溪流两边的湿地对其含氮量的贡献（英）

本文对美国科罗拉多洛基山国家公园内Loch Vale小流域溪流两边的湿地土壤水溶液中的含氮量进行了研究,并比较了与其相邻的溪流中的含氮量。结果发现,溪流中的硝态氮含量显著高于3个湿地土壤水溶液中的,而氨态氮则并没有显著差异;溪流水中的pH值要显著高于土壤水溶液中的,而电导率又显著低于后者。同时,还发现取自不同地点的溪流水分的化学性质也显著的不同,采自溪流支流水分的pH,电导率和硝态氮都要显著高于取自主溪流中的水分的。另外,还分析比较了3个湿地样地的地上部分生产力以及土壤和生物量中的碳和全氮含量。最后,我们认为溪流两边的湿地对溪流中的氮的含量并没有显著的影响。     

高原鼠兔挖掘活动对土壤中氮素含量的影响

本文通过测定不同类型高原鼠兔鼠丘和鼠丘下0 ～ 10 cm 土壤中总氮、铵态氮和硝态氮的含量变化,分析了高原鼠兔挖掘活动对土壤中无机氮含量的影响,并通过测定高原鼠兔鼠丘密度,计算了每只高原鼠兔对氮素循环的贡献。研究结果表明:不同类型鼠丘土壤中总氮含量无明显变化,铵态氮、硝态氮和无机氮含量处理间变化趋势为当年鼠丘>两年鼠丘> 多年鼠丘> 对照。方差分析结果表明,硝态氮含量在5 月时差异显著,当年鼠丘和两年鼠丘显著大于多年鼠丘和对照,无机氮含量在5 月和9 月表现为当年鼠丘显著高于对照。在不同月份,铵态氮含量月间变化趋势为5 ～ 8 月逐渐降低,至9 月略有增加,硝态氮和无机氮含量呈现“高- 低- 高-低- 高”的“W”变化趋势。方差分析结果显示,铵态氮、硝态氮和无机氮含量月间变化显著。不同类型鼠丘下0 ～ 10 cm 土壤中铵态氮、硝态氮和无机氮含量处理间和月份间变化趋势与鼠丘土壤中变化趋势基本一致,但硝态氮和无机氮含量在当年鼠丘中均显著高于对照,且不同月份间铵态氮、硝态氮和无机氮的含量差异显著(P
< 0.05)。每只高原鼠兔挖掘活动所形成的鼠丘土壤中的铵态氮、硝态氮和无机氮分别增加了162.6 mg/ kg、355.1 mg/kg 和497.7 mg/ kg。     

青藏高原东缘窄叶鲜卑花灌丛生长季土壤无机氮对增温和植物去除的响应

为了揭示气候变暖背景下高寒灌丛土壤氮转化过程, 该文研究了青藏高原东缘窄叶鲜卑花(Sibiraea angustata)灌丛生长季节土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量对增温和去除植物的响应。结果表明: 窄叶鲜卑花灌丛土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量具有明显的季节动态。整个生长季节, 土壤硝态氮含量呈先增加后降低的趋势, 而铵态氮含量均表现为一直增加的趋势。在生长季初期和中期, 各处理土壤硝态氮含量均显著高于铵态氮含量, 而在生长季末期土壤硝态氮含量均显著低于铵态氮含量, 说明该区域土壤氮转化过程在生长季初期和中期以硝化作用为主, 而在生长季末期以氨化作用为主。不同时期土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量对增温和去除植物的响应不同: 增温对硝态氮的影响主要发生在生长季中期和末期, 且因植物处理的不同而有显著差异, 增温仅在生长季中期使不去除植物样方铵态氮含量显著升高。去除植物对土壤硝态氮的影响仅表现在对照样方(不增温), 去除植物显著提高了生长季初期和中期土壤硝态氮含量, 显著降低了生长季末期土壤硝态氮含量; 同时去除植物显著降低了增温样方生长季中期土壤铵态氮含量。灌丛植被在生长季初期和中期可能主要吸收土壤硝态氮, 其吸收过程不受土壤增温的影响。     

Responses of soil inorganic nitrogen to increased temperature and plant removal during the growing season in a Sibiraea angustata scrub ecosystem of eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

