in space and inversely correlated with dissolved oxygen (O2. Negative relationships between O2 and δ15NNO3 across a larger dataset of 113 springs, well-constrained isotopic fractionation coefficients, and strong 15N:18O covariation further support inferences of denitrification in this uniquely organic-matter-poor system. Despite relatively low average rates, denitrification accounted for 32 % of estimated aquifer N inputs across all sampled UFA springs. Back-calculations of source δ15NNO3 based on denitrification progression suggest that isotopically-enriched nitrate (NO3 in many springs of the UFA reflects groundwater denitrification rather than urban- or animal-derived inputs.

  3. Spatial pattern of nitrogen deposition flux over Czech forests: a novel approach accounting for unmeasured nitrogen species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hůnová, Iva; Stoklasová, Petra; Kurfürst, Pavel; Vlček, Ondřej; Schovánková, Jana; Stráník, Vojtěch

    2015-04-01

    atmospheric nitrogen deposition flux over the Czech forests collating all available data and model results. The aim of the presented study is to provide an improved, more reliable and more realistic estimate of spatial pattern of nitrogen deposition flux over one country. This has so far been based standardly on measurements of ambient N/NOx concentrations as dry deposition proxy, and N/NH4+ and N/NO3- as wet deposition proxy. For estimate of unmeasured species contributing to dry deposition, we used an Eulerian photochemical dispersion model CAMx, the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions (ESSS, 2011), coupled with a high resolution regional numeric weather prediction model Aladin (Vlček, Corbet, 2011). Contribution of fog was estimated using a geostatistical data driven model. Final maps accounting for unmeasured species clearly indicate, that so far used approach results in substantial underestimation of nitrogen deposition flux. Substitution of unmeasured nitrogen species by modeled values seems to be a plausible way for approximation of total nitrogen deposition, and getting more realistic spatial pattern as input for further studies of likely nitrogen impacts on ecosystems. Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge the grants GA14-12262S - Effects of changing growth conditions on tree increment, stand production and vitality - danger or opportunity for the Central-European forestry?, and NAZV QI112A168 (ForSoil) of the Czech Ministry for Agriculture for support of this contribution. The input data used for the analysis were provided by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. References: Bobbink, R., Hicks, K., Galloway, J., Spranger, T., Alkemade, R. et al. (2010): Global Assessment of Nitrogen Deposition Effects on Terrestrial Plant Diversity: a Synthesis. Ecological Applications 20 (1), 30-59. Fowler D., O'Donoghue M., Muller J.B.A, et al. (2005): A chronology of nitrogen deposition in the UK between 1900 and 2000. Watter, Air & Soil Pollution: Focus

  4. Link between sewage-derived nitrogen pollution and coral disease severity in Guam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Redding, Jamey E.; Myers-Miller, Roxanna L.; Baker, David M.; Fogel, Marilyn; Raymundo, Laurie J.; Kim, Kiho

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • We evaluated sources of nitrogen pollution in coastal waters of Guam. • Stable isotope analyses showed the dominance of sewage-derived nitrogen. • Nitrogen inputs correlated with coral disease severity. • Planned population increase on Guam will exacerbate impact of coral diseases. -- Abstract: The goals of this study were to evaluate the contribution of sewage-derived N to reef flat communities in Guam and to assess the impact of N inputs on coral disease. We used stable isotope analysis of macroalgae and a soft coral, sampled bimonthly, as a proxy for N dynamics, and surveyed Porites spp., a dominant coral taxon on Guam’s reefs, for white syndrome disease severity. Results showed a strong influence of sewage-derived N in nearshore waters, with δ 15 N values varying as a function of species sampled, site, and sampling date. Increases in sewage-derived N correlated significantly with increases in the severity of disease among Porites spp., with δ 15 N values accounting for more than 48% of the variation in changes in disease severity. The anticipated military realignment and related population increase in Guam are expected to lead to increased white syndrome infections and other coral diseases

  5. Soil and fertilizer nitrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winteringham, F.P.W.

    1984-01-01

    As a result of the intensified practices and effectively diminishing land resources per capita, increasing weights of both native soil- and added fertilizer-nitrogen will be lost to agriculture and its products, and will find their way into the environment. Soil-nitrogen levels and contingent productivity can nevertheless be maintained in the face of these losses on the basis of improved soil-N management. In some local situations nitrate levels in water for drinking purposes are likely to continue rising. In some cases agriculture and clearance practices are only one of several sources. In others they are clearly mainly responsible. In developing countries these losses represent those of a relatively increasingly costly input. This is due to the fact that industrial fertilizer nitrogen production is a particularly high energy-consuming process. In the more advanced industrialized countries they represent an addition to the problems and costs of environmental quality and health protection. The programmes, information and data reviewed here suggest that these problems can be contained by improved and extended soil and water management in agriculture on the basis of existing technology. In particular there appears to be enormous scope for the better exploitation of existing legumes both as non-legume crop alternatives or as biofertilizers which also possess more desirable C:N ratios than chemical fertilizer

  6. Reactive nitrogen in the United States: How certain are we about sources and fluxes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Human alteration of the nitrogen (N) cycle has produced benefits for health and well-being, but excess N has altered many ecosystems and degraded air and water quality. US regulations mandate protection of the environment in terms that directly connect to ecosystem services. Here...

  7. Nitrogen availability regulates proline and ethylene production and alleviates salinity stress in mustard (Brassica juncea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iqbal, Noushina; Umar, Shahid; Khan, Nafees A

    2015-04-15

    Proline content and ethylene production have been shown to be involved in salt tolerance mechanisms in plants. To assess the role of nitrogen (N) in the protection of photosynthesis under salt stress, the effect of N (0, 5, 10, 20 mM) on proline and ethylene was studied in mustard (Brassica juncea). Sufficient N (10 mM) optimized proline production under non-saline conditions through an increase in proline-metabolizing enzymes, leading to osmotic balance and protection of photosynthesis through optimal ethylene production. Excess N (20 mM), in the absence of salt stress, inhibited photosynthesis and caused higher ethylene evolution but lower proline production compared to sufficient N. In contrast, under salt stress with an increased demand for N, excess N optimized ethylene production, which regulates the proline content resulting in recovered photosynthesis. The effect of excess N on photosynthesis under salt stress was further substantiated by the application of the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor, 1-aminoethoxy vinylglycine (AVG), which inhibited proline production and photosynthesis. Without salt stress, AVG promoted photosynthesis in plants receiving excess N by inhibiting stress ethylene production. The results suggest that a regulatory interaction exists between ethylene, proline and N for salt tolerance. Nitrogen differentially regulates proline production and ethylene formation to alleviate the adverse effect of salinity on photosynthesis in mustard. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  8. Nitrous oxide flux from landfill leachate-sawdust nitrogenous compost

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hui, C.H.; So, M.K.; Lee, C.M.; Chan, G.Y.S.

    2003-01-01

    Composted nitrogenous waste has the potential to produce excessive amounts of nitrous oxide (N 2 O), a potent greenhouse gas that also contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion. In this laboratory study, sawdust was irrigated with varying amounts of landfill leachate with high NH 4 + -N content (3950 mg l -1 ). Physicochemical properties, including the amount of N 2 O produced, were monitored during the composting process over 28 days. A rapid decline in NH 4 + -N in the first 4 days and increasing NO 3 - -N for 11 days was followed by lower but stabilized levels of available-N, even with repeated leachate irrigation. Less than 0.03% of the leachate-applied N was lost as N 2 O. Higher leachate applications as much as tripled N 2 O production, but this represented a lesser proportion overall of the total nitrogen. Addition of glucose to the composting process had no significant effect on N 2 O production. The derived sawdust-leachate compost supported healthy growth of Sesbania rostrata. It is concluded that compost can be produced from sawdust irrigated with landfill leachate without substantial emission of N 2 O, although excessive flux of N 2 O remains about high application rates over longer time periods. (Author)

  9. Modeling phytoremediation of nitrogen-polluted water using water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayo, Aloyce W.; Hanai, Emmanuel E.

    2017-08-01

    Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has a great potential for purification of wastewater through physical, chemical and biological mechanisms. In an attempt to improve the quality of effluents discharged from waste stabilization ponds at the University of Dar es Salaam, a pilot plant was constructed to experiment the effectiveness of this plants for transformation and removal of nitrogen. Samples of wastewater were collected and examined for water quality parameters, including pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and various forms of nitrogen, which were used as input parameters in a kinetic mathematical model. A conceptual model was then developed to model various processes in the system using STELLA 6.0.1 software. The results show that total nitrogen was removed by 63.9%. Denitrification contributed 73.8% of the removed nitrogen. Other dominant nitrogen removal mechanisms are net sedimentation and uptake by water hyacinth, which contributed 16.7% and 9.5% of the removed nitrogen, respectively. The model indicated that in presence of water hyacinth biofilm about 1.26 g Nm-2day-1 of nitrogen was removed. However, in the absence of biofilm in water hyacinth pond, the permanent nitrogen removal was only 0.89 g Nm-2day-1. This suggests that in absence of water hyacinth, the efficiency of nitrogen removal would decrease by 29.4%.

  10. Fertilizer consumption and energy input for 16 crops in the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amenumey, Sheila E.; Capel, Paul D.

    2014-01-01

    Fertilizer use by U.S. agriculture has increased over the past few decades. The production and transportation of fertilizers (nitrogen, N; phosphorus, P; potassium, K) are energy intensive. In general, about a third of the total energy input to crop production goes to the production of fertilizers, one-third to mechanization, and one-third to other inputs including labor, transportation, pesticides, and electricity. For some crops, fertilizer is the largest proportion of total energy inputs. Energy required for the production and transportation of fertilizers, as a percentage of total energy input, was determined for 16 crops in the U.S. to be: 19–60% for seven grains, 10–41% for two oilseeds, 25% for potatoes, 12–30% for three vegetables, 2–23% for two fruits, and 3% for dry beans. The harvested-area weighted-average of the fraction of crop fertilizer energy to the total input energy was 28%. The current sources of fertilizers for U.S. agriculture are dependent on imports, availability of natural gas, or limited mineral resources. Given these dependencies plus the high energy costs for fertilizers, an integrated approach for their efficient and sustainable use is needed that will simultaneously maintain or increase crop yields and food quality while decreasing adverse impacts on the environment.

  11. Nitrogen Cascade: An Opportunity to Integrate Biogeochemistry and Policy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galloway, J. N.; Moomaw, W. R.; Theis, T. L.

    2008-12-01

    It began with micro-organisms millions of years ago, was enhanced by the burning of fossil carbon in the last several hundred years, and was magnified by a patent filed one hundred years ago. Today, the combined actions of cultivation-induced biological nitrogen fixation, fossil fuel combustion and the Haber-Bosch process have exceeded natural terrestrial processes in converting N22 to nitrogen compounds that are biologically, chemically or physically reactive (reactive nitrogen, Nr). While the benefits of Nr are well understood, many of the adverse consequences of excessive Nr are invisible from a policy perspective. Over the past century, the fundamental knowledge on nitrogen processes has advanced to the point where we have a good understanding of nitrogen's biogeochemical cycle, the role of humans in altering the cycle, and the consequences of the alterations. This knowledge has collectively led us to two conclusions-the consequences of intensive human influence on the nitrogen cycle leads to a cascade of ecosystem and human effects which need to be managed. Secondly, the management is complicated by the facts that it not only has to be integrated, but it also has to take into account that the management should not lower the ability of managed ecosystems to produce food for the world's peoples. The framework of the nitrogen cascade provides us with a structure for better identifying intervention points, and more effective policies, technologies and measures to prevent or mitigate the adverse impacts of reactive nitrogen, while enhancing its beneficial uses. We can now begin to use our understanding of science to set priorities and craft new policy strategies. For many regions of the world, the science is strong enough to manage nitrogen and there are existing tools to do so. However, the tools are not integrated, critical tools are missing and most importantly, there are nitrogen-rich regions of the world where the science is lacking, and nitrogen-poor regions

  12. Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizers on the Growth and Nitrate Content of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Cheng-Wei; Sung, Yu; Chen, Bo-Ching; Lai, Hung-Yu

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth and development; however, due to environmental pollution, high nitrate concentrations accumulate in the edible parts of these leafy vegetables, particularly if excessive nitrogen fertilizer has been applied. Consuming these crops can harm human health; thus, developing a suitable strategy for the agricultural application of nitrogen fertilizer is important. Organic, inorganic, and liquid fertilizers were utilized in this study to investigate their effect on nitrate concentrations and lettuce growth. The results of this pot experiment show that the total nitrogen concentration in soil and the nitrate concentration in lettuce increased as the amount of nitrogen fertilizer increased. If the recommended amount of inorganic fertilizer (200 kg·N·ha−1) is used as a standard of comparison, lettuce augmented with organic fertilizers (200 kg·N·ha−1) have significantly longer and wider leaves, higher shoot, and lower concentrations of nitrate. PMID:24758896

  13. Stable nitrogen isotopes in coastal macroalgae: geographic and anthropogenic variability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viana, Inés G; Bode, Antonio

    2013-01-15

    Growing human population adds to the natural nitrogen loads to coastal waters. Both anthropogenic and natural nitrogen is readily incorporated in new biomass, and these different nitrogen sources may be traced by the measurement of the ratio of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ(15)N). In this study δ(15)N was determined in two species of macroalgae (Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus), and in nitrate and ammonium to determine the relative importance of anthropogenic versus natural sources of nitrogen along the coast of NW Spain. Both algal species and nitrogen sources showed similar isotopic enrichment for a given site, but algal δ(15)N was not related to either inorganic nitrogen concentrations or δ(15)N in the water samples. The latter suggests that inorganic nitrogen inputs are variable and do not always leave an isotopic trace in macroalgae. However, a significant linear decrease in macroalgal δ(15)N along the coast is consistent with the differential effect of upwelling. Besides this geographic variability, the influence of anthropogenic nitrogen sources is evidenced by higher δ(15)N in macroalgae from rias and estuaries compared to those from open coastal areas and in areas with more than 15×10(3) inhabitants in the watershed. These results indicate that, in contrast with other studies, macroalgal δ(15)N is not simply related to either inorganic nitrogen concentrations or human population size but depends on other factors as the upwelling or the efficiency of local waste treatment systems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Nitrogen Dynamic Study on Rice Mutant Lines Using 15N Isotope Techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad Nazrul Abd Wahid; Shyful Azizi Abdul Rahman; Abdul Rahim Harun

    2015-01-01

    Malaysian Nuclear Agency in collaboration with UPM and MARDI has produced two types of rice mutant lines of MR219, viz. MR219-4 and MR219-9 developed under rice radiation mutagenenesis programme for adaptability to aerobic conditions. Aerobic cultivating is rice cultivation system on well drained soil and using minimal water input. At Malaysian Nuclear Agency, a nitrogen fertilization study in aerobic condition for the rice mutant lines was carried out in the shade house and field. The study is intended to examine and assess the dynamics of nitrogen by rice mutant lines through the different soil water management and nitrogen levels. Direct 15 N isotopic tracer method was used in this study, whereby the 15 N labeled urea fertilizer was utilized as a tracer for nitrogen nutrient uptake by the test crops. This paper is intended to highlight the progress that has been made in the study of the nitrogen dynamics on MR219-4 and MR219-9 rice mutant lines. (author)

  15. The global nitrogen cycle in the twenty-first century.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, David; Coyle, Mhairi; Skiba, Ute; Sutton, Mark A; Cape, J Neil; Reis, Stefan; Sheppard, Lucy J; Jenkins, Alan; Grizzetti, Bruna; Galloway, James N; Vitousek, Peter; Leach, Allison; Bouwman, Alexander F; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus; Dentener, Frank; Stevenson, David; Amann, Marcus; Voss, Maren

    2013-07-05

    Global nitrogen fixation contributes 413 Tg of reactive nitrogen (Nr) to terrestrial and marine ecosystems annually of which anthropogenic activities are responsible for half, 210 Tg N. The majority of the transformations of anthropogenic Nr are on land (240 Tg N yr(-1)) within soils and vegetation where reduced Nr contributes most of the input through the use of fertilizer nitrogen in agriculture. Leakages from the use of fertilizer Nr contribute to nitrate (NO3(-)) in drainage waters from agricultural land and emissions of trace Nr compounds to the atmosphere. Emissions, mainly of ammonia (NH3) from land together with combustion related emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), contribute 100 Tg N yr(-1) to the atmosphere, which are transported between countries and processed within the atmosphere, generating secondary pollutants, including ozone and other photochemical oxidants and aerosols, especially ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4. Leaching and riverine transport of NO3 contribute 40-70 Tg N yr(-1) to coastal waters and the open ocean, which together with the 30 Tg input to oceans from atmospheric deposition combine with marine biological nitrogen fixation (140 Tg N yr(-1)) to double the ocean processing of Nr. Some of the marine Nr is buried in sediments, the remainder being denitrified back to the atmosphere as N2 or N2O. The marine processing is of a similar magnitude to that in terrestrial soils and vegetation, but has a larger fraction of natural origin. The lifetime of Nr in the atmosphere, with the exception of N2O, is only a few weeks, while in terrestrial ecosystems, with the exception of peatlands (where it can be 10(2)-10(3) years), the lifetime is a few decades. In the ocean, the lifetime of Nr is less well known but seems to be longer than in terrestrial ecosystems and may represent an important long-term source of N2O that will respond very slowly to control measures on the sources of Nr from which it is produced.

  16. Isotopic signatures of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) as bioindicator of anthropogenic nutrient input in the western Baltic Sea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schubert, Philipp R.; Karez, Rolf; Reusch, Thorsten B.H.; Dierking, Jan

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) inputs are a global problem, but difficult to quantify. • We tested the use of eelgrass δ 15 N as proxy of such inputs in the Baltic Sea. • The method revealed distinct spatial patterns in sewage N across a eutrophic bay. • Traditional eutrophication measures corroborated the results from δ 15 N values. • Eelgrass δ 15 N ratios have high potential as proxy of sewage-derived N in the Baltic. -- Abstract: Eutrophication is a global environmental problem. Better management of this threat requires more accurate assessments of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) inputs to coastal systems than can be obtained with traditional measures. Recently, primary producer N isotopic signatures have emerged as useful proxy of such inputs. Here, we demonstrated for the first time the applicability of this method using the widespread eelgrass (Zostera marina) in the highly eutrophic Baltic Sea. Spatial availability of sewage N across a bay with one major sewage outflow predicted by eelgrass δ 15 N was high near and downstream of the outflow compared to upstream, but returned to upstream levels within 4 km downstream from the outfall. General conclusions were corroborated by traditional eutrophication measures, but in contrast to these measures were fully quantitative. Eelgrass N isotope ratios therefore show high potential for coastal screens of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea, and in other areas with eelgrass meadows

  17. Nitrogen fate and Transport in Diverse Agricultural Watersheds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essaid, H.; McCarthy, K. A.; Baker, N. T.

    2010-12-01

    Nitrogen mass budgets have been estimated for ten agricultural watersheds located in a range of hydrologic settings in order to understand the factors controlling the fate of nitrogen applied at the surface. The watersheds, study areas of the Agricultural Chemical Sources, Transport and Fate study of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program, are located in Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Maryland (MD), Nebraska (NE), Mississippi (MS) and Washington (WA). They range in size from 7 to 1254 km2, with four of the watersheds nested within larger watersheds. Surface water outflow (normalized to watershed area) ranged from 4 to 83 cm/yr. Crops planted include corn, soybean, small grains, rice, cotton, orchards and vegetables. “Surplus nitrogen” was determined for each watershed by subtracting estimates of crop uptake and volatilization from estimates of nitrogen input from atmospheric deposition, plant fixation, and fertilizer and manure applications for the period from 1987 to 2004. This surplus nitrogen is transported though the watershed via surface and subsurface flow paths, while simultaneously undergoing transformations (such as denitrification and in-stream processing) that result in less export of nitrogen from the watershed. Surface-water discharge and concentration data were used to estimate the export of nitrogen from the watersheds (groundwater outflow from the watersheds was minimal). Subtracting nitrogen export from surplus nitrogen provides an estimate of the net amount of nitrogen removal occurring during internal watershed transport. Watershed average nitrogen surplus ranged from 6 to 49 kg-N/ha. The more permeable and/or greater water flux watersheds (MD, NE, and WA) tended to have larger surplus nitrogen, possibly due to less crop uptake caused by greater leaching and runoff of nitrogen. Almost all of the surplus nitrogen in the low permeability (MS) and tile drained watersheds (IA, IN) was exported from the watershed with

  18. Biological nitrogen fixation in Crotalaria species estimated using the 15N isotope dilution method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samba, R.T.; Neyra, M.; Gueye, M.; Sylla, S.N.; Ndoye, I.; Dreyfus, B.

    2002-01-01

    Growing in Senegal by using 15 N direct isotope dilution technique. Two non-fixing plants, Senna obtusifolia and Senna occidentalis served as reference plants. The amount of nitrogen fixed two months after planting was obtained using the average of the two reference plants. The atom % 15 N excess in the Crotalaria species was significantly lower than that of the reference plants, indicating that significant nitrogen fixation occurred in the three plants. Significant differences were observed between the Crotalaria species; C. ochroleuca yielded more dry matter weight and total nitrogen than did C. perrottetti and C. retusa. The % nitrogen derived from atmosphere (%Ndfa) in leaves and stems was also higher in C. ochroleuca. There was no significant difference in %Ndfa in the whole plant between the three Crotalaria species (47% to 53%). In contrast, interspecific variability was observed based on the %Ndfa. C. ochroleuca significantly exhibited the higher amount of total nitrogen fixed, equivalent to 83 kg of nitrogen fixed per hectare. Based on these data, it was concluded that C. ochroleuca could be used in multiple cropping systems in Senegal for making more nitrogen available to other plants. (author)

  19. Habitat Management: A Tool to Modify Ecosystem Impacts of Nitrogen Deposition?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.A. Power

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Atmospheric nitrogen deposition has been shown to affect both the structure and the function of heathland ecosystems. Heathlands are semi-natural habitats and, as such, undergo regular management by mowing or burning. Different forms of management remove more or less nutrients from the system, so habitat management has the potential to mitigate some of the effects of atmospheric deposition. Data from a dynamic vegetation model and two field experiments are presented. The first involves nitrogen addition following different forms of habitat management. The second tests the use of habitat management to promote heathland recovery after a reduction in nitrogen deposition. Both modelling and experimental approaches suggest that plant and microbial response to nitrogen is affected by management. Shoot growth and rates of decomposition were lowest in plots managed using more intensive techniques, including mowing with litter removal and a high temperature burn. Field data also indicate that ecosystem recovery from prolonged elevated inputs of nitrogen may take many years, or even decades, even after the removal of plant and litter nitrogen stores which accompanies the more intensive forms of habitat management.

  20. The impact of nitrogen contamination and river modification on a Mississippi River floodplain lake

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karthic, Indu [Box 1099 Environmental Sciences Program, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL 62026 (United States); Brugam, Richard B., E-mail: rbrugam@siue.edu [Box 1651 Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL 62026 (United States); Retzlaff, William [Box 1099 Environmental Sciences Program, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL 62026 (United States); Johnson, Kevin

    2013-10-01

    Anthropogenic nitrogen contamination has increased in ecosystems around the world (frequently termed the “nitrogen cascade”). Coke production for steel manufacturing is often overlooked as a source of nitrogen to natural ecosystems. We examined sediment cores from a Horseshoe Lake, a floodplain lake located just East of St. Louis Missouri (USA) to test whether a coking plant effluent could be traced using stable isotopes of nitrogen and diatom microfossils. The distribution of δ{sup 15}N values in surface sediment samples from the lake shows the highest values near the coking plant effluent. Stable isotopes of nitrogen from 4 sediment cores using a mixing model showed three sources of nitrogen since 1688 CE. The first source (active between 1688 and 1920 CE) had a calculated δ{sup 15}N value ranging between − 0.4 and 1.1‰ depending on the core. After 1920 a second source with a δ{sup 15}N ranging between 10.6 and 15.4‰ became active. The change in these sources coincides with the construction of a coking plant on the lake shore. A third source with a value approximately 7.0‰ was present at all times and represents background. The diatom microfossil assemblages present from 1688 CE to the late 1800s are dominated by the planktonic species Aulacoseira granulata and periphytic and benthic genera Gomphonema, Cocconeis, and Lyrella. After the late 1800s the diatom assemblages are dominated by Staurosira species indicating a shift of species from high flow riverine environments to epipelic species from a lake environment. Diatom microfossils seem to track the reduction in flooding due to leveeing of the floodplain and the isolation of the lake from the river. Our results show how stable isotopes of nitrogen can be used to track nitrogen inputs from industrial sources. Diatom changes corresponded with changes in connectivity between the Mississippi River and its floodplain. - Highlights: • Effluent from a steel plant increases fixed nitrogen input to a

  1. The impact of nitrogen contamination and river modification on a Mississippi River floodplain lake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karthic, Indu; Brugam, Richard B.; Retzlaff, William; Johnson, Kevin

    2013-01-01

    Anthropogenic nitrogen contamination has increased in ecosystems around the world (frequently termed the “nitrogen cascade”). Coke production for steel manufacturing is often overlooked as a source of nitrogen to natural ecosystems. We examined sediment cores from a Horseshoe Lake, a floodplain lake located just East of St. Louis Missouri (USA) to test whether a coking plant effluent could be traced using stable isotopes of nitrogen and diatom microfossils. The distribution of δ 15 N values in surface sediment samples from the lake shows the highest values near the coking plant effluent. Stable isotopes of nitrogen from 4 sediment cores using a mixing model showed three sources of nitrogen since 1688 CE. The first source (active between 1688 and 1920 CE) had a calculated δ 15 N value ranging between − 0.4 and 1.1‰ depending on the core. After 1920 a second source with a δ 15 N ranging between 10.6 and 15.4‰ became active. The change in these sources coincides with the construction of a coking plant on the lake shore. A third source with a value approximately 7.0‰ was present at all times and represents background. The diatom microfossil assemblages present from 1688 CE to the late 1800s are dominated by the planktonic species Aulacoseira granulata and periphytic and benthic genera Gomphonema, Cocconeis, and Lyrella. After the late 1800s the diatom assemblages are dominated by Staurosira species indicating a shift of species from high flow riverine environments to epipelic species from a lake environment. Diatom microfossils seem to track the reduction in flooding due to leveeing of the floodplain and the isolation of the lake from the river. Our results show how stable isotopes of nitrogen can be used to track nitrogen inputs from industrial sources. Diatom changes corresponded with changes in connectivity between the Mississippi River and its floodplain. - Highlights: • Effluent from a steel plant increases fixed nitrogen input to a floodplain

  2. Groundwater Discharge of Legacy Nitrogen to River Networks: Linking Regional Groundwater Models to Streambed Groundwater-Surface Water Exchange and Nitrogen Processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barclay, J. R.; Helton, A. M.; Briggs, M. A.; Starn, J. J.; Hunt, A.

    2017-12-01

    Despite years of management, excess nitrogen (N) is a pervasive problem in many aquatic ecosystems. More than half of surface water in the United States is derived from groundwater, and widespread N contamination in aquifers from decades of watershed N inputs suggest legacy N discharging from groundwater may contribute to contemporary N pollution problems in surface waters. Legacy N loads to streams and rivers are controlled by both regional scale flow paths and fine-scale processes that drive N transformations, such as groundwater-surface water exchange across steep redox gradients that occur at stream bed interfaces. Adequately incorporating these disparate scales is a challenge, but it is essential to understanding legacy N transport and making informed management decisions. We developed a regional groundwater flow model for the Farmington River, a HUC-8 basin that drains to the Long Island Sound, a coastal estuary that suffers from elevated N loads despite decades of management, to understand broad patterns of regional transport. To evaluate and refine the regional model, we used thermal infrared imagery paired with vertical temperature profiling to estimate groundwater discharge at the streambed interface. We also analyzed discharging groundwater for multiple N species to quantify fine scale patterns of N loading and transformation via denitrification at the streambed interface. Integrating regional and local estimates of groundwater discharge of legacy N to river networks should improve our ability to predict spatiotemporal patterns of legacy N loading to and transformation within surface waters.

  3. Targeting the right input data to improve crop modeling at global level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, M.; Robertson, R.; Gbegbelegbe, S.; Jones, J. W.; Boote, K. J.; Asseng, S.

    2012-12-01

    Designed for location-specific simulations, the use of crop models at a global level raises important questions. Crop models are originally premised on small unit areas where environmental conditions and management practices are considered homogeneous. Specific information describing soils, climate, management, and crop characteristics are used in the calibration process. However, when scaling up for global application, we rely on information derived from geographical information systems and weather generators. To run crop models at broad, we use a modeling platform that assumes a uniformly generated grid cell as a unit area. Specific weather, specific soil and specific management practices for each crop are represented for each of the cell grids. Studies on the impacts of the uncertainties of weather information and climate change on crop yield at a global level have been carried out (Osborne et al, 2007, Nelson et al., 2010, van Bussel et al, 2011). Detailed information on soils and management practices at global level are very scarce but recognized to be of critical importance (Reidsma et al., 2009). Few attempts to assess the impact of their uncertainties on cropping systems performances can be found. The objectives of this study are (i) to determine sensitivities of a crop model to soil and management practices, inputs most relevant to low input rainfed cropping systems, and (ii) to define hotspots of sensitivity according to the input data. We ran DSSAT v4.5 globally (CERES-CROPSIM) to simulate wheat yields at 45arc-minute resolution. Cultivar parameters were calibrated and validated for different mega-environments (results not shown). The model was run for nitrogen-limited production systems. This setting was chosen as the most representative to simulate actual yield (especially for low-input rainfed agricultural systems) and assumes crop growth to be free of any pest and diseases damages. We conducted a sensitivity analysis on contrasting management

  4. 15N isotopic techniques to study nitrogen cycle in soil-plant-atmosphere system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Manoj; Chandrakala, J.U.; Sachdev, M.S.; Sachdev, P.

    2009-01-01

    Intensification of agriculture to meet the increasing food demand has caused severe disruption in natural balance of global as well as regional nitrogen cycle, potentially threatening the future sustainability of agriculture and environment of the total fertilizer nitrogen used in agriculture globally, only less than half is recovered by crop plants, rest is lost to the environment, resulting in several environmental problems such as ground water pollution and global warming, besides huge economic loss of this costly input in agriculture. Improving fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency and minimising N loss to the environment is the key to regain the lost control of nitrogen cycle in agriculture. Fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency depends largely on N requirement of crops, N supply from soil and fertilizer through N transformations in soil, and N losses from the soil-water-plant system. 15 N isotopic techniques have the potential to provide accurate measurement quantification of different processes involved in N cycle such as fixation of atmospheric N 2 , transformations- mineralization and immobilization- of soil and fertilizer N which governs N supply to plants, and N losses to the environment through ammonia volatilization, denitrification and nitrate leaching. 15 N tracers can also give precise identification of ways and sources of N loss from agriculture. These information can be used to develop strategies for increasing fertilizer N use efficiency and minimizing the loss of this costly input from agriculture to environment, which in turn will help to achieve the tripartite goal of food security, agricultural profitability and environmental quality. (author)

  5. Ecosystem services altered by human changes in the nitrogen cycle: A new perspective for assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Human alteration of the nitrogen (N) cycle has produced benefits for health and well-being, but excess N has altered many ecosystems and degraded air and water quality. US regulations mandate protection of the environment in terms that directly connect to ecosystem services. Here...

  6. Root Ideotype Influences Nitrogen Transport and Assimilation in Maize

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie Dechorgnat

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Maize (Zea mays, L. yield is strongly influenced by external nitrogen inputs and their availability in the soil solution. Overuse of nitrogen-fertilizers can have detrimental ecological consequences through increased nitrogen pollution of water and the release of the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide. To improve yield and overall nitrogen use efficiency (NUE, a deeper understanding of nitrogen uptake and utilization is required. This study examines the performance of two contrasting maize inbred lines, B73 and F44. F44 was selected in Florida on predominantly sandy acidic soils subject to nitrate leaching while B73 was selected in Iowa on rich mollisol soils. Transcriptional, enzymatic and nitrogen transport analytical tools were used to identify differences in their N absorption and utilization capabilities. Our results show that B73 and F44 differ significantly in their genetic, enzymatic, and biochemical root nitrogen transport and assimilatory pathways. The phenotypes show a strong genetic relationship linked to nitrogen form, where B73 showed a greater capacity for ammonium transport and assimilation whereas F44 preferred nitrate. The contrasting phenotypes are typified by differences in root system architecture (RSA developed in the presence of both nitrate and ammonium. F44 crown roots were longer, had a higher surface area and volume with a greater lateral root number and density than B73. In contrast, B73 roots (primary, seminal, and crown were more abundant but lacked the defining features of the F44 crown roots. An F1 hybrid between B73 and F44 mirrored the B73 nitrogen specificity and root architecture phenotypes, indicating complete dominance of the B73 inbred. This study highlights the important link between RSA and nitrogen management and why both variables need to be tested together when defining NUE improvements in any selection program.

