Dynamics of main nutrient input to Xiangxi Bay of the Three-Gorges Reservoir

Based on routine monitoring data in Xiangxi River and its main tributary Gaolan River from September 2000 to June 2005, this paper estimates the contribution of riverine nutrients, and analyzes the monthly dynamics of concentrations and fluxes of nutrients. The results show that Xiangxi Bay annually receives 1623.49 tons of total nitrogen (TN) and 331.85 tons of total phosphorus; Xiangxi River alone accounts for 68.50% of the total nitrogen fluxes and 91.74% of the total phosphorus fluxes. In these two rivers, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) is the dominating form of nitrogen; fluxes of DIN and TN are high during summer (July), mid-spring and autumn, and relatively low in winter; non-point source pollutants that flow into rivers are the most important pathway of nitrogen. Orthophosphate is the dominating form of phosphorus in Xiangxi River, relatively low in Gaolan River; fluxes of phosphorus are high during summer and late spring, relatively low during winter and late autumn in Gaolan River, but fluctuate irregularly in Xiangxi River; phosphorus in Gaolan River is mainly caused by non-point source pollutants, while point source pollutants of phosphorus play an important role in Xiangxi River. Soil erosion probably represents the major way of non-point source pollutants, while the drainages of phosphorus diggings and factory discharges play the most important role in the point source pollutants of phosphorus. This research suggests that measures must be taken to control the point source pollutants of phosphorus in Xiangxi River in order to protect Xiangxi Bay of the Three-Gorges Reservoir.     

香溪河流域水体环境因子研究

基于香溪河及其三大支流古夫河、高岚河与九冲河的8年监测数据,对该流域水体的环境因子及其时空动态进行了比较分析。结果显示,香溪河流域的水体呈中性偏弱碱性,属于中等硬度水,水体溶解氧丰富,还原性物质以及氯化物水平不高,具有较强的缓冲能力。多数环境因子具有明显的季节变化,而年际变化规律不显著。香溪河流域水体的主要营养元素氮含量较高,并以有城镇影响的古夫河为最;高岚河由于受到生活污水与农业活动的影响,水质相对较差;香溪河的磷污染严重;森林覆盖率较高的九冲河的水质最佳。在香溪河流域,氮主要以面源污染的方式进入河道,而香溪河的磷则主要以点源污染的方式进入河道。水土流失是香溪河流域面源污染的主要途径,磷矿和磷化工厂的排污则是磷点源污染的主要途径。从保护三峡水库香溪河库湾的生态学角度考虑,应重点控制香溪河磷的点源污染。     

基于氮磷比解析太湖苕溪水体营养现状及应对策略

生态化学计量学是评价水体营养状态的重要手段,利用其氮磷比指标探讨了我国太湖主要入湖河流苕溪的营养状态。野外监测结果显示,苕溪水体氮素超标严重,磷素污染轻度,硝酸盐、颗粒态磷为氮磷的主要赋存形态,且氮磷浓度呈现相似的季节变化规律,表明苕溪主要受农业面源污染影响。氮磷比分析表明,苕溪水体春、秋季处于磷素限制状态,夏季适合藻类生长,冬季低温条件下不利于藻类的大量繁殖;苕溪生物量增长受磷素限制,线性拟合亦显示其氮磷比主要受磷素波动的调控;苕溪干流大面积暴发蓝藻水华的风险较部分支流及死水区低,苕溪水入湖后,特别是夏季其暴发风险将显著提高。针对苕溪水体的富营养化现状,提出若干条水质改善应对策略。     

漳泽水库主要入库河流氮、磷营养盐特征

以2006—2007年的漳泽水库3条入库河流(南漳河、石子河、绛河)的水文、水质调查数据为依据,研究了漳泽水库入库河流的主要水文变化特征、氮磷营养盐浓度及其通量的逐月动态。3条入库河流水体流速缓慢,水温适宜,年平均值在12.5℃～15.1℃。3—5月水温回升较快,夏季水温高,光照充足,易发生水华。3条入库河流中总氮含量年平均值在1.75～8.90mg·mL-1,总磷含量平均值在0.005～3.760mg·mL-1,氮磷营养盐浓度总体偏高,其中石子河贡献了48.3%的总氮和77.3%的总磷。溶解态无机氮(DIN)是氮的主要存在形式,而其中又以硝酸盐氮(NO3--N)为主,平均占到DIN的60%以上。氮磷通量季节性变化规律不明显,且月均波动较为平缓。点源污染是氮磷进入南漳河、石子河的主要途径,而绛河的氮主要来自面源污染。从保护漳泽水库的角度考虑,应重点控制南漳河和石子河的点源污染。     