为了揭示气候变暖背景下高寒灌丛土壤氮转化过程, 该文研究了青藏高原东缘窄叶鲜卑花(Sibiraea angustata)灌丛生长季节土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量对增温和去除植物的响应。结果表明: 窄叶鲜卑花灌丛土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量具有明显的季节动态。整个生长季节, 土壤硝态氮含量呈先增加后降低的趋势, 而铵态氮含量均表现为一直增加的趋势。在生长季初期和中期, 各处理土壤硝态氮含量均显著高于铵态氮含量, 而在生长季末期土壤硝态氮含量均显著低于铵态氮含量, 说明该区域土壤氮转化过程在生长季初期和中期以硝化作用为主, 而在生长季末期以氨化作用为主。不同时期土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量对增温和去除植物的响应不同: 增温对硝态氮的影响主要发生在生长季中期和末期, 且因植物处理的不同而有显著差异, 增温仅在生长季中期使不去除植物样方铵态氮含量显著升高。去除植物对土壤硝态氮的影响仅表现在对照样方(不增温), 去除植物显著提高了生长季初期和中期土壤硝态氮含量, 显著降低了生长季末期土壤硝态氮含量; 同时去除植物显著降低了增温样方生长季中期土壤铵态氮含量。灌丛植被在生长季初期和中期可能主要吸收土壤硝态氮, 其吸收过程不受土壤增温的影响。     

人工恢复黄河三角洲湿地土壤碳氮含量变化特征

为阐明湿地恢复对土壤碳氮含量的影响,本文以黄河三角洲芦苇湿地为研究对象,比较了退化区与连续淡水恢复区土壤pH值、盐分、有机碳、全氮、氨态氮、硝态氮的含量变化,研究结果表明,（1）随着恢复年限的增加,各样地各层土壤pH值总体上降低,电导率显著降低（P < 0.05）,表明退化湿地的人工恢复可明显降低其盐度;恢复区上层（0—20cm）土壤盐分均低于下层（20—40cm）,未恢复区则相反;（2）随着恢复年限的增加,0—20cm土壤有机碳、全氮含量增加,分别由恢复前的（7.710?0.756）g/kg、（0.66?0.021）g/kg增加到恢复7a后的（16.96?0.213）g/kg、（1.277?0.027）g/kg,恢复区有机碳、全氮含量在空间上的变化表现为上层大于下层;（3）各样地硝态氮含量均低于氨态氮含量,碳氮比值介于4—8之间;（4）相关分析表明,湿地恢复后土壤各因子间有显著的相关性,有机碳与全氮两者显著正相关,氨态氮与pH、盐分、有机碳、全氮均达到极显著正相关关系（P < 0.01）。该研究结果对于评估湿地恢复效应,指导湿地恢复的实践具有重要作用。     

外来植物入侵对土壤氮有效性的影响

外来植物入侵对土壤氮循环和氮有效性的影响是入侵成功或进一步加剧的重要原因。通过对比相同研究地点入侵区域和无入侵区域的土壤原位氮状态差异, 探讨了外来植物入侵对土壤氮有效性的影响程度和生理生态学机制。基于107篇相关研究文献数据的整合, 发现植物入侵区域相对于无入侵区域土壤总氮、铵态氮、硝态氮、无机氮、微生物生物量氮含量显著增加, 增幅分别为(50 ± 14)%、(60 ± 24)%、(470 ± 115)%、(69 ± 25)%、(54 ± 20)%。土壤硝态氮含量增幅较大反映硝化作用增强, 这可能增加入侵植物硝态氮利用以及喜硝植物的共存。温带地区植物入侵后土壤的硝态氮含量增幅显著高于亚热带地区。固氮植物入侵后土壤的总氮和无机氮含量增幅均显著高于非固氮植物入侵。木本和常绿植物入侵后土壤的总氮含量增幅分别高于草本和落叶植物入侵; 而土壤铵态氮含量的增幅没有显著差异且与固氮入侵植物占比无明显关系; 然而硝态氮含量的增幅普遍较高且与固氮入侵植物占比显著正相关。外来入侵植物固氮功能以及凋落物质量和数量是影响土壤氮矿化和硝化过程的关键因素。该研究为理解外来植物入侵成功和加剧的机制以及入侵植物功能性状与土壤氮动态之间的关系提供了新的见解。     