  7. A mechanistic, globally-applicable model of plant nitrogen uptake, retranslocation and fixation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, J. B.; Tan, S.; Malhi, Y.; Fisher, R. A.; Sitch, S.; Huntingford, C.

    2008-12-01

    Nitrogen is one of the nutrients that can most limit plant growth, and nitrogen availability may be a controlling factor on biosphere responses to climate change. We developed a plant nitrogen assimilation model based on a) advective transport through the transpiration stream, b) retranslocation whereby carbon is expended to resorb nitrogen from leaves, c) active uptake whereby carbon is expended to acquire soil nitrogen, and d) biological nitrogen fixation whereby carbon is expended for symbiotic nitrogen fixers. The model relies on 9 inputs: 1) net primary productivity (NPP), 2) plant C:N ratio, 3) available soil nitrogen, 4) root biomass, 5) transpiration rate, 6) saturated soil depth,7) leaf nitrogen before senescence, 8) soil temperature, and 9) ability to fix nitrogen. A carbon cost of retranslocation is estimated based on leaf nitrogen and compared to an active uptake carbon cost based on root biomass and available soil nitrogen; for nitrogen fixers both costs are compared to a carbon cost of fixation dependent on soil temperature. The NPP is then allocated to optimize growth while maintaining the C:N ratio. The model outputs are total plant nitrogen uptake, remaining NPP available for growth, carbon respired to the soil and updated available soil nitrogen content. We test and validate the model (called FUN: Fixation and Uptake of Nitrogen) against data from the UK, Germany and Peru, and run the model under simplified scenarios of primary succession and climate change. FUN is suitable for incorporation into a land surface scheme of a General Circulation Model and will be coupled with a soil model and dynamic global vegetation model as part of a land surface model (JULES).

  8. Inhibiting excessive acidification using zero-valent iron in anaerobic digestion of food waste at high organic load rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Xin; Wei, Yonghong; Xu, Shuang; Liu, Jianguo; Li, Huan; Liu, Yili; Yu, Shuyao

    2016-07-01

    Excessive acidification occurs frequently in food waste (FW) anaerobic digestion (AD) due to the high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of FW. In this study, zero-valent iron (ZVI) was applied to prevent the excessive acidification. All of the control groups, without ZVI addition (pH∼5.3), produced little methane (CH4) and had high volatile fatty acids/bicarbonate alkalinity (VFA/ALK). By contrast, at OLR of 42.32gVS/Lreactor, the pH of effluent from the reactors with 0.4g/gVSFWadded of ZVI increased to 7.8-8.2, VFA/ALK decreased to <0.1, and the final CH4 yield was ∼380mL/gVSFWadded, suggesting inhibition of excessive acidification. After adding powdered or scrap metal ZVI to the acidogenic reactors, the fractional content of butyric acid changed from 30-40% to 0%, while, that of acetic acid increased. These results indicate that adding ZVI to FW digestion at high OLRs could eliminate excessive acidification by promoting butyric acid conversion and enhancing methanogen activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Riverine input of organic carbon and nitrogen in water-sediment system from the Yellow River estuary reach to the coastal zone of Bohai Sea, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chuanyuan; Lv, Yingchun; Li, Yuanwei

    2018-04-01

    The temporal-spatial distribution of the carbon and nitrogen contents and their isotopic compositions of suspended matter and sediments from the Yellow River estuary reach (YRER), the estuary to the offshore area were measured to identify the source of organic matter. The higher relative abundances of suspended and sedimentary carbon and nitrogen (POC, TOC, PN and TN) in the offshore marine area compared to those of the riverine and estuarine areas may be due to the cumulative and biological activity impact. The organic matter in surface sediments of YRER, the estuary and offshore area of Bohai Sea is basically the mixture of continental derived material and marine material. The values of δ13Csed fluctuate from values indicative of a land source (- 22.50‰ ± 0.31) to those indicative of a sea source (- 22.80‰ ± 0.38), which can be attributed to the fine particle size and decrease in terrigenous inputs to the offshore marine area. Contrary to the slight increase of POC and PN during the dry season, TOC and TN contents of the surface sediments during the flood season (October) were higher than those during the dry season (April). The seasonal differences in water discharge and suspended sediment discharge of the Yellow River Estuary may result in seasonal variability in TOC, POC, TN and PN concentrations in some degree. Overall, the surface sediments in the offshore area of Bohai Sea are dominated by marine derived organic carbon, which on average, accounts for 58-82% of TOC when a two end-member mixing model is applied to the isotopic data.

  10. Threshold Level of Harvested Litter Input for Carbon Sequestration by Bioenergy Crops

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, D.; Quijano, J.; Kumar, P.; Chaoka, S.

    2013-12-01

    Due to the increase in the demands for bioenergy, considerable areas in the Midwestern United States could be converted into croplands for second generation bioenergy, such as the cultivation of miscanthus and switchgrass. Study on the effect of the expansion of these crops on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics is integral to understanding their long-term environmental impacts. In this study, we focus on a comparative study between miscanthus, swichgrass, and corn-corn-soybean rotation on the below-ground dynamics of carbon and nitrogen. Fate of soil carbon and nitrogen is sensitive to harvest litter treatments and residue quality. Therefore, we attempt to address how different amounts of harvested biomass inputs into the soil impact the evolution of organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen in the subsurface. We use Precision Agricultural Landscape Modeling System, version 5.4.0, to capture biophysical and hydrological components coupled with a multilayer carbon and nitrogen cycle model. We apply the model at daily time scale to the Energy Biosciences Institute study site, located in the University of Illinois Research Farms, in Urbana, Illinois. The atmospheric forcing used to run the model was generated stochastically from parameters obtained from 10 years of atmospheric data recorded at both the study site and Willard Airport. Comparisons of model results against observations of drainage, ammonium and nitrate loads in tile drainage, nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and litterfall in 2011 reveal the ability of the model to accurately capture the ecohydrology, as well as the carbon and nitrogen dynamics at the study site. The results obtained here highlight that there is a critical return of biomass to the soil when harvested for miscanthus (15% of aboveground biomass), and switchgrass (25%) after which the accumulation of carbon in the soil is significantly enhanced and nitrogen leaching is reduced, unlike corn-corn-soybean rotation. The main factor

  11. Uncertainties in the fate of nitrogen I: An overview of sources of uncertainty illustrated with a Dutch case study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kroeze, C.; Aerts, R.; Breemen, van N.; Dam, van D.; Hoek, van der K.; Hofschreuder, P.; Hoosbeek, M.R.; Klein, de J.; Kros, H.; Oene, van H.; Oenema, O.; Tietema, A.; Veeren, van der R.; Verhoeven, H.; Vries, de W.

    2003-01-01

    This study focuses on the uncertainties in the fate of nitrogen (N) in the Netherlands. Nitrogen inputs into the Netherlands in products, by rivers, and by atmospheric deposition, and microbial and industrial fixation of atmospheric N2 amount to about 4450 Gg N y¿1. About 60% of this N is

  12. Experimental investigation of nitrogen based emissions from an ammonia fueled SI-engine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Westlye, Fredrik Ree; Ivarsson, Anders; Schramm, Jesper

    2013-01-01

    . This causes the NO emissions to peak around 35% rather than 10% excess air, as is typical in HC fueled SI-engines. However the magnitude of NO emissions are comparable to that of measurements conducted with gasoline due to lower flame temperatures. Nitrogen dioxide levels are higher when comparing...... with gasoline, but has a relatively low share of the total NOx emissions (3-4%). Nitrous oxide is a product of NH2 reacting with NO 2 and NH reacting with NO. The magnitude is largely affected by ignition timing due to the temperature development during expansion and the amount of excess air, as increased...

  13. Prioritizing Crop Management to Increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Australian Sugarcane Crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter J. Thorburn

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Sugarcane production relies on the application of large amounts of nitrogen (N fertilizer. However, application of N in excess of crop needs can lead to loss of N to the environment, which can negatively impact ecosystems. This is of particular concern in Australia where the majority of sugarcane is grown within catchments that drain directly into the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Multiple factors that impact crop yield and N inputs of sugarcane production systems can affect N use efficiency (NUE, yet the efficacy many of these factors have not been examined in detail. We undertook an extensive simulation analysis of NUE in Australian sugarcane production systems to investigate (1 the impacts of climate on factors determining NUE, (2 the range and drivers of NUE, and (3 regional variation in sugarcane N requirements. We found that the interactions between climate, soils, and management produced a wide range of simulated NUE, ranging from ∼0.3 Mg cane (kg N-1, where yields were low (i.e., <50 Mg ha-1 and N inputs were high, to >5 Mg cane (kg N-1 in plant crops where yields were high and N inputs low. Of the management practices simulated (N fertilizer rate, timing, and splitting; fallow management; tillage intensity; and in-field traffic management, the only practice that significantly influenced NUE in ratoon crops was N fertilizer application rate. N rate also influenced NUE in plant crops together with the management of the preceding fallow. In addition, there is regional variation in N fertilizer requirement that could make N fertilizer recommendations more specific. While our results show that complex interrelationships exist between climate, crop growth, N fertilizer rates and N losses to the environment, they highlight the priority that should be placed on optimizing N application rate and fallow management to improve NUE in Australian sugarcane production systems. New initiatives in seasonal climate forecasting

  14. Exploring the nutrient inputs and cycles in Tampa Bay and coastal watersheds using MODIS images and data mining

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Ni-Bin; Xuan, Zhemin

    2011-09-01

    Excessive nutrients, which may be represented as Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) levels, in natural water systems have proven to cause high levels of algae production. The process of phytoplankton growth which consumes the excess TN and TP in a water body can also be related to the changing water quality levels, such as Dissolved Oxygen (DO), chlorophyll-a, and turbidity, associated with their changes in absorbance of natural radiation. This paper explores spatiotemporal nutrient patterns in Tampa Bay, Florida with the aid of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS images and Genetic Programming (GP) models that are deigned to link those relevant water quality parameters in aquatic environments.

  15. The Origin of DIRT (Detrital Input and Removal Treatments): the Legacy of Dr. Francis D. Hole

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townsend, K. L.; Lajtha, K.; Caldwell, B.; Sollins, P.

    2007-12-01

    Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a key role in the cycling and retention of nitrogen and carbon within soil. Both above and belowground detrital inputs determine the nature and quantity of SOM. Studies on detrital impacts on SOM dynamics are underway at several LTER, ILTER and LTER-affiliated sites using a common experimental design, Detrital Input and Removal Treatments (DIRT). The concept for DIRT was originally based on experimental plots established at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum by Dr. Francis D. Hole in 1956 to study the effects of detrital inputs on pedogenesis. These plots are located on two forested sites and two prairie sites within the arboretum. Manipulations of the forested sites include double litter, no litter and removal of the O and A horizons. Manipulations of the prairie sites include harvest, mulch, bare and burn. These original treatments have largely been maintained since 1956. After 40 years of maintenance, there were significant differences in soil carbon between the double and no litter plots. The double litter plots had increased by nearly 30% while the no litter plots had decreased over 50%. The original DIRT plots are now 50 years old and have been re-sampled, where possible, for total carbon and nitrogen, labile and recalcitrant carbon fractions, net and gross nitrogen mineralization rates, and SOM bioavailability through CO2 respiration. The soils were fractionated by density to examine the role of carbon in each density fraction. The mean age of carbon in each fraction was determined by radiocarbon dating. This sampling and analysis is of special significance because it provides a glimpse into the future SOM trajectories for the new DIRT sites: Harvard Forest (MA), Bousson (PA), Andrews Experimental Forest (OR) and Sikfokut (Hungary).

  16. Nitrogen requirements of commercial wine yeast strains during fermentation of a synthetic grape must.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez, Alicia; Chiva, Rosana; Sancho, Marta; Beltran, Gemma; Arroyo-López, Francisco Noé; Guillamon, José Manuel

    2012-08-01

    Nitrogen deficiencies in grape musts are one of the main causes of stuck or sluggish wine fermentations. Currently, the most common method for dealing with nitrogen-deficient fermentations is adding supplementary nitrogen (usually ammonium phosphate). However, it is important to know the specific nitrogen requirement of each strain, to avoid excessive addition that can lead to microbial instability and ethyl carbamate accumulation. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of increasing nitrogen concentrations of three different nitrogen sources on growth and fermentation performance in four industrial wine yeast strains. This task was carried out using statistical modeling techniques. The strains PDM and RVA showed higher growth-rate and maximum population size and consumed nitrogen much more quickly than strains ARM and TTA. Likewise, the strains PDM and RVA were also the greatest nitrogen demanders. Thus, we can conclude that these differences in nitrogen demand positively correlated with higher growth rate and higher nitrogen uptake rate. The most direct effect of employing an adequate nitrogen concentration is the increase in biomass, which involves a higher fermentation rate. However, the impact of nitrogen on fermentation rate is not exclusively due to the increase in biomass because the strain TTA, which showed the worst growth behavior, had the best fermentation activity. Some strains may adapt a strategy whereby fewer cells with higher metabolic activity are produced. Regarding the nitrogen source used, all the strains showed the better and worse fermentation performance with arginine and ammonium, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The best and worst of corn nitrogen rate recommendation tools used in the Midwest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Publicly-available nitrogen (N) rate recommendation tools are utilized to help maximize yield in corn production. These tools often fail when N is over-applied and results in excess N being lost to the environment, or when N is under-applied and results in decreased yield and economic returns. The p...

  18. Can Canopy Uptake Influence Nitrogen Acquisition and Allocation by Trees?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nair, Richard; Perks, Mike; Mencuccini, Maurizio

    2015-04-01

    Nitrogen (N) fertilization due to atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic nitrogen (NDEP) may explain some of the net carbon (C) sink (0.6-0.7 Pg y-1) in temperate forests, but estimates of the additional C uptake due to atmospheric N additions (ΔCΔN) can vary by over an order of magnitude (~ 5 to 200 ΔCΔN). High estimates from several recent studies [e.g. Magnani (2007), Nature 447 848-850], deriving ΔCΔN from regional correlations between NDEP and measures of C uptake (such as eddy covariance -derived net ecosystem production, or forest inventory data) contradict estimates from other studies of 15N tracer applications added as fertilizer to the forest floor. A strong ΔCΔN effect requires nitrogen to be efficiently acquired by trees and allocated to high C:N, long-lived woody tissues, but these isotope experiments typically report relatively little (~ 20 %) of 15N added is found above-ground, with estimates are often attributed to co-variation with other factors across the range of sites investigated. However 15N-fertilization treatments often impose considerably higher total N loads than ambient NDEP and almost exclusively only apply mineral 15N treatments to the soil, often in a limited number of treatment events over relatively short periods of time. Excessive N deposition loads can induce negative physiological effects and limit the resulting ΔCΔN observed, and applying treatments to the soil may ignore the importance of canopy nitrogen uptake in overall forest nutrition. As canopies can directly take up nitrogen, the chronic, (relatively) low levels of ambient NDEP inputs from pollution may be acquired without some of the effects of heavy N loads, obtaining this N before it reaches the soil, and allowing canopies to substitute for, or supplement, edaphic N nutrition. The strength of this effect depends on how much N uptake can occur across the canopy under field conditions, and if this extra N supplies growth in woody tissues such as the stem, as

  19. Nitrogen cycle and ecosystem services in the Brazilian La Plata Basin: anthropogenic influence and climate change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watanabe, M; Ortega, E; Bergier, I; Silva, J S V

    2012-08-01

    The increasing human demand for food, raw material and energy has radically modified both the landscape and biogeochemical cycles in many river basins in the world. The interference of human activities on the Biosphere is so significant that it has doubled the amount of reactive nitrogen due to industrial fertiliser production (Haber-Bosch), fossil fuel burning and land-use change over the last century. In this context, the Brazilian La Plata Basin contributes to the alteration of the nitrogen cycle in South America because of its huge agricultural and grazing area that meets the demands of its large urban centres - Sao Paulo, for instance - and also external markets abroad. In this paper, we estimate the current inputs and outputs of anthropogenic nitrogen (in kg N.km(-2).yr(-1)) in the basin. In the results, we observe that soybean plays a very important role in the Brazilian La Plata, since it contributes with an annual entrance of about 1.8 TgN due to biological nitrogen fixation. Moreover, our estimate indicates that the export of soybean products accounts for roughly 1.0 TgN which is greater than the annual nitrogen riverine exports from Brazilian Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay rivers together. Complimentarily, we built future scenarios representing changes in the nitrogen cycle profile considering two scenarios of climate change for 2070-2100 (based on IPCC's A2 and B2) that will affect land-use, nitrogen inputs, and loss of such nutrients in the basin. Finally, we discuss how both scenarios will affect human well-being since there is a connection between nitrogen cycle and ecosystem services that affect local and global populations, such as food and fibre production and climate regulation.

  20. Nitrogen cycle and ecosystem services in the Brazilian La Plata Basin: anthropogenic influence and climate change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Watanabe

    Full Text Available The increasing human demand for food, raw material and energy has radically modified both the landscape and biogeochemical cycles in many river basins in the world. The interference of human activities on the Biosphere is so significant that it has doubled the amount of reactive nitrogen due to industrial fertiliser production (Haber-Bosch, fossil fuel burning and land-use change over the last century. In this context, the Brazilian La Plata Basin contributes to the alteration of the nitrogen cycle in South America because of its huge agricultural and grazing area that meets the demands of its large urban centres - Sao Paulo, for instance - and also external markets abroad. In this paper, we estimate the current inputs and outputs of anthropogenic nitrogen (in kg N.km-2.yr-1 in the basin. In the results, we observe that soybean plays a very important role in the Brazilian La Plata, since it contributes with an annual entrance of about 1.8 TgN due to biological nitrogen fixation. Moreover, our estimate indicates that the export of soybean products accounts for roughly 1.0 TgN which is greater than the annual nitrogen riverine exports from Brazilian Parana, Paraguay and Uruguay rivers together. Complimentarily, we built future scenarios representing changes in the nitrogen cycle profile considering two scenarios of climate change for 2070-2100 (based on IPCC's A2 and B2 that will affect land-use, nitrogen inputs, and loss of such nutrients in the basin. Finally, we discuss how both scenarios will affect human well-being since there is a connection between nitrogen cycle and ecosystem services that affect local and global populations, such as food and fibre production and climate regulation.

  1. Influence of phosphorus and the application of split doses of nitrogen on the nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency of a potato crop

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bastidas, O.G.; Urquiaga, S.

    1988-01-01

    The study was performed in an inceptisol at the ''San Jorge'' experimental station (altitude 2.900 m), Bogota, Colombia. The influence of phosphate and the application of split doses of nitrogen on the nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency of a potato crop. (Solanum tuberosum, L.) cv Tequendama, was evaluated. The phosphate was applied at levels of 100, 150 and 200 Kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 in the form of triple super phosphate. The nitrogen (100 Kg N. ha -1 ) was applied in split doses at seeding and 60 days after emergence (DAE) in the following proportions: 1/3: 2/3 or 1/2. The N source used was Urea labelled with 1.5 atom % 15 N excess. The results showed that: a) The maximum tuber yield (41 t.ha -1 ) was experience with 100 Kg P 2 O 5 Ha -1 and this was significantly higher than a zero phosphate control (24t. ha -1 ) even though the soluble soil phosphorus (Bray II) was high. b) The phosphate favoured the productivity of the crop and increased the N fertilizer use efficiency (% FUE) from 28 to 51%.c). The different splitting of the N fertilizer application had no detectable effect on yield % FUE. d) The tubers represented 76% of the total dry matter and contained 63% of the total nitrogen and fertilizer N accumulated by the crop

  2. Stable nitrogen isotopes in coastal macroalgae: Geographic and anthropogenic variability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Viana, Inés G.; Bode, Antonio

    2013-01-01

    Growing human population adds to the natural nitrogen loads to coastal waters. Both anthropogenic and natural nitrogen is readily incorporated in new biomass, and these different nitrogen sources may be traced by the measurement of the ratio of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ 15 N). In this study δ 15 N was determined in two species of macroalgae (Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus), and in nitrate and ammonium to determine the relative importance of anthropogenic versus natural sources of nitrogen along the coast of NW Spain. Both algal species and nitrogen sources showed similar isotopic enrichment for a given site, but algal δ 15 N was not related to either inorganic nitrogen concentrations or δ 15 N in the water samples. The latter suggests that inorganic nitrogen inputs are variable and do not always leave an isotopic trace in macroalgae. However, a significant linear decrease in macroalgal δ 15 N along the coast is consistent with the differential effect of upwelling. Besides this geographic variability, the influence of anthropogenic nitrogen sources is evidenced by higher δ 15 N in macroalgae from rias and estuaries compared to those from open coastal areas and in areas with more than 15 × 10 3 inhabitants in the watershed. These results indicate that, in contrast with other studies, macroalgal δ 15 N is not simply related to either inorganic nitrogen concentrations or human population size but depends on other factors as the upwelling or the efficiency of local waste treatment systems. - Highlights: ► Anthropogenic versus upwelling nitrogen effect on macroalgal δ 15 N was studied. ► The influence of populations and upwelling has not been made before on macroalgal δ 15 N. ► Natural variability has not been taken into account in most biomonitoring studies. ► Upwelling explains most of the variability in δ 15 N in macroalgae

  3. The Potential to Reduce Nitrogen Loss Through Rotating Different Sorghum Varieties in Greenhouse Vegetable Field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    KANG Ling-yun

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available In North China plain, excessive fertilization in vegetable greenhouse always results in nitrate accumulation in soil and possible nitrogen leaching with potential environmental risk. It is necessary to rotate appropriate catch crop to absorb surplus nitrogen in fallow season and reduce rootzone nitrate level. An experiment was carried out to select suitable sorghum variety as catch crop to reduce nitrogen loss in Beijing suburb. Six common varieties were used in the experiment as conventional catch crop, sweet corn as the control. The results indicated that the biomass, root growth and nitrogen accumulation in shoots of sorghum Jinza 12 were highest in the catch crops. It demonstrated that the variety Jinza 12 was an appropriate catch crop for reducing nitrogen accumulation in surface soil layer compared with sweet corn. Meanwhile, variety Jiliang 2 maintained highest proportion of soil NH4+-N content after urea application, which might be related to the biological nitrification inhibitors (BNI released by the root system of sorghum. It implied that sorghum could be used as catch crop to reduce nitrogen loss through plant extraction i.e. nitrogen uptake and stabilization i.e. BNI inhibition, in comparison with sweet corn.

  4. Mechanisms of nitrogen deposition effects on temperate forest lichens and trees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Therese S. Carter; Christopher M. Clark; Mark E. Fenn; Sarah Jovan; Steven S. Perakis; Jennifer Riddell; Paul G. Schaberg; Tara L. Greaver; Meredith G. Hastings

    2017-01-01

    We review the mechanisms of deleterious nitrogen (N) deposition impacts on temperate forests, with a particular focus on trees and lichens. Elevated anthropogenic N deposition to forests has varied effects on individual organisms depending on characteristics both of the N inputs (form, timing, amount) and of the organisms (ecology, physiology) involved. Improved...

  5. Earth Without Life: A Systems Model of a Global Abiotic Nitrogen Cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laneuville, Matthieu; Kameya, Masafumi; Cleaves, H James

    2018-03-20

    Nitrogen is the major component of Earth's atmosphere and plays important roles in biochemistry. Biological systems have evolved a variety of mechanisms for fixing and recycling environmental nitrogen sources, which links them tightly with terrestrial nitrogen reservoirs. However, prior to the emergence of biology, all nitrogen cycling was abiological, and this cycling may have set the stage for the origin of life. It is of interest to understand how nitrogen cycling would proceed on terrestrial planets with comparable geodynamic activity to Earth, but on which life does not arise. We constructed a kinetic mass-flux model of nitrogen cycling in its various major chemical forms (e.g., N 2 , reduced (NH x ) and oxidized (NO x ) species) between major planetary reservoirs (the atmosphere, oceans, crust, and mantle) and included inputs from space. The total amount of nitrogen species that can be accommodated in each reservoir, and the ways in which fluxes and reservoir sizes may have changed over time in the absence of biology, are explored. Given a partition of volcanism between arc and hotspot types similar to the modern ones, our global nitrogen cycling model predicts a significant increase in oceanic nitrogen content over time, mostly as NH x , while atmospheric N 2 content could be lower than today. The transport timescales between reservoirs are fast compared to the evolution of the environment; thus atmospheric composition is tightly linked to surface and interior processes. Key Words: Nitrogen cycle-Abiotic-Planetology-Astrobiology. Astrobiology 18, xxx-xxx.

  6. Contribution of the isotopic study of nitrogen to the knowledge of the pollution of underground aquifers by nitrates, in agricultural environment (Brie, Beauce - France)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mariotti, A.; Ben Halima, A.; Berger, G.

    1976-01-01

    Isotope composition of nitrate nitrogen from aquifers in the highly cultivated areas from Brie and Beauce show three different nitrogen inputs: nitrate from organic matter in soils; nitrate from fertilizers; nitrate from domestic and animal wastes. The isotope composition of those stocks are different enough to trace their origin and establish material balances of nitrogen pollution [fr

  7. Organic forms dominate hydrologic nitrogen export from a lowland tropical watershed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Philip G; Wieder, William R; Weintraub, Samantha; Cohen, Sagy; Cleveland, Cory C; Townsend, Alan R

    2015-05-01

    Observations of high dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations in stream water have reinforced the notion that primary tropical rain forests cycle nitrogen (N) in relative excess compared to phosphorus. Here we test this notion by evaluating hydrologic N export from a small watershed on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, where prior research has shown multiple indicators of conservative N cycling throughout the ecosystem. We repeatedly measured a host of factors known to influence N export for one year, including stream water chemistry and upslope litterfall, soil N availability and net N processing rates, and soil solution chemistry at the surface, 15- and 50-cm depths. Contrary to prevailing assumptions about the lowland N cycle, we find that dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) averaged 85% of dissolved N export for 48 of 52 consecutive weeks. For most of the year stream water nitrate (NO3-) export was very low, which reflected minimal net N processing and DIN leaching from upslope soils. Yet, for one month in the dry season, NO3- was the major component of N export due to a combination of low flows and upslope nitrification that concentrated NO3- in stream water. Particulate organic N (PON) export was much larger than dissolved forms at 14.6 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1), driven by soil erosion during storms. At this rate, PON export was slightly greater than estimated inputs from free-living N fixation and atmospheric N deposition, which suggests that erosion-driven PON export could constrain ecosystem level N stocks over longer timescales. This phenomenon is complimentary to the "DON leak" hypothesis, which postulates that the long-term accumulation of ecosystem N in unpolluted ecosystems is constrained by the export of organic N independently of biological N demand. Using an established global sediment generation model, we illustrate that PON erosion may be an important vector for N loss in tropical landscapes that are geomorphically active. This study supports an

  8. The Arabidopsis halophytic relative Thellungiella halophila tolerates nitrogen-limiting conditions by maintaining growth, nitrogen uptake, and assimilation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kant, Surya; Bi, Yong-Mei; Weretilnyk, Elizabeth; Barak, Simon; Rothstein, Steven J

    2008-07-01

    A comprehensive knowledge of mechanisms regulating nitrogen (N) use efficiency is required to reduce excessive input of N fertilizers while maintaining acceptable crop yields under limited N supply. Studying plant species that are naturally adapted to low N conditions could facilitate the identification of novel regulatory genes conferring better N use efficiency. Here, we show that Thellungiella halophila, a halophytic relative of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), grows better than Arabidopsis under moderate (1 mm nitrate) and severe (0.4 mm nitrate) N-limiting conditions. Thellungiella exhibited a lower carbon to N ratio than Arabidopsis under N limitation, which was due to Thellungiella plants possessing higher N content, total amino acids, total soluble protein, and lower starch content compared with Arabidopsis. Furthermore, Thellungiella had higher amounts of several metabolites, such as soluble sugars and organic acids, under N-sufficient conditions (4 mm nitrate). Nitrate reductase activity and NR2 gene expression in Thellungiella displayed less of a reduction in response to N limitation than in Arabidopsis. Thellungiella shoot GS1 expression was more induced by low N than in Arabidopsis, while in roots, Thellungiella GS2 expression was maintained under N limitation but was decreased in Arabidopsis. Up-regulation of NRT2.1 and NRT3.1 expression was higher and repression of NRT1.1 was lower in Thellungiella roots under N-limiting conditions compared with Arabidopsis. Differential transporter gene expression was correlated with higher nitrate influx in Thellungiella at low (15)NO(3)(-) supply. Taken together, our results suggest that Thellungiella is tolerant to N-limited conditions and could act as a model system to unravel the mechanisms for low N tolerance.

  9. Potential ozone impacts of excess NO2 emissions from diesel particulate filters for on- and off-road diesel engines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bar-llan, Amnon; Johnson, Jeremiah R; Denbleyker, Allison; Chan, Lit-Mian; Yarwood, Gregory; Hitchcock, David; Pinto, Joseph P

    2010-08-01

    This study considers potential impacts of increased use of diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) and catalyzed diesel particulate filters (DPFs) on ozone formation in the Dallas/ Fort Worth (DFW) area. There is concern that excess nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions from vehicles equipped with these devices could increase ambient ozone levels. The approach involved developing two scenarios for use of these devices, quantifying excess NO2 emissions in each scenario, and using a photochemical model to estimate the resulting ozone changes. In the "maximum penetration" scenario, DOC/DPF devices in a 2009 fleet of heavy-duty on-road trucks, school buses, and construction equipment were significantly increased by accelerating turnover of these vehicles and equipment to models that would require DOCs/DPFs. In the "realistic" scenario, current fractional usage of these devices was assessed for 2009. For both scenarios, excess NO2 emissions from DOCs/DPFs were estimated using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's MOBILE6 and NONROAD emissions inventory modeling tools. The emissions analyses were used to adjust the DFW photochemical modeling emissions inventories and the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions air quality model was rerun for the DFW area to determine the impact of these two scenarios on ozone formation. The maximum penetration scenario, which showed an overall reduction in oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)) because of the accelerated turnover of equipment to cleaner models, resulted in a net decrease in daily maximum 8-hr ozone of 4-5 parts per billion (ppb) despite the increase in NO2 emissions. The realistic scenario resulted in a small increase in daily maximum 8-hr ozone of less than 1 ppb for the DFW area. It was concluded that the excess NO2 emissions from DOC/DPF devices result in very small ozone impacts, particularly for the realistic scenario, in the DFW area. There are noticeable decreases in ozone for the maximum penetration scenario because NO

  10. Nitrogen inputs to a river course in a heavily impacted watershed: a combined hydrochemical and isotopic evaluation (Oglio River Basin, N Italy).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delconte, C A; Sacchi, E; Racchetti, E; Bartoli, M; Mas-Pla, J; Re, V

    2014-01-01

    This study aims at evaluating sources and processes affecting NO₃(-) concentrations in the Oglio River. Five sampling campaigns considered the main watercourse, tributaries, point pollution sources, springs, and groundwater. Physico-chemical parameters, N forms, B, Sr(2+), stable isotopes (δ(2)HH₂O, δ(18)OH₂O, δ(15)NNO₃, δ(18)ONO₃, δ(11)B) and discharge were measured. Hydrological modelling was performed using mass balance and End Member Mixing Analysis equations. During the irrigation period, in the upstream reach, up to 90% of the natural river flow is diverted for irrigation and industrial purposes; excess water drained from agricultural fields is returned to river in the downstream reach. Results evidenced, in the middle reach, a large input of NO₃(-)-rich groundwater which could be quantified using hydrological modelling. Groundwater inputs are responsible for the sharp, tenfold increase in NO₃(-) in the river water, from 2.2-4.4 up to 33.5 mgL(-1), and are more evident in summer, when discharge is lower. Nevertheless, river water preserves its natural B isotopic composition, indicating that the two tracers do not have a common origin and are not co-migrant. In the lower plain, surface-groundwater interconnections and human disturbances in the water cycle favour the recycling of the compounds in the environment, and lead to a similarity in composition of the different water bodies (Oglio River, tributaries and groundwater). The long lasting agronomical practices have profoundly modified the surface-groundwater equilibrium and chemical characteristics, resulting in a highly buffered system. Infiltrating irrigation water leaches down NO₃(-) which is subsequently denitrified; when returned to the Oglio River, groundwater modifies the river water composition by dilution, in the case of NO₃(-), or by addition, for other constituents (e.g. Cl(-), B). The results of this study indicate that, in order to reduce the NO3(-) transport towards the

  11. Incorporating nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria in the global biogeochemical model HAMOCC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulsen, Hanna; Ilyina, Tatiana; Six, Katharina

    2015-04-01

    Nitrogen fixation by marine diazotrophs plays a fundamental role in the oceanic nitrogen and carbon cycle as it provides a major source of 'new' nitrogen to the euphotic zone that supports biological carbon export and sequestration. Since most global biogeochemical models include nitrogen fixation only diagnostically, they are not able to capture its spatial pattern sufficiently. Here we present the incorporation of an explicit, dynamic representation of diazotrophic cyanobacteria and the corresponding nitrogen fixation in the global ocean biogeochemical model HAMOCC (Hamburg Ocean Carbon Cycle model), which is part of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology Earth system model (MPI-ESM). The parameterization of the diazotrophic growth is thereby based on available knowledge about the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium spp., which is considered as the most significant pelagic nitrogen fixer. Evaluation against observations shows that the model successfully reproduces the main spatial distribution of cyanobacteria and nitrogen fixation, covering large parts of the tropical and subtropical oceans. Besides the role of cyanobacteria in marine biogeochemical cycles, their capacity to form extensive surface blooms induces a number of bio-physical feedback mechanisms in the Earth system. The processes driving these interactions, which are related to the alteration of heat absorption, surface albedo and momentum input by wind, are incorporated in the biogeochemical and physical model of the MPI-ESM in order to investigate their impacts on a global scale. First preliminary results will be shown.

