Nitrogen solutes in an Adirondack forested watershed: Importance of dissolved organic nitrogen

Nitrogen (N) dynamics were evaluated from 1 June 1995 through 31 May 1996 within the Arbutus Lake watershed in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, U.S.A. At the Arbutus Lake outlet dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), NO3/- and NH4/+ contributed 61%, 33%, and 6% respectively, to the total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) flux (259 mol ha-1 yr-1). At the lake inlet DON, NO3/-, and NH4/+ constituted 36%, 61%, and 3% respectively, of TDN flux (349 mol ha-1 yr-1). Differences between the factors that control DON, NO3/-, and NH4+ stream water concentrations were evaluated using two methods for estimating annual N flux at the lake inlet. Using biweekly sampling NO3/- and NH4/+ flux was 10 and 4 mol ha-1 yr-1 respectively, less than flux estimates using biweekly plus storm and snowmelt sampling. DON flux was 18 mol ha-1 yr-1 greater using only biweekly sampling. These differences are probably not of ecological significance relative to the total flux of N from the watershed (349 mol ha-1 yr-1). Dissolved organic N concentrations were positively related to discharge during both the dormant (R2 = 0.31; P