外来植物入侵对土壤氮有效性的影响北大核心CSCD

外来植物入侵对土壤氮循环和氮有效性的影响是入侵成功或进一步加剧的重要原因。通过对比相同研究地点入侵区域和无入侵区域的土壤原位氮状态差异,探讨了外来植物入侵对土壤氮有效性的影响程度和生理生态学机制。基于107篇相关研究文献数据的整合,发现植物入侵区域相对于无入侵区域土壤总氮、铵态氮、硝态氮、无机氮、微生物生物量氮含量显著增加,增幅分别为(50±14)%、(60±24)%、(470±115)%、(69±25)%、(54±20)%。土壤硝态氮含量增幅较大反映硝化作用增强,这可能增加入侵植物硝态氮利用以及喜硝植物的共存。温带地区植物入侵后土壤的硝态氮含量增幅显著高于亚热带地区。固氮植物入侵后土壤的总氮和无机氮含量增幅均显著高于非固氮植物入侵。木本和常绿植物入侵后土壤的总氮含量增幅分别高于草本和落叶植物入侵;而土壤铵态氮含量的增幅没有显著差异且与固氮入侵植物占比无明显关系;然而硝态氮含量的增幅普遍较高且与固氮入侵植物占比显著正相关。外来入侵植物固氮功能以及凋落物质量和数量是影响土壤氮矿化和硝化过程的关键因素。该研究为理解外来植物入侵成功和加剧的机制以及入侵植物功能性状与土壤氮动态之间的关系提供了新的见解。     

模拟人工湿地中植物多样性配置对硝态氮去除的影响

为检验植物多样性对人工湿地脱氮功能的影响,在模拟人工湿地试验系统中设置了植物单种和混种处理并定期供给氮形态仅为硝态氮的模拟污水。结果表明:混种系统的出水硝态氮浓度显著低于单种(P<0.05);混种与单种系统在基质氮含量和植物氮积累量上无统计差异;质量平衡分析表明混种促进系统反硝化强度;菩提子单种系统中的硝态氮移除能力显著高于香蒲、芦苇和菖蒲单种系统,后3种硝态氮移除能力则无显著差异。本研究可为人工湿地选择高效物种、多样性配置以提高氮去除率提供依据。     

Effects of exotic plant invasion on soil nitrogen availability

外来植物入侵对土壤氮循环和氮有效性的影响是入侵成功或进一步加剧的重要原因。通过对比相同研究地点入侵区域和无入侵区域的土壤原位氮状态差异, 探讨了外来植物入侵对土壤氮有效性的影响程度和生理生态学机制。基于107篇相关研究文献数据的整合, 发现植物入侵区域相对于无入侵区域土壤总氮、铵态氮、硝态氮、无机氮、微生物生物量氮含量显著增加, 增幅分别为(50 ± 14)%、(60 ± 24)%、(470 ± 115)%、(69 ± 25)%、(54 ± 20)%。土壤硝态氮含量增幅较大反映硝化作用增强, 这可能增加入侵植物硝态氮利用以及喜硝植物的共存。温带地区植物入侵后土壤的硝态氮含量增幅显著高于亚热带地区。固氮植物入侵后土壤的总氮和无机氮含量增幅均显著高于非固氮植物入侵。木本和常绿植物入侵后土壤的总氮含量增幅分别高于草本和落叶植物入侵; 而土壤铵态氮含量的增幅没有显著差异且与固氮入侵植物占比无明显关系; 然而硝态氮含量的增幅普遍较高且与固氮入侵植物占比显著正相关。外来入侵植物固氮功能以及凋落物质量和数量是影响土壤氮矿化和硝化过程的关键因素。该研究为理解外来植物入侵成功和加剧的机制以及入侵植物功能性状与土壤氮动态之间的关系提供了新的见解。     