Effects of anthropogenic nitrogen discharge on dissolved inorganic nitrogen transport in global rivers

Excess nutrients from fertilizer application, pollution discharge, and water regulations outflow through rivers from lands to oceans, seriously impacting coastal ecosystems. A reasonable representation of these processes in land surface models and River Transport Models (RTMs) is very important for understanding human–environment interactions. In this study, the schemes of riverine dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) transport and human activities including nitrogen discharge and water regulation, were synchronously incorporated into a land surface model coupled with a RTM. The effects of anthropogenic nitrogen discharge on the DIN transport in rivers were studied based on simulations of the period 1991–2010 throughout the entire world, conducted using the developed model, which had a spatial resolution of about 1° for land processes and 0.5° for river transport, and data on fertilizer application, point source pollution, and water use. Our results showed that rivers in western Europe and eastern China were seriously polluted, on average, at a rate of 5,000–15,000 tons per year. In the Yangtze River Basin, the amount of point source pollution in 2010 was about four times more than that in 1991, while the amount of fertilizer used in 2010 doubled, which resulted in the increased riverine DIN levels. Further comparisons suggested that the riverine DIN in the USA was affected primarily by nitrogen fertilizer use, the changes in DIN flow rate in European rivers was dominated by point source pollution, and rivers in China were seriously polluted by both the two pollution sources. The total anthropogenic impact on the DIN exported to the Pacific Ocean has increased from 10% to 30%, more significantly than other oceans. In general, our results indicated that incorporating the schemes of nitrogen transport and human activities into land surface models could be an effective way to monitor global river water quality and diagnose the performance of the land surface modeling.     

Nutrient stoichiometry,freshwater residence time,and nutrient retention in a river-dominated estuary in the Mississippi Delta

A 3-month field study was conducted to examine the effects of Atchafalaya River discharge on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the Fourleague Bay system, to document patterns with salinity variation, to evaluate stoichiometric nutrient ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus in the river and bay, and to examine the relationship between estuarine freshwater residence time and export of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) to the Gulf of Mexico. During spring peak discharge of the Atchafalaya River, nutrient ratios in lower Fourleague Bay indicate potential phosphorus limitation with an average dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) to dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) ratio of 32:1, primarily a result of high concentrations of nitrogen entering the northern bay from the Atchafalaya River and of fairly stable phosphorus concentrations. Ratios of DIN to phosphorus in the river were much higher (54:1), indicating a significant loss of nitrogen within the Fourleague Bay system. Freshwater residence time averaged approximately 7 days during the study and ranged from 2 to 100 days. TN export averaged 57% over the study and ranged from less than 3% at long residence times to greater than 80% at short residence times. TN export to the coastal ocean with respect to residence time is considerably less than has been shown in other studies. Nitrate + nitrite export averaged 49% for the 3-month study. Percentages of TP export were greater than TN, averaging 82% for the study period. By examining the Atchafalaya River delta as a natural analog for controlled river diversions, which are currently being used as coastal restoration tools, this study shows that discharging river water into highly productive shallow coastal estuarine and wetland systems can significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen exported to the Gulf of Mexico.     

大沙河水库主要入库河流氮磷营养输入分析

为了解大沙河水库流域内营养盐输入对水库水质的影响,以 2011年3月~2012年2月大沙河水库5条主要入库河流(大沙河、白沙河、双石河、富食河和沃江河)的水文水质监测数据为依据,分析了这些入库河流的流量和氮磷营养盐浓度,并估算了外源负荷总量,旨在为水库进行高效和合理的流域规划以及水质保护方案的制定提供科学依据。结果表明:位于西南方向的白沙河年平均流量最大(1.01 m³·s^-1),西北部富食河流量最小(0.23 m³·s^-1)。各入库河流总氮平均浓度变化范围为1.62~4.37 mg·L^-1,总磷平均浓度范围为0.08~0.36 mg·L^-1,其中富食河氮和磷营养盐的浓度最高,大沙河总氮浓度最低,白沙河总磷浓度最低,总体上西北部河流的氮磷浓度高于西南部河流。全年大沙河水库总氮输入量为176.7 t,总磷输入量为13.7 t。在所有入库河流中,位于水库北部的沃江河对水库营养盐输入量贡献最大,氮、磷负荷分别占总输入量的33%和32%,位于西部的双石河氮负荷最小(12%),西南方向大沙河磷负荷最小(9%)。     