  12. Management of regional German river catchments (REGFLUD) impact of nitrogen reduction measures on the nitrogen load in the River Ems and the River Rhine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunkel, R; Bogena, H; Goemann, H; Kreins, P; Wendland, F

    2005-01-01

    The REGFLUD-project, commissioned by Germany's Federal Research Ministry (BMBF), addresses the problem of reducing diffuse pollution from agricultural production. The objective of the project is the development and application of multi-criteria scientific methods, which are able to predict diffuse pollution in river basins subject to economic feasibility and social acceptability. The selected river basins (Ems and Rhine basins) cover a variety of landscape units with different hydrological, hydrogeological and socio-economic characteristics. This paper focuses on the analysis of the effects of certain policy measures to reduce diffuse pollution by nitrogen. For this purpose a model system consisting of an agricultural sector model, a water balance model and a residence time/denitrification model was developed and applied. First results indicate a wide range of annual nitrogen surpluses for the rural areas between less than 10 kg N/ha up to 200 kg N/ha or more depending on the type and intensity of farming. Compared to the level of nitrogen surpluses the level of nitrogen inputs into the surface waters is relatively moderate because of degradation processes during transport in soil and groundwater. Policy impact analysis for a nitrogen tax and a limitation of the livestock density stress the importance of regionally tailored measures.

  13. Effect of nitrogen alloying on the microstructure and abrasive wear of stainless steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hawk, J.A.; Simmons, J.W.; Rawers, J.C.

    1994-01-01

    Alloying stainless steels with nitrogen has distinct advantages. Nitrogen is a strong austenite stabilizer and a potent solid-solution strengthener, and nitrogen has greater solubility than carbon iron. This study investigates the relationship among nitrogen concentration, precipitate microstructure, and abrasive wear using two high-nitrogen stainless steel alloys: Fe-19Cr-5Mn-5Ni-3Mo (SS1) and Fe-16Cr-7Mn-5Ni(SS2). Alloy SS1 contained 0.7 wt% N and was solution annealed at 1,150 C, thereby dissolving the nitrogen interstitially in the austenite. Subsequent aging, or cold work and aging, at 900 C led to the grain-boundary, cellular, and transgranular precipitation of Cr 2 N. Alloy SS2 was remelted in a high-pressure (200 MPa) N 2 atmosphere, leading to a spatial gradient of nitrogen in the alloy in the form of interstitial nitrogen and Cr 2 N and CrN precipitates. Nitrogen contents varied from a low of approximately 0.7 wt% at the bottom of the billet to a high of 3.6 wt% at the top. Nitrogen in excess of approximately 0.7 wt% formed increasingly coarser and more numerous Cr 2 N and CrN precipitates. The precipitate morphology created in alloy SS1 due to aging, or cold work and aging, had little effect on the abrasive wear of the alloy. However, a decrease in the abrasive wear rate in alloy SS2 was observed to correspond to the increase in number and size of the Cr 2 N and CrN precipitates

  14. Predictors of excessive use of social media and excessive online gaming in Czech teenagers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spilková, Jana; Chomynová, Pavla; Csémy, Ladislav

    2017-12-01

    Background and aims Young people's involvement in online gaming and the use of social media are increasing rapidly, resulting in a high number of excessive Internet users in recent years. The objective of this paper is to analyze the situation of excessive Internet use among adolescents in the Czech Republic and to reveal determinants of excessive use of social media and excessive online gaming. Methods Data from secondary school students (N = 4,887) were collected within the 2015 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. Logistic regression models were constructed to describe the individual and familial discriminative factors and the impact of the health risk behavior of (a) excessive users of social media and (b) excessive players of online games. Results The models confirmed important gender-specific distinctions - while girls are more prone to online communication and social media use, online gaming is far more prevalent among boys. The analysis did not indicate an influence of family composition on both the excessive use of social media and on excessive online gaming, and only marginal effects for the type of school attended. We found a connection between the excessive use of social media and binge drinking and an inverse relation between excessive online gaming and daily smoking. Discussion and conclusion The non-existence of significant associations between family environment and excessive Internet use confirmed the general, widespread of this phenomenon across the social and economic strata of the teenage population, indicating a need for further studies on the topic.

  15. Field scale interaction and nutrient exchange between surface water and shallow groundwater in the Baiyang Lake region, North China Plain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brauns, Bentje; Bjerg, Poul Løgstrup; Song, Xianfang

    2016-01-01

    in Hebei Province, China, was undertaken. The study showed a high influence of low-quality surface water on the shallow aquifer. Major inflowing pollutants into the aquifer were ammonium and nitrate via inflow from the adjacent Fu River (up to 29.8mg/L NH4-N and 6.8mg/L NO3-N), as well as nitrate via...... vertical transport from the field surface (up to 134.8mg/L NO3-N in soil water). Results from a conceptual model show an excess nitrogen input of about 320kg/ha/a. Nevertheless, both nitrogen species were only detected at low concentrations in shallow groundwater, averaging at 3.6mg/L NH4-N and 1.8mg/L NO3......-N. Measurement results supported by PHREEQC-modeling indicated cation exchange, denitrification, and anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled with partial denitrification as major nitrogen removal pathways. Despite the current removal capacity, the excessive nitrogen fertilization may pose a future...

  16. The G-factor in molecular nitrogen, oxygen and air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mentzoni, M.

    1987-06-01

    The electron energy relaxation in molecular nitrogen and oxygen is found experimentally using the methods of microwave cross-modulation, transport coeffisients, and flowing afterglows. On the basis of these results the excess electron energy loss factor, the G-factor, has been computed for nitrogen, oxygen and air as a function of electron temperature for various published effective electron collision frequencies. It is shown that the lack of a definitive theory for rotational excitation of O 2 , and very conflicting experimental results for this gas, yield a G-factor in air with a large degree of uncertainty. In spite of this uncertanty it is shown that the formula G = 18.9xT -1.5 , with T being the electron temperature in deg. K, agrees within 15% of the results obtained from swarm data and microwave cross-modulation

  17. Pre- and post-impoundment nitrogen in the lower Missouri River

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blevins, Dale W.; Wilkison, Donald H.; Niesen, Shelley L.

    2013-01-01

    Large water-sample sets collected from 1899 through 1902, 1907, and in the early 1950s allow comparisons of pre-impoundment and post-impoundment (1969 through 2008) nitrogen concentrations in the lower Missouri River. Although urban wastes were not large enough to detectably increase annual loads of total nitrogen at the beginning of the 20th century, carcass waste, stock-yard manure, and untreated human wastes measurably increased ammonia and organic-nitrogen concentrations during low flows. Average total-nitrogen concentrations in both periods were about 2.5 mg/l, but much of the particulate-organic nitrogen, which was the dominant form of nitrogen around 1900, has been replaced by nitrate. This change in speciation was caused by the nearly 80% decrease in suspended-sediment concentrations that occurred after impoundment, modern agriculture, drainage of riparian wetlands, and sewage treatment. Nevertheless, bioavailable nitrogen has not been low enough to limit primary production in the Missouri River since the beginning of the 20th century. Nitrate concentrations have increased more rapidly from 2000 through 2008 (5 to 12% per year), thus increasing bioavailable nitrogen delivered to the Mississippi River and affecting Gulf Coast hypoxia. The increase in nitrate concentrations with distance downstream is much greater during the post-impoundment period. If strategies to decrease total-nitrogen loads focus on particulate N, substantial decreases will be difficult because particulate nitrogen is now only 23% of total nitrogen in the Missouri River. A strategy aimed at decreasing particulates also could further exacerbate land loss along the Gulf of Mexico, which has been sediment starved since Missouri River impoundment. In contrast, strategies or benchmarks aimed at decreasing nitrate loads could substantially decrease nitrogen loadings because nitrates now constitute over half of the Missouri's nitrogen input to the Mississippi. Ongoing restoration and creation

  18. Anthropogenic nitrogen input traced by means of δ 15N values in macroalgae: Results from in-situ incubation experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deutsch, Barbara; Voss, Maren

    2006-01-01

    The macroalgae species Fucus vesiculosus (Phaeophyta), Polysiphonia sp., and Ceramium rubrum (Rhodophyta) originally grown at an unpolluted brackish site of the southern Baltic Sea were incubated for 10 and 14 days at 12 stations along a salinity gradient in a highly polluted estuary. We have expected an adaptation of the initially low δ 15 N values to the higher ones within the incubation period. In addition to the macroalgae the δ 15 N values of NO 3 - were measured to evaluate fractionation processes of the source nitrate. Inside the estuary, δ 15 N-NO 3 - values were 6.2-9.7 per mille , indicating anthropogenic nitrogen sources. The red macroalgae adequately reflected the nitrate isotope values in the surrounding waters, whereas for F. vesiculosus the results were not that clear. The reasons were assumed to be higher initial δ 15 N values of F. vesiculosus and presumably a too slow nitrogen uptake and growth rate. The method of macroalgae incubations seems suitable as a simple monitoring to study the influence of anthropogenic nitrogen loading in an estuarine environment

  19. Signatures of nitrogen stable isotope and determination of organic food authentication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan Yuwei; Zhang Zhiheng; Yang Guiling; Wang Qiang

    2009-01-01

    Chemical fertilizers were not permitted to be applied in organic agricultural production, so fertilizer as one of agricultural inputs is an important regulatory aspect in the organic food accreditation. Natural stable isotope abundances δ 15 N from different nitrogenous fertilizers are different, the same as in the agricultural products. Natural abundances δ 15 N in the agricultural products using organic fertilizer is higher than those in the products without using any fertilizer, while it is the lowest in the products using chemical nitrogenous fertilizer. Natural abundances δ 15 N are also affected by the ways of fertilizer treatment, the types of the crops and the growth stages as well as the different parts of crops. Generally, natural abundances of δ 15 N are preferred to trace nitrogenous fertilizer for the vegetables with shorter growing period, but not for the crops with longer growing period or nitrogen fixation. The techniques to trace the nitrogen abundances of δ 15 N in the crops play a positive role, which is useful for the determination of organic food authentication, perfecting the system of quality and supervision and protecting public health, therefore it has a theoretical and applied value. (authors)

  20. Modelling of long term nitrogen retention in surface waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halbfaß, S.; Gebel, M.; Bürger, S.

    2010-12-01

    In order to derive measures to reduce nutrient loadings into waters in Saxony, we calculated nitrogen inputs with the model STOFFBILANZ on the regional scale. Thereby we have to compare our modelling results to measured loadings at the river basin outlets, considering long term nutrient retention in surface waters. The most important mechanism of nitrogen retention is the denitrification in the contact zone of water and sediment, being controlled by hydraulic and micro-biological processes. Retention capacity is derived on the basis of the nutrient spiralling concept, using water residence time (hydraulic aspect) and time-specific N-uptake by microorganisms (biological aspect). Short time related processes of mobilization and immobilization are neglected, because they are of minor importance for the derivation of measures on the regional scale.

  1. COMPARISON OF GENKENSIA DEMISSA (DILLWYN) POPULATIONS IN RHODE ISLAND FRINGE MARSHES WITH VARYING NITROGEN LOADS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Increased residential development in coastal watersheds has led to increases in anthropogenic nitrogen inputs into estuaries. Sessile bivalves are good candidate organisms to examine animal condition in nutrient-enriched areas because they contribute significantly to energy flow...

  2. Nitrogen Removal in Greywater Living Walls: Insights into the Governing Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harsha S. Fowdar

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen is a pollutant of great concern when present in excess in surface waters. Living wall biofiltration systems that employ ornamentals and climbing plants are an emerging green technology that has recently demonstrated significant potential to reduce nitrogen concentrations from greywater before outdoor domestic re-use. However, there still exists a paucity of knowledge around the mechanisms governing this removal, particularly in regards to the fate of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON within these systems. Understanding the fate of nitrogen in living wall treatment systems is imperative both to optimise designs and to predict the long-term viability of these systems, more so given the growing interest in adopting green infrastructure within urban cities. A laboratory study was undertaken to investigate the transformation and fate of nitrogen in biofilters planted with different climbing plants and ornamental species. An isotropic tracer (15N-urea was applied to quantify the amount removed through coupled nitrification-denitrification. The results found that nitrification-denitrification formed a minor removal pathway in planted systems, comprising only 0–15% of added 15N. DON and ammonium were effectively reduced by all biofilter designs, indicating effective mineralisation and nitrification rates. However, in designs with poor nitrogen removal, the effluent was enriched with nitrate, suggesting limited denitrification rates. Given the likely dominance of plant assimilation in removal, this indicates that plant selection is a critical design parameter, as is maintaining healthy plant growth for optimal nitrogen removal in greywater living wall biofilters in their early years of operation.

  3. Increasing water productivity, nitrogen economy, and grain yield of rice by water saving irrigation and fertilizer-N management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aziz, Omar; Hussain, Saddam; Rizwan, Muhammad; Riaz, Muhammad; Bashir, Saqib; Lin, Lirong; Mehmood, Sajid; Imran, Muhammad; Yaseen, Rizwan; Lu, Guoan

    2018-06-01

    The looming water resources worldwide necessitate the development of water-saving technologies in rice production. An open greenhouse experiment was conducted on rice during the summer season of 2016 at Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China, in order to study the influence of irrigation methods and nitrogen (N) inputs on water productivity, N economy, and grain yield of rice. Two irrigation methods, viz. conventional irrigation (CI) and "thin-shallow-moist-dry" irrigation (TSMDI), and three levels of nitrogen, viz. 0 kg N ha -1 (N 0 ), 90 kg N ha -1 (N 1 ), and 180 kg N ha -1 (N 2 ), were examined with three replications. Study data indicated that no significant water by nitrogen interaction on grain yield, biomass, water productivity, N uptake, NUE, and fertilizer N balance was observed. Results revealed that TSMDI method showed significantly higher water productivity and irrigation water applications were reduced by 17.49% in TSMDI compared to CI. Thus, TSMDI enhanced root growth and offered significantly greater water saving along with getting more grain yield compared to CI. Nitrogen tracer ( 15 N) technique accurately assessed the absorption and distribution of added N in the soil crop environment and divulge higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) influenced by TSMDI. At the same N inputs, the TSMDI was the optimal method to minimize nitrogen leaching loss by decreasing water leakage about 18.63%, which are beneficial for the ecological environment.

  4. Overview of a public-industry partnership for enhancing corn nitrogen research and datasets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Due to economic and environmental consequences of nitrogen (N) lost from fertilizer applications in corn (Zea mays L.), considerable public and industry attention has been devoted to development of N decision tools. Now a wide variety of tools are available to farmers for managing N inputs. However,...

  5. Increased nitrogen availability counteracts climatic change feedback from increased temperature on boreal forest soil organic matter degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erhagen, Bjorn; Nilsson, Mats; Oquist, Mats; Ilstedt, Ulrik; Sparrman, Tobias; Schleucher, Jurgen

    2014-05-01

    Over the last century, the greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere have increased dramatically, greatly exceeding pre-industrial levels that had prevailed for the preceding 420 000 years. At the same time the annual anthropogenic contribution to the global terrestrial nitrogen cycle has increased and currently exceeds natural inputs. Both temperature and nitrogen levels have profound effects on the global carbon cycle including the rate of organic matter decomposition, which is the most important biogeochemical process that returns CO2 to the atmosphere. Here we show for the first time that increasing the availability of nitrogen not only directly affects the rate of organic matter decomposition but also significantly affects its temperature dependence. We incubated litter and soil organic matter from a long-term (40 years) nitrogen fertilization experiment in a boreal Scots pine (Pinus silvestris L.) forest at different temperatures and determined the temperature dependence of the decomposition of the sample's organic matter in each case. Nitrogen fertilization did not affect the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of the decomposition of fresh plant litter but strongly reduced that for humus soil organic matter. The Q10 response of the 0-3 cm soil layer decreased from 2.5±0.35 to an average of 1.9±0.21 over all nitrogen treatments, and from 2.2±0.19 to 1.6±0.16 in response to the most intense nitrogen fertilization treatment in the 4-7 cm soil layer. Long-term nitrogen additions also significantly affected the organic chemical composition (as determined by 13C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy) of the soil organic matter. These changes in chemical composition contributed significantly (p<0.05) to the reduced Q10 response. These new insights into the relationship between nitrogen availability and the temperature sensitivity of organic matter decomposition will be important for understanding and predicting how increases in global temperature and rising anthropogenic

  6. Adaptability of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts to wine fermentation conditions relies on their strong ability to consume nitrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are genetically diverse, largely as a result of human efforts to develop strains specifically adapted to various fermentation processes. These adaptive pressures from various ecological niches have generated behavioral differences among these strains, particularly in terms of their nitrogen consumption capacities. In this work, we characterize this phenotype by the specific quantity of nitrogen consumed under oenological fermentation conditions using a new approach. Indeed, unlike previous studies, our experiments were conducted in an environment containing excess nitrogen, eliminating the nitrogen limitation/starvation factor that is generally observed in fermentation processes. Using these conditions, we evaluated differences in the nitrogen consumption capacities for a set of five strains from diverse origins. The strains presented extremely different phenotypes and variations in their capacities to take up nitrogen from a wine fermentation environment. These variations reflect the differences in the nitrogen uptake capacities between wine and non-wine strains. Finally, the strains differed in their ability to adapt to the nitrogen composition of the environment, leading to variations in the cellular stress states, fermentation performances and the activity of the nitrogen sensing signaling pathway. PMID:29432462

  7. Adaptability of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts to wine fermentation conditions relies on their strong ability to consume nitrogen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brice, Claire; Cubillos, Francisco A; Dequin, Sylvie; Camarasa, Carole; Martínez, Claudio

    2018-01-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are genetically diverse, largely as a result of human efforts to develop strains specifically adapted to various fermentation processes. These adaptive pressures from various ecological niches have generated behavioral differences among these strains, particularly in terms of their nitrogen consumption capacities. In this work, we characterize this phenotype by the specific quantity of nitrogen consumed under oenological fermentation conditions using a new approach. Indeed, unlike previous studies, our experiments were conducted in an environment containing excess nitrogen, eliminating the nitrogen limitation/starvation factor that is generally observed in fermentation processes. Using these conditions, we evaluated differences in the nitrogen consumption capacities for a set of five strains from diverse origins. The strains presented extremely different phenotypes and variations in their capacities to take up nitrogen from a wine fermentation environment. These variations reflect the differences in the nitrogen uptake capacities between wine and non-wine strains. Finally, the strains differed in their ability to adapt to the nitrogen composition of the environment, leading to variations in the cellular stress states, fermentation performances and the activity of the nitrogen sensing signaling pathway.

  8. Developing a water and nitrogen management model for greenhouse vegetable production in China

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liang, Hao; Hu, Kelin; Batchelor, William D.; Qin, Wei; Li, Baoguo

    2018-01-01

    Excessive water and fertilizer inputs have led to a series of environmental problems in vegetable production areas in China. Identifying the fates of water and nutrients is crucial to develop best management strategies in intensive vegetable production systems. The objectives of this study were to

  9. Water deficit and nitrogen fertility effects on NDVI of 'Tifton 85' bermudagrass during regrowth

    Science.gov (United States)

    A better understanding of how bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) regrowth is influenced by production inputs will aid in advancing precision management in the southeast US. The objective of this two-yr study was to evaluate how irrigation and nitrogen influence bermudagrass regrowth. Normalized difference ...

  10. Measuring and modeling the temporal dynamics of nitrogen balance in an experimental-scale paddy field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, C.; Lin, Y.

    2013-12-01

    Nitrogen balance involves many mechanisms and plays an important role to maintain the function of nature. Fertilizer application in agriculture activity is usually seen as a common and significant nitrogen input to environment. Improper fertilizer application on paddy field can result in great amount of various types of nitrogen losses. Hence, it is essential to understand and quantify the nitrogen dynamics in paddy field for fertilizer management and pollution control. In this study, we develop a model which considers major transformation processes of nitrogen (e.g. volatilization, nitrification, denitrification and plant uptake). In addition, we measured different types of nitrogen in plants, soil and water at plant growth stages in an experimental-scale paddy field in Taiwan. The measurement includes total nitrogen in plants and soil, and ammonium-N (NH4+-N), nitrate-N (NO3--N) and organic nitrogen in water. The measured data were used to calibrate the model parameters and validate the model for nitrogen balance simulation. The results showed that the model can accurately estimate the temporal dynamics of nitrogen balance in paddy field during the whole growth stage. This model might be helpful and useful for future fertilizer management and pollution control in paddy field.

  11. Nitrogen content, 15N natural abundance and biomass of the two pleurocarpous mosses Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. and Scleropodium purum (Hedw.) Limpr. in relation to atmospheric nitrogen deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solga, A.; Burkhardt, J.; Zechmeister, H.G.; Frahm, J.-P.

    2005-01-01

    The suitability of the two pleurocarpous mosses Pleurozium schreberi and Scleropodium purum for assessing spatial variation in nitrogen deposition was investigated. Sampling was carried out at eight sites in the western part of Germany with bulk deposition rates ranging between 6.5 and 18.5 kg N ha -1 yr -1 . In addition to the effect of deposition on the nitrogen content of the two species, its influence on 15 N natural abundance (δ 15 N values) and on productivity was examined. Annual increases of the mosses were used for all analyses. Significant relationships between bulk N deposition and nitrogen content were obtained for both species; δ 15 N-values reflected the ratio of NH 4 -N to NO 3 -N in deposition. A negative effect of nitrogen input on productivity, i.e. decreasing biomass per area with increasing N deposition due to a reduction of stem density, was particularly evident with P. schreberi. Monitoring of N deposition by means of mosses is considered an important supplement to existing monitoring programs. It makes possible an improved spatial resolution, and thus those areas that receive high loads of nitrogen are more easily discernible. - Mosses are useful as monitors of nitrogen deposition

  12. Impact of Hydrologic and Micro-topographic Variabilities on Spatial Distribution of Mean Soil-Nitrogen Age

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woo, D.; Kumar, P.

    2015-12-01

    Excess reactive nitrogen in soils of intensively managed agricultural fields causes adverse environmental impact, and continues to remain a global concern. Many novel strategies have been developed to provide better management practices and, yet, the problem remains unresolved. The objective of this study is to develop a 3-dimensional model to characterize the spatially distributed ``age" of soil-nitrogen (nitrate and ammonia-ammonium) across a watershed. We use the general theory of age, which provides an assessment of the elapsed time since nitrogen is introduced into the soil system. Micro-topographic variability incorporates heterogeneity of nutrient transformations and transport associated with topographic depressions that form temporary ponds and produce prolonged periods of anoxic conditions, and roadside agricultural ditches that support rapid surface movement. This modeling effort utilizes 1-m Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data. We find a significant correlation between hydrologic variability and mean nitrate age that enables assessment of preferential flow paths of nitrate leaching. The estimation of the mean nitrogen age can thus serve as a tool to disentangle complex nitrogen dynamics by providing the analysis of the time scales of soil-nitrogen transformation and transport processes without introducing additional parameters.

  13. Elementary budget of stag beetle larvae associated with selective utilization of nitrogen in decaying wood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanahashi, Masahiko; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Kubota, Kôhei

    2018-06-01

    Wood degradation by insects plays important roles for the forest matter cycling. Since wood is deficient in nitrogen compared to the insect body, wood-feeding insects need to assimilate the nitrogen selectively and discard an excess carbon. Such a stoichiometric imbalance between food and body will cause high metabolic cost; therefore, wood-feeding insects may somehow alleviate the stoichiometric imbalance. Here, we investigated the carbon and nitrogen budgets of the larvae of stag beetle, Dorcus rectus, which feed on decaying wood. Assimilation efficiency of ingested wood was 22%, and those values based on the carbon and nitrogen were 27 and 45%, respectively, suggesting the selective digestion of nitrogen in wood. Element-based gross growth efficiency was much higher for nitrogen (45%) than for carbon (3%). As a result, the larvae released 24% of the ingested carbon as volatile, whereas almost no gaseous exchange was observed for nitrogen. Moreover, solubility-based elementary analysis revealed that the larvae mainly utilized alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble fraction of wood, which is rich in nitrogen. Actually, the midgut of the larvae was highly alkaline (pH 10.3). Stag beetle larvae are known to exhibit coprophagy, and here we also confirmed that alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble nitrogen increased again from fresh feces to old feces in the field. Stable isotope analysis suggested the utilization of aerial nitrogen by larvae; however, its actual contribution is still disputable. Those results suggest that D. rectus larvae selectively utilize alkaline-soluble nitrogenous substrates by using their highly alkaline midgut, and perhaps associate with microbes that enhance the nitrogen recycling in feces.

  14. Elementary budget of stag beetle larvae associated with selective utilization of nitrogen in decaying wood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanahashi, Masahiko; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Kubota, Kôhei

    2018-05-03

    Wood degradation by insects plays important roles for the forest matter cycling. Since wood is deficient in nitrogen compared to the insect body, wood-feeding insects need to assimilate the nitrogen selectively and discard an excess carbon. Such a stoichiometric imbalance between food and body will cause high metabolic cost; therefore, wood-feeding insects may somehow alleviate the stoichiometric imbalance. Here, we investigated the carbon and nitrogen budgets of the larvae of stag beetle, Dorcus rectus, which feed on decaying wood. Assimilation efficiency of ingested wood was 22%, and those values based on the carbon and nitrogen were 27 and 45%, respectively, suggesting the selective digestion of nitrogen in wood. Element-based gross growth efficiency was much higher for nitrogen (45%) than for carbon (3%). As a result, the larvae released 24% of the ingested carbon as volatile, whereas almost no gaseous exchange was observed for nitrogen. Moreover, solubility-based elementary analysis revealed that the larvae mainly utilized alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble fraction of wood, which is rich in nitrogen. Actually, the midgut of the larvae was highly alkaline (pH 10.3). Stag beetle larvae are known to exhibit coprophagy, and here we also confirmed that alkaline-soluble-water-insoluble nitrogen increased again from fresh feces to old feces in the field. Stable isotope analysis suggested the utilization of aerial nitrogen by larvae; however, its actual contribution is still disputable. Those results suggest that D. rectus larvae selectively utilize alkaline-soluble nitrogenous substrates by using their highly alkaline midgut, and perhaps associate with microbes that enhance the nitrogen recycling in feces.

  15. ACTIVATION PARAMETERS AND EXCESS THERMODYANAMIC ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Applying these data, viscosity-B-coefficients, activation parameters (Δμ10≠) and (Δμ20≠) and excess thermodynamic functions, viz., excess molar volume (VE), excess viscosity, ηE and excess molar free energy of activation of flow, (GE) were calculated. The value of interaction parameter, d, of Grunberg and Nissan ...

  16. Occurrence and transport of nitrogen in the Big Sunflower River, northwestern Mississippi, October 2009-June 2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barlow, Jeannie R.B.; Coupe, Richard H.

    2014-01-01

    The Big Sunflower River Basin, located within the Yazoo River Basin, is subject to large annual inputs of nitrogen from agriculture, atmospheric deposition, and point sources. Understanding how nutrients are transported in, and downstream from, the Big Sunflower River is key to quantifying their eutrophying effects on the Gulf. Recent results from two Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes (SPARROW models), which include the Big Sunflower River, indicate minimal losses of nitrogen in stream reaches typical of the main channels of major river systems. If SPARROW assumptions of relatively conservative transport of nitrogen are correct and surface-water losses through the bed of the Big Sunflower River are negligible, then options for managing nutrient loads to the Gulf of Mexico may be limited. Simply put, if every pound of nitrogen entering the Delta is eventually delivered to the Gulf, then the only effective nutrient management option in the Delta is to reduce inputs. If, on the other hand, it can be shown that processes within river channels of the Mississippi Delta act to reduce the mass of nitrogen in transport, other hydrologic approaches may be designed to further limit nitrogen transport. Direct validation of existing SPARROW models for the Delta is a first step in assessing the assumptions underlying those models. In order to characterize spatial and temporal variability of nitrogen in the Big Sunflower River Basin, water samples were collected at four U.S. Geological Survey gaging stations located on the Big Sunflower River between October 1, 2009, and June 30, 2011. Nitrogen concentrations were generally highest at each site during the spring of the 2010 water year and the fall and winter of the 2011 water year. Additionally, the dominant form of nitrogen varied between sites. For example, in samples collected from the most upstream site (Clarksdale), the concentration of organic nitrogen was generally higher than the concentrations of

  17. Comparison of chemical inputs consumption in saffron and wheat fields in Qaenat region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Yaghoubi

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Commercialization of agricultural operations and use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agricultural production has been created serious environmental impacts. Due to this issue and in order to assess the amount of chemical fertilizer and pesticide inputs in saffron and wheat production systems, a study was conducted in Qaenat region (South Khorasan province, 50 wheat fields and 48 saffron fields were investigated during 2011-12. The results showed that average nitrogen fertilizer consumption was 222.38 and 57.83 kg.ha-1 in wheat and saffron production systems, respectively, which from sstatistically point of view the difference was significant. In addition, unlike wheat, the use of pesticides very low in saffron cultivation and in many saffron farms it was zero. Therefore, the results can be considered saffron is an healthier product and have greater potential to organic product. Also, the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers which were using in wheat in the study area were significantly different with recommended values. While in saffron production there was no significant difference between the values of consumed and recommended. Therefore, it seems, performing soil testing in each region and providing appropriate fertilizer formulas and required promotional-educational services in this regard, and raising public awareness is a good strategy for reducing the use of chemical inputs.