植被恢复过程中芒萁覆盖对侵蚀红壤氮组分的影响

氮素是限制陆地生态系统生产力的重要因子。采用时空代换法,以红壤侵蚀区未治理、恢复12年和30年的马尾松林为研究对象,对比分析了林下芒萁覆盖地与裸地表层土壤之间氮同位素、不同形态氮组分含量以及不同组分氮含量所占比例之间的差异。结果表明:在所有马尾松林中,芒萁覆盖增加了表层土壤的全氮含量,δ~(15)N值则比林下裸地显著降低了33. 8%—83.1%(P0.05)。随着恢复年限增加,林下芒萁覆盖地表层土壤δ~(15)N值显著下降,而林下裸露地δ~(15)N值没有显著变化(P0.05)。不同恢复年限马尾松林的芒萁覆盖地表层土壤微生物生物量氮、可溶性有机氮和铵态氮含量显著高于林下裸地(P 0.05),而硝态氮含量则显著低于林下裸地(P0.05)。随恢复年限增加,表层土壤微生物生物量氮、可溶性有机氮、铵态氮含量均呈增加趋势,而硝态氮含量则呈下降趋势,不同形态氮占全氮比例表现为:微生物生物量氮铵态氮可溶性有机氮硝态氮。相关分析表明土壤δ~(15)N值与硝态氮极显著正相关,与其他氮组分极显著负相关(P0.01)。由此可见,与林下裸地相比,芒萁覆盖在植被恢复过程中有助于提高表层土壤中全氮、微生物生物量氮、可溶性有机氮和铵态氮含量,降低硝态氮的淋溶损失风险,促进土壤氮保持和积累,从而有利于退化红壤生态系统的恢复。     

Temporal coherence of two alpine lake basins of the Colorado Front Range, U.S.A.

1. Knowledge of synchrony in trends is important to determining regional responses of lakes to disturbances such as atmospheric deposition and climate change. We explored the temporal coherence of physical and chemical characteristics of two series of mostly alpine lakes in nearby basins of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Using year‐to‐year variation over a 10‐year period, we asked whether lakes more similar in exposure to the atmosphere be‐haved more similarly than those with greater influence of catchment or in‐lake processes. 2. The Green Lakes Valley and Loch Vale Watershed are steeply incised basins with strong altitudinal gradients. There are glaciers at the heads of each catchment. The eight lakes studied are small, shallow and typically ice‐covered for more than half the year. Snowmelt is the dominant hydrological event each year, flushing about 70% of the annual discharge from each lake between April and mid‐July. The lakes do not thermally stratify during the period of open water. Data from these lakes included surface water temper‐ature, sulphate, nitrate, calcium, silica, bicarbonate alkalinity and conductivity. 3. Coherence was estimated by Pearson's correlation coefficient between lake pairs for each of the different variables. Despite close geographical proximity, there was not a strong direct signal from climatic or atmospheric conditions across all lakes in the study. Individual lake characteristics overwhelmed regional responses. Temporal coherence was higher for lakes within each basin than between basins and was highest for nearest neighbours. 4. Among the Green Lakes, conductivity, alkalinity and temperature were temporally coherent, suggesting that these lakes were sensitive to climate fluctuations. Water tem‐perature is indicative of air temperature, and conductivity and alkalinity concentrations are indicative of dilution from the amount of precipitation flushed through by snowmelt. 5. In Loch Vale, calcium, conductivity, nitrate, sulphate and alkalinity were temporally coherent, while silica and temperature were not. This suggests that external influences are attenuated by internal catchment and lake processes in Loch Vale lakes. Calcium and sulphate are primarily weathering products, but sulphate derives both from deposition and from mineral weathering. Different proportions of snowmelt versus groundwater in different years could influence summer lake concentrations. Nitrate is elevated in lake waters from atmospheric deposition, but the internal dynamics of nitrate and silica may be controlled by lake food webs. Temperature is attenuated by inconsistently different climates across altitude and glacial meltwaters. 6. It appears that, while the lakes in the two basins are topographically close, geologically and morphologically similar, and often connected by streams, only some attributes are temporally coherent. Catchment and in‐lake processes influenced temporal patterns, especially for temperature, alkalinity and silica. Montane lakes with high altitudinal gradients may be particularly prone to local controls compared to systems where coherence is more obvious.     

Nitrate uptake dynamics of surface transient storage in stream channels and fluvial wetlands

