Links between N deposition and nitrate export from a high-elevation watershed in the Colorado Front Range
Long-term patterns of stream nitrate export and atmospheric N deposition were evaluated over three decades in Loch Vale, a high-elevation watershed in the Colorado Front Range. Stream nitrate concentrations increased in the early 1990s, peaked in the mid-2000s, and have since declined by over 40%, coincident with trends in nitrogen oxide emissions over the past decade. Similarities in the timing and magnitude of N deposition provide evidence that stream chemistry is responding to changes in atmospheric deposition. The response to deposition was complicated by a drought in the early 2000s that enhanced N export for several years. Other possible explanations, including forest disturbance, snow depth, or permafrost melting, could not explain patterns in N export. Our results show that stream chemistry responds rapidly to changes in N deposition in high-elevation watersheds, similar to the response observed to changes in sulfur deposition.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2014 |
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Title | Links between N deposition and nitrate export from a high-elevation watershed in the Colorado Front Range |
DOI | 10.1021/es502461k |
Authors | Alisa Mast, David W. Clow, Jill Baron, Gregory A. Wetherbee |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Environmental Science & Technology |
Index ID | 70134479 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Colorado Water Science Center |