香溪河水系大型底栖动物功能摄食类群生态学

2004年7月至2007年6月,通过大型底栖无脊椎动物的量化监测,对三峡水库湖北库区最大河流香溪河大型底栖无脊椎动物功能摄食类群生态学进行研究.结果表明:香溪河大型底栖动物以收集者占绝对优势,其次为刮食者,捕食者、滤食者、撕食者相对丰度较小;各功能摄食类群分布明显受时空资源位的限制;香溪河物质循环能力、两岸物质的输入量和粗有机颗粒/ 细有机颗粒在九冲河明显高于其它河流,在冬季高于其它季节;物质输送能力以高岚河最高,在时间方面以冬季明显高于其它季节.逐步回归分析表明,流速、电导、浊度、总氮、二氧化硅对香溪河河流生态系统物质循环具有指示作用;二氧化硅和化学需氧量对物质输送能力具有指示作用;水温、水深、二氧化硅、总磷可作为沿岸物质输入量的指标;水温、二氧化硅可作为评估河道中粗、细有机颗粒比例的重要指标.     

胶州湾夏秋季大气湿沉降中的营养盐及其入海的生态效应

为揭示大气湿沉降对胶州湾营养盐的输送通量及其生态效应,分别于2015年6—8月(夏季)、9—11月(秋季)采集胶州湾降水样品,测定了降水中不同形态N、P、Si的浓度。结果表明,降水中不同形态营养盐的浓度变化较大,且均与降水量呈负相关关系,其中NH4-N和NO3-N的浓度较高,溶解有机氮(DON)占溶解态总氮(DTN)含量的25.9%,而NO_2-N,PO_4-P和SiO_3-Si的浓度均很低。溶解无机氮(DIN)、DON、PO_4-P以及SiO_3-Si的湿沉降通量分别为141.7、61.87、0.35 mmol m~(-2)a~(-1)和0.12 mmol m~(-2)a~(-1)。受降水量和营养物质来源制约,各项营养盐湿沉降通量时间变化显著。农业活动导致的无机氮排放构成了胶州湾湿沉降DIN的主要来源。大气湿沉降DIN、DON、PO_4-P和SiO_3-Si分别占胶州湾总输入负荷的9.04%、10.24%、0.57%和0.17%,湿沉降输入的PO_4-P在夏、秋季分别可以支持0.575 mgC m~2d~(-1)和1.42 mg C m~2d~(-1)的新生产力;雨水中DIN/P比值高达1 617,突发性强降雨带来的营养盐输入会加剧表层水体的P限制和Si限制,对胶州湾浮游植物群落结构和粒级结构产生重要影响。大气湿沉降是胶州湾生源要素生物地球化学过程的重要一环,对营养物质收支的贡献及可能引发的生态效应不容忽视。     

基于流域单元的海湾农业非点源污染负荷估算——以莱州湾为例

生产力较高、生物多样性丰富、人类利用较早的区域之一,也是全球生态系统中最有价值和最受人类关注的区域之一。同时,海湾也是全球变化反映最敏感、陆海相互作用过程最激烈的地带,是人类活动最频繁的地域。开展海湾入海污染物总量控制研究对保护海洋环境和维护生态健康,协调和促进沿海经济发展与海洋的合理开发利用,实现海洋经济的可持续发展具有重要意义。入海污染物总量是开展海湾环境保护的重要指标,因进入海湾的河流往往较多,河流入海污染物的估算受监测频率、流量的季节变化等因素影响,存在很多困难。农业非点源污染是我国海湾入海污染负荷的重要来源。基于DEM(SRTM Data,90 m分辨率),借助美国ESRI公司的ARC/INFO软件中的ArcHydro模块,进行莱州湾主要入海河流水文分析,利用GIS提取河网,划定流域边界,并划分汇水区和子流域,为流域农业非点源污染入海总量的估算提供基础数据平台。在此基础上,与该流域土地利用专题图叠加,计算各个子流域内不同土地利用类型的面积,利用主要污染物排放系数和入河系数,估算农业污染入海总量。结果表明:COD、NH3-N、TN和TP的每年入海排污总量分别约为236933、23956、53684 t和15922 t。COD、NH3-N、TN和TP的排放量占总排放量的比例分别为71.69%、7.25%、16.24%和4.82%,这说明莱州湾入海主要污染物为COD。在陆海统筹理念指导下,以入海河口为源头,采取溯源追踪的思路,确定影响海湾入海污染负荷的流域单元,提供一种海岸带地区农业非点源负荷估算方法,可为莱州湾入海污染物总量调控提供科学依据,也可作为海岸带综合管理过程中确定陆地范围的参考。     