River systems are important regulators of anthropogenic nitrogen flux between land and ocean. Nitrogen dynamics in small headwater streams have been extensively measured, whereas less is known about contributions of other components of stream networks to nitrogen removal, including larger streams or fluvial wetlands. Here, we quantified nitrate reaction rates in higher-order stream channels and in surface transient storage (STS) zones (sub-systems with greater water residence time than the main channel) of the Ipswich River watershed, a temperate basin characterized by suburban development. We characterized uptake in STS both within higher-order stream channels and in fluvial wetlands that remain connected to advective fluxes but not constrained within channels. We compare reaction rates in these systems to those previously measured in headwater streams in the same basin. We found that (1) nitrate reaction rates (as uptake velocity, υ_f) in higher-order streams (n = 2) differed from each other but were consistent with previous estimates from headwater streams, (2) nitrate reaction rates in STS zones within higher-order stream channels (n = 2) were higher than rates estimated at the whole-stream scale, (3) ambient nitrate reaction rates in fluvial wetland STS (n = 7) were high but comparable to headwater streams with low nitrate concentration, (4) nitrate reaction rates were higher in fluvial wetland STS compared to headwater stream channels at elevated nitrate concentration, and (5) efficiency loss (EL) similar to that found in headwater streams was also apparent in fluvial wetlands. These results indicate that STS are potential hotspots of biogeochemical activity and should be explicitly integrated into network scale biogeochemical models. Further, experimental evidence of EL in fluvial wetlands suggests that the effectiveness of STS to retain N may decline if N loading increases.     

Estimation of nitrate removal by riparian wetlands and streams in agricultural catchments: effect of discharge and stream order

1. Assessment of the role of landscape structures such as buffers is a necessary prerequisite for the sustainable management of water resources in an agricultural setting. 2. We monitored nitrate concentrations during interstorm periods at the outlet of 16 subcatchments of different orders within a catchment of 378 km². We characterised stream network, wetlands, agricultural practices and land cover and identified their relationships with nitrate fluxes and concentrations. 3. Two main factors controlled annual nitrate fluxes: the agricultural nitrogen surplus and the nature of the system comprising the wetland zone and adjoining watercourses. In the latter case, nitrate fluxes were reduced in proportion to the surface area of the riparian wetland and the flowpath distance of fluxes in the stream network. At the scale of the order‐6 stream, 53% of annual nitrate flux during interstorm periods was removed during transfer via the wetland and the river, corresponding to 21.1 kg N ha^?1 per year. 4. The influence of the riparian wetland zone/watercourse system increased during periods of low water level, explaining up to 64% of nitrate concentration variation among locations within the river network, but only 9% during periods of high water level. 5. The buffering role was stronger at higher stream orders, and the dependence on stream order was more apparent at low water level, when we observed mean nitrate concentrations in the order‐6 stream that were 47% lower than observed in order‐2 or order‐3 streams.     

Climate-induced changes in high elevation stream nitrate dynamics

Mountain terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are responsive to external drivers of change, especially climate change and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N). We explored the consequences of a temperature-warming trend on stream nitrate in an alpine and subalpine watershed in the Colorado Front Range that has long been the recipient of elevated atmospheric N deposition. Mean annual stream nitrate concentrations since 2000 are higher by 50% than an earlier monitoring period of 1991–1999. Mean annual N export increased by 28% from 2.03 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ before 2000 to 2.84 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in Loch Vale watershed since 2000. The substantial increase in N export comes as a surprise, since mean wet atmospheric N deposition from 1991 to 2006 (3.06 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) did not increase. There has been a period of below average precipitation from 2000 to 2006 and a steady increase in summer and fall temperatures of 0.12 °C yr⁻¹ in both seasons since 1991. Nitrate concentrations, as well as the weathering products calcium and sulfate, were higher for the period 2000–2006 in rock glacier meltwater at the top of the watershed above the influence of alpine and subalpine vegetation and soils. We conclude the observed recent N increases in Loch Vale are the result of warmer summer and fall mean temperatures that are melting ice in glaciers and rock glaciers. This, in turn, has exposed sediments from which N produced by nitrification can be flushed. We suggest a water quality threshold may have been crossed around 2000. The phenomenon observed in Loch Vale may be indicative of N release from ice features such as rock glaciers worldwide as mountain glaciers retreat.     

Impact of nutrient enrichment and alkalinization on periphyton communities in the New Jersey Pine Barrens

The impact of residential and agricultural development on stream periphyton communities in the New Jersey Pine Barrens was examined by comparison with communities in undeveloped areas. Watershed disturbance resulted in stream water primarily characterized by greatly elevated pH levels and nitrate concentrations. A total of 53 periphyton species were encountered in bimonthly samples over a one year period in the three disturbed and three undisturbed study streams. Species richness was significantly greater in the disturbed streams based on three criteria: the average number of species per stream on each sampling occasion (disturbed = 6.3; undisturbed = 4.9), the average number of species per stream for the entire year (disturbed = 19.3; undisturbed = 16.0), and the total number of species found in streams within a type (disturbed = 40; undisturbed = 31). Species composition also changed significantly as the result of disturbance. There appeared to be replacement of species characteristic of undisturbed Pine Barrens streams with species peripheral to the region. The expected effects of both elevated pH and nitrate were consistent with these results.     