  18. Nitrogen transport, transformation, and retention in the Three Gorges Reservoir : A mass balance approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ran, Xiangbin; Bouwman, Lex; Yu, Zhigang; Beusen, Arthur; Chen, Hongtao; Yao, Qingzhen

    2017-01-01

    Dam construction in river systems affects the biogeochemistry of nitrogen (N), yet most studies on N cycling in reservoirs do not consider the transformations and retention of the different N species. This study addresses the N inputs, transport, transformations, and retention in the Three Gorges

  19. Effects of wastewater treatment plant effluent inputs on planktonic metabolic rates and microbial community composition in the Baltic Sea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vaquer-Sunyer, Raquel; Reader, Heather E.; Muthusamy, Saraladevi

    2016-01-01

    ) contribute to eutrophication as they are important sources of nitrogen to coastal areas. Here, we evaluated the effects of wastewater treatment plant effluent inputs on Baltic Sea planktonic communities in four experiments. We tested for effects of effluent inputs on chlorophyll a content, bacterial....... An increase in BP and decrease in CR could be caused by high lability of the DOM that can support secondary bacterial production, without an increase in respiration. Increases in bacterial production and simultaneous decreases of primary production lead to more carbon being consumed in the microbial loop...

  20. Emissions of nitric oxide from 79 plant species in response to simulated nitrogen deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Juan; Wu Feihua; Liu Tingwu; Chen Lei; Xiao Qiang; Dong Xuejun; He Junxian; Pei Zhenming; Zheng Hailei

    2012-01-01

    To assess the potential contribution of nitric oxide (NO) emission from the plants grown under the increasing nitrogen (N) deposition to atmospheric NO budget, the effects of simulated N deposition on NO emission and various leaf traits (e.g., specific leaf area, leaf N concentration, net photosynthetic rate, etc.) were investigated in 79 plant species classified by 13 plant functional groups. Simulated N deposition induced the significant increase of NO emission from most functional groups, especially from conifer, gymnosperm and C 3 herb. Moreover, the change rate of NO emission was significantly correlated with the change rate of various leaf traits. We conclude that the plants grown under atmospheric N deposition, especially in conifer, gymnosperm and C 3 herb, should be taken into account as an important biological source of NO and potentially contribute to atmospheric NO budget. - Highlights: ► Simulated N deposition induces the significant increase of NO emission from plants. ► The increased NO emission is closely related to leaf N level and net photosynthesis. ► Abundant nitrite accumulation is a reason of NO emission induced by excess N input. ► The plants grown under N deposition potentially contribute to atmospheric NO budget. - Simulated N deposition induced a significant increase of NO emission from 79 plants.

  1. Nitrogen fixation in different chickpea cultivars as affected by iron application N-15 Technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gadalla, A M; Soliman, S M; Abdelmonem, M [Soil and Water Dept., Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, (Egypt)

    1995-10-01

    With development of new cultivars of winter chickpea, it became important to evaluate the potential of these cultivars to fix nitrogen from air, and the effect of different agronomic factors on this important process. Greenhouse experiment was conducted to screen five cultivars of chickpea for N 2- fixation ability as affected by iron application. These cultivars were Giza 1,2,531 and 88 as compared with L 3 which was developed from the genotype NEC 1055 by irradiation. N 2- fixation was estimated using N-15 technique. Plant materials were collected after 55 days from planing. Plants samples were analysed for total N-15 atom excess. Results show that Giza 88 gave the highest dry matter as well as nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen derived from air (NDFA) ranged from 27 to 50% due to variety difference and iron treatment. 1 fig., 3 tabs.

  2. Nitrogen fixation in different chickpea cultivars as affected by iron application N-15 Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gadalla, A.M.; Soliman, S.M.; Abdelmonem, M.

    1995-01-01

    With development of new cultivars of winter chickpea, it became important to evaluate the potential of these cultivars to fix nitrogen from air, and the effect of different agronomic factors on this important process. Greenhouse experiment was conducted to screen five cultivars of chickpea for N 2- fixation ability as affected by iron application. These cultivars were Giza 1,2,531 and 88 as compared with L 3 which was developed from the genotype NEC 1055 by irradiation. N 2- fixation was estimated using N-15 technique. Plant materials were collected after 55 days from planing. Plants samples were analysed for total N-15 atom excess. Results show that Giza 88 gave the highest dry matter as well as nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen derived from air (NDFA) ranged from 27 to 50% due to variety difference and iron treatment. 1 fig., 3 tabs

  3. Calibration and Validation of the Precision Nitrogen Management Tool for Artificially Drained Fields Under Maize

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marjerison, R.; Hutson, J.; Melkonian, J.; van Es, H.; Sela, S.

    2015-12-01

    Organic and inorganic fertilizer additions to agricultural fields can lead to soil nitrogen (N) levels in excess of those required for optimal crop growth. The primary loss pathways for this excess N are leaching and denitrification. Nitrate leaching from agricultural sources contributes to the formation of hypoxic zones in critical estuarine systems including the Chesapeake Bay and Gulf of Mexico. Denitrification can lead to the production of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. Agricultural practices such as controlling the timing and location of fertilizer application can help reduce these losses. The Precision Nitrogen Management (PNM) model was developed to simulate water transport, nitrogen transformations and transport, and crop growth and nutrient uptake from agricultural fields. The PNM model allows for the prediction of N losses under a variety of crop and management scenarios. Recent improvements to the model include the option to simulate artificially drained fields. The model performs well in simulating drainage and nitrate leaching when compared to measured data from field studies in artificially drained soils in New York and Minnesota. A simulated N budget was compared to available data. The improved model will be used to assess different management options for reducing N losses in maize production under different climate projections for key maize production locations/systems in the U.S.

  4. Bulk input queues with quorum and multiple vacations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dshalalow Jewgeni H.

    1996-01-01

    Full Text Available The authors study a single-server queueing system with bulk arrivals and batch service in accordance to the general quorum discipline: a batch taken for service is not less than r and not greater than R ( ≥ r . The server takes vacations each time the queue level falls below r ( ≥ 1 in accordance with the multiple vacation discipline. The input to the system is assumed to be a compound Poisson process. The analysis of the system is based on the theory of first excess processes developed by the first author. A preliminary analysis of such processes enabled the authors to obtain all major characteristics for the queueing process in an analytically tractable form. Some examples and applications are given.

  5. Stable nitrogen isotopes in coastal macroalgae: Geographic and anthropogenic variability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Viana, Inés G., E-mail: ines.gonzalez@co.ieo.es; Bode, Antonio

    2013-01-15

    Growing human population adds to the natural nitrogen loads to coastal waters. Both anthropogenic and natural nitrogen is readily incorporated in new biomass, and these different nitrogen sources may be traced by the measurement of the ratio of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ{sup 15}N). In this study δ{sup 15}N was determined in two species of macroalgae (Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus), and in nitrate and ammonium to determine the relative importance of anthropogenic versus natural sources of nitrogen along the coast of NW Spain. Both algal species and nitrogen sources showed similar isotopic enrichment for a given site, but algal δ{sup 15}N was not related to either inorganic nitrogen concentrations or δ{sup 15}N in the water samples. The latter suggests that inorganic nitrogen inputs are variable and do not always leave an isotopic trace in macroalgae. However, a significant linear decrease in macroalgal δ{sup 15}N along the coast is consistent with the differential effect of upwelling. Besides this geographic variability, the influence of anthropogenic nitrogen sources is evidenced by higher δ{sup 15}N in macroalgae from rias and estuaries compared to those from open coastal areas and in areas with more than 15 × 10{sup 3} inhabitants in the watershed. These results indicate that, in contrast with other studies, macroalgal δ{sup 15}N is not simply related to either inorganic nitrogen concentrations or human population size but depends on other factors as the upwelling or the efficiency of local waste treatment systems. - Highlights: ► Anthropogenic versus upwelling nitrogen effect on macroalgal δ{sup 15}N was studied. ► The influence of populations and upwelling has not been made before on macroalgal δ{sup 15}N. ► Natural variability has not been taken into account in most biomonitoring studies. ► Upwelling explains most of the variability in δ{sup 15}N in macroalgae.

  6. Economic Benefits of Aerobic Rice Grown Using Integrated Nitrogen Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nyle A. Pardillo

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses in the effect of integrated nitrogen management to the yield and economic benefits of aerobic rice. This will help farmers to identify which of the two management technique to use to save costs while profit is high. A split plot experiment in Randomized Complete Block design is used with two main treatments and four sub treatments. Main treatments are the use of integrated nitrogen management and an application of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. Sub treatments are the different rates of nitrogen fertilizer from 0 as control, 90, 120 and 150 kg N ha-1 . Data are consolidated and analyzed using the ANOVA of SAS 9.3 statistical tool and comparison means at 5% significance level in Duncan Multiple Range Test. Grain yield, income, costs, profit and return on expenses are the data gathered. There is an increasing yield from control to 120 kg N ha-1 and started to decline at 150 kg N ha-1 because optimum level reached at 120 kg N ha-1 . Significant increased in yield was observed in plants applied with integrated nitrogen management at 120 kg N ha-1 compared to plants applied with synthetic nitrogen due to release of nitrogen that contributed to the yield of aerobic rice. However, plants applied of 90 kg N ha-1 synthetic nitrogen gives significant yield increased compared to plants with integrated nitrogen management. Yield was subjected to economic analysis using gross income, costs and profit and return on expenses. Plants applied with synthetic nitrogen at 90 kg N ha-1 resulted to high income due to lower costs of fertilizer inputs and only treatment that has a positive return on expenses at 3.2% while other treatments have a negative remarks. This will lead to a conclusion that 90 kg N ha-1 is the optimum level of nitrogen that can give high yield and positive return on expenses that farmers will benefited.

  7. A coupled system of half-nitritation and ANAMMOX for mature landfill leachate nitrogen removal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yun; Li, Jun; Zhao, Baihang; Wang, Xiujie; Zhang, Yanzhuo; Wei, Jia; Bian, Wei

    2017-09-01

    A coupled system of membrane bioreactor-nitritation (MBR-nitritation) and up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket-anaerobic ammonium oxidation (UASB-ANAMMOX) was employed to treat mature landfill leachate containing high ammonia nitrogen and low C/N. MBR-nitritation was successfully realized for undiluted mature landfill leachate with initial concentrations of 900-1500 mg/L [Formula: see text] and 2000-4000 mg/L chemical oxygen demand. The effluent [Formula: see text] concentration and the [Formula: see text] accumulation efficiency were 889 mg/L and 97% at 125 d, respectively. Half-nitritation was quickly realized by adjustment of hydraulic retention time and dissolved oxygen (DO), and a low DO control strategy could allow long-term stable operation. The UASB-ANAMMOX system showed high effective nitrogen removal at a low concentration of mature landfill leachate. The nitrogen removal efficiency was inhibited at excessive influent substrate concentration and the nitrogen removal efficiency of the system decreased as the concentration of mature landfill leachate increased. The MBR-nitritation and UASB-ANAMMOX processes were coupled for mature landfill leachate treatment and together resulted in high effective nitrogen removal. The effluent average total nitrogen concentration and removal efficiency values were 176 mg/L and 83%, respectively. However, the average nitrogen removal load decreased from 2.16 to 0.77 g/(L d) at higher concentrations of mature landfill leachate.

  8. Effect of plant species on nitrogen recovery in aquaponics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zhen; Lee, Jae Woo; Chandran, Kartik; Kim, Sungpyo; Brotto, Ariane Coelho; Khanal, Samir Kumar

    2015-01-01

    Nitrogen transformations in aquaponics with different edible plant species, i.e., tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and pak choi (Brassica campestris L. subsp. chinensis) were systematically examined and compared. Results showed that nitrogen utilization efficiencies (NUE) of tomato- and pak choi-based aquaponic systems were 41.3% and 34.4%, respectively. The abundance of nitrifying bacteria in tomato-based aquaponics was 4.2-folds higher than that in pak choi-based aquaponics, primarily due to its higher root surface area. In addition, tomato-based aquaponics had better water quality than that of pak choi-based aquaponics. About 1.5-1.9% of nitrogen input were emitted to atmosphere as nitrous oxide (N2O) in tomato- and pak choi-based aquaponic systems, respectively, suggesting that aquaponics is a potential anthropogenic source of N2O emission. Overall, this is the first intensive study that examined the role plant species played in aquaponics, which could provide new strategy in designing and operating an aquaponic system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. A fate model for nitrogen dynamics in the Scheldt basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haest, Pieter Jan; van der Kwast, Johannes; Broekx, Steven; Seuntjens, Piet

    2010-05-01

    The European Union (EU) adopted the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in 2000 ensuring that all aquatic ecosystems meet ‘good ecological status' by 2015. However, the large population density in combination with agricultural and industrial activities in some European river basins pose challenges for river basin managers in meeting this status. The EU financed AQUAREHAB project (FP7) specifically examines the ecological and economic impact of innovative rehabilitation technologies for multi-pressured degraded waters. For this purpose, a numerical spatio-temporal model is developed to evaluate innovative technologies versus conventional measures at the river basin scale. The numerical model describes the nitrogen dynamics in the Scheldt river basin. Nitrogen is examined since nitrate is of specific concern in Belgium, the country comprising the largest area of the Scheldt basin. The Scheldt basin encompasses 20000 km2 and houses over 10 million people. The governing factors describing nitrogen fluxes at this large scale differ from the field scale with a larger uncertainty on input data. As such, the environmental modeling language PCRaster was selected since it was found to provide a balance between process descriptions and necessary input data. The resulting GIS-based model simulates the nitrogen dynamics in the Scheldt basin with a yearly time step and a spatial resolution of 1 square kilometer. A smaller time step is being evaluated depending on the description of the hydrology. The model discerns 4 compartments in the Scheldt basin: the soil, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater and the river network. Runoff and water flow occurs along the steepest slope in all model compartments. Diffuse emissions and direct inputs are calculated from administrative and statistical data. These emissions are geographically defined or are distributed over the domain according to land use and connectivity to the sewer system. The reactive mass transport is described using

  10. The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and free living nitrogen fixing bacteria on growth, photosynthesis and yield of corn

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    mohsen jahan

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, biological fertilizers have received special attention by scientists in sustainable and low input agriculture. In order to study the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and free living nitrogen fixing bacteria on growth and photosynthesis characteristics of corn in conventional and ecological cropping systems, a field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during year 2006. A split plots arrangement based on randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Treatments consisted four cropping systems (1- High input conventional system, 2- Medium input conventional system, 3- Low input conventional system and 4- Ecological system and four inoculations (1- Mycorrhiza fungus, Glomus intraradices, 2- Bacteria, Azotobacter paspali and Azospirillum brasilense, 3- Dual inoculation, Fungus plus bacteria, and 4- No-inoculation, control, which were allocated to main plots and sub plots, respectively. All agronomic practices and inputs application during planting and nursing for each of cropping systems were conducted according to regional traditions. Results showed that the effect of inoculation on photosynthesis rates of corn was significant, as the highest photosynthesis rate obtained in dual inoculation. Single inoculation (fungus or bacteria was ranked second. The effect of all inoculations on corn dry matter production was significant and dual inoculation produced the highest dry matter yield. The cropping systems have significant effect on corn yield and the difference between medium input conventional system and high input conventional system was significant, but the high input, low input and ecological cropping systems showed no differences. Inoculants affected the SPAD readings, and dual inoculation showed the highest SPAD readings. This study showed that utilization of low input conventional and ecological systems in combination with use of dual inoculation of

  11. Coupled hydrological and biogeochemical processes controlling variability of nitrogen species in streamflow during autumn in an upland forest

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sebestyen, Stephen D.; Shanley, James B.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; Kendall, Carol; Doctor, Daniel H.

    2014-01-01

    Autumn is a season of dynamic change in forest streams of the northeastern United States due to effects of leaf fall on both hydrology and biogeochemistry. Few studies have explored how interactions of biogeochemical transformations, various nitrogen sources, and catchment flow paths affect stream nitrogen variation during autumn. To provide more information on this critical period, we studied (1) the timing, duration, and magnitude of changes to stream nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and ammonium concentrations; (2) changes in nitrate sources and cycling; and (3) source areas of the landscape that most influence stream nitrogen. We collected samples at higher temporal resolution for a longer duration than typical studies of stream nitrogen during autumn. This sampling scheme encompassed the patterns and extremes that occurred during base flow and stormflow events of autumn. Base flow nitrate concentrations decreased by an order of magnitude from 5.4 to 0.7 µmol L−1 during the week when most leaves fell from deciduous trees. Changes to rates of biogeochemical transformations during autumn base flow explained the low nitrate concentrations; in-stream transformations retained up to 72% of the nitrate that entered a stream reach. A decrease of in-stream nitrification coupled with heterotrophic nitrate cycling were primary factors in the seasonal nitrate decline. The period of low nitrate concentrations ended with a storm event in which stream nitrate concentrations increased by 25-fold. In the ensuing weeks, peak stormflow nitrate concentrations progressively decreased over closely spaced, yet similarly sized events. Most stormflow nitrate originated from nitrification in near-stream areas with occasional, large inputs of unprocessed atmospheric nitrate, which has rarely been reported for nonsnowmelt events. A maximum input of 33% unprocessed atmospheric nitrate to the stream occurred during one event. Large inputs of unprocessed atmospheric nitrate

  12. Synthesis and review: Tackling the nitrogen management challenge: from global to local scales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis, Stefan; Bekunda, Mateete; Howard, Clare M.; Karanja, Nancy; Winiwarter, Wilfried; Yan, Xiaoyuan; Bleeker, Albert; Sutton, Mark A.

    2016-12-01

    One of the ‘grand challenges’ of this age is the anthropogenic impact exerted on the nitrogen cycle. Issues of concern range from an excess of fixed nitrogen resulting in environmental pressures for some regions, while for other regions insufficient fixed nitrogen affects food security and may lead to health risks. To address these issues, nitrogen needs to be managed in an integrated fashion, at a variety of scales (from global to local). Such management has to be based on a thorough understanding of the sources of reactive nitrogen released into the environment, its deposition and effects. This requires a comprehensive assessment of the key drivers of changes in the nitrogen cycle both spatially, at the field, regional and global scale and over time. In this focus issue, we address the challenges of managing reactive nitrogen in the context of food production and its impacts on human and ecosystem health. In addition, we discuss the scope for and design of management approaches in regions with too much and too little nitrogen. This focus issue includes several contributions from authors who participated at the N2013 conference in Kampala in November 2013, where delegates compiled and agreed upon the ‘Kampala Statement-for-Action on Reactive Nitrogen in Africa and Globally’. These contributions further underline scientifically the claims of the ‘Kampala Statement’, that simultaneously reducing pollution and increasing nitrogen available in the food system, by improved nitrogen management offers win-wins for environment, health and food security in both developing and developed economies. The specific messages conveyed in the Kampala Statement focus on improving nitrogen management (I), including the reduction of nitrogen losses from agriculture, industry, transport and energy sectors, as well as improving waste treatment and informing individuals and institutions (II). Highlighting the need for innovation and increased awareness among stakeholders (III

  13. Integrated analysis of the effects of agricultural management on nitrogen fluxes at landscape scale

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kros, J.; Frumeau, K.F.A.; Hensen, A.; Vries, de W.

    2011-01-01

    The integrated modelling system INITIATOR was applied to a landscape in the northern part of the Netherlands to assess current nitrogen fluxes to air and water and the impact of various agricultural measures on these fluxes, using spatially explicit input data on animal numbers, land use,

  14. Erratum to: Estimating the crop response to fertilizer nitrogen residues in long-continued field experiments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Jens; Thomsen, Ingrid Kaag; Mattson, L

    2012-01-01

    Knowledge of the cumulated effect of long-continued nitrogen (N) inputs is important for both agronomic and environmental reasons. However, only little attention has been paid to estimate the crop response to mineral fertilizer N residues. Before interpreting estimates for the crop response...

  15. 21 CFR 862.1515 - Nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system. 862.1515... Systems § 862.1515 Nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system. (a) Identification. A nitrogen (amino-nitrogen) test system is a device intended to measure amino acid nitrogen levels in serum, plasma, and urine...

  16. Uptake of fertilizer nitrogen and soil nitrogen by rice using 15N-labelled nitrogen fertilizer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, K.R.; Patrick, W.H. Jr.

    1980-01-01

    Data from five field experiments using labelled nitrogen fertilizer were used to determine the relative effects of soil nitrogen and fertilizer nitrogen on rice yield. Yield of grain was closely correlated with total aboveground nitrogen uptake (soil + fertilizer), less closely correlated with soil nitrogen uptake and not significantly correlated with fertilizer nitrogen uptake. When yield increase rather than yield was correlated with fertilizer nitrogen uptake, the correlation coefficient was statistically significant. (orig.)

  17. First approach to the Japanese nitrogen footprint model to predict the loss of nitrogen to the environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibata, Hideaki; Cattaneo, Lia R.; Leach, Allison M.; Galloway, James N.

    2014-11-01

    Humans increase the amount of reactive nitrogen (all N species except N2) in the environment through a number of processes, primarily food and energy production. Once in the environment, excess reactive nitrogen may cause a host of various environmental problems. Understanding and controlling individual nitrogen footprints is important for preserving environmental and human health. In this paper we present the per capita nitrogen footprint of Japan. We considered the effect of the international trade of food and feed, and the impact of dietary preferences among different consumer age groups. Our results indicate that the current average per capita N footprint in Japan considering trade is 28.1 kg N capita-1 yr-1. This footprint is dominated by food (25.6 kg N capita-1 yr-1), with the remainder coming from the housing, transportation, and goods and services sectors. The difference in food choices and intake between age groups strongly affected the food N footprint. Younger age groups tend to consume more meat and less fish, which leads to a larger food N footprint (e.g., 27.5 kg N capita-1 yr-1 for ages 20 to 29) than for older age groups (e.g., 23.0 kg N capita-1 yr-1 for ages over 70). The consideration of food and feed imports to Japan reduced the per capita N footprint from 37.0 kg N capita-1 yr-1 to 28.1 kg N capita-1 yr-1. The majority of the imported food had lower virtual N factors (i.e., Nr loss factors for food production), indicating that less N is released to the environment during the respective food production processes. Since Japan relies on imported food (ca. 61%) more than food produced domestically, much of the N losses associated with the food products is released in exporting countries.

  18. Excess Entropy and Diffusivity

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Graphics. Excess Entropy and Diffusivity. Excess entropy scaling of diffusivity (Rosenfeld,1977). Analogous relationships also exist for viscosity and thermal conductivity.

  19. Linking Watershed Nitrogen Sources with Nitrogen Dynamics in Rivers of Western Oregon, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobota, D. J.; Compton, J.; Goodwin, K. E.

    2012-12-01

    We constructed contemporary nitrogen (N) budgets for 25 river basins in the Willamette River Basin (WRB) of western Oregon, USA, to improve the understanding of how recent trends in human-driven N loading have influenced riverine N dynamics in the region. Nearly 20% of WRB stream length is currently in fair or poor condition because of high N concentrations. Additionally, nitrate contamination of drinking water affects at least 8,000 people in the WRB. We hypothesized that 1) the majority of N inputs in the WRB would originate from agricultural activities in lowland portions of watersheds, 2) annual riverine N yield (kg/ha/yr) would correspond to annual per area watershed N inputs, and 3) riverine N yields would be seasonal and highest during winter due to the region's Mediterranean climate. We calculated average annual N inputs for each study basin by summing newly available datasets describing spatially explicit N inputs of synthetic fertilizer, atmospheric deposition, crop biological N2 fixation, biological N2 fixation by red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.), livestock manure, and point sources for the period 1996 - 2007. Annual and seasonal riverine N exports were estimated with the USGS model LOADEST calibrated to N concentration data collected during the study period. We estimated that two-thirds of total N input to the WRB study basins in the 2000s came from synthetic fertilizer application. Nearly all fertilizer application occurred on the lowlands near watershed mouths. We found a wide range of riverine N yields from the study basins, ranging from one to 70 kg N/ha/yr. Across the study basins, N export was more strongly correlated to fertilizer application rates than to percent of agricultural area in the watershed. Low watershed N yields reflected a high proportion of watershed area in the forested Cascade Mountain Range, which received low N inputs mainly from atmospheric deposition. N yields from study basins were strongly seasonal, with at least 50%, and

  20. Reducing human nitrogen use for food production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Junguo; Ma, Kun; Ciais, Philippe; Polasky, Stephen

    2016-07-22

    Reactive nitrogen (N) is created in order to sustain food production, but only a small fraction of this N ends up being consumed as food, the rest being lost to the environment. We calculated that the total N input (TN) of global food production was 171 Tg N yr(-1) in 2000. The production of animal products accounted for over 50% of the TN, against 17% for global calories production. Under current TN per unit of food production and assuming no change in agricultural practices and waste-to-food ratios, we estimate that an additional TN of 100 Tg N yr(-1) will be needed by 2030 for a baseline scenario that would meet hunger alleviation targets for over 9 billion people. Increased animal production will have the largest impact on increasing TN, which calls for new food production systems with better N-recycling, such as cooperation between crop and livestock producing farms. Increased N-use efficiency, healthier diet and decreased food waste could mitigate this increase and even reduce TN in 2030 by 8% relative to the 2000 level. Achieving a worldwide reduction of TN is a major challenge that requires sustained actions to improve nitrogen management practices and reduce nitrogen losses into the environment.

  1. Nucleus Accumbens Shell and mPFC but not Insula Orexin-1 Receptors Promote Excessive Alcohol Drinking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly Lei

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Addiction to alcohol remains a major social and economic problem, in part because of the high motivation for alcohol that humans exhibit and the hazardous binge intake this promotes. Orexin-1-type receptors (OX1Rs promote reward intake under conditions of strong drives for reward, including excessive alcohol intake. While systemic modulation of OX1Rs can alter alcohol drinking, the brain regions that mediate this OX1R enhancement of excessive drinking remain unknown. Given the importance of the nucleus accumbens (NAc and anterior insular cortex (aINS in driving many addictive behaviors, including OX1Rs within these regions, we examined the importance of OX1Rs in these regions on excessive alcohol drinking in C57BL/6 mice during limited-access alcohol drinking in the dark cycle. Inhibition of OX1Rs with the widely used SB-334867 within the medial NAc Shell (mNAsh significantly reduced drinking of alcohol, with no effect on saccharin intake, and no effect on alcohol consumption when infused above the mNAsh. In contrast, intra-mNAsh infusion of the orexin-2 receptor TCS-OX2-29 had no impact on alcohol drinking. In addition, OX1R inhibition within the aINS had no effect on excessive drinking, which was surprising given the importance of aINS-NAc circuits in promoting alcohol consumption and the role for aINS OX1Rs in driving nicotine intake. However, OX1R inhibition within the mPFC did reduce alcohol drinking, indicating cortical OXR involvement in promoting intake. Also, in support of the critical role for mNAsh OX1Rs, SB within the mNAsh also significantly reduced operant alcohol self-administration in rats. Finally, orexin ex vivo enhanced firing in mNAsh neurons from alcohol-drinking mice, with no effect on evoked EPSCs or input resistance; a similar orexin increase in firing without a change in input resistance was observed in alcohol-naïve mice. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that OX1Rs within the mNAsh, but not the aINS, play a

  2. 24 CFR 236.60 - Excess Income.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Excess Income. 236.60 Section 236... § 236.60 Excess Income. (a) Definition. Excess Income consists of cash collected as rent from the... Rent. The unit-by-unit requirement necessitates that, if a unit has Excess Income, the Excess Income...

  3. Distribution of Argon Arc Contaminated with Nitrogen as Function of Frequency in Pulsed TIG Welding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Hiroki; Tanaka, Tatsuro; Yamamoto, Shinji; Iwao, Toru

    2016-09-01

    TIG arc welding is the high-quality and much applicable material joining technology. However, the current has to be small because the cathode melting should be prevented. In this case, the heat input to the welding pool becomes low, then, the welding defect sometimes occurs. The pulsed TIG arc welding is used to improve this disadvantage This welding can be controlled by some current parameters such as frequency However, few report has reported the distribution of argon arc contaminated with nitrogen It is important to prevent the contamination of nitrogen because the melting depth increases in order to prevent the welding defects. In this paper, the distribution of argon arc contaminated as function of frequency with nitrogen in pulsed TIG welding is elucidated. The nitrogen concentration, the radial flow velocity, the arc temperature were calculated using the EMTF simulation when the time reached at the base current. As a result, the nitrogen concentration into the arc became low with increasing the frequency The diffusion coefficient decreased because of the decrement of temperature over 4000 K. In this case, the nitrogen concentration became low near the anode. Therefore, the nitrogen concentration became low because the frequency is high.

  4. Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides Emissions from a Coal-Fired Boiler Unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuikov, Andrey V.; Feoktistov, Dmitry V.; Koshurnikova, Natalya N.; Zlenko, Lyudmila V.

    2016-02-01

    During combustion of fossil fuels a large amount of harmful substances are discharged into the atmospheres of cities by industrial heating boiler houses. The most harmful substances among them are nitrogen oxides. The paper presents one of the most effective technological solutions for suppressing nitrogen oxides; it is arrangement of circulation process with additional mounting of the nozzle directed into the bottom of the ash hopper. When brown high-moisture coals are burnt in the medium power boilers, generally fuel nitrogen oxides are produced. It is possible to reduce their production by two ways: lowering the temperature in the core of the torch or decreasing the excess-air factor in the boiler furnace. Proposed solution includes the arrangement of burning process with additional nozzle installed in the lower part of the ash hopper. Air supply from these nozzles creates vortex involving large unburned fuel particles in multiple circulations. Thereby time of their staying in the combustion zone is prolonging. The findings describe the results of the proposed solution; and recommendations for the use of this technological method are given for other boilers.

  5. Suburban watershed nitrogen retention: Estimating the effectiveness of stormwater management structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koch, Benjamin J.; Febria, Catherine M.; Cooke, Roger M.; Hosen, Jacob D.; Baker, Matthew E.; Colson, Abigail R.; Filoso, Solange; Hayhoe, Katharine; Loperfido, J. V.; Stoner, Anne M.K.; Palmer, Margaret A.

    2015-01-01

    Excess nitrogen (N) is a primary driver of freshwater and coastal eutrophication globally, and urban stormwater is a rapidly growing source of N pollution. Stormwater best management practices (BMPs) are used widely to remove excess N from runoff in urban and suburban areas, and are expected to perform under a wide variety of environmental conditions. Yet the capacity of BMPs to retain excess N varies; and both the variation and the drivers thereof are largely unknown, hindering the ability of water resource managers to meet water quality targets in a cost-effective way. Here, we use structured expert judgment (SEJ), a performance-weighted method of expert elicitation, to quantify the uncertainty in BMP performance under a range of site-specific environmental conditions and to estimate the extent to which key environmental factors influence variation in BMP performance. We hypothesized that rain event frequency and magnitude, BMP type and size, and physiographic province would significantly influence the experts’ estimates of N retention by BMPs common to suburban Piedmont and Coastal Plain watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay region.

  6. Isotope Investigations of Nitrogen Compounds in Different Aquatic Ecosystems in Cyprus, Russia and Ukraine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Voropaev, A.; Voerkelius, S.; Eichinger, L. [Hydroisotop GmbH, Schweitenkirchen (Germany); Grinenko, V. [Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2013-07-15

    The isotope analyses of nitrogen compounds is a powerful tool for the investigation of anrthropogenic influence on the nitrogen cycle in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The isotopic composition of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrates from different groundwater aquifers in Cyprus reflects anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen mainly from industrial fertilizer application in agriculture. Significant denitrification as identified at many sampling sites is an important process, which reduces nitrate concentrations in groundwater. In surface water ecosystems anthropogenic influences and natural environmental changes are detected by the isotopic composition of nitrogen in suspended organic material and in bottom sediments. In the oligotrophic fresh water of Lake Galich in Russia the waste water outflow is a reason for the local increase of {delta}{sup 15}N values in bottom sediments, where the nitrogen and carbon isotopic compositions of unpolluted sediments are very homogeneous. In the Neva estuary in russia the lateral destribution of {delta}{sup 15}N values in upper layers of bottom sediments reflects changes in the mixing pattern of marine and continental organic matter caused by a flood protection dam building in the Dneprovsko-Bugsky estuary in Ukraine - probably the increasing influence of anthropogenic {sup 15}N enriched nutrient load. (author)

  7. Watershed Analysis of Nitrate Transport as a Result of Agricultural Inputs for Varying Land Use/Land Cover and Soil Type

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, M. E.; Sykes, J. F.