珠江口及毗邻海域营养盐对浮游植物生长的影响

基于2006年7月(夏季),10月(秋季)和2007年3月(春季)的现场调查数据,对珠江口及毗邻海域中的营养盐和叶绿素a等环境生态因子的时空分布特性进行了对比分析,研究了氮磷比与叶绿素a含量和种群多样性之间的联系,探讨了该海域营养盐对于浮游植物生长的影响。结果表明:(1)研究海域营养盐表现出较强的季节和空间差异性,总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)浓度均值春季(1.545 mg/L、0.056 mg/L)和夏季(1.570 mg/L、0.058 mg/L)均大于秋季(1.442 mg/L、0.034 mg/L),且春夏季浓度空间差异更明显。(2)调查期间海域营养盐含量超标现象突出,夏季尤为明显。无机氮(DIN)总体均值0.99 mg/L,超四类海水标准限值1倍,活性磷酸盐(PO4-P)总体均值0.021 mg/L,DIN∶PO4-P平均值为130;叶绿素a浓度与营养盐、p H、温度有较显著的相关性。(3)叶绿素a浓度较高的站位,具有较高的DIN∶PO4-P值,但浮游植物多样性指数偏低,优势种明显,主要为中肋骨条藻。氮磷比的改变会影响不同生长特性的浮游植物间的竞争和种群结构的改变;今后海洋污染治理中,在控制氮、磷污染时要注意氮磷比的改变可能造成的浮游生态影响。     

厦门市海岸带水污染负荷估算及预测

综合采用灰色模型、曲线回归等预测方法,建立了基于厦门市海岸带特征的主要污染源水污染负荷估算及预测模型,并采用厦门市历年统计数据对模型加以验证.对厦门市近岸海域近10年的废水和主要污染物质排放量估算的结果表明:万元产值工业废水排放量呈逐年下降的趋势,而各污染物的排放总量却逐年缓慢增长;在点源污水排放总量预测中,约76%的氮、磷来自于生活污水;在非点源污染负荷中,农业非点源中的氮、磷负荷占较大比例,城市非点源污染负荷比例最小.2005年厦门海岸带各污染源产生的氮污染负荷大小比较结果为:生活污染源>农业非点源>工业污染源>旅游业污染源>城市非点源,磷污染负荷则为:农业非点源>生活污染源>工业污染源>旅游业污染源>城市非点源.     

洱海入湖河流弥苴河下游氮磷季节性变化特征及主要影响因素

入湖河流携带污染物对洱海水环境的影响日益明显,对洱海入湖水量最大的河流——弥苴河下游水体氮磷进行了连续采样分析,以期为河口湿地建设和水质改善提供基础数据.结果表明:1)弥苴河水质介于地表水Ⅲ-Ⅴ类之间,主要污染物为氮和磷,其中总氮平均浓度为1.17 mg/L,最高浓度达到2.00 mg/L;总磷平均浓度为0.06 mg/L;2)弥苴河下游总氮、总磷浓度丰水期高于枯水期,并呈现出季节性变化规律;3)弥苴河下游水体总氮、总磷年均浓度远高于洱海水体总氮、总磷年均浓度,其中总氮高出2.10倍,总磷高出2.90倍;4)弥苴河下游河段非点源污染占据主导地位.     

三峡水库香溪河库湾底泥中总氮、总磷含量的时空分布

2004年10月-2006年7月,对三峡水库香溪河库湾底泥中总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)含量的时空分布特征及其影响因素进行了分析.结果表明：香溪河库湾底泥中TN、TP含量均表现为“中间高,两头低”的空间分布规律,其中,TN含量最高值为1.08 mg·g^-1,出现在库湾中部区域,最低值为0.89 mg·g^-1,出现在河口附近区域;TP含量最高值为1.07 mg·g^-1,最低值为0.80 mg·g^-1,分别出现在库湾中部和库尾.TN含量按秋季、冬季、春季的顺序依次降低,从春季到夏季则大幅上升,夏季达最高值;TP含量的季节波动较小,以春季最高.研究区底泥中TN、TP含量的年际差异均达显著水平.香溪河库湾底泥中总氮、总磷含量的空间分布主要受水体中悬浮物质沉积率的影响,沉积率较高区域的TN、TP含量较高;TN含量的季节波动主要受上游来水量季节变化的影响,而TP含量 的季节变化主要源于点源污染.     

