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Nitrogen export by surface runoff from a small agricultural watershed in southeast China: seasonal pattern and primary mechanism

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Abstract

The seasonal pattern and primary mechanism of nitrogen (N) export by surface runoff from the Wuchuan subwatershed (WCW), an agricultural upper watershed (1.88 km2) located in southeast China, were investigated based on extensive streamwater measurements in 2004–2005 under subtropical climatic conditions. The results disclosed a highly variable but strong linkage between hydrological and anthropogenic controls and N export. N export via surface runoff presented a significant seasonal pattern caused by changes in rainfall and watershed N input. Approximately 75% of the annual N export (67 kg ha−1) was flushed by those storm runoff mainly occurred during the wet season (March through September). The WCW dataset of N concentrations and loads during both baseflow and stormflow implied an interactive effects of anthropogenetic N input and hydrology conditions: N export was flush-driven in late spring, summer and autumn (wet season), but highly related with soil N in winter and early spring. Compared to undisturbed watersheds under similar rainfall conditions, WCW exported a considerable amount of N due to intensive fertilizer application (a mean of 690 kg N ha−1 year−1, commonly as surface applications). This work provides a first characterization of a small agricultural Chinese catchment under subtropical climates and its associated N export behavior.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Projects of International Cooperation and Exchanges NSFC (No. 40810069004), and the Department of Science and Technology of Fujian Province, P.R. China (No. 2002H009). We are grateful to all project members for assistance in field surveys, sampling and laboratory analysis. We would like to thank Professor John Hodgkiss for his help with English, as well as the anonymous reviewers for helpful comments and suggestions which improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Joint Key Laboratory of Coastal Study, Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, People’s Republic of China

    Nengwang Chen & Huasheng Hong

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  1. Nengwang Chen
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  2. Huasheng Hong
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Correspondence to Huasheng Hong.

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Chen, N., Hong, H. Nitrogen export by surface runoff from a small agricultural watershed in southeast China: seasonal pattern and primary mechanism. Biogeochemistry 106, 311–321 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-010-9514-6

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