    2006-12-01

    The Grand River Watershed is one of the largest watersheds in southwestern Ontario with an area of approximately 7000 square kilometers. Ninety percent of the watershed is classified as rural, and 80 percent of the watershed population relies on groundwater as their source of drinking water. Management of the watershed requires the determination of the effect of agricultural practices on long-term groundwater quality and to identify locations within the watershed that are at a higher risk of contamination. The study focuses on the transport of nitrate through the root zone as a result of agricultural inputs with attenuation due to biodegradation. The driving force for transport is spatially and temporally varying groundwater recharge that is a function of land use/land cover, soil and meteorological inputs that yields 47,229 unique soil columns within the watershed. Fertilizer sources are determined from Statistics Canada's Agricultural Census and include livestock manure and a popular commercial fertilizer, urea. Accounting for different application rates yields 60,066 unique land parcels of which 22,809 are classified as croplands where manure and inorganic fertilizes are directly applied. The transport for the croplands is simulated over a 14-year period to investigate the impact of seasonal applications of nitrate fertilizers on the concentration leaching from the root zone to the water table. Based on land use/land cover maps, ArcView GIS is used to define the location of fertilizer applications within the watershed and to spatially visualize data and analyze results. The large quantity of input data is stored and managed using MS-Access and a relational database management system. Nitrogen transformations and ammonium and nitrate uptake by plants and transport through the soil column are simulated on a daily basis using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) within MS-Access modules. Nitrogen transformations within the soil column were simplified using

  8. Water resources conservation and nitrogen pollution reduction under global food trade and agricultural intensification

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Liu, Wenfeng; Yang, Hong; Liu, Yu; Kummu, Matti; Hoekstra, Arjen Y.; Liu, Junguo; Schulin, Rainer

    2018-01-01

    Global food trade entails virtual flows of agricultural resources and pollution across countries. Here we performed a global-scale assessment of impacts of international food trade on blue water use, total water use, and nitrogen (N) inputs and on N losses in maize, rice, and wheat production. We

  9. Molecular nitrogen fixation and nitrogen cycle in nature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Virtanen, A I

    1952-01-01

    The origin of nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere is discussed. Evidently only a small proportion of the nitrate-and nitrite-nitrogen found in the precipitation is formed through electric discharges from molecular nitrogen, photochemical nitrogen fixation being probably of greater importance. Formation of nitrate nitrogen through atmospheric oxidation of nitrous oxide (N/sub 2/O) evaporating from the soil is also considered likely. Determination of nitrogen compounds at different altitudes is indispensable for gaining information of the N/sub 2/-fixation in the atmosphere and, in general, of the origin of nitrogen oxides and their decomposition. International cooperation is needed for this as well as for the quantitative determination of the nitrogen compounds removed from the soil by leaching and brought by waters into the seas.

  10. Air Pollution Impacts on Global Crop Productivity and Nitrogen Depositio

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heald, C. L.; Tai, A. P. K.; Val Martin, M.

    2014-12-01

    The biosphere is undeniably transformed by air pollution. Emissions, climate change, and land use change are all expected to substantially alter future air quality. In this presentation, we discuss near-term projections (2050) of air quality impacts on both crop productivity and nitrogen deposition. First, we contrast the relative impacts of ozone air pollution and a warming climate on global crop yields. To do so, we define statistical crop yield functions to a warming climate based on the historical record. We combine these relationships with ozone-damage estimates and apply these to future air quality and climate projections from a global coupled chemistry-climate model (CESM). We find substantial variability in the response, with certain regions or crops more sensitive to ozone pollution and others more sensitive to warming. This work demonstrates that air quality management is a key element to ensuring global food security. Second, we examine the relative impacts of anthropogenic emissions, climate change, and land use change on global nitrogen deposition. Nitrogen deposition has rapidly increased over the Anthropocene. Excess deposition of nitrogen to ecosystems can lead to eutrophication of waters, and a decrease in biodiversity. We use the CESM to investigate two scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP8.5) and focus our analysis on the impacts on diverse ecoregions in North America, Europe, and Asia.

  11. Nitrogen inputs to a river course in a heavily impacted watershed: A combined hydrochemical and isotopic evaluation (Oglio River Basin, N Italy)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Delconte, C.A., E-mail: carloandrea.delconte01@ateneopv.it [Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources (IGG), CNR, U.O.S. Pavia, via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Sacchi, E. [Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources (IGG), CNR, U.O.S. Pavia, via Ferrata 1, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Racchetti, E.; Bartoli, M. [Department of Life Sciences, University of Parma, viale G.P. Usberti 33/A, 43124 Parma (Italy); Mas-Pla, J. [Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Girona, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona (Spain); Catalan Institute for Water Research, 17003 Girona (Spain); Re, V. [Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Dorsoduro 2137, 30123 Venezia (Italy)

    2014-01-01

    This study aims at evaluating sources and processes affecting NO{sub 3}{sup −} concentrations in the Oglio River. Five sampling campaigns considered the main watercourse, tributaries, point pollution sources, springs, and groundwater. Physico-chemical parameters, N forms, B, Sr{sup 2+}, stable isotopes (δ{sup 2}H{sub H{sub 2O}}, δ{sup 18}O{sub H{sub 2O}}, δ{sup 15}N{sub NO{sub 3}}, δ{sup 18}O{sub NO{sub 3}}, δ{sup 11}B) and discharge were measured. Hydrological modelling was performed using mass balance and End Member Mixing Analysis equations. During the irrigation period, in the upstream reach, up to 90% of the natural river flow is diverted for irrigation and industrial purposes; excess water drained from agricultural fields is returned to river in the downstream reach. Results evidenced, in the middle reach, a large input of NO{sub 3}{sup −}-rich groundwater which could be quantified using hydrological modelling. Groundwater inputs are responsible for the sharp, tenfold increase in NO{sub 3}{sup −} in the river water, from 2.2–4.4 up to 33.5 mg L{sup −1}, and are more evident in summer, when discharge is lower. Nevertheless, river water preserves its natural B isotopic composition, indicating that the two tracers do not have a common origin and are not co-migrant. In the lower plain, surface–groundwater interconnections and human disturbances in the water cycle favour the recycling of the compounds in the environment, and lead to a similarity in composition of the different water bodies (Oglio River, tributaries and groundwater). The long lasting agronomical practices have profoundly modified the surface–groundwater equilibrium and chemical characteristics, resulting in a highly buffered system. Infiltrating irrigation water leaches down NO{sub 3}{sup −} which is subsequently denitrified; when returned to the Oglio River, groundwater modifies the river water composition by dilution, in the case of NO{sub 3}{sup −}, or by addition, for

  12. The Arabidopsis Halophytic Relative Thellungiella halophila Tolerates Nitrogen-Limiting Conditions by Maintaining Growth, Nitrogen Uptake, and Assimilation1[W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kant, Surya; Bi, Yong-Mei; Weretilnyk, Elizabeth; Barak, Simon; Rothstein, Steven J.

    2008-01-01

    A comprehensive knowledge of mechanisms regulating nitrogen (N) use efficiency is required to reduce excessive input of N fertilizers while maintaining acceptable crop yields under limited N supply. Studying plant species that are naturally adapted to low N conditions could facilitate the identification of novel regulatory genes conferring better N use efficiency. Here, we show that Thellungiella halophila, a halophytic relative of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), grows better than Arabidopsis under moderate (1 mm nitrate) and severe (0.4 mm nitrate) N-limiting conditions. Thellungiella exhibited a lower carbon to N ratio than Arabidopsis under N limitation, which was due to Thellungiella plants possessing higher N content, total amino acids, total soluble protein, and lower starch content compared with Arabidopsis. Furthermore, Thellungiella had higher amounts of several metabolites, such as soluble sugars and organic acids, under N-sufficient conditions (4 mm nitrate). Nitrate reductase activity and NR2 gene expression in Thellungiella displayed less of a reduction in response to N limitation than in Arabidopsis. Thellungiella shoot GS1 expression was more induced by low N than in Arabidopsis, while in roots, Thellungiella GS2 expression was maintained under N limitation but was decreased in Arabidopsis. Up-regulation of NRT2.1 and NRT3.1 expression was higher and repression of NRT1.1 was lower in Thellungiella roots under N-limiting conditions compared with Arabidopsis. Differential transporter gene expression was correlated with higher nitrate influx in Thellungiella at low 15NO3− supply. Taken together, our results suggest that Thellungiella is tolerant to N-limited conditions and could act as a model system to unravel the mechanisms for low N tolerance. PMID:18467466

  13. Final Technical Report: Effects of Changing Water and Nitrogen Inputs on a Mojave Desert Ecosystem

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, Stanley, D.; Nowak, Robert S.; Fenstermaker, Lynn, F.; Young, Michael,H.

    2007-11-30

    In order to anticipate the effects of global change on ecosystem function, it is essential that predictive relationships be established linking ecosystem function to global change scenarios. The Mojave Desert is of considerable interest with respect to global change. It contains the driest habitats in North America, and thus most closely approximates the world’s great arid deserts. In order to examine the effects of climate and land use changes, in 2001 we established a long-term manipulative global change experiment, called the Mojave Global Change Facility. Manipulations in this study include the potential effects of (1) increased summer rainfall (75 mm over three discrete 25 mm events), (2) increased nitrogen deposition (10 and 40 kg ha-1), and (3) the disturbance of biological N-fixing crusts . Questions addressed under this grant shared the common hypothesis that plant and ecosystem performance will positively respond to the augmentation of the most limiting resources to plant growth in the Mojave Desert, e.g., water and nitrogen. Specific hypotheses include (1) increased summer rainfall will significantly increase plant production through an alleviation of moisture stress in the dry summer months, (2) N-deposition will increase plant production in this N-limited system, particularly in wet years or in concert with added summer rain, and (3) biological crust disturbance will gradually decrease bio-available N, with concomitant long-term reductions in photosynthesis and ANPP. Individual plant and ecosystem responses to global change may be regulated by biogeochemical processes and natural weather variability, and changes in plant and ecosystem processes may occur rapidly, may occur only after a time lag, or may not occur at all. During the first PER grant period, we observed changes in plant and ecosystem processes that would fall under each of these time-response intervals: plant and ecosystem processes responded rapidly to added summer rain, whereas most

  14. Municipal wastewater treatment for effective removal of organic matter and nitrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grebenevich, E.V.; Zaletova, N.A.; Terentieva, N.A.

    1987-01-01

    The organic matter, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus, are nutrient substances. Their excess concentrations in water receiving bodies lead to eutrophication, moreover, the nitrogen content in water bodies is standardized according the sanitary-toxicological criterion of harmfulness: NH 4 + -N ≤0,39-2,0 mgl - , NO 3 -N ≤9,1-10 mgl - . The municipal wastewater contain, usually, organic matter estimated by BOD 150-200 mgl - , and COD 300-400 mgl - , the nitrogen compounds 50-60 mgl - , and NH 4 + -N 20-25 mgl - . NO x -N are practically absent. Their presence indicated on discharge of industrial wastewater. The total phosphorus is present in the concentration of 15 mgl - , PO 4 - - P 5-8 mgl - . Activated sludge process has been most widely used in the USSR for municipal wastewater treatment. The activated sludge is biocenoses of heterotrophic and auto trophic microorganisms. They consume nutrient matters, transferring pollution of wastewater by means of enzyme systems in acceptable forms. C, N and P-containing matters are removed from wastewater by biological intake for cell synthesis. Moreover C- containing matters are removed by oxidation to CO 2 and H 2 O. P-containing compounds under definite conditions associate with solid fraction of activated sludge and thus simultaneously removed from wastewater. The removal of nitrogen in addition to biosynthesis is carried out only in the denitrification process, when oxygen of NO x -N is used for oxidation of organic matter and produced gaseous nitrogen escapes into the atmosphere

  15. Cyanobacteria in CELSS: Growth strategies for nutritional variation and nitrogen cycling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fry, I. V.; Packer, L.

    1990-01-01

    Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are versatile organisms which are capable of adjusting their cellular levels of carbohydrate, protein, and lipid in response to changes in the environment. Under stress conditions there is an imbalance between nitrogen metabolism and carbohydrate/lipid synthesis. The lesion in nitrogen assimilation is at the level of transport: the stress condition diverts energy from the active accumulation of nitrate to the extrusion of salt, and probably inhibits a cold-labile ATP'ace in the case of cold shock. Both situations affect the bioenergetic status of the cell such that the nitrogenous precursors for protein synthesis are depleted. Dispite the inhibition of protein synthesis and growth, photosynthetic reductant generation is relatively unaffected. The high O2 reductant would normally lead to photo-oxidative damage of cellular components; however, the organism copes by channeling the 'excess' reductant into carbon storage products. The increase in glycogen (28 to 35 percent dry weight increase) and the elongation of lipid fatty acid side chains (2 to 5 percent dry weight increase) at the expense of protein synthesis (25 to 34 percent dry weight decrease) results in carbohydrate, lipid and protein ratios that are closer to those required in the human diet. In addition, the selection of nitrogen fixing mutants which excrete ammonium ions present an opportunity to tailor these micro-organisms to meet the specific need for a sub-system to reverse potential loss of fixed nitrogen material.

  16. Estimates of nitrogen availability of poultry manure and sewage sludge amendments in mined prime farmlands

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhai, Q.; Barnhisel, R.I.

    1994-01-01

    The application of poultry manure and sewage sludge may speed up the return of productivity of prime farmland following surface mining, as well as for utilizing nutrients in these wastes. However, excessive application may result in nitrate contamination of ground water. This research was carried out under laboratory and field conditions to test this concern. The objective was to examine nitrogen mineralization indices used to evaluate nitrogen availability to wheat (Triticum astivum). Two field experiments were established in fall 1992 in western Kentucky. Sewage sludge was applied to both topsoil and subsoil at one site, and poultry manure was applied to only the topsoil at the second site. Three rates of organic amendments were used in these experiments. Soil available nitrogen was evaluated by both biological mineralization and chemical extraction methods. A 7-day anaerobic incubation method was well correlated with grain yield and was superior to other chemical methods in predicting nitrogen availability. Both sewage sludge and poultry manure application to the topsoil provided a high available nitrogen source for wheat growth, which resulted in a higher yield than that for the unamended control

  17. 15N in tree rings as a bio-indicator of changing nitrogen cycling in tropical forests: an evaluation at three sites using two sampling methods

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sleen, van der J.P.; Vlam, M.; Groenendijk, P.; Anten, N.P.R.; Bongers, F.; Bunyavejchewin, S.; Hietz, P.; Pons, T.L.; Zuidema, P.

    2015-01-01

    Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition is currently causing a more than twofold increase of reactive nitrogen input over large areas in the tropics. Elevated N-15 abundance (delta N-15) in the growth rings of some tropical trees has been hypothesized to reflect an increased leaching of N-15-depleted

  18. Exergetic assessment for resources input and environmental emissions by Chinese industry during 1997-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bo; Peng, Beihua; Liu, Mingchu

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents an overview of the resources use and environmental impact of the Chinese industry during 1997-2006. For the purpose of this analysis the thermodynamic concept of exergy has been employed both to quantify and aggregate the resources input and the environmental emissions arising from the sector. The resources input and environmental emissions show an increasing trend in this period. Compared with 47568.7 PJ in 1997, resources input in 2006 increased by 75.4% and reached 83437.9 PJ, of which 82.5% came from nonrenewable resources, mainly from coal and other energy minerals. Furthermore, the total exergy of environmental emissions was estimated to be 3499.3 PJ in 2006, 1.7 times of that in 1997, of which 93.4% was from GHG emissions and only 6.6% from "three wastes" emissions. A rapid increment of the nonrenewable resources input and GHG emissions over 2002-2006 can be found, owing to the excessive expansion of resource- and energy-intensive subsectors. Exergy intensities in terms of resource input intensity and environmental emission intensity time-series are also calculated, and the trends are influenced by the macroeconomic situation evidently, particularly by the investment-derived economic development in recent years. Corresponding policy implications to guide a more sustainable industry system are addressed.

  19. Artificial intelligence models for predicting the performance of biological wastewater treatment plant in the removal of Kjeldahl Nitrogen from wastewater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manu, D. S.; Thalla, Arun Kumar

    2017-11-01

    The current work demonstrates the support vector machine (SVM) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) modeling to assess the removal efficiency of Kjeldahl Nitrogen of a full-scale aerobic biological wastewater treatment plant. The influent variables such as pH, chemical oxygen demand, total solids (TS), free ammonia, ammonia nitrogen and Kjeldahl Nitrogen are used as input variables during modeling. Model development focused on postulating an adaptive, functional, real-time and alternative approach for modeling the removal efficiency of Kjeldahl Nitrogen. The input variables used for modeling were daily time series data recorded at wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located in Mangalore during the period June 2014-September 2014. The performance of ANFIS model developed using Gbell and trapezoidal membership functions (MFs) and SVM are assessed using different statistical indices like root mean square error, correlation coefficients (CC) and Nash Sutcliff error (NSE). The errors related to the prediction of effluent Kjeldahl Nitrogen concentration by the SVM modeling appeared to be reasonable when compared to that of ANFIS models with Gbell and trapezoidal MF. From the performance evaluation of the developed SVM model, it is observed that the approach is capable to define the inter-relationship between various wastewater quality variables and thus SVM can be potentially applied for evaluating the efficiency of aerobic biological processes in WWTP.

  20. Ruminant urine increases uptake but decreases relative recovery of nitrogen by smooth brome grass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application and excreta return may contribute to poor nutrient recovery and use efficiencies in pastures. From 2011-2012, we investigated the effects of ruminant urine input (urine and distilled water control) and N fertilizer rate (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 lb N/acre) on N res...

  1. Altered Nitrogen Balance and Decreased Urea Excretion in Male Rats Fed Cafeteria Diet Are Related to Arginine Availability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Sabater

    2014-01-01

    rats, but low arginine levels point to a block in the urea cycle between ornithine and arginine, thereby preventing the elimination of excess nitrogen as urea. The ultimate consequence of this paradoxical block in the urea cycle seems to be the limitation of arginine production and/or availability.

  2. Growth, gas exchange, foliar nitrogen content, and water use of subirrigated and overhead irrigated Populus tremuloides Michx. seedlings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anthony S. Davis; Matthew M. Aghai; Jeremiah R. Pinto; Kent G. Apostal

    2011-01-01

    Because limitations on water used by container nurseries has become commonplace, nursery growers will have to improve irrigation management. Subirrigation systems may provide an alternative to overhead irrigation systems by mitigating groundwater pollution and excessive water consumption. Seedling growth, gas exchange, leaf nitrogen (N) content, and water use were...

  3. Nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon excretion and losses in growing pigs fed Danish or Asian diets

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prapaspongsa, Trakarn; Vu, Van Thi Khanh; Poulsen, Hanne Damgaard

    2008-01-01

    The objectives of this study were to determine inputs and outputs of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and carbon (C) and to estimate the nutrient losses during housing and storage in order to address these important parts of the whole manure management systems in pigs fed different diets....

  4. Applying Nitrogen Site-Specifically Using Soil Electrical Conductivity Maps and Precision Agriculture Technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.D. Lund

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Soil texture varies significantly within many agricultural fields. The physical properties of soil, such as soil texture, have a direct effect on water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity, crop yield, production capability, and nitrogen (N loss variations within a field. In short, mobile nutrients are used, lost, and stored differently as soil textures vary. A uniform application of N to varying soils results in a wide range of N availability to the crop. N applied in excess of crop usage results in a waste of the grower’s input expense, a potential negative effect on the environment, and in some crops a reduction of crop quality, yield, and harvestability. Inadequate N levels represent a lost opportunity for crop yield and profit. The global positioning system (GPS-referenced mapping of bulk soil electrical conductivity (EC has been shown to serve as an effective proxy for soil texture and other soil properties. Soils with a high clay content conduct more electricity than coarser textured soils, which results in higher EC values. This paper will describe the EC mapping process and provide case studies of site-specific N applications based on EC maps. Results of these case studies suggest that N can be managed site-specifically using a variety of management practices, including soil sampling, variable yield goals, and cropping history.

  5. Government Resource Subsidy and its Spillover Effects: Evidence from the Excessive Oil Consumption in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rattaphon Wuthisatian

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper aims at analyzing the consecutive consequences of government resource subsidies in a particular industry, which can lead to the excessive oil consumption by other sectors and end users. To fully illustrate the investigation, we use the subsidies in Chinese steel production as a case study and a beginning point to develop theoretical and empirical models to examine the spillover effects, going from steel industry to a rapidly increase of overall country’s oil consumption. The theoretical model applies the market equilibrium concept to demonstrate a relationship among three economic sectors; steel industry, automobile, and households. Particularly, the government subsidies in Chinese steel production will enable the steel firms to obtain resource inputs at the lower price, making the output price of steels cheaper than the market price. As steel is a required input in automobile industry, this cheaper price of steels will induce the automotive firms to increase their production capacity, producing more cars and selling them at the cheaper price, which eventually results in the excessive usage of oil and gasoline by individuals. Using the data during the period of 1980-2012, the empirical analysis involves OLS regression and cointegration test to approve the validity of the theoretical model, which emphasizes on the strong relationship between Chinese oil consumption and steel production.

  6. Nitrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apodaca, Lori E.

    2013-01-01

    The article presents an overview of the nitrogen chemical market as of July 2013, including the production of ammonia compounds. Industrial uses for ammonia include fertilizers, explosives, and plastics. Other topics include industrial capacity of U.S. ammonia producers CF Industries Holdings Inc., Koch Nitrogen Co., PCS Nitrogen, Inc., and Agrium Inc., the impact of natural gas prices on the nitrogen industry, and demand for corn crops for ethanol production.

  7. Anthropogenic nitrogen input traced by means of {delta} {sup 15}N values in macroalgae: Results from in-situ incubation experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deutsch, Barbara [Baltic Sea Research Institute, Seestr. 15, 18119 Rostock (Germany)]. E-mail: barbara.deutsch@io-warnemuende.de; Voss, Maren [Baltic Sea Research Institute, Seestr. 15, 18119 Rostock (Germany)

    2006-08-01

    The macroalgae species Fucus vesiculosus (Phaeophyta), Polysiphonia sp., and Ceramium rubrum (Rhodophyta) originally grown at an unpolluted brackish site of the southern Baltic Sea were incubated for 10 and 14 days at 12 stations along a salinity gradient in a highly polluted estuary. We have expected an adaptation of the initially low {delta} {sup 15}N values to the higher ones within the incubation period. In addition to the macroalgae the {delta} {sup 15}N values of NO{sub 3} {sup -} were measured to evaluate fractionation processes of the source nitrate. Inside the estuary, {delta} {sup 15}N-NO{sub 3} {sup -} values were 6.2-9.7 per mille , indicating anthropogenic nitrogen sources. The red macroalgae adequately reflected the nitrate isotope values in the surrounding waters, whereas for F. vesiculosus the results were not that clear. The reasons were assumed to be higher initial {delta} {sup 15}N values of F. vesiculosus and presumably a too slow nitrogen uptake and growth rate. The method of macroalgae incubations seems suitable as a simple monitoring to study the influence of anthropogenic nitrogen loading in an estuarine environment.

  8. [Using Excess Activated Sludge Treated 4-Chlorophenol Contained Waste Water to Cultivate Chlorella vulgaris].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lu; Chen, Xiu-rong; Yan, Long; He, Yi-xuan; Shi, Zhen-dong

    2015-04-01

    Using different rations of sludge extracts and supernate from 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP) simulated wastewater's excess sludge after centrifugation to cultivate the Chlorella vulgaris to achieve the goal of excess sludge utilization together with chlorella cultivating. The experiments were performed in 500 mL flasks with different rations of sludge extracts & BG-11 and supernate & BG-11 in a light growth chamber respectively. Number of algal cells, Chlorophyll, enzyme activity, oil and water total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total organic carbon (TOC), toxicity index were investigated. Result showed that the nutrition supplies and toxicity in the excess sludge were removed efficiently via Chlorella vulgaris, the removal rates of TN and TP were at least 40% and 90% respectively; After 10 days cultivation, the density growth of 50% sludge extracts was 20 times higher of the beginning while its chlorophyll content was lower than that of the blank group. Sludge extracts could promote the proliferation of algae, but were not conducive to the synthesis of chlorophyll. The quantity of SOD in per cell showed Chlorella vulgaris gave a positive response via stimulation from toxicant in sludge extracts and supernate. The best time for collecting chlorella vulgaris was the fifth day of cultivation, taking neutral oil accumulation as the evaluating indicator for its utilization combined with the removal of supplies and toxicity.

  9. Catalyst for reduction of nitrogen oxides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ott, Kevin C.

    2010-04-06

    A Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst was prepared by slurry coating ZSM-5 zeolite onto a cordierite monolith, then subliming an iron salt onto the zeolite, calcining the monolith, and then dipping the monolith either into an aqueous solution of manganese nitrate and cerium nitrate and then calcining, or by similar treatment with separate solutions of manganese nitrate and cerium nitrate. The supported catalyst containing iron, manganese, and cerium showed 80 percent conversion at 113 degrees Celsius of a feed gas containing nitrogen oxides having 4 parts NO to one part NO.sub.2, about one equivalent ammonia, and excess oxygen; conversion improved to 94 percent at 147 degrees Celsius. N.sub.2O was not detected (detection limit: 0.6 percent N.sub.2O).

  10. Methanotrophy induces nitrogen fixation during peatland development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larmola, Tuula; Leppänen, Sanna M.; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina; Aarva, Maija; Merilä, Päivi; Fritze, Hannu; Tiirola, Marja

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen (N) accumulation rates in peatland ecosystems indicate significant biological atmospheric N2 fixation associated with Sphagnum mosses. Here, we show that the linkage between methanotrophic carbon cycling and N2 fixation may constitute an important mechanism in the rapid accumulation of N during the primary succession of peatlands. In our experimental stable isotope enrichment study, previously overlooked methane-induced N2 fixation explained more than one-third of the new N input in the younger peatland stages, where the highest N2 fixation rates and highest methane oxidation activities co-occurred in the water-submerged moss vegetation. PMID:24379382

  11. 34 CFR 300.16 - Excess costs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Excess costs. 300.16 Section 300.16 Education... DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 300.16 Excess costs. Excess costs means those costs that... for an example of how excess costs must be calculated.) (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(8)) ...

  12. Insula tuning towards external eating versus interoceptive input in adolescents with overweight and obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mata, Fernanda; Verdejo-Roman, Juan; Soriano-Mas, Carles; Verdejo-Garcia, Antonio

    2015-10-01

    This study was aimed to examine if adolescent obesity is associated with alterations of insula function as indexed by differential correlations between insula activation and perception of interoceptive feedback versus external food cues. We hypothesized that, in healthy weight adolescents, insula activation will positively correlate with interoceptive sensitivity, whereas in excess weight adolescents, insula activation will positively correlate with sensitivity towards external cues. Fifty-four adolescents (age range 12-18), classified in two groups as a function of BMI, excess weight (n = 22) and healthy weight (n = 32), performed the Risky-Gains task (sensitive to insula function) inside an fMRI scanner, and completed the heartbeat perception task (measuring interoceptive sensitivity) and the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (measuring external eating as well as emotional eating and restraint) outside the scanner. We found that insula activation during the Risky-Gains task positively correlated with interoceptive sensitivity and negatively correlated with external eating in healthy weight adolescents. Conversely, in excess weight adolescents, insula activation positively correlated with external eating and negatively correlated with interoceptive sensitivity, arguably reflecting obesity related neurocognitive adaptations. In excess weight adolescents, external eating was also positively associated with caudate nucleus activation, and restrained eating was negatively associated with insula activation. Our findings suggest that adolescent obesity is associated with disrupted tuning of the insula system towards interoceptive input. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Prediction of mass excess, β-decay energy and neutron separation energy from the atomic mass formula with empirical shell terms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ando, Yoshihira; Uno, Masahiro; Yamada, Masami

    1983-02-01

    Recently we proposed two types of atomic mass formula (constant-shell-term formula, linear-shell-term formula). With use of these formulas, we calculate and tabulate mass excesses, neutron separation energies, and β-decay energies (β-decay and/or electron capture) for about 5000 nuclides. The mass excess values and their errors in the 1977 atomic mass evaluation by A.H. Wapstra and K. Bos which we used in constructing our formulas, are also tabulated for reference. The constant-shell-term formula is fitted to 1468 input mass data with the standard deviation of 626 keV and the linear-shell-term formula with 394 keV

  14. Prediction of mass excess, #betta#-decay energy and neutron separation energy from the atomic mass formula with empirical shell terms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ando, Yoshihira; Uno, Masahiro; Yamada, Masami.

    1983-02-01

    Recently we proposed two types of atomic mass formula (constant-shell-term formula, linear-shell-term formula). With use of these formulas, we calculate and tabulate mass excesses, neutron separation energies, and #betta#-decay energies (#betta# - -decay and/or electron capture) for about 5000 nuclides. The mass excess values and their errors in the 1977 atomic mass evaluation by A.H. Wapstra and K. Bos which we used in constructing our formulas, are also tabulated for reference. The constant-shell-term formula is fitted to 1468 input mass data with the standard deviation of 626 keV and the linear-shell-term formula with 394 keV. (author)

  15. Experimental investigation of nitrogen isotopic effects associated with ammonia degassing at 0-70 °C

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yuying; Li, Yingzhou; Li, Long

    2018-04-01

    Ammonia degassing is a common process in natural alkaline waters and in the atmosphere. To quantitatively assess the nitrogen cycle in these systems, the essential parameter of nitrogen isotope fractionation factors associated with ammonia degassing is required, but still not constrained yet. In this study, we carried out laboratory experiments to examine the nitrogen isotope behavior during ammonia degassing in alkaline conditions. The experiments started with ammonium sulfate solution with excess sodium hydroxide. The reaction can be described as: NH4+ + OH- (excess) → NH3·nH2O → NH3 (g)↑. Two sets of experiments, one with ammonia degassing under static conditions and the other with ammonia degassing by bubbling of N2 gas, were carried out at 2, 21, 50, and 70 °C. The results indicate that kinetic isotopic effects are dominated during efficient degassing of ammonia in the bubbling experiments, which yielded kinetic nitrogen isotope fractionation factors αNH3(g)-NH3(aq) of 0.9898 at 2 °C, 0.9918 at 21 °C, 0.9935 at 50 °C and 0.9948 at 70 °C. These values show a good relationship with temperature as 103lnαNH3(g)-NH3(aq) = 14.6 - 6.8 × 1000/T. In contrast, isotopic effects during less efficient degassing of ammonia in the static experiments are more complicated. The results do not match either kinetic isotope fractionation or equilibrium isotope fractionation but sit between these two. The most likely cause is that back dissolution of the degassed ammonia occurred in these experiments and consequently shifted kinetic isotope fractionation toward equilibrium isotope fractionation. Our experimental results highlight complicated isotopic effects may occur in natural environments, and need to be fully considered in the interpretation of field data.

  16. Dynamics of an excess hole in the 1-methyl-1-butyl-pyrrolidinium dicyanamide ionic-liquid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Fei; Xu, Changhui; Margulis, Claudio J.

    2018-05-01

    In a set of recent publications [C. J. Margulis et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 20186 (2011); C. H. Xu et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 135, 17528 (2013); C. H. Xu and C. J. Margulis, J. Phys. Chem. B 119, 532 (2015); and K. B. Dhungana et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 121, 8809 (2017)], we explored for selected ionic liquids the early stages of excess charge localization and reactivity relevant both to electrochemical and radiation chemistry processes. In particular, Xu and Margulis [J. Phys. Chem. B 119, 532 (2015)] explored the dynamics of an excess electron in 1-methyl-1-butyl-pyrrolidinium dicyanamide. When electrons are produced from an ionic liquid, the more elusive hole species are also generated. Depending on the nature of cations and anions and the relative alignment of their electronic states in the condensed phase, the very early hole species can nominally be neutral radicals—if the electron is generated from anions—or doubly charged radical cations if their origin is from cations. However, in reality early excess charge localization is more complex and often involves more than one ion. The dynamics and the transient spectroscopy of the hole are the main objects of this study. We find that in the case of 1-methyl-1-butyl-pyrrolidinium dicyanamide, it is the anions that can most easily lose an electron becoming radical species, and that hole localization is mostly on anionic nitrogen. We also find that the driving force for localization of an excess hole appears to be smaller than that for an excess electron in 1-methyl-1-butyl-pyrrolidinium dicyanamide. The early transient hole species can absorb light in the visible, ultraviolet, and near infrared regions, and we are able to identify the type of states being connected by these transitions.

