Are rivers just big streams? A pulse method to quantify nitrogen demand in a large river.

摘要: Given recent focus on large rivers as conduits for excess nutrients to coastal zones, their role in processing and retaining has been overlooked understudied. Empirical measurements of nutrient uptake are lacking, despite a substantial body knowledge transport removal smaller streams. Researchers interested by (discharge > 10 000 L/s) left extrapolate riverine demand using modeling framework or mass balance approach. To begin fill this gap, we present data pulse method measure inorganic nitrogen (N) the Upper Snake River, Wyoming, USA (seventh order, discharge 12 L/s). We found that had surprisingly high biotic relative streams same river network both ammonium (NH4+) nitrate (N03~). Placed context meta-analysis previously published studies, these suggest may have similar N tributaries. also different forms (NH4+ vs. N03~) scaled differently with stream size. Data from like larger essential effective water quality management at scale networks. solute dynamics needed understand whole networks (as opposed reaches) patterns export regional continental scales.