Seasonal Patterns of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Limitation in Four German Lakes and the Predictability of Limitation Status from Ambient Nutrient Concentrations

To identify the seasonal pattern of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) limitation of phytoplankton in four different lakes, biweekly experiments were conducted from the end of March to September 2011. Lake water samples were enriched with N, P or both nutrients and incubated under two different light intensities. Chlorophyll a fluorescence (Chla) was measured and a model selection procedure was used to assign bioassay outcomes to different limitation categories. N and P were both limiting at some point. For the shallow lakes there was a trend from P limitation in spring to N or light limitation later in the year, while the deep lake remained predominantly P limited. To determine the ability of in-lake N:P ratios to predict the relative strength of N vs. P limitation, three separate regression models were fit with the log-transformed ratio of Chla of the P and N treatments (Response ratio = RR) as the response variable and those of ambient total phosphorus:total nitrogen (TN:TP), dissolved inorganic nitrogen:soluble reactive phosphorus (DIN:SRP), TN:SRP and DIN:TP mass ratios as predictors. All four N:P ratios had significant positive relationships with RR, such that high N:P ratios were associated with P limitation and low N:P ratios with N limitation. The TN:TP and DIN:TP ratios performed better than the DIN:SRP and TN:SRP in terms of misclassification rate and the DIN:TP ratio had the highest R² value. Nitrogen limitation was predictable, frequent and persistent, suggesting that nitrogen reduction could play a role in water quality management. However, there is still uncertainty about the efficacy of N restriction to control populations of N₂ fixing cyanobacteria.     

福建兴化湾溶解无机氮、溶解无机磷时空变化及营养状态评价

根据2007年3月至12月福建省兴化湾海域的水质监测结果,重点分析了该海域溶解无机氮(DIN)、溶解无机磷(DIP)的分布特征及其影响因素,并采用有机污染指数和富营养化指数对兴化湾海域的富营化水平进行了评价。结果表明:兴化湾海域富营养化主要污染物是DIN、DIP,其含量主要受径流排放和海洋浮游植物生长等因素的影响。春夏季节浮游植物生长繁殖旺盛,但雨水增多,最终导致了DIP、DIN含量的升高。秋季水温下降,浮游植物生长繁殖逐渐减弱,DIP、DIN的含量也逐渐升高。兴化湾富营养化水平加重,2007年的富营养化指数是2000年的5.7倍,主要体现在DIN、DIP等指标的升高。     

珠三角典型稻田生态沟渠型人工湿地的非点源污染削减功能

为了评价珠江三角洲地区农业非点源污染控制技术的开发与削减功能,本研究以珠海市斗门区上洲村典型稻田系统为例,提出了一种适应当地实际情况的生态沟渠型人工湿地构建技术,并进行了示范工程建设和防治效果评价。结果表明:该生态沟渠利用农田既有的排灌系统,经过适当改建而成;在满足原有排灌功能的前提下,对稻田排水径流中固体悬浮物(SS)、总磷(TP)、总氮(TN)、化学需氧量(CODCr)、铵态氮(NH4+-N)、生化需氧量(BOD5)的去除效率分别达到71.7%、63.4%、49.9%、26.6%、14.5%和11.6%;对营养型和颗粒态污染物质净化作用效果较好,对有机型污染物净化作用有限;其中对SS和TP的作用最为明显。该技术和工程成本效益良好,既减轻了稻田排水对附近水体的污染负荷,又增加了农田的景观效果。在珠三角及类似的经济发达而人地关系紧张的地区具有一定的推广价值。     