  17. Assessment of watershed scale nitrogen cycling and dynamics by hydrochemical modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onishi, T.; Hiramatsu, K.; Somura, H.

    2017-12-01

    Nitrogen cycling in terrestrial areas is affecting water quality and ecosystem of aquatic area such as lakes and oceans through rivers. Owing to the intensive researches on nitrogen cycling in each different type of ecosystem, we acquired rich knowledge on nitrogen cycling of each ecosystem. On the other hand, since watershed are composed of many different kinds of ecosystems, nitrogen cycling in a watershed as a complex of these ecosystems is not well quantified. Thus, comprehensive understanding of nitrogen cycling of watersheds by modelling efforts are required. In this study, we attempted to construct hydrochemical model of the Ise Bay watershed to reproduce discharge, TN, and NO3 concentration. The model is based on SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tools) model. As anthropogenic impacts related to both hydrological cycling and nitrogen cycling, agricultural water intake/drainage, and domestic water intake/drainage were considered. In addition, fertilizer input to agricultural lands were also considered. Calibration period and validation period are 2004-2006, and 2007-2009, respectively. As a result of calibration using 2000 times LCS (Latin Cubic Sampling) method, discharge of rivers were reproduced fairly well with NS of 0.6-0.8. In contrast, the calibration result of TN and NO3 concentration tended to show overestimate values in spite of considering parameter uncertainties. This implies that unimplemented denitrification processes in the model. Through exploring the results, it is indicated that riparian areas, and agricultural drainages might be important spots for denitrification. Based on the result, we also attempted to evaluate the impact of climate change on nitrogen cycling. Though it is fully explored, this result will also be reported.

  18. Nitrogen deposition and cycling across an elevation and vegetation gradient in southern Appalachian forests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennifer D. Knoepp; James M. Vose; Wayne T. Swank

    2008-01-01

    We studied nitrogen (N) cycling pools and processes across vegetation and elevation gradients in. the southern Appalachian Mountains in SE USA. Measurements included bulk deposition input, watershed export, throughfall fluxes, litterfall, soil N pools and processes, and soil solution N. N deposition increased with elevation and ranged from 9.5 to 12.4 kg ha-...

  19. Hydrological application of the INCA model with varying spatial resolution and nitrogen dynamics in a northern river basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Rankinen

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available As a first step in applying the Integrated Nitrogen model for CAtchments (INCA to the Simojoki river basin (3160 km2, this paper focuses on calibration of the hydrological part of the model and nitrogen (N dynamics in the river during the 1980s and 1990s. The model application utilised the GIS land-use and forest classification of Finland together with a recent forest inventory based on remote sensing. In the INCA model, the Hydrologically Effective Rainfall (HER is used to drive the water flow and N fluxes through the catchment system. HER was derived from the Watershed Simulation and Forecast System (WSFS. The basic component of the WSFS is a conceptual hydrological model which simulates runoff using precipitation, potential evapotranspiration and temperature data as inputs. Spatially uniform, lumped input data were calculated for the whole river basin and spatially semi-distributed input data were calculated for each of the nine sub-basins. When comparing discharges simulated by the INCA model with observed values, a better fit was obtained with the semi-distributed data than with the spatially uniform data (R2 0.78 v. 0.70 at Hosionkoski and 0.88 v. 0.78 at the river outlet. The timing of flow peaks was simulated rather well with both approaches, although the semi-distributed input data gave a more realistic simulation of low flow periods and the magnitude of spring flow peaks. The river basin has a relatively closed N cycle with low input and output fluxes of inorganic N. During 1982-2000, the average total N flux to the sea was 715 tonnes yr–1, of which 6% was NH4-N, 14% NO3-N, and 80% organic N. Annual variation in river flow and the concentrations of major N fractions in river water, and factors affecting this variation are discussed. Keywords: northern river basin, nitrogen, forest management, hydrology, dynamic modelling, semi-distributed modelling

  20. Nitrogen cycling in a flooded-soil ecosystem planted to rice (Oryza sativa L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reddy, K.R.

    1982-01-01

    15 N studies of various aspects of the nitrogen cycle in a flooded rice ecosystem on Crowley silt loam soil in Louisiana were reviewed to construct a mass balance model of the nitrogen cycle for this system. Nitrogen transformations modeled included 1) net ammonification (0.22 mg NH 4+ -N kg dry soil - 1 day - 1 ). 2) net nitrification (207 mg NO 3- -N kg dry soil - 1 day - 1 ). 3) denitrification (0.37 mg N kg dry soil - 1 day - 1 ), and 4) biological N 2 fixation (0.16 mg N kg dry soil - 1 day - 1 ). Nitrogen inputs included 1) application of fertilizers, 2) incorporation of crop residues, 3) biological N 2 fixation, and 4) deposition. Nitrogen outputs included 1) crop removal, 2) gaseous losses from NH 3 volatilization and simultaneous occurrence of nitrification-denitrification, and 3) leaching and runoff. Mass balance calculations indicated that 33% of the available inorganic nitrogen was recovered by rice, and the remaining nitrogen was lost from the system. Losses of N due to ammonia volatilization were minimal because fertilizer-N was incorporated into the soil. A significant portion of inorganic-N was lost by ammonium diffusion from the anaerobic layer to the aerobic layer in response to a concentration gradient and subsequent nitrification in the aerobic layer followed by nitrate diffusion into the anaerobic layer and denitrification into gaseous end products. Leaching and surface runoff losses were minimal. (orig.)

  1. Nitrogen deposition and grass encroachment in calcareous and acidic Grey dunes (H2130) in NW-Europe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kooijman, A.M.; van Til, M.; Noordijk, E.; Remke, E.; Kalbitz, K.

    We present an overview of high nitrogen deposition effects on coastal dune grasslands in NW-Europe (H2130), especially concerning grass encroachment in calcareous and acidic Grey Dunes. The problem is larger than previously assumed, because critical loads are still too high, and extra N-input from

  2. A public-industry partnership for enhancing corn nitrogen research and datasets: project description, methodology, and outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Due to economic and environmental consequences of nitrogen (N) lost from fertilizer applications in corn (Zea mays L.), considerable public and industry attention has been devoted to development of N decision tools. Now a wide variety of tools are available to farmers for managing N inputs. However,...

  3. Loss of nitrogen (study with 15N) as gaseous oxides under submerged conditions of paddy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandal, S.R.; Datta, N.P.

    1987-01-01

    The experiment in a specially designed, air-tight pot with rice and different water soluble grades of nitrophosphate, ammonium nitrate (plus super phosphate) tagged with six atom per cent excess 15 N clearly revealed that the loss of nitrogen as oxides during the growth period of rice under submerged condition was very small (1.48 to 2.57 mg/pot). The 15 N content in the lost oxides was also very small and a small traction of total nitrogen applied represented the loss in this channel (0.0062 to 0.0163 per cent). The loss was influenced by NH 4 :NO 3 ratio in the fertilizer and increased with the increasing quantity of nitrate present in the fertilizers. (author)

  4. Permanent demand excess as business strategy: an analysis of the Brazilian higher-education market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Menon Simões Moita

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs establish tuition below the equilibrium price to generate permanent demand excess. This paper first adapts Becker’s (1991 theory to understand why the HEIs price in this way. The fact that students are both consumers and inputs on the education production process gives rise to a market equilibrium where some firms have excess demand and charge high prices, and others charge low prices and have empty seats.Second, the paper analyzes this equilibrium empirically. We estimated the demand for undergraduate courses in Business Administration in the State of São Paulo. The results show that tuition, quality of incoming students and percentage of lecturers holding doctorates degrees are the determining factors of students’ choice. Since the student quality determines the demand for a HEI, it is calculated what the value is for a HEI to get better students; that is the total revenue that each HEI gives up to guarantee excess demand. Regarding the “investment” in selectivity, 39 HEIs in São Paulo give up a combined R$ 5 million (or US$ 3.14 million in revenue per year per freshman class, which means 7.6% of the revenue coming from a freshman class.

  5. Excessive or unwanted hair in women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hypertrichosis; Hirsutism; Hair - excessive (women); Excessive hair in women; Hair - women - excessive or unwanted ... Women normally produce low levels of male hormones (androgens). If your body makes too much of this ...

  6. Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides Emissions from a Coal-Fired Boiler Unit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhuikov Andrey V.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available During combustion of fossil fuels a large amount of harmful substances are discharged into the atmospheres of cities by industrial heating boiler houses. The most harmful substances among them are nitrogen oxides. The paper presents one of the most effective technological solutions for suppressing nitrogen oxides; it is arrangement of circulation process with additional mounting of the nozzle directed into the bottom of the ash hopper. When brown high-moisture coals are burnt in the medium power boilers, generally fuel nitrogen oxides are produced. It is possible to reduce their production by two ways: lowering the temperature in the core of the torch or decreasing the excess-air factor in the boiler furnace. Proposed solution includes the arrangement of burning process with additional nozzle installed in the lower part of the ash hopper. Air supply from these nozzles creates vortex involving large unburned fuel particles in multiple circulations. Thereby time of their staying in the combustion zone is prolonging. The findings describe the results of the proposed solution; and recommendations for the use of this technological method are given for other boilers.

  7. Exergetic Assessment for Resources Input and Environmental Emissions by Chinese Industry during 1997–2006

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Zhang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an overview of the resources use and environmental impact of the Chinese industry during 1997–2006. For the purpose of this analysis the thermodynamic concept of exergy has been employed both to quantify and aggregate the resources input and the environmental emissions arising from the sector. The resources input and environmental emissions show an increasing trend in this period. Compared with 47568.7 PJ in 1997, resources input in 2006 increased by 75.4% and reached 83437.9 PJ, of which 82.5% came from nonrenewable resources, mainly from coal and other energy minerals. Furthermore, the total exergy of environmental emissions was estimated to be 3499.3 PJ in 2006, 1.7 times of that in 1997, of which 93.4% was from GHG emissions and only 6.6% from “three wastes” emissions. A rapid increment of the nonrenewable resources input and GHG emissions over 2002–2006 can be found, owing to the excessive expansion of resource- and energy-intensive subsectors. Exergy intensities in terms of resource input intensity and environmental emission intensity time-series are also calculated, and the trends are influenced by the macroeconomic situation evidently, particularly by the investment-derived economic development in recent years. Corresponding policy implications to guide a more sustainable industry system are addressed.

  8. Improvement of wine terroir management according to biogeochemical cycle of nitrogen in soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najat, Nassr; Aude, Langenfeld; Mohammed, Benbrahim; Lionel, Ley; Laurent, Deliere; Jean-Pascal, Goutouly; David, Lafond; Marie, Thiollet-Scholtus

    2015-04-01

    Good wine terroir production implies a well-balanced Biogeochemical Cycle of Nitrogen (BCN) at field level i.e. in soil and in plant. Nitrogen is very important for grape quality and soil sustainability. The mineralization of organic nitrogen is the main source of mineral nitrogen for the vine. This mineralization depends mainly on the soil microbial activity. This study is focused on the functional microbial populations implicated in the BCN, in particular nitrifying bacteria. An experimental network with 6 vine sites located in Atlantic coast (Loire valley and Bordeaux) and in North-East (Alsace) of France has been set up since 2012. These vine sites represent a diversity of environmental factors (i.e. soil and climate). The adopted approach is based on the measure of several indicators to assess nitrogen dynamic in soil, i.e. nitrogen mineralization, regarding microbial biomass and activity. Statistical analyses are performed to determine the relationship between biological indicator and nitrogen mineralisation regarding farmer's practices. The variability of the BCN indicators seems to be correlated to the physical and chemical parameters in the soil of the field. For all the sites, the bacterial biomass is correlated to the rate and kinetic of nitrogen in soil, however this bioindicator depend also on others parameters. Moreover, the functional bacterial diversity depends on the soil organic matter content. Differences in the bacterial biomass and kinetic of nitrogen mineralization are observed between the sites with clayey (Loire valley site) and sandy soils (Bordeaux site). In some tested vine systems, effects on bacterial activity and nitrogen dynamic are also observed depending on the farmer's practices: soil tillage, reduction of inputs, i.e. pesticides and fertilizers, and soil cover management between rows. The BCN indicators seem to be strong to assess the dynamics of the nitrogen in various sites underline the functional diversity of the soils. These

  9. Forest fuel reduces the nitrogen load - calculations of nitrogen flows

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burstroem, F.; Johansson, Jan.

    1995-12-01

    Nitrogen deposition in Sweden has increased strongly during recent decades, particularly in southern Sweden. Nitrogen appears to be largely accumulated in biomass and in the soil. It is therefore desirable to check the accumulation of nitrogen in the forest. The most suitable way of doing this is to remove more nitrogen-rich biomass from the forest, i.e., increase the removal of felling residues from final fellings and cleanings. An ecological condition for intensive removal of fuel is that the ashes are returned. The critical load for nitrogen, CL(N), indicates the level of nitrogen deposition that the forest can withstand without leading to ecological changes. Today, nitrogen deposition is higher than the CL(N) in almost all of Sweden. CL(N) is calculated in such a manner that nitrogen deposition should largely be balanced by nitrogen losses through harvesting during a forest rotation. The value of CL(N) thus largely depends on how much nitrogen is removed with the harvested biomass. When both stems and felling residues are harvested, the CL(N) is about three times higher than in conventional forestry. The increase is directly related to the amount of nitrogen in the removed biofuel. Use of biofuel also causes a certain amount of nitrogen emissions. From the environmental viewpoint there is no difference between the sources of the nitrogen compounds. An analysis of the entire fuel chain shows that, compared with the amount of nitrogen removed from the forest with the fuel, about 5 % will be emitted as nitrogen oxides or ammonia during combustion, and a further ca 5 % during handling and transports. A net amount of about 90 % of biomass nitrogen is removed from the system and becomes inert nitrogen (N 2 ). 60 refs, 3 figs, 4 tabs, 11 appendices

  10. Effects of Nitrogen and Phosphorous Biofertilizers on Yield and Yield Components of Corn AS71 in Dareh-shahr, Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Fathi

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Biofertilizers are inputs that naturally supplement replace chemical fertilizers and they are recommended in sustainable agriculture. To study the effects of biological fertilizers on yield and yield components of corn, a factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replications were conducted at Dareh-shahr, Iran in 2010. Biological factors were 4 levels of nitrogen biofertilizers (nitroxin, nitrokara, supernitroplus and control and 4 levels of phosphorus biofertilizers (biophosphore, phosphate fertilized 2, MC1 and control. Results showed that biological nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers had significant effects on all traits under study. Interaction of nitrogen biological fertilizer × phosphate biological fertilizer was significant on 100 seed weight (P

  11. Utilization of nitrogen-15 from wheat by growing poultry and laying hens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hennig, A.; Gruhn, K.; Jahreis, G.

    1976-01-01

    Nitrogen-15 offered to broiler chickens and laying hens has been tested. The test animals were given wheat (atom % 15 N-excess 20-25%) or 15 N-lysine in balanced rations. The results showed that different feedstuffs are transported selectively through the gastro-intestinal tract. Therefore the atom % 15 N-excess is higher in the contents of the crop, the proventriculus and the gizzard in comparison with the feed. Some hours after feeding the atom % 15 N-excess in the contents of the small intestine is lower than in other parts of the intestinal tract (3 to 12 hours after feeding). As to atom % 15 N, there is a significant correlation between the contents of the small intestine and the gut wall (r=0.99). As the amount of nitrogen in the contents of the small intestine does not change between 3 and 12 hours after feeding, the obvious dilution of 15 N does not allow conclusions to be made regarding the endogenic secretion. In the steady state, 24% of the 15 N of wheat lysine, 12% of the 15 N of wheat histidine and 9% of arginine were excreted in the faeces. Four days after the last feed intake of labelled wheat or lysine we found more 15 N in the carcass than in the total sum of eggs. Four days after the last feeding the albumen showed a higher labelling rate than urine. The 15 N of wheat was differently incorporated into thoracic, leg and heart muscles. We found a different half-life time for the individual muscle protein types in the following order: heart, leg, thoracic. Within the eight-day period no changes were observed in the level of labelling in the thoracic muscle. (author)

  12. Reactive nitrogen deposition to South East Asian rainforest

    Science.gov (United States)

    di Marco, Chiara F.; Phillips, Gavin J.; Thomas, Rick; Tang, Sim; Nemitz, Eiko; Sutton, Mark A.; Fowler, David; Lim, Sei F.

    2010-05-01

    The supply of reactive nitrogen (N) to global terrestrial ecosystems has doubled since the 1960s as a consequence of human activities, such as fertilizer application and production of nitrogen oxides by fossil-fuel burning. The deposition of atmospheric N species constitutes a major nutrient input to the biosphere. Tropical forests have been undergoing a radical land use change by increasing cultivation of sugar cane and oil palms and the remaining forests are increasingly affected by anthropogenic activities. Yet, quantifications of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to tropical forests, and nitrogen cycling under near-pristine and polluted conditions are rare. The OP3 project ("Oxidant and Particle Photochemical Processes above a Southeast Asian Tropical Rainforest") was conceived to study how emissions of reactive trace gases from a tropical rain forest mediate the regional scale production and processing of oxidants and particles, and to better understand the impact of these processes on local, regional and global scale atmospheric composition, chemistry and climate. As part of this study we have measured reactive, nitrogen containing trace gas (ammonia, nitric acid) and the associated aerosol components (ammonium, nitrate) at monthly time resolution using a simple filter / denuder for 16 months. These measurements were made at the Bukit Atur Global Atmospheric Watch tower near Danum Valley in the Malaysian state of Sabah, Borneo. In addition, the same compounds were measured at hourly time-resolution during an intensive measurement period, with a combination of a wet-chemistry system based on denuders and steam jet aerosol collectors and an aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS), providing additional information on the temporal controls. During this period, concentrations and fluxes of NO, NO2 and N2O were also measured. The measurements are used for inferential dry deposition modelling and combined with wet deposition data from the South East Asian Acid

  13. Nitrogen enriched combustion of a natural gas internal combustion engine to reduce NO.sub.x emissions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biruduganti, Munidhar S.; Gupta, Sreenath Borra; Sekar, R. Raj; McConnell, Steven S.

    2008-11-25

    A method and system for reducing nitrous oxide emissions from an internal combustion engine. An input gas stream of natural gas includes a nitrogen gas enrichment which reduces nitrous oxide emissions. In addition ignition timing for gas combustion is advanced to improve FCE while maintaining lower nitrous oxide emissions.

  14. First approach to the Japanese nitrogen footprint model to predict the loss of nitrogen to the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibata, Hideaki; Cattaneo, Lia R; Leach, Allison M; Galloway, James N

    2014-01-01

    Humans increase the amount of reactive nitrogen (all N species except N 2 ) in the environment through a number of processes, primarily food and energy production. Once in the environment, excess reactive nitrogen may cause a host of various environmental problems. Understanding and controlling individual nitrogen footprints is important for preserving environmental and human health. In this paper we present the per capita nitrogen footprint of Japan. We considered the effect of the international trade of food and feed, and the impact of dietary preferences among different consumer age groups. Our results indicate that the current average per capita N footprint in Japan considering trade is 28.1 kg N capita −1 yr −1 . This footprint is dominated by food (25.6 kg N capita −1 yr −1 ), with the remainder coming from the housing, transportation, and goods and services sectors. The difference in food choices and intake between age groups strongly affected the food N footprint. Younger age groups tend to consume more meat and less fish, which leads to a larger food N footprint (e.g., 27.5 kg N capita −1 yr −1 for ages 20 to 29) than for older age groups (e.g., 23.0 kg N capita −1 yr −1 for ages over 70). The consideration of food and feed imports to Japan reduced the per capita N footprint from 37.0 kg N capita −1 yr −1 to 28.1 kg N capita −1 yr −1 . The majority of the imported food had lower virtual N factors (i.e., Nr loss factors for food production), indicating that less N is released to the environment during the respective food production processes. Since Japan relies on imported food (ca. 61%) more than food produced domestically, much of the N losses associated with the food products is released in exporting countries. (paper)

  15. Nitrogen footprints: Regional realities and options to reduce nitrogen loss to the environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibata, Hideaki; Galloway, James N; Leach, Allison M; Cattaneo, Lia R; Cattell Noll, Laura; Erisman, Jan Willem; Gu, Baojing; Liang, Xia; Hayashi, Kentaro; Ma, Lin; Dalgaard, Tommy; Graversgaard, Morten; Chen, Deli; Nansai, Keisuke; Shindo, Junko; Matsubae, Kazuyo; Oita, Azusa; Su, Ming-Chien; Mishima, Shin-Ichiro; Bleeker, Albert

    2017-03-01

    Nitrogen (N) management presents a sustainability dilemma: N is strongly linked to energy and food production, but excess reactive N causes environmental pollution. The N footprint is an indicator that quantifies reactive N losses to the environment from consumption and production of food and the use of energy. The average per capita N footprint (calculated using the N-Calculator methodology) of ten countries varies from 15 to 47 kg N capita -1 year -1 . The major cause of the difference is the protein consumption rates and food production N losses. The food sector dominates all countries' N footprints. Global connections via trade significantly affect the N footprint in countries that rely on imported foods and feeds. The authors present N footprint reduction strategies (e.g., improve N use efficiency, increase N recycling, reduce food waste, shift dietary choices) and identify knowledge gaps (e.g., the N footprint from nonfood goods and soil N process).

  16. Increased forest ecosystem carbon and nitrogen storage from nitrogen rich bedrock.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morford, Scott L; Houlton, Benjamin Z; Dahlgren, Randy A

    2011-08-31

    Nitrogen (N) limits the productivity of many ecosystems worldwide, thereby restricting the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to offset the effects of rising atmospheric CO(2) emissions naturally. Understanding input pathways of bioavailable N is therefore paramount for predicting carbon (C) storage on land, particularly in temperate and boreal forests. Paradigms of nutrient cycling and limitation posit that new N enters terrestrial ecosystems solely from the atmosphere. Here we show that bedrock comprises a hitherto overlooked source of ecologically available N to forests. We report that the N content of soils and forest foliage on N-rich metasedimentary rocks (350-950 mg N kg(-1)) is elevated by more than 50% compared with similar temperate forest sites underlain by N-poor igneous parent material (30-70 mg N kg(-1)). Natural abundance N isotopes attribute this difference to rock-derived N: (15)N/(14)N values for rock, soils and plants are indistinguishable in sites underlain by N-rich lithology, in marked contrast to sites on N-poor substrates. Furthermore, forests associated with N-rich parent material contain on average 42% more carbon in above-ground tree biomass and 60% more carbon in the upper 30 cm of the soil than similar sites underlain by N-poor rocks. Our results raise the possibility that bedrock N input may represent an important and overlooked component of ecosystem N and C cycling elsewhere.

  17. Excessive growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanaswamy, Vasudha; Rettig, Kenneth R; Bhowmick, Samar K

    2008-09-01

    Tall stature and excessive growth syndrome are a relatively rare concern in pediatric practice. Nevertheless, it is important to identify abnormal accelerated growth patterns in children, which may be the clue in the diagnosis of an underlying disorder. We present a case of pituitary gigantism in a 2 1/2-year-old child and discuss the signs, symptoms, laboratory findings, and the treatment. Brief discussions on the differential diagnosis of excessive growth/tall stature have been outlined. Pituitary gigantism is very rare in the pediatrics age group; however, it is extremely rare in a child that is less than 3 years of age. The nature of pituitary adenoma and treatment options in children with this condition have also been discussed.

  18. Decreasing the NO3 and increasing the vitamin C contents in spinach by a nitrogen deprivation method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mozafar, A

    1996-02-01

    Excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers is known to increase the NO3 and reduce the vitamin C contents in fruits and vegetables. We investigated the concentration of these compounds in spinach leaves when plants were transferred to nitrogen-free media prior to their harvest. It was noted that a pre-harvest transfer of spinach to N-free media reduces the NO3 and increases the vitamin C content of the leaves by a substantial amount in a 2-3 day period. It is suggested that this technique may be suited to produce spinach or other leafy vegetables with low NO3 and high vitamin C contents under commercial hydroponic conditions.

  19. Transfer of biologically fixed nitrogen to the non-legume component of mixed pastures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haystead, A.

    1983-01-01

    Pasture ecosystems are extremely diverse, as are the management procedures imposed upon them by the pastoralist. In low input pasture enterprises in marginal areas, legume nitrogen fixation is frequently (but not invariably) crucial to continued productivity. Legumes usually do not dominate a pasture and their role in transferring fixed nitrogen to a non-legume, frequently graminaceous, species is important. Methods for measuring this transfer are critically assessed in terms of their usefulness in realistic pasture environments. Existing techniques all have serious disadvantages in this respect. Isotopic studies of individual processes within the transfer system are described and some new lines of investigation are proposed. The value of isotopic studies in improving pasture management is discussed. (author)

  20. TART input manual

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimlinger, J.R.; Plechaty, E.F.

    1982-01-01

    The TART code is a Monte Carlo neutron/photon transport code that is only on the CRAY computer. All the input cards for the TART code are listed, and definitions for all input parameters are given. The execution and limitations of the code are described, and input for two sample problems are given

  1. Isotope Tracer Methods for Investigations Of Nitrogen Deficiency In Castle Lake, California

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Axler, R.P.; Goldman, C.R.

    1981-01-01

    Castle Lake is a subalpine lake located in northern California. Thermal stratification is well developed soon after ice-thaw and persists until fall overturn. The epilimnion during the major portion of the growing season (mid-June to mid-September) is characterized by relatively constant temperature and depth (19±3°C, 5±2m respectively), high transparency (η = 0.21 m -1 ), low phytoplankton productivity (∼3 mg C m -3 hr -1 at midday), and low levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (≲5 μg N 1 -1 ) and phosphorus (≲1 μg P 1 -1 ). Nitrogen-fixing algae are not present in the water column and nutrient inputs derived from precipitation and surface inflow are generally negligible by early July

  2. Thermodynamic properties of binary mixtures of tetrahydropyran with pyridine and isomeric picolines: Excess molar volumes, excess molar enthalpies and excess isentropic compressibilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saini, Neeti; Jangra, Sunil K.; Yadav, J.S.; Sharma, Dimple; Sharma, V.K.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Densities, ρ and speeds of sound, u of tetrahydropyran (i) + pyridine or α-, β- or γ-picoline (j) binary mixtures at 298.15, 303.15 and 308.15 K and excess molar enthalpies, H E of the same set of mixtures at 308.15 K have been measured as a function of composition. → The observed densities and speeds of sound values have been employed to determine excess molar volumes, V E and excess isentropic compressibilities, κ S E . → Topology of the constituents of mixtures has been utilized (Graph theory) successfully to predict V E , H E and κ S E data of the investigated mixtures. → Thermodynamic data of the various mixtures have also been analyzed in terms of Prigogine-Flory-Patterson (PFP) theory. - Abstract: Densities, ρ and speeds of sound, u of tetrahydropyran (i) + pyridine or α-, β- or γ- picoline (j) binary mixtures at 298.15, 303.15 and 308.15 K and excess molar enthalpies, H E of the same set of mixtures at 308.15 K have been measured as a function of composition using an anton Parr vibrating-tube digital density and sound analyzer (model DSA 5000) and 2-drop micro-calorimeter, respectively. The resulting density and speed of sound data of the investigated mixtures have been utilized to predict excess molar volumes, V E and excess isentropic compressibilities, κ S E . The observed data have been analyzed in terms of (i) Graph theory; (ii) Prigogine-Flory-Patterson theory. It has been observed that V E , H E and κ S E data predicted by Graph theory compare well with their experimental values.

  3. Excess wind power

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Poul Alberg

    2005-01-01

    Expansion of wind power is an important element in Danish climate change abatement policy. Starting from a high penetration of approx 20% however, momentary excess production will become an important issue in the future. Through energy systems analyses using the EnergyPLAN model and economic...... analyses it is analysed how excess productions are better utilised; through conversion into hydrogen of through expansion of export connections thereby enabling sales. The results demonstrate that particularly hydrogen production is unviable under current costs but transmission expansion could...

  4. Cycle length and COD/N ratio determine properties of aerobic granules treating high-nitrogen wastewater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cydzik-Kwiatkowska, Agnieszka; Bernat, Katarzyna; Zielińska, Magdalena; Wojnowska-Baryła, Irena

    2014-07-01

    Aerobic granule characteristic in sequencing batch reactors treating high-nitrogen digester supernatant was investigated at cycle lengths (t) of 6, 8 and 12 h with the COD/N ratios in the influent of 4.5 and 2.3. The biomass production (Y obs) correlated with the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in grams per COD removed. Denitrification efficiency significantly decreased as the amount of EPS in biomass increased, suggesting that organic assimilation in EPS hampers nitrogen removal. Granule hydrophobicity was highest at t of 8 h; the t has to be long enough to remove pollutants, but not so long that excessive biomass starvation causes extracellular protein consumption that decreases hydrophobicity. At a given t, reducing the COD/N ratio improved hydrophobicity that stimulates cell aggregation. At t of 6 h and the COD/N ratio of 2.3, the dominance of 0.5-1.0 mm granules favored simultaneous nitrification and denitrification and resulted in the highest nitrogen removal.

  5. Insertion of isocyanides into actinoid-nitrogen bonds of biscyclopentadienyluranium mono- and bis-(dialkylamides)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dormond, A.; Aaliti, A.; Moise, C.

    1985-01-01

    Isocyanides react readily with Ucp 2 (NEt 2 ) 2 (cp = cyclopentadienyl) and U(C 5 Me 5 ) 2 (NEt 2 )Cl giving iminoalkylamido insertion compounds: starting from Ucp 2 (NEt 2 ) 2 and an excess of isocyanide or from the monoinserted compound, a second insertion occurs, affording the highly symmetrical bis(iminoalkylamido) compounds; 1 H n.m.r. data indicate the importance of a 'carbenoid' resonance hybrid and nitrogen lone-pair donation to the 'carbenoid' carbon atom. (author)

  6. Insights Into Nitrogen Isotope Fractionation in Coral Reefs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamb, K. A.; Swart, P. K.; Ellis, G. S.

    2002-12-01

    Environmental integrity in the Florida Reef tract and the Caribbean has been the center of concern for the past 15-20 years. Both the recreational and scientific communities alike have noticed an overall decline in coral reef health. This decline has manifested itself in the form of increased fleshy macroalgae growth and reduced coral cover, and in some cases, wide-scale coral mortality. Given the increasing dependence on a tourism-oriented economy in both South Florida and the Caribbean, much attention has been focused on maintaining reef longevity. A high nutrient load is believed to be the leading cause of degradation in the predominantly oligotrophic environment. Various studies have cited increased run off and input of anthropogenic wastes as the origin of these nutrients. It has also been suggested that the stable isotopes of nitrogen may provide a tracer with which to recognize the impact of anthropogenic nutrients within the coral reefs ecosystem. However, in utilizing both nitrogen and carbon stable isotopic methods on samples of particulate organic matter (POM) taken over the last three years, we find little evidence of the input of anthropogenic waste. δ15N values of POM fluctuate between +1 and +9 per mille, but usually remain in the +4 to +6 per mille range. Additionally, δ13C values are even more consistent, maintaining a balance between -19 to -21 per mille. These data are consistent with natural open-ocean values for δ15N and δ13C, indicating a lack of intense and prolonged exposure to anthropogenic wastes in the Florida Keys.