Regional comparison of nitrogen export to Japanese forest streams

Nitrogen (N) emissions in Asian countries are predicted to increase over the next several decades. An understanding of the mechanisms that control temporal and spatial fluctuation of N export to forest streams is important not only to quantify critical loads of N, N saturation status, and soil acidification N dynamics and budgets in Japanese forested watersheds is not clear due to the lack of regional comparative studies on stream N chemistry. To address the lack of comparative studies, we measured inorganic N (nitrate and ammonium) concentrations from June 2000 to May 2001 in streams in 18 experimental forests located throughout the Japanese archipelago and belonging to the Japanese Union of University Forests. N concentrations in stream water during base flow and high flow periods were monitored, and N mineralization potential in soil was measured using batch incubation experiments. Higher nitrate concentrations in stream water were present in central Japan, an area that receives high rates of atmospheric N deposition. In northern Japan, snowmelt resulted in increased nitrate concentrations in stream water. The potential net N mineralization rate was higher in surface soil than in subsurface soil, and the high potential for N mineralization in the surface soil partly contributed to the increase in nitrate concentration in stream water during a storm event. Regional differences in the atmospheric N deposition and seasonality of precipitation and high discharge are principal controls on the concentrations and variations of nitrates in stream water in forested watersheds of Japan.     

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

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.     

Patterns and drivers for wetland connections in the Prairie Pothole Region,United States

Ecosystem function in rivers, lakes and coastal waters depends on the functioning of upstream aquatic ecosystems, necessitating an improved understanding of watershed-scale interactions including variable surface-water flows between wetlands and streams. As surface water in the Prairie Pothole Region expands in wet years, surface-water connections occur between many depressional wetlands and streams. Minimal research has explored the spatial patterns and drivers for the abundance of these connections, despite their potential to inform resource management and regulatory programs including the U.S. Clean Water Act. In this study, wetlands were identified that did not intersect the stream network, but were shown with Landsat images (1990–2011) to become merged with the stream network as surface water expanded. Wetlands were found to spill into or consolidate with other wetlands within both small (2–10 wetlands) and large (>100 wetlands) wetland clusters, eventually intersecting a stream channel, most often via a riparian wetland. These surface-water connections occurred over a wide range of wetland distances from streams (averaging 90–1400 m in different ecoregions). Differences in the spatial abundance of wetlands that show a variable surface-water connection to a stream were best explained by smaller wetland-to-wetland distances, greater wetland abundance, and maximum surface-water extent. This analysis demonstrated that wetland arrangement and surface water expansion are important mechanisms for depressional wetlands to connect to streams and provides a first step to understanding the frequency and abundance of these surface-water connections across the Prairie Pothole Region.     

Nitrate removal from groundwater using constructed wetlands under various hydraulic loading rates

This study set up two flow-through pilot-scale constructed wetlands with the same size but various flow patterns (free water surface flow (FWS) and subsurface flow (SSF)) to receive a nitrate-contaminated groundwater. The effects of hydraulic loading rate (HLR) on nitrate removal as well as the difference in performance between the various types of wetlands were investigated. Nitrate removal rates of both wetlands increased with increasing HLR until a maximum value was reached. The maximum removal rates, occurred at HLR of 0.12 and 0.07 m d(-1), were 0.910 and 1.161 g N m(-2)d(-1) for the FWS and SSF wetland, respectively. After the maximum values were reached, further increasing HLR led to a considerable decrease in nitrate removal rate. Nitrate removal efficiencies remained high (>85%) and effluent nitrate concentrations always satisfied drinking water standard (<10mg NO3-NL(-1)) when HLR did not exceed 0.04 m d(-1) for both FWS and SSF wetlands. The first-order nitrate removal rate constant tends to decrease with increasing HLRs. The FWS wetland provided significantly higher (p<0.05) organic carbon in effluent than the SSF wetland, while the SSF wetland exhibited significantly (p<0.05) lower effluent DO than the FWS wetland. However, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in nitrate removal performance between the two types of constructed wetlands in this study except in one trial operating at HLR of 0.06-0.07 m d(-1).