非点源污染输出对土地利用和社会经济变化响应的案例研究

为研究三峡库区(重庆段)自2006年10月蓄水(156m)以来,非点源污染输出对土地利用及社会经济背景变化响应的时空分异特征,综合考虑库区典型土地利用变化模式及社会经济背景,选取三峡库区腹地奉节县、忠县、库尾江津区及主城沙坪坝区为研究对象,使用动态输出系数模型法,以2007年、2010年和2013年3期遥感影像为数据源,分析了研究区2007年到2013年非点源污染TN、TP负荷量随土地利用类型改变及社会经济的发展而产生的时空变化特征。研究表明,6年间,研究区污染物TN从2007年的12126.9t上升到2013年的12692.3t,TP从2007年的394.6t上升到2013年的407.2t。就各典型区县而言,城市发展新区江津区非点源污染负荷呈上升趋势,TN、TP负荷量涨幅分别达到了28.6%和24.1%;而库尾城市快速扩展的沙坪坝区则呈现下降趋势,非点源污染TN、TP负荷量分别下降了48.8%和68.9%;仍保持传统农业的奉节县和忠县变化不大。     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollutants Removal from Rice Field Drainage with Ecological Agriculture Ditch: A Field Case

Excessive nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural drainage can cause a series of water environmental problems such as eutrophication of water bodies and non-point source pollution. By monitoring the water purification effect of a paddy ditch wetland in Gaochun, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, we investigated the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of N and P pollutants in paddy drains during the whole reproductive period of rice. Then, the dynamic changes of nitrogen and phosphorus in time and space during the two processes of rainfall after basal fertilization and topdressing were analyzed after comparison. At last, the effect of the ditch wetland on nutrient purification and treatment mechanism, along with changing flow and concentration in paddy drains, was clarified. The results of this study showed that the concentrations of various nitrogen and phosphorus in the ditch basically reached the peak on the second and third days after the rainfall (5.98 mg/L for TN and 0.21 mg/L for TP), which provided a response time for effective control of nitrogen and phosphorus loss. The drainage can be purified by the ecological ditch, about 89.61%, 89.03%, 89.61%, 98.14%, and 79.05% of TN, NH₄⁺-N, NO₃⁻-N, NO₂⁻-N, and TP decline. It is more effective than natural ditches for water purification with 80.59%, 40%, 12.07%, 91.06% and 18.42% removal rates, respectively. The results of the study can provide a theoretical basis for controlling agricultural non-point source pollution and improving the water environment of rivers and lakes scientifically.     

Global patterns of dissolved N, P and Si in large rivers

The concentration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved nitrate-N, Total-N (TN), dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP), total phosphorus (TP), dissolved silicate-Si (DSi) and their ratios in the world's largest rivers are examined using a global data base that includes 37% of the earth's watershed area and half its population. These data were compared to water quality in 42 subbasins of the relatively well-monitored Mississippi River basin (MRB) and of 82 small watersheds of the United States. The average total nitrogen concentration varies over three orders of magnitude among both world river watersheds and the MRB, and is primarily dependent on variations in dissolved nitrate concentration, rather than particulate or dissolved organic matter or ammonium. There is also a direct relationship between the DIN:DIP ratio and nitrate concentration. When nitrate-N exceeds 100 g-at l^–1, the DIN:DIP ratio is generally above the Redfield ratio (16:1), which implies phosphorus limitation of phytoplankton growth. Compared to nitrate, the among river variation in the DSi concentration is relatively small so that the DSi loading (mass/area/time) is largely controlled by runoff volume. The well-documented influence of human activities on dissolved inorganic nitrogen loading thus exceeds the influences arising from the great variability in soil types, climate and geography among these watersheds. The DSi:nitrate-N ratio is controlled primarily by nitrogen loading and is shown to be inversely correlated with an index of landscape development – the City Lights nighttime imagery. Increased nitrogen loading is thus driving the world's largest rivers towards a higher DIN:DIP ratio and a lower DSi:DIN ratio. About 7.3 and 21 % of the world's population lives in watersheds with a DSi:nitrate-N ratio near a 1:1 and 2:1 ratio, respectively. The empirical evidence is that this percentage will increase with further economic development. When the DSi:nitrate-N atomic ratio is near 1:1, aquatic food webs leading from diatoms (which require silicate) to fish may be compromised and the frequency or size of harmful or noxious algal blooms may increase. Used together, the DSi:nitrate-N ratio and nitrate-N concentration are useful and robust comparative indicators of eutrophication in large rivers. Finally, we estimate the riverine loading to the ocean for nitrate-N, TN, DIP, TP and DSi to be 16.2, 21, 2.6, 3.7 to 5.6, and 194 Tg yr^–1, respectively.