  7. Preparation of hard magnetic materials based on nitrogenated rare-earth iron alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guilherme, Eneida da Graca

    1999-01-01

    Nd Fe 11 Ti, Nd Fe 10.5 Mo 1.5 and Nd Fe 10.75 Mo 1.25 alloys were synthesized by reduction-diffusion calciothermic process (RDC) from neodymium chloride (NdCl 3 ), iron, titanium, molybdenum and reduction agent (metallic calcium). The effect of process variables, like temperature, time, excess amount of NdCl 3 , heating rate, and composition variation of the Nd Fe 12-x Mo x (1 ≥ x ≥ 2). Mother alloys in which 1:12 phase is major were nitrogenated by gas-solid reaction with N 2 and by chemical reaction with sodium zide (Na N 3 ). In addition, the influence of reducing particle size of the powdered mother alloys in the nitrogenation step with Na N 3 were studied. As prepared and interstitially modified Nd Fe 11 Ti, Nd Fe 10.5 Mo 1.5 and Nd Fe 10.75 Mo 1.25 alloys with nitrogen , were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Moessbauer spectroscopy, thermomagnetic, SEM and EDS. Nitrogenation by gas-solid reaction with N 2 is found to be not promising, since resulted Curie temperatures (Tc) were lower than literature values. However, nitrogenation by chemical reaction with Na N 3 was efficient with higher or same Tc than previous reported results. The average increases on Tc and volumetric expansion were 200 deg C and 4%, respectively. Milling of the mother alloys before nitrogenation at 330 deg C is preferred because reaction kinetics is enhanced. Nevertheless, at 450 deg C, a competition between the interstitially modified compound formation (alloy + N) and alloy dissociation has occurred, resulting in a Fe-α phase increase. (author)

  8. 75 FR 27572 - Monthly Report of Excess Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-17

    ... Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD... permitted to retain Excess Income for projects under terms and conditions established by HUD. Owners must request to retain some or all of their Excess Income. The request must be submitted through http://www.pay...

  9. A nitrogen budget for Denmark; developments between 1990 and 2010, and prospects for the future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hutchings, N J; Dalgaard, T; Børgesen, C D; Mogensen, L; Nielsen, O-K; Mikkelsen, M H; Thomsen, M; Ellermann, T; Winther, M; Højberg, A L

    2014-01-01

    A nitrogen (N) budget for Denmark has been developed for the years 1990 to 2010, describing the inputs and outputs at the national scale and the internal flows between relevant sectors of the economy. Satisfactorily closing the N budgets for some sectors of the economy was not possible, due to missing or contradictory information. The budgets were nevertheless considered sufficiently reliable to quantify the major flows. Agriculture was responsible for the majority of inputs, though fisheries and energy generation also made significant contributions. Agriculture was the main source of N input to the aquatic environment, whereas agriculture, energy generation and transport all contributed to emissions of reactive N gases to the atmosphere. Significant reductions in inputs of reactive N have been achieved during the 20 years, mainly by restricting the use of N for crop production and improving livestock feeding. This reduction has helped reduce nitrate leaching by about half. Measures to limit ammonia emissions from agriculture and mono-nitrogen oxides (NO x ) emissions from energy generation and transport, has reduced gaseous emissions of reactive N. Much N flows through the food and feed processing industries and there is a cascade of N through the consumer to solid and liquid waste management systems. The budget was used to frame a discussion of the potential for further reductions in losses of reactive N to the environment. These will include increasing the recycling of N between economic sectors, increasing the need for the assessment of knock-on effects of interventions within the context of the national N cycle. (paper)

  10. The role of nitrogen in luminescent Si nanoprecipitate formation during annealing of Si ion-implanted SiO sub 2 layers

    CERN Document Server

    Kachurin, G A; Zhuravlev, K S; Ruault, M O

    2001-01-01

    SiO sub 2 layers were implanted with 25 keV Si sup + and 13 keV N sup + ions with the doses of (1-4) x 10 sup 1 sup 6 cm sup - sup 2 and (0.2-2) x 10 sup 1 sup 6 cm sup - sup 2 , respectively. Then the samples were annealed at 900-1100 deg C to form luminescent silicon nanoprecipitates. The nitrogen effect on the process is controlled by photoluminescence spectra. It is found out that the photoluminescence intensity increases considerably at the appropriate ratio between silicon and nitrogen. It has been concluded that the interaction of nitrogen with excessive silicon results in increasing the number of precipitation centers. This raises the nanocrystals number and reduces their mean size

  11. Genomics and ecophysiology of heterotrophic nitrogen fixing bacteria isolated from estuarine surface water

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bentzon-Tilia, Mikkel; Severin, Ina; Hansen, Lars H.

    2015-01-01

    The ability to reduce atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia, known as N2 fixation, is a widely distributed trait among prokaryotes that accounts for an essential input of new N to a multitude of environments. Nitrogenase reductase gene (nifH) composition suggests that putative N2-fixing heterotrop......The ability to reduce atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia, known as N2 fixation, is a widely distributed trait among prokaryotes that accounts for an essential input of new N to a multitude of environments. Nitrogenase reductase gene (nifH) composition suggests that putative N2-fixing...... heterotrophic organisms are widespread in marine bacterioplankton, but their autecology and ecological significance are unknown. Here, we report genomic and ecophysiology data in relation to N2 fixation by three environmentally relevant heterotrophic bacteria isolated from Baltic Sea surface water: Pseudomonas...... liter-1, presumably accommodated through aggregate formation. Glucose stimulated N2 fixation in general, and reactive N repressed N2 fixation, except that ammonium (NH4 ) stimulated N2 fixation in R. palustris BAL398, indicating the use of nitrogenase as an electron sink. The lack of correlations...

  12. Carbon-nitrogen feedbacks in the UVic ESCM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Wania

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available A representation of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle is introduced into the UVic Earth System Climate Model (UVic ESCM. The UVic ESCM now contains five terrestrial carbon pools and seven terrestrial nitrogen pools: soil, litter, leaves, stem and roots for both elements and ammonium and nitrate in the soil for nitrogen. Nitrogen cycles through plant tissue, litter, soil and the mineral pools before being taken up again by the plant. Biological N2 fixation and nitrogen deposition represent external inputs to the plant-soil system while losses occur via leaching. Simulated carbon and nitrogen pools and fluxes are in the range of other models and observations. Gross primary production (GPP for the 1990s in the CN-coupled version is 129.6 Pg C a−1 and net C uptake is 0.83 Pg C a−1, whereas the C-only version results in a GPP of 133.1 Pg C a−1 and a net C uptake of 1.57 Pg C a−1. At the end of a transient experiment for the years 1800–1999, where radiative forcing is held constant but CO2 fertilisation for vegetation is permitted to occur, the CN-coupled version shows an enhanced net C uptake of 1.05 Pg C a−1, whereas in the experiment where CO2 is held constant and temperature is transient the land turns into a C source of 0.60 Pg C a−1 by the 1990s. The arithmetic sum of the temperature and CO2 effects is 0.45 Pg C a−1, 0.38 Pg C a−1 lower than seen in the fully forced model, suggesting a strong nonlinearity in the CN-coupled version. Anthropogenic N deposition has a positive effect on Net Ecosystem Production of 0.35 Pg C a−1. Overall, the UVic CN-coupled version shows similar characteristics to other CN-coupled Earth System Models, as measured by net C balance and sensitivity to changes in climate, CO2 and temperature.

  13. PC based diagnostic system for nitrogen production unit of HWP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamba, D.S.; Rao, V.C.; Krishnan, S.; Kamaraj, T.; Krishnaswamy, C.

    1992-01-01

    The plant diagnostic system monitors the input data from local processing unit and tries to diagnose the cause of the failure. The system is a rule based application program that can perform tasks itself using fault tree model which displays the logical relationships between critical events and their possible ways occurrence, i.e. hardware failure, process faults and human error etc. Unit 37 Nitrogen Plant is taken as a prototype model for trying the plant diagnostics system. (author). 3 refs., 2 figs

  14. Superconductors with excess quasiparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elesin, V.F.; Kopaev, Y.V.

    1981-01-01

    This review presents a systematic kinetic theory of nonequilibrium phenomena in superconductors with excess quasiparticles created by electromagnetic or tunnel injection. The energy distributions of excess quasiparticles and of nonequilibrium phonons, dependence of the order parameter on the power and frequency (or intensity) of the electromagnetic field, magnetic properties of nonequilibrium superconductors, I-V curves of superconductor-insulator-superconductor junctions, and other properties are described in detail. The stability of superconducting states far from thermodynamic equilibrium is investigated and it is shown that characteristic instabilities leading to the formation of nonuniform states of a new type or phase transitions of the first kind are inherent to superconductors with excess quasiparticles. The results are compared with experimental data

  15. Community Composition of Nitrous Oxide-Related Genes in Salt Marsh Sediments Exposed to Nitrogen Enrichment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angell, John H; Peng, Xuefeng; Ji, Qixing; Craick, Ian; Jayakumar, Amal; Kearns, Patrick J; Ward, Bess B; Bowen, Jennifer L

    2018-01-01

    Salt marshes provide many key ecosystem services that have tremendous ecological and economic value. One critical service is the removal of fixed nitrogen from coastal waters, which limits the negative effects of eutrophication resulting from increased nutrient supply. Nutrient enrichment of salt marsh sediments results in higher rates of nitrogen cycling and, commonly, a concurrent increase in the flux of nitrous oxide, an important greenhouse gas. Little is known, however, regarding controls on the microbial communities that contribute to nitrous oxide fluxes in marsh sediments. To address this disconnect, we generated profiles of microbial communities and communities of micro-organisms containing specific nitrogen cycling genes that encode several enzymes ( amoA, norB, nosZ) related to nitrous oxide flux from salt marsh sediments. We hypothesized that communities of microbes responsible for nitrogen transformations will be structured by nitrogen availability. Taxa that respond positively to high nitrogen inputs may be responsible for the elevated rates of nitrogen cycling processes measured in fertilized sediments. Our data show that, with the exception of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, the community composition of organisms involved in the production and consumption of nitrous oxide was altered under nutrient enrichment. These results suggest that previously measured rates of nitrous oxide production and consumption are likely the result of changes in community structure, not simply changes in microbial activity.

  16. Demonstration of a High-Order Mode Input Coupler for a 220-GHz Confocal Gyrotron Traveling Wave Tube

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Xiaotong; Fu, Wenjie; Yan, Yang

    2018-02-01

    A design of high-order mode input coupler for 220-GHz confocal gyrotron travelling wave tube is proposed, simulated, and demonstrated by experimental tests. This input coupler is designed to excite confocal TE 06 mode from rectangle waveguide TE 10 mode over a broadband frequency range. Simulation results predict that the optimized conversion loss is about 2.72 dB with a mode purity excess of 99%. Considering of the gyrotron interaction theory, an effective bandwidth of 5 GHz is obtained, in which the beam-wave coupling efficiency is higher than half of maximum. The field pattern under low power demonstrates that TE 06 mode is successfully excited in confocal waveguide at 220 GHz. Cold test results from the vector network analyzer perform good agreements with simulation results. Both simulation and experimental results illustrate that the reflection at input port S11 is sensitive to the perpendicular separation of two mirrors. It provides an engineering possibility for estimating the assembly precision.

  17. Tracing anthropogenic inputs to production in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan - A stable isotope approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, Todd W.; Omori, Koji; Hamaoka, Hideki; Shibata, Jun-ya; Hidejiro, Onishi

    2010-01-01

    The Seto Inland Sea (SIS) receives waste runoff from ∼24% of Japan's total population, yet it is also important in regional fisheries, recreation and commerce. During August 2006 we measured carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of particulate organic matter (POM) and zooplankton across urban population gradients of the SIS. Results showed a consistent trend of increasing δ 15 N in POM and zooplankton from the western to eastern subsystems of the SIS, corresponding to increasing population load. Principal components analysis of environmental variables indicated high positive loadings of δ 15 N and δ 13 C with high chlorophyll-a and surface water temperatures, and negative loadings of low salinities related to inputs from large rivers and high urban development in the eastern SIS. Anthropogenic nitrogen was therefore readily integrated into the SIS food web from primary production to copepods, which are a critical food source for many commercially important fishes.

  18. Interactive Effects of Nitrogen and Climate Change on Biodiversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porter, E. M.; Bowman, W. D.; Clark, C. M.; Compton, J. E.; Pardo, L. H.; Soong, J.

    2011-12-01

    example, in certain arid ecosystems of southern California, elevated nitrogen has promoted invasions of annual non-native grasses. At the same time, a period of above-normal precipitation years has exacerbated the grass invasions. Increased grass cover has altered the hydrologic cycle of these areas and increased fire risk, ultimately leading to conversion of the ecosystem from diverse shrublands to less diverse grasslands. In addition to empirical studies, modeling can be used to simulate climate change and nitrogen interactions. The ForSAFE-VEG model, for example, has been used to examine climate change and nitrogen interactions in Rocky Mountain alpine vegetation communities. Results from both empirical studies and modeling indicate that nitrogen and climate change interact to drive losses in biodiversity greater than those caused by either stressor alone. Reducing inputs of anthropogenic reactive nitrogen may be an effective mitigation strategy for protecting biodiversity in the face of climate change.

  19. Responses to simulated nitrogen deposition by the neotropical epiphytic orchid Laelia speciosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edison A. Díaz-Álvarez

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Potential ecophysiological responses to nitrogen deposition, which is considered to be one of the leading causes for global biodiversity loss, were studied for the endangered endemic Mexican epiphytic orchid, Laelia speciosa, via a shadehouse dose-response experiment (doses were 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in order to assess the potential risk facing this orchid given impending scenarios of nitrogen deposition. Lower doses of nitrogen of up to 20 kg N ha yr−1, the dose that led to optimal plant performance, acted as fertilizer. For instance, the production of leaves and pseudobulbs were respectively 35% and 36% greater for plants receiving 20 kg N ha yr−1 than under any other dose. Also, the chlorophyll content and quantum yield peaked at 0.66 ± 0.03 g m−2 and 0.85 ± 0.01, respectively, for plants growing under the optimum dose. In contrast, toxic effects were observed at the higher doses of 40 and 80 kg N ha yr−1. The δ13C for leaves averaged −14.7 ± 0.2‰ regardless of the nitrogen dose. In turn, δ15N decreased as the nitrogen dose increased from 0.9 ± 0.1‰ under 2.5 kg N ha−1yr−1 to −3.1 ± 0.2‰ under 80 kg N ha−1yr−1, indicating that orchids preferentially assimilate NH4+ rather than NO3− of the solution under higher doses of nitrogen. Laelia speciosa showed a clear response to inputs of nitrogen, thus, increasing rates of atmospheric nitrogen deposition can pose an important threat for this species.

  20. Prioritizing Crop Management to Increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Australian Sugarcane Crops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorburn, Peter J; Biggs, Jody S; Palmer, Jeda; Meier, Elizabeth A; Verburg, Kirsten; Skocaj, Danielle M

    2017-01-01

    Sugarcane production relies on the application of large amounts of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. However, application of N in excess of crop needs can lead to loss of N to the environment, which can negatively impact ecosystems. This is of particular concern in Australia where the majority of sugarcane is grown within catchments that drain directly into the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Multiple factors that impact crop yield and N inputs of sugarcane production systems can affect N use efficiency (NUE), yet the efficacy many of these factors have not been examined in detail. We undertook an extensive simulation analysis of NUE in Australian sugarcane production systems to investigate (1) the impacts of climate on factors determining NUE, (2) the range and drivers of NUE, and (3) regional variation in sugarcane N requirements. We found that the interactions between climate, soils, and management produced a wide range of simulated NUE, ranging from ∼0.3 Mg cane (kg N) -1 , where yields were low (i.e., 5 Mg cane (kg N) -1 in plant crops where yields were high and N inputs low. Of the management practices simulated (N fertilizer rate, timing, and splitting; fallow management; tillage intensity; and in-field traffic management), the only practice that significantly influenced NUE in ratoon crops was N fertilizer application rate. N rate also influenced NUE in plant crops together with the management of the preceding fallow. In addition, there is regional variation in N fertilizer requirement that could make N fertilizer recommendations more specific. While our results show that complex interrelationships exist between climate, crop growth, N fertilizer rates and N losses to the environment, they highlight the priority that should be placed on optimizing N application rate and fallow management to improve NUE in Australian sugarcane production systems. New initiatives in seasonal climate forecasting, decisions support systems and enhanced efficiency

  1. Global sensitivity analysis for an integrated model for simulation of nitrogen dynamics under the irrigation with treated wastewater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Huaiwei; Zhu, Yan; Yang, Jinzhong; Wang, Xiugui

    2015-11-01

    As the amount of water resources that can be utilized for agricultural production is limited, the reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) for irrigation is a practical solution to alleviate the water crisis in China. The process-based models, which estimate nitrogen dynamics under irrigation, are widely used to investigate the best irrigation and fertilization management practices in developed and developing countries. However, for modeling such a complex system for wastewater reuse, it is critical to conduct a sensitivity analysis to determine numerous input parameters and their interactions that contribute most to the variance of the model output for the development of process-based model. In this study, application of a comprehensive global sensitivity analysis for nitrogen dynamics was reported. The objective was to compare different global sensitivity analysis (GSA) on the key parameters for different model predictions of nitrogen and crop growth modules. The analysis was performed as two steps. Firstly, Morris screening method, which is one of the most commonly used screening method, was carried out to select the top affected parameters; then, a variance-based global sensitivity analysis method (extended Fourier amplitude sensitivity test, EFAST) was used to investigate more thoroughly the effects of selected parameters on model predictions. The results of GSA showed that strong parameter interactions exist in crop nitrogen uptake, nitrogen denitrification, crop yield, and evapotranspiration modules. Among all parameters, one of the soil physical-related parameters named as the van Genuchten air entry parameter showed the largest sensitivity effects on major model predictions. These results verified that more effort should be focused on quantifying soil parameters for more accurate model predictions in nitrogen- and crop-related predictions, and stress the need to better calibrate the model in a global sense. This study demonstrates the advantages of the GSA on a

  2. Transfer of blood urea nitrogen to cecal microbial nitrogen is increased by fructo-oligosaccharide feeding in guinea pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawasaki, Kiyonori; Min, Xiao; Li, Xiao; Hasegawa, Ena; Sakaguchi, Ei

    2015-01-01

    The present study was conducted to determine the mechanism by which nitrogen (N) availability is improved by fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) in guinea pigs. Adult male guinea pigs were fed a commercial pellet diet (50 g/day) with either 5% glucose or 5% FOS for 7 days in individual metabolism cages. After 7 days of feeding the diet, (15) N-urea was administered intravenously 1 h before slaughter under anesthesia. The amount and concentration of total, protein, bacterial, ammonia and urea N and the (15) N atom % excess were measured in blood, liver, gut contents and urine. The (15) N atom % excess of total and protein N, and the amount of total, protein and bacteria N and (15) N in the cecum were significantly increased by the consumption of FOS. Furthermore, the concentration and amount of short-chain fatty acids were significantly increased by the consumption of FOS. In contrast, the amount of urinary (15) N was significantly decreased by the consumption of FOS. These results suggest that consumption of FOS increases transfer of blood urea N into the large intestine for bacterial N synthesis, which is subsequently re-absorbed by cecotrophy, and contributes to the increase of N utilization in guinea pigs. © 2014 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  3. Regional nitrogen budget of the Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa: syntheses, uncertainties and perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Minghua; Brandt, Patric; Pelster, David; Rufino, Mariana C.; Robinson, Timothy; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus

    2014-10-01

    Using the net anthropogenic nitrogen input (NANI) approach we estimated the N budget for the Lake Victoria Basin in East Africa. The NANI of the basin ranged from 887 to 3008 kg N km-2 yr-1 (mean: 1827 kg N km-2 yr-1) for the period 1995-2000. The net nitrogen release at basin level is due primarily to livestock and human consumption of feed and foods, contributing between 69% and 85%. Atmospheric oxidized N deposition contributed approximately 14% to the NANI of the Lake Victoria Basin, while either synthetic N fertilizer imports or biological N fixations only contributed less than 6% to the regional NANI. Due to the low N imports of feed and food products (export to Lake Victoria accounted for 16%, which is much lower than for watersheds located in Europe and USA (25%). A significant reduction of the uncertainty of our N budget estimate for Lake Victoria Basin would be possible if better data on livestock systems and riverine N export were available. Our study indicates that at present soil N mining is the main source of nitrogen in the Lake Victoria Basin. Thus, sustainable N management requires increasing agricultural N inputs to guarantee food security and rehabilitation and protection of soils to minimize environmental costs. Moreover, to reduce N pollution of the lake, improving management of human and animal wastes needs to be carefully considered in future.

  4. Organic Matter Loading Modifies the Microbial Community Responsible for Nitrogen Loss in Estuarine Sediments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babbin, Andrew R; Jayakumar, Amal; Ward, Bess B

    2016-04-01

    Coastal marine sediments, as locations of substantial fixed nitrogen loss, are very important to the nitrogen budget and to the primary productivity of the oceans. Coastal sediment systems are also highly dynamic and subject to periodic natural and anthropogenic organic substrate additions. The response to organic matter by the microbial community involved in nitrogen loss processes was evaluated using mesocosms of Chesapeake Bay sediments. Over the course of a 50-day incubation, rates of anammox and denitrification were measured weekly using (15)N tracer incubations, and samples were collected for genetic analysis. Rates of both nitrogen loss processes and gene abundances associated with them corresponded loosely, probably because heterogeneities in sediments obscured a clear relationship. The rates of denitrification were stimulated more, and the fraction of nitrogen loss attributed to anammox slightly reduced, by the higher organic matter addition. Furthermore, the large organic matter pulse drove a significant and rapid shift in the denitrifier community composition as determined using a nirS microarray, indicating that the diversity of these organisms plays an essential role in responding to anthropogenic inputs. We also suggest that the proportion of nitrogen loss due to anammox in these coastal estuarine sediments may be underestimated due to temporal dynamics as well as from methodological artifacts related to conventional sediment slurry incubation approaches.

  5. Estimations of Nitrogen Concentration in Sugarcane Using Hyperspectral Imagery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Poonsak Miphokasap

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to estimate the spatial variation of sugarcane Canopy Nitrogen Concentration (CNC using spectral data, which were measured from a spaceborne hyperspectral image. Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression (SMLR and Support Vector Regression (SVR were applied to calibrate and validate the CNC estimation models. The raw spectral reflectance was transformed into a First-Derivative Spectrum (FDS and absorption features to remove the spectral noise and finally used as input variables. The results indicate that the estimation models developed by non-linear SVR based Radial Basis Function (RBF kernel yield the higher correlation coefficient with CNC compared with the models computed by SMLR. The best model shows the coefficient of determination value of 0.78 and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE value of 0.035% nitrogen. The narrow sensitive spectral wavelengths for quantifying nitrogen content in the combined cultivar environments existed mainly in the electromagnetic spectrum of the visible-red, longer portion of red edge, shortwave infrared regions and far-near infrared. The most important conclusion from this experiment is that spectral signals from the space hyperspectral data contain the meaningful information for quantifying sugarcane CNC across larger geographic areas. The nutrient deficient areas could be corrected by applying suitable farm management.

  6. Spatially robust estimates of biological nitrogen (N) fixation imply substantial human alteration of the tropical N cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Benjamin W.; Smith, William K.; Townsend, Alan R.; Nasto, Megan K.; Reed, Sasha C.; Chazdon, Robin L.; Cleveland, Cory C.

    2014-01-01

    Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the largest natural source of exogenous nitrogen (N) to unmanaged ecosystems and also the primary baseline against which anthropogenic changes to the N cycle are measured. Rates of BNF in tropical rainforest are thought to be among the highest on Earth, but they are notoriously difficult to quantify and are based on little empirical data. We adapted a sampling strategy from community ecology to generate spatial estimates of symbiotic and free-living BNF in secondary and primary forest sites that span a typical range of tropical forest legume abundance. Although total BNF was higher in secondary than primary forest, overall rates were roughly five times lower than previous estimates for the tropical forest biome. We found strong correlations between symbiotic BNF and legume abundance, but we also show that spatially free-living BNF often exceeds symbiotic inputs. Our results suggest that BNF in tropical forest has been overestimated, and our data are consistent with a recent top-down estimate of global BNF that implied but did not measure low tropical BNF rates. Finally, comparing tropical BNF within the historical area of tropical rainforest with current anthropogenic N inputs indicates that humans have already at least doubled reactive N inputs to the tropical forest biome, a far greater change than previously thought. Because N inputs are increasing faster in the tropics than anywhere on Earth, both the proportion and the effects of human N enrichment are likely to grow in the future.

  7. Spatially robust estimates of biological nitrogen (N) fixation imply substantial human alteration of the tropical N cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Benjamin W; Smith, W Kolby; Townsend, Alan R; Nasto, Megan K; Reed, Sasha C; Chazdon, Robin L; Cleveland, Cory C

    2014-06-03

    Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the largest natural source of exogenous nitrogen (N) to unmanaged ecosystems and also the primary baseline against which anthropogenic changes to the N cycle are measured. Rates of BNF in tropical rainforest are thought to be among the highest on Earth, but they are notoriously difficult to quantify and are based on little empirical data. We adapted a sampling strategy from community ecology to generate spatial estimates of symbiotic and free-living BNF in secondary and primary forest sites that span a typical range of tropical forest legume abundance. Although total BNF was higher in secondary than primary forest, overall rates were roughly five times lower than previous estimates for the tropical forest biome. We found strong correlations between symbiotic BNF and legume abundance, but we also show that spatially free-living BNF often exceeds symbiotic inputs. Our results suggest that BNF in tropical forest has been overestimated, and our data are consistent with a recent top-down estimate of global BNF that implied but did not measure low tropical BNF rates. Finally, comparing tropical BNF within the historical area of tropical rainforest with current anthropogenic N inputs indicates that humans have already at least doubled reactive N inputs to the tropical forest biome, a far greater change than previously thought. Because N inputs are increasing faster in the tropics than anywhere on Earth, both the proportion and the effects of human N enrichment are likely to grow in the future.

  8. 34 CFR 668.166 - Excess cash.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... the Secretary for the costs the Secretary incurred in providing that excess cash to the institution... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Excess cash. 668.166 Section 668.166 Education..., DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Cash Management § 668.166 Excess cash. (a...

  9. Effects of stepwise nitrogen depletion on carotenoid content, fluorescence parameters and the cellular stoichiometry of Chlorella vulgaris

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ping; Li, Zhe; Lu, Lunhui; Xiao, Yan; Liu, Jing; Guo, Jinsong; Fang, Fang

    2017-06-01

    Stressful conditions can stimulate the accumulation of carotenoids in some microalgae. To obtain more knowledge of the stress response, we studied the effects of different N concentrations on unicellular content of carotenoids using Raman spectroscopic technique; cellular stoichiometric changes and the fluorescence parameters of Chlorella vulgaris were concomitantly studied. Initially, we optimized the Raman scattering conditions and demonstrated the feasibility of unicellular carotenoid analysis by Raman spectroscopic technique. The results showed that an integration time of 10 s, laser power at 0.1 mW and an accumulation time of 1 were the optimum conditions, and the peak height at 1523 cm- 1 scaled linearly with the carotenoid content in the range of 0.625-1440 mg/L with a recovery rate of 97% 103%. In the experiment, seven different nitrogen levels ranging from 0 to 2.48 × 105 μg/L were imposed. Samples were taken at the start, exponential phase and end of the experiment. The results showed that nitrogen stress can facilitate the synthesis of carotenoids, while at the same time, excessive nitrogen stress led to lower proliferative and photosynthetic activity. Compared with carotenoids, chlorophylls were more sensitive to nitrogen stress; it declined dramatically as stress processed. There existed no significant differences for Fv/Fm among different nitrogen levels during the exponential phase, while in the end, it declined and a significant difference appeared between cells in 2.48 × 105 μg/L N and other experimental levels. Photosynthetic efficiency, namely the C/N mole ratio in algal cells, didnot significantly change during the exponential phase; however, apparent increases ultimately occurred, except for the stable C/N in BG11 medium. This increase matched well with the carotenoid decline, indicating that an increasing cellular C/N mole ratio can be used as an indicator of excessive stress in carotenoid production. Besides, there also existed an inverse

  10. Simple additive simulation overestimates real influence: altered nitrogen and rainfall modulate the effect of warming on soil carbon fluxes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Xiangyin; Yang, Wanqin; Qi, Zemin; Liao, Shu; Xu, Zhenfeng; Tan, Bo; Wang, Bin; Wu, Qinggui; Fu, Changkun; You, Chengming; Wu, Fuzhong

    2017-08-01

    Experiments and models have led to a consensus that there is positive feedback between carbon (C) fluxes and climate warming. However, the effect of warming may be altered by regional and global changes in nitrogen (N) and rainfall levels, but the current understanding is limited. Through synthesizing global data on soil C pool, input and loss from experiments simulating N deposition, drought and increased precipitation, we quantified the responses of soil C fluxes and equilibrium to the three single factors and their interactions with warming. We found that warming slightly increased the soil C input and loss by 5% and 9%, respectively, but had no significant effect on the soil C pool. Nitrogen deposition alone increased the soil C input (+20%), but the interaction of warming and N deposition greatly increased the soil C input by 49%. Drought alone decreased the soil C input by 17%, while the interaction of warming and drought decreased the soil C input to a greater extent (-22%). Increased precipitation stimulated the soil C input by 15%, but the interaction of warming and increased precipitation had no significant effect on the soil C input. However, the soil C loss was not significantly affected by any of the interactions, although it was constrained by drought (-18%). These results implied that the positive C fluxes-climate warming feedback was modulated by the changing N and rainfall regimes. Further, we found that the additive effects of [warming × N deposition] and [warming × drought] on the soil C input and of [warming × increased precipitation] on the soil C loss were greater than their interactions, suggesting that simple additive simulation using single-factor manipulations may overestimate the effects on soil C fluxes in the real world. Therefore, we propose that more multifactorial experiments should be considered in studying Earth systems. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Energy balance and greenhouse gas emissions of dryland camelina as influenced by tillage and nitrogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keshavarz-Afshar, Reza; Mohammed, Yesuf Assen; Chen, Chengci

    2015-01-01

    Despite the great potential of camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) as a promising biofuel feedstock, in-farm energy flow of the crop and its associated environmental impacts has not received sufficient attention from researchers. In order to assess net energy gain and to identify energy saving and environmental friendly production operations, a two year study was conducted at central Montana. We investigated the effects of tillage method (CT (conventional tillage) vs. NT (no-tillage)) and N (nitrogen) fertilizer rate (0, 45, 90 kg N ha −1 ) on energy balance and GHG (greenhouse gas emission) of dryland camelina production. Results indicated that energy input and GHG emission were 5 and 8% lower in NT than in CT. Application of 45 and 90 kg N ha −1 increased camelina energy input by 186 and 365%, while increased energy output by only 21 and 64%, respectively. There was no significant difference in net energy gain in response to N fertilization, but lower energy efficiency in response to higher N inputs. Averaged across tillage systems, the GHG emission was 32.0 kg C eq ha −1 with 0 N applied, and the GHG emission increased by 206 and 389% when 45 and 90 kg N ha −1 was applied. Overall, N fertilizer had the biggest share in total energy input. Averaged over all experimental treatments, 14,945 MJ ha −1 net energy was obtained from camelina crop in this study which shows the potential of this crop as a bioenergy feedstock. Our result showed that implementation of NT is strongly recommendable for camelina production in this region. Moreover, improvement of N use efficiency has the highest priority to improve energy performance and reduce GHG emissions in camelina production. - Highlights: • Camelina produced 14,945 MJ ha −1 of net energy in this study. • No tillage operation reduced 5% energy input and 8% greenhouse gas emission. • Nitrogen fertilizer was the most energy-intensive input in camelina production.

  12. Projected change in atmospheric nitrogen deposition to the Baltic Sea towards 2020

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hertel, Ole; Geels, Camilla; Hansen, K.M.

    2011-01-01

    this is projected to decrease to 48 %. For some countries the projected decrease in N deposition arising from the implementation of the NEC-II directive will be a considerable part of the reductions agreed on in the provisional reduction targets of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. This underlines the importance......The ecological status of the Baltic Sea has for many years been affected by the high input of both waterborne and airborne nutrients. The focus is here on the airborne input of nitrogen (N) and the projected changes in this input, assuming the new National Emission Ceilings directive (NEC...... scenario, giving a projected reduction of 38 k tonnes N in the annual load in 2020. This equals a decline in N deposition of 19 %. The results from 20 model runs using the tagging method show that of the total N deposition in 2007, 52 % came from emissions within the bordering countries. By 2020...

  13. Sources of Nitrogen for Winter Wheat in Organic Cropping Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petersen, Søren O; Schjønning, Per; Olesen, Jørgen E

    2013-01-01

    mineralizable N (PMN), microbial biomass N (MBN)] were monitored during two growth periods; at one site, biomass C/N ratios were also determined. Soil for labile N analysis was shielded from N inputs during spring application to isolate cumulated system effects. Potentially mineralizable N and MBN were...... explained 76 and 82% of the variation in grain N yields in organic cropping systems in 2007 and 2008, showing significant effects of, respectively, topsoil N, depth of A horizon, cumulated inputs of N, and N applied to winter wheat in manure. Thus, soil properties and past and current management all......In organic cropping systems, legumes, cover crops (CC), residue incorporation, and manure application are used to maintain soil fertility, but the contributions of these management practices to soil nitrogen (N) supply remain obscure. We examined potential sources of N for winter wheat (Triticum...

  14. Nitrous oxide emissions from a peatbog after 13 years of experimental nitrogen deposition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. R. Leeson

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen deposition was experimentally increased on a Scottish peatbog over a period of 13 years (2002–2015. Nitrogen was applied in three forms, NH3 gas, NH4Cl solution, and NaNO3 solution, at rates ranging from 8 (ambient to 64 kg N ha−1 yr−1, and higher near the NH3 fumigation source. An automated system was used to apply the nitrogen, such that the deposition was realistic in terms of rates and high frequency of deposition events. We measured the response of nitrous oxide (N2O flux to the increased nitrogen input. Prior expectations, based on the IPCC default emission factor, were that 1 % of the added nitrogen would be emitted as N2O. In the plots treated with NH4+ and NO3− solution, no response was seen, and there was a tendency for N2O fluxes to be reduced by additional nitrogen, though this was not significant. Areas subjected to high NH3 emitted more N2O than expected, up to 8.5 % of the added nitrogen. Differences in the response are related to the impact of the nitrogen treatments on the vegetation. In the NH4+ and NO3− treatments, all the additional nitrogen is effectively immobilised in the vegetation and top 10 cm of peat. In the NH3 treatment, much of the vegetation was killed off by high doses of NH3, and the nitrogen was presumably more available to denitrifying bacteria. The design of the wet and dry experimental treatments meant that they differed in statistical power, and we are less likely to detect an effect of the NH4+ and NO3− treatments, though they avoid issues of pseudo-replication.

  15. Nitrogen deposition to the United States: distribution, sources, and processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Zhang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available We simulate nitrogen deposition over the US in 2006–2008 by using the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model at 1/2°×2/3° horizontal resolution over North America and adjacent oceans. US emissions of NOx and NH3 in the model are 6.7 and 2.9 Tg N a−1 respectively, including a 20% natural contribution for each. Ammonia emissions are a factor of 3 lower in winter than summer, providing a good match to US network observations of NHx (≡NH3 gas + ammonium aerosol and ammonium wet deposition fluxes. Model comparisons to observed deposition fluxes and surface air concentrations of oxidized nitrogen species (NOy show overall good agreement but excessive wintertime HNO3 production over the US Midwest and Northeast. This suggests a model overestimate N2O5 hydrolysis in aerosols, and a possible factor is inhibition by aerosol nitrate. Model results indicate a total nitrogen deposition flux of 6.5 Tg N a−1 over the contiguous US, including 4.2 as NOy and 2.3 as NHx. Domestic anthropogenic, foreign anthropogenic, and natural sources contribute respectively 78%, 6%, and 16% of total nitrogen deposition over the contiguous US in the model. The domestic anthropogenic contribution generally exceeds 70% in the east and in populated areas of the west, and is typically 50–70% in remote areas of the west. Total nitrogen deposition in the model exceeds 10 kg N ha−1 a−1 over 35% of the contiguous US.

  16. Nitrogen fluxes through unsaturated zones in five agricultural settings across the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, C.T.; Fisher, L.H.; Bekins, B.A.

    2008-01-01

    The main physical and chemical controls on nitrogen (N) fluxes between the root zone and the water table were determined for agricultural sites in California, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, and Washington from 2004 to 2005. Sites included irrigated and nonirrigated fields; soil textures ranging from clay to sand; crops including corn, soybeans, almonds, and pasture; and unsaturated zone thicknesses ranging from 1 to 22 m. Chemical analyses of water from lysimeters and shallow wells indicate that advective transport of nitrate is the dominant process affecting the flux of N below the root zone. Vertical profiles of (i) nitrogen species, (ii) stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen, and (iii) oxygen, N, and argon in unsaturated zone air and correlations between N and other agricultural chemicals indicate that reactions do not greatly affect N concentrations between the root zone and the capillary fringe. As a result, physical factors, such as N application rate, water inputs, and evapotranspiration, control the differences in concentrations among the sites. Concentrations of N in shallow lysimeters exhibit seasonal variation, whereas concentrations in lysimeters deeper than a few meters are relatively stable. Based on concentration and recharge estimates, fluxes of N through the deep unsaturated zone range from 7 to 99 kg ha-1 yr-1. Vertical fluxes of N in ground water are lower due to spatial and historical changes in N inputs. High N fluxes are associated with coarse sediments and high N application rates. Copyright ?? 2008 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

  17. Effects of lanthanum(III) on nitrogen metabolism of soybean seedlings under elevated UV-B radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Rui; Huang, Xiao-hua; Zhou, Qing; Cheng, Xiao-ying

    2007-01-01

    The hydroponic culture experiments of soybean bean seedlings were conducted to investigate the effect of lanthanum (La) on nitrogen metabolism under two different levels of elevated UV-B radiation (UV-B, 280-320 nm). The whole process of nitrogen metabolism involves uptake and transport of nitrate, nitrate assimilation, ammonium assimilation, amino acid biosynthesis, and protein synthesis. Compared with the control, UV-B radiation with the intensity of low level 0.15 W/m2 and high level 0.45 W/m2 significantly affected the whole nitrogen metabolism in soybean seedlings (p nitrogen-metabolism-related enzymes, such as: nitrate reductase (NR) to the nitrate reduction, glutamine systhetase (GS) and glutamine synthase (GOGAT) to the ammonia assimilation, while it increased the content of free amino acids and decreased that of soluble protein as well. The damage effect of high level of UV-B radiation on nitrogen metabolism was greater than that of low level. And UV-B radiation promoted the activity of the anti-adversity enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), which reduced the toxicity of excess ammonia in plant. After pretreatment with the optimum concentration of La (20 mg/L), La could increase the activity of NR, GS, GOGAT, and GDH, and ammonia assimilation, but decrease nitrate and ammonia accumulation. In conclusion, La could relieve the damage effect of UV-B radiation on plant by regulating nitrogen metabolism process, and its alleviating effect under low level was better than that under the high one.

  18. Excess water dynamics in hydrotalcite: QENS study

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    dynamics of excess water in hydrotalcite sample with varied content of excess water are reported. Translational motion of excess water can be best described by random transla- tional jump diffusion model. The observed increase in translational diffusivity with increase in the amount of excess water is attributed to the ...

  19. 21st Century Rise in Anthropogenic Nitrogen Deposition on a Remote Coral Reef

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, H. A.; Chen, Y. C.; Wang, X. T.; Wong, G. T. F.; Cohen, A. L.; DeCarlo, T. M.; Weigand, M. A.; Mii, H. S.; Sigman, D. M.

    2017-12-01

    With the rapid rise in pollution-associated nitrogen inputs to the western Pacific, it has been suggested that even the open ocean has been impacted through atmospheric deposition. In a coral core from Dongsha Atoll, a coral reef ecosystem 340 km from the nearest continent, we observe a decline in the 15N/14N of coral skeleton-bound organic matter, signaling increased deposition of anthropogenic atmospheric N on the open ocean and its incorporation into plankton and in turn the corals living on the atoll. The decrease began just several years before 2000 CE, decades later than predicted by other work, and the amplitude of decline suggests that anthropogenic atmospheric N input is now 20±5% of the annual N input to the surface ocean in this region, less than two-thirds of that estimated by models and analyses of nutrient ratio changes.

  20. A nitrogen budget for Denmark; developments between 1990 and 2010, and prospects for the future

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hutchings, Nicholas John; Nielsen, Ole-Kenneth; Dalgaard, Tommy

    2014-01-01

    to the aquatic environment, whereas agriculture, energy generation and transport all contributed to emissions of reactive N gases to the atmosphere. Significant reductions in inputs of reactive N have been achieved during the 20 years, mainly by restricting the use of N for crop production and improving...... to missing or contradictory information. The budgets were nevertheless considered sufficiently reliable to quantify the major flows. Agriculture was responsible for the majority of inputs, though fisheries and energy generation also made significant contributions. Agriculture was the main source of N input...... livestock feeding. This reduction has helped reduce nitrate leaching by about half. Measures to limit ammonia emissions from agriculture and mono-nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from energy generation and transport, has reduced gaseous emissions of reactive N. Much N flows through the food and feed...

  1. 75 FR 30846 - Monthly Report of Excess Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income (Correction)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-02

    ... Income and Annual Report of Uses of Excess Income (Correction) AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information.... Project owners are permitted to retain Excess Income for projects under terms and conditions established by HUD. Owners must request to retain some or all of their Excess Income. The request must be...

  2. 7 CFR 985.56 - Excess oil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Excess oil. 985.56 Section 985.56 Agriculture... HANDLING OF SPEARMINT OIL PRODUCED IN THE FAR WEST Order Regulating Handling Volume Limitations § 985.56 Excess oil. Oil of any class in excess of a producer's applicable annual allotment shall be identified as...

  3. δ15N as a proxy for historic anthropogenic nitrogen loading in Charleston Harbor, SC, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payne, T. N.; Andrus, C. F. T.

    2015-12-01

    Bivalve shell geochemistry can serve as a useful indicator of changes in coastal environments. There is increasing interest in developing paleoenvironmental proxies from mollusk shell organic components. Numerous studies have focused on how the δ15N obtained from bivalve tissues can be used to trace present-day wastewater input into estuaries. However, comparatively little attention has been paid to tracing the impact of anthropogenic nitrogen loading into estuaries over time. By measuring historic levels of δ15N in the organic fraction of oyster shells (Crassostrea virginica) from archaeological sites around Charleston Harbor and comparing those levels to the δ15N content of modern shells, it is possible to assess how nitrogen has fluctuated historically in the area. Whole-shell samples from the Late Archaic Period (~3000-4000 BP, Late Woodland Period (~1400-800 BP), 18th and 19th centuries, and modern controls were measured for %N and d15N. Evidence of increased anthropogenic input of N is expected to begin in the early historic period based on similar analysis in Chesapeake Bay. More ancient samples may give insight into baseline conditions prior to recent population growth and industrialization. This information could help understand how large-scale anthropogenic nitrogen loading has affected coastal ecosystems over time and guide future remediation. Furthermore, this project will help refine and improve this novel proxy of past environmental conditions.

  4. Dynamic modeling of nitrogen losses in river networks unravels the coupled effects of hydrological and biogeochemical processes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, Richard B.; Böhlke, John Karl; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; David, Mark B.; Harvey, Judson W.; Mulholland, Patrick J.; Seitzinger, Sybil P.; Tobias, Craig R.; Tonitto, Christina; Wollheim, Wilfred M.

    2009-01-01

    The importance of lotic systems as sinks for nitrogen inputs is well recognized. A fraction of nitrogen in streamflow is removed to the atmosphere via denitrification with the remainder exported in streamflow as nitrogen loads. At the watershed scale, there is a keen interest in understanding the factors that control the fate of nitrogen throughout the stream channel network, with particular attention to the processes that deliver large nitrogen loads to sensitive coastal ecosystems. We use a dynamic stream transport model to assess biogeochemical (nitrate loadings, concentration, temperature) and hydrological (discharge, depth, velocity) effects on reach-scale denitrification and nitrate removal in the river networks of two watersheds having widely differing levels of nitrate enrichment but nearly identical discharges. Stream denitrification is estimated by regression as a nonlinear function of nitrate concentration, streamflow, and temperature, using more than 300 published measurements from a variety of US streams. These relations are used in the stream transport model to characterize nitrate dynamics related to denitrification at a monthly time scale in the stream reaches of the two watersheds. Results indicate that the nitrate removal efficiency of streams, as measured by the percentage of the stream nitrate flux removed via denitrification per unit length of channel, is appreciably reduced during months with high discharge and nitrate flux and increases during months of low-discharge and flux. Biogeochemical factors, including land use, nitrate inputs, and stream concentrations, are a major control on reach-scale denitrification, evidenced by the disproportionately lower nitrate removal efficiency in streams of the highly nitrate-enriched watershed as compared with that in similarly sized streams in the less nitrate-enriched watershed. Sensitivity analyses reveal that these important biogeochemical factors and physical hydrological factors contribute nearly

  5. Input-output supervisor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dupuy, R.

    1970-01-01

    The input-output supervisor is the program which monitors the flow of informations between core storage and peripheral equipments of a computer. This work is composed of three parts: 1 - Study of a generalized input-output supervisor. With sample modifications it looks like most of input-output supervisors which are running now on computers. 2 - Application of this theory on a magnetic drum. 3 - Hardware requirement for time-sharing. (author) [fr

  6. Microbial respiration, but not biomass, responded linearly to increasing light fraction organic matter input: Consequences for carbon sequestration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rui, Yichao; Murphy, Daniel V; Wang, Xiaoli; Hoyle, Frances C

    2016-10-18

    Rebuilding 'lost' soil carbon (C) is a priority in mitigating climate change and underpinning key soil functions that support ecosystem services. Microorganisms determine if fresh C input is converted into stable soil organic matter (SOM) or lost as CO 2 . Here we quantified if microbial biomass and respiration responded positively to addition of light fraction organic matter (LFOM, representing recent inputs of plant residue) in an infertile semi-arid agricultural soil. Field trial soil with different historical plant residue inputs [soil C content: control (tilled) = 9.6 t C ha -1 versus tilled + plant residue treatment (tilled + OM) = 18.0 t C ha -1 ] were incubated in the laboratory with a gradient of LFOM equivalent to 0 to 3.8 t C ha -1 (0 to 500% LFOM). Microbial biomass C significantly declined under increased rates of LFOM addition while microbial respiration increased linearly, leading to a decrease in the microbial C use efficiency. We hypothesise this was due to insufficient nutrients to form new microbial biomass as LFOM input increased the ratio of C to nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur of soil. Increased CO 2 efflux but constrained microbial growth in response to LFOM input demonstrated the difficulty for C storage in this environment.

  7. Nitrogen availability for nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria upon growth ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7120 is able to convert dinitrogen to ammonia in the absence of combined nitrogen. The expression of 20% of coding sequences from all major metabolic categories was examined in nitrogen fixing and non-nitrogen fixing growth conditions. The expression data were correlated ...

  8. Incorporating Prognostic Marine Nitrogen Fixers and Related Bio-Physical Feedbacks in an Earth System Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulsen, H.; Ilyina, T.; Six, K. D.

    2016-02-01

    Marine nitrogen fixers play a fundamental role in the oceanic nitrogen and carbon cycles by providing a major source of `new' nitrogen to the euphotic zone that supports biological carbon export and sequestration. Furthermore, nitrogen fixers may regionally have a direct impact on ocean physics and hence the climate system as they form extensive surface mats which can increase light absorption and surface albedo and reduce the momentum input by wind. Resulting alterations in temperature and stratification may feed back on nitrogen fixers' growth itself.We incorporate nitrogen fixers as a prognostic 3D tracer in the ocean biogeochemical component (HAMOCC) of the Max Planck Institute Earth system model and assess for the first time the impact of related bio-physical feedbacks on biogeochemistry and the climate system.The model successfully reproduces recent estimates of global nitrogen fixation rates, as well as the observed distribution of nitrogen fixers, covering large parts of the tropical and subtropical oceans. First results indicate that including bio-physical feedbacks has considerable effects on the upper ocean physics in this region. Light absorption by nitrogen fixers leads locally to surface heating, subsurface cooling, and mixed layer depth shoaling in the subtropical gyres. As a result, equatorial upwelling is increased, leading to surface cooling at the equator. This signal is damped by the effect of the reduced wind stress due to the presence of cyanobacteria mats, which causes a reduction in the wind-driven circulation, and hence a reduction in equatorial upwelling. The increase in surface albedo due to nitrogen fixers has only inconsiderable effects. The response of nitrogen fixers' growth to the alterations in temperature and stratification varies regionally. Simulations with the fully coupled Earth system model are in progress to assess the implications of the biologically induced changes in upper ocean physics for the global climate system.

  9. Experimental identification of nitrogen-vacancy complexes in nitrogen implanted silicon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, Lahir Shaik; Law, Mark E.; Szpala, Stanislaw; Simpson, P. J.; Lawther, Derek; Dokumaci, Omer; Hegde, Suri

    2001-07-01

    Nitrogen implantation is commonly used in multigate oxide thickness processing for mixed signal complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor and System on a Chip technologies. Current experiments and diffusion models indicate that upon annealing, implanted nitrogen diffuses towards the surface. The mechanism proposed for nitrogen diffusion is the formation of nitrogen-vacancy complexes in silicon, as indicated by ab initio studies by J. S. Nelson, P. A. Schultz, and A. F. Wright [Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 247 (1998)]. However, to date, there does not exist any experimental evidence of nitrogen-vacancy formation in silicon. This letter provides experimental evidence through positron annihilation spectroscopy that nitrogen-vacancy complexes indeed form in nitrogen implanted silicon, and compares the experimental results to the ab initio studies, providing qualitative support for the same.

  10. Nitrogen nutrition effects on development, growth and nitrogen accumulation of vegetables

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Biemond, H.

    1995-01-01

    In order to be able to match nitrogen supply and nitrogen requirement of vegetable crops, insight is necessary in the responses to nitrogen of important processes of growth and development. This study focused on effects of amount of nitrogen applied and fractionation of nitrogen supply on

  11. Spatially explicit fate factors of waterborne nitrogen emissions at the global scale

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Mayorga, Emilio; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

    2017-01-01

    water. Spatial aggregation of the FFs at the continental level decreases this variation to 1 order of magnitude or less for all routes. Coastal water residence time was found to show inconsistency and scarcity of literature sources. Improvement of data quality for this parameter is suggested......Purpose: Marine eutrophication impacts due to waterborne nitrogen (N) emissions may vary significantly with their type and location. The environmental fate of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) forms is essential to understand the impacts they may trigger in receiving coastal waters. Current life...... and river basin resolution. Methods: The FF modelling work includes DIN removal processes in both inland (soil and river) and marine compartments. Model input parameters are the removal coefficients extracted from the Global NEWS 2-DIN model and residence time of receiving coastal waters. The resulting FFs...

  12. Modelling and mapping of spatial differentiated impacts of nitrogen input to ecosystems within the framework of the UNECE-Convention of Air Pollution Prevention. Part IV. The impact of anthropogenous nitrogen deposition on the diversity and functionality of soil organisms; Modellierung und Kartierung raeumlich differenzierter Wirkungen von Stickstoffeintraegen in Oekosysteme im Rahmen der UNECE-Luftreinhaltekonvention. Teilbericht IV. Der Einfluss anthropogener Stickstoffeintraege auf die Diversitaet und Funktion von Bodenorganismen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birkhofer, Klaus; Wolters, Volkmar [Giessen Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Tieroekologie

    2010-03-15

    Semi-natural ecosystems are exposed to high atmospheric deposition for decades. In contrary to sulphur deposition which could be significantly reduced due to international conventions on air pollution prevention during the last decades, deposition of both, reduced and oxidized nitrogen is still on a very high level in average 40 kg N ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1} in forest ecosystems in Germany. The FuE-Project ''Modelling and mapping of spatial differentiated impacts of nitrogen input to ecosystems within the framework of the UNECE - Convention of Air Pollution Prevention'' was jointly conducted by 4 partner institutions and studied impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and climate change on physicochemical properties of forest soils, nutrient storage and nutrient export (Karlsruhe Research Centre, IMK-IFU) as well as biodiversity of vegetation (OeKO-DATA and Waldkundeinstitut Eberswalde) and soil organisms (Giessen University). Work carried out at Institute of Animal Ecology (Justus Liebig University Giessen) focused on a Meta-Analysis about the impact of N-deposition on the diversity of soil organisms. Based on 1457 relevant publications soil organisms are threatened most in semi-natural ecosystems and experimental increases of nitrogen reduced soil organism diversity in forest ecosystems. Fungi communities were affected most seriously, with a strong decline of diversity in Mycorrhiza communities in response to experimental nitrogen addition. If N-deposition generally affects soil fauna and bacterial communities remains unclear, as the database is either too small or as results are not unequivocal. Those limitations are also present summarizing the impact of N-deposition on functions and services provided by soil organisms, the current literature database does not provide enough results to predict the impact of N-deposition on decomposition processes and nutrient cycling in soils. (orig.)

  13. Modelling and mapping of spatial differentiated impacts of nitrogen input to ecosystems within the framework of the UNECE-Convention of Air Pollution Prevention. Part IV. The impact of anthropogenous nitrogen deposition on the diversity and functionality of soil organisms; Modellierung und Kartierung raeumlich differenzierter Wirkungen von Stickstoffeintraegen in Oekosysteme im Rahmen der UNECE-Luftreinhaltekonvention. Teilbericht IV. Der Einfluss anthropogener Stickstoffeintraege auf die Diversitaet und Funktion von Bodenorganismen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birkhofer, Klaus; Wolters, Volkmar [Giessen Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Tieroekologie

    2010-03-15

    Semi-natural ecosystems are exposed to high atmospheric deposition for decades. In contrary to sulphur deposition which could be significantly reduced due to international conventions on air pollution prevention during the last decades, deposition of both, reduced and oxidized nitrogen is still on a very high level in average 40 kg N ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1} in forest ecosystems in Germany. The FuE-Project ''Modelling and mapping of spatial differentiated impacts of nitrogen input to ecosystems within the framework of the UNECE - Convention of Air Pollution Prevention'' was jointly conducted by 4 partner institutions and studied impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and climate change on physicochemical properties of forest soils, nutrient storage and nutrient export (Karlsruhe Research Centre, IMK-IFU) as well as biodiversity of vegetation (OeKO-DATA and Waldkundeinstitut Eberswalde) and soil organisms (Giessen University). Work carried out at Institute of Animal Ecology (Justus Liebig University Giessen) focused on a Meta-Analysis about the impact of N-deposition on the diversity of soil organisms. Based on 1457 relevant publications soil organisms are threatened most in semi-natural ecosystems and experimental increases of nitrogen reduced soil organism diversity in forest ecosystems. Fungi communities were affected most seriously, with a strong decline of diversity in Mycorrhiza communities in response to experimental nitrogen addition. If N-deposition generally affects soil fauna and bacterial communities remains unclear, as the database is either too small or as results are not unequivocal. Those limitations are also present summarizing the impact of N-deposition on functions and services provided by soil organisms, the current literature database does not provide enough results to predict the impact of N-deposition on decomposition processes and nutrient cycling in soils. (orig.)

  14. Implementing a Voluntary, Nonregulatory Approach to Nitrogen Management in Tampa Bay, FL: A Public/Private Partnership

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holly Greening

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Participants in the Tampa Bay Estuary Program have agreed to adopt nitrogen-loading targets for Tampa Bay based on the water-quality and related light requirements of underwater seagrasses. Based on modeling results, it appears that light levels can be maintained at necessary levels by “holding the line” at existing nitrogen loadings; however, this goal may be difficult to achieve given the 20% increase in the watershed’s human population and associated 7% increase in nitrogen loading that are projected to occur over the next 20 years. To address the long-term management of nitrogen sources, a nitrogen management consortium of local electric utilities, industries, and agricultural interests, as well as local governments and regulatory agency representatives, has developed a consortium action plan to address the target load reduction needed to “hold the line” at 1992 to 1994 levels. To date, implemented and planned projects collated in the Consortium Action Plan meet and exceed the agreed-upon nitrogen-loading reduction goal. An example of the success of the private partnership aspect of this program can be seen in three phosphate fertilizer mining and manufacturing companies with facilities located on Tampa Bay. These companies are participants in the Estuary Program and the Nitrogen Management Consortium to provide support and input for a program that advocates voluntary, nonregulatory cooperation to reach environmental goals.

  15. Recent trends in nitrogen flows with urbanization in the Shanghai megacity and the effects on the water environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chen; Wang, Qinxue; Zou, Chunjing; Hayashi, Yoshitsugu; Yasunari, Tetsuzo

    2015-03-01

    The objectives of this study are to diagnose and prevent environmental problems that threaten urban sustainability, the impact of changes in lifestyle (diet, domestic sanitation, and motorization), and production style (agriculture, industry, and services) with the rapid urbanization on regional nitrogen (N) flows, and the water environment was quantitatively evaluated. The megacity Shanghai was chosen as a case study to investigate the temporal changes in nitrogen flow during 1980-2008 by a multidisciplinary approach (a field survey, a regional nitrogen mass balance model, input-output analysis, etc.). Although the total potential nitrogen load in Shanghai has decreased in the 2000s and water pollution problems seem to have improved, the problem has shifted and expanded to affect a wider area through the food/product chain and water/air movement. Further effective solutions that aim at material cycles are necessary and have to be implemented on a large scale.

  16. Genetic basis of nitrogen use efficiency and yield stability across environments in winter rapeseed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchet, Anne-Sophie; Laperche, Anne; Bissuel-Belaygue, Christine; Baron, Cécile; Morice, Jérôme; Rousseau-Gueutin, Mathieu; Dheu, Jean-Eric; George, Pierre; Pinochet, Xavier; Foubert, Thomas; Maes, Olivier; Dugué, Damien; Guinot, Florent; Nesi, Nathalie

    2016-09-15

    Nitrogen use efficiency is an important breeding trait that can be modified to improve the sustainability of many crop species used in agriculture. Rapeseed is a major oil crop with low nitrogen use efficiency, making its production highly dependent on nitrogen input. This complex trait is suspected to be sensitive to genotype × environment interactions, especially genotype × nitrogen interactions. Therefore, phenotyping diverse rapeseed populations under a dense network of trials is a powerful approach to study nitrogen use efficiency in this crop. The present study aimed to determine the quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with yield in winter oilseed rape and to assess the stability of these regions under contrasting nitrogen conditions for the purpose of increasing nitrogen use efficiency. Genome-wide association studies and linkage analyses were performed on two diversity sets and two doubled-haploid populations. These populations were densely genotyped, and yield-related traits were scored in a multi-environment design including seven French locations, six growing seasons (2009 to 2014) and two nitrogen nutrition levels (optimal versus limited). Very few genotype × nitrogen interactions were detected, and a large proportion of the QTL were stable across nitrogen nutrition conditions. In contrast, strong genotype × trial interactions in which most of the QTL were specific to a single trial were found. To obtain further insight into the QTL × environment interactions, genetic analyses of ecovalence were performed to identify the genomic regions contributing to the genotype × nitrogen and genotype × trial interactions. Fifty-one critical genomic regions contributing to the additive genetic control of yield-associated traits were identified, and the structural organization of these regions in the genome was investigated. Our results demonstrated that the effect of the trial was greater than the effect of nitrogen nutrition

  17. Nitrogen fixed by cyanobacteria is utilized by deposit-feeders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlson, Agnes M L; Gorokhova, Elena; Elmgren, Ragnar

    2014-01-01

    Benthic communities below the photic zone depend for food on allochthonous organic matter derived from seasonal phytoplankton blooms. In the Baltic Sea, the spring diatom bloom is considered the most important input of organic matter, whereas the contribution of the summer bloom dominated by diazotrophic cyanobacteria is less understood. The possible increase in cyanobacteria blooms as a consequence of eutrophication and climate change calls for evaluation of cyanobacteria effects on benthic community functioning and productivity. Here, we examine utilization of cyanobacterial nitrogen by deposit-feeding benthic macrofauna following a cyanobacteria bloom at three stations during two consecutive years and link these changes to isotopic niche and variations in body condition (assayed as C:N ratio) of the animals. Since nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria have δ(15)N close to -2‰, we expected the δ(15)N in the deposit-feeders to decrease after the bloom if their assimilation of cyanobacteria-derived nitrogen was substantial. We also expected the settled cyanobacteria with their associated microheterotrophic community and relatively high nitrogen content to increase the isotopic niche area, trophic diversity and dietary divergence between individuals (estimated as the nearest neighbour distance) in the benthic fauna after the bloom. The three surface-feeding species (Monoporeia affinis, Macoma balthica and Marenzelleria arctia) showed significantly lower δ(15)N values after the bloom, while the sub-surface feeder Pontoporeia femorata did not. The effect of the bloom on isotopic niche varied greatly between stations; populations which increased niche area after the bloom had better body condition than populations with reduced niche, regardless of species. Thus, cyanobacterial nitrogen is efficiently integrated into the benthic food webs in the Baltic, with likely consequences for their functioning, secondary production, transfer efficiency, trophic interactions, and

  18. Nitrogen fixed by cyanobacteria is utilized by deposit-feeders.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnes M L Karlson

    Full Text Available Benthic communities below the photic zone depend for food on allochthonous organic matter derived from seasonal phytoplankton blooms. In the Baltic Sea, the spring diatom bloom is considered the most important input of organic matter, whereas the contribution of the summer bloom dominated by diazotrophic cyanobacteria is less understood. The possible increase in cyanobacteria blooms as a consequence of eutrophication and climate change calls for evaluation of cyanobacteria effects on benthic community functioning and productivity. Here, we examine utilization of cyanobacterial nitrogen by deposit-feeding benthic macrofauna following a cyanobacteria bloom at three stations during two consecutive years and link these changes to isotopic niche and variations in body condition (assayed as C:N ratio of the animals. Since nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria have δ(15N close to -2‰, we expected the δ(15N in the deposit-feeders to decrease after the bloom if their assimilation of cyanobacteria-derived nitrogen was substantial. We also expected the settled cyanobacteria with their associated microheterotrophic community and relatively high nitrogen content to increase the isotopic niche area, trophic diversity and dietary divergence between individuals (estimated as the nearest neighbour distance in the benthic fauna after the bloom. The three surface-feeding species (Monoporeia affinis, Macoma balthica and Marenzelleria arctia showed significantly lower δ(15N values after the bloom, while the sub-surface feeder Pontoporeia femorata did not. The effect of the bloom on isotopic niche varied greatly between stations; populations which increased niche area after the bloom had better body condition than populations with reduced niche, regardless of species. Thus, cyanobacterial nitrogen is efficiently integrated into the benthic food webs in the Baltic, with likely consequences for their functioning, secondary production, transfer efficiency, trophic

  19. The Anthropogenic Effects of Hydrocarbon Inputs to Coastal Seas: Are There Potential Biogeochemical Impacts?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, M. R.; Rivkin, R. B.

    2016-02-01

    Petroleum hydrocarbon discharges related to fossil fuel exploitation have the potential to alter microbial processes in the upper ocean. While the ecotoxicological effects of such inputs are commonly evaluated, the potential for eutrophication from the constituent organic and inorganic nutrients has been largely ignored. Hydrocarbons from natural seeps and anthropogenic sources represent a measurable source of organic carbon for surface waters. The most recent (1989-1997) estimate of average world-wide input of hydrocarbons to the sea is 1.250 x 1012 g/yr ≈ 1.0 x 1012g C/year. Produced water from offshore platforms is the largest waste stream from oil and gas exploitation and contributes significant quantities of inorganic nutrients such as N, P and Fe. In coastal areas where such inputs are a significant source of these nutrients, model studies show the potential to shift production toward smaller cells and net heterotrophy. The consequences of these nutrient sources for coastal systems and semi enclosed seas are complex and difficult to predict, because (1) there is a lack of comprehensive data on inputs and in situ concentrations and (2) the is no conceptual or quantitative framework to consider their effects on ocean biogeochemical processes. Here we use examples from the North Sea (produced water discharges 1% total riverine input and NH4 3% of the annual riverine nitrogen load), the South China Sea (total petroleum hydrocarbons = 10-1750 μg/l in offshore waters), and the Gulf of Mexico (seeps = 76-106 x 109 gC/yr, Macondo blowout 545 x 109 gC) to demonstrate how hydrocarbon and produced water inputs can influence basin scale biogeochemical and ecosystem processes and to propose a framework to consider these effects on larger scales.

  20. 10 CFR 904.10 - Excess energy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Excess energy. 904.10 Section 904.10 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR THE CHARGES FOR THE SALE OF POWER FROM THE BOULDER CANYON PROJECT Power Marketing § 904.10 Excess energy. (a) If excess Energy is determined by the United States to be available...