Denitrification potential in sediments of headwater streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

L. A. Martin; P. J. Mulholland; J. R. Webster; H. M. Valett

doi:10.2307/1468084

Denitrification potential in sediments of headwater streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

L. A. Martin
, P. J. Mulholland
, J. R. Webster
, H. M. Valett

Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences

Stroud Water Research Center

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

67 Scopus citations

Abstract

We investigated variations in resource availability (NO₃-N and labile organic C [LOC]) as determinants of potential denitrification in stream sediments in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. Stream water and sediments were sampled seasonally in 2 streams of contrasting NO₃-N availability, Noland Creek (high NO₃-N) and Walker Branch (low NO₃-N). Eight additional streams with varying NO₃-N levels were sampled once during summer. Stream sediments were incubated at ambient stream temperatures, and nitrous oxide accumulation was quantified following acetylene inhibition of nitrous oxide reduction. Denitrification potential was greater in Noland Creek than Walker Branch. In autumn and spring, NO₃-N and LOC amendments indicated that denitrification potential in Walker Branch sediments was NO₃-N limited, whereas temperature had no effect on rates. Denitrification potential in Noland Creek sediments was not limited by NO₃-N or LOC, but was significantly affected by season and temperature. However, no differences in denitrification potential were detected when Noland Creek seasonal data were adjusted to a common temperature. NO₃-N in the 10 surveyed streams ranged from 10 to 549 μg/L, with the highest NO₃-N levels and denitrification rates generally occurring in the higher-elevation streams of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our results suggest that NO₃-N availability is the primary factor limiting potential denitrification in Southern Appalachian streams. Despite the ideal conditions of slurry studies, extrapolation of potential rates to estimate denitrification loss in the catchment channels indicates that the process is an insignificant N sink (1.7% of stream N export in Walker Branch and 1.5% of N export in the Noland Divide Watershed).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	505-519
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of the North American Benthological Society
Volume	20
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2307/1468084
State	Published - 2001

Funding

We thank Ramie Wilkerson, Susan Carroll, Christy Fellas, Awilda Blanco, and Daniel So-bota for their assistance in the field and laboratory. Gratitude is also extended to the Microbial Biogeochemistry Group and the Environmental Chemistry Section of the Environmental Sciences Division of ORNL for use of their laboratory facilities. This research was supported by the US Department of Energy's Environmental Sciences Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, as well as Virginia Tech's Graduate Research Development Project. The work was performed in part at DOE's Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725. We thank Ramie Wilkerson, Susan Carroll, Christy Fellas, Awilda Blanco, and Daniel So-bota for their assistance in the field and laboratory. Gratitude is also extended to the Microbial Biogeochemistry Group and the Environmental Chemistry Section of the Environmental Sciences Division of ORNL for use of their laboratory facilities. This research was supported by the US Department of Energy’s Environmental Sciences Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, as well as Virginia Tech’s Graduate Research Development Project. The work was performed in part at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05–00OR22725.

Funders	Funder number
Biological and Environmental Research
Oak Ridge National Laboratory	DE-AC05–00OR22725

Keywords

Denitrification
Dissolved organic carbon
Nitrate
Nitrogen deposition
Nutrient limitations
Sediments
Stream ecology
Temporal variability

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10.2307/1468084

Cite this

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title = "Denitrification potential in sediments of headwater streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA",

abstract = "We investigated variations in resource availability (NO3-N and labile organic C [LOC]) as determinants of potential denitrification in stream sediments in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. Stream water and sediments were sampled seasonally in 2 streams of contrasting NO3-N availability, Noland Creek (high NO3-N) and Walker Branch (low NO3-N). Eight additional streams with varying NO3-N levels were sampled once during summer. Stream sediments were incubated at ambient stream temperatures, and nitrous oxide accumulation was quantified following acetylene inhibition of nitrous oxide reduction. Denitrification potential was greater in Noland Creek than Walker Branch. In autumn and spring, NO3-N and LOC amendments indicated that denitrification potential in Walker Branch sediments was NO3-N limited, whereas temperature had no effect on rates. Denitrification potential in Noland Creek sediments was not limited by NO3-N or LOC, but was significantly affected by season and temperature. However, no differences in denitrification potential were detected when Noland Creek seasonal data were adjusted to a common temperature. NO3-N in the 10 surveyed streams ranged from 10 to 549 μg/L, with the highest NO3-N levels and denitrification rates generally occurring in the higher-elevation streams of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our results suggest that NO3-N availability is the primary factor limiting potential denitrification in Southern Appalachian streams. Despite the ideal conditions of slurry studies, extrapolation of potential rates to estimate denitrification loss in the catchment channels indicates that the process is an insignificant N sink (1.7\% of stream N export in Walker Branch and 1.5\% of N export in the Noland Divide Watershed).",

keywords = "Denitrification, Dissolved organic carbon, Nitrate, Nitrogen deposition, Nutrient limitations, Sediments, Stream ecology, Temporal variability",

author = "Martin, \{L. A.\} and Mulholland, \{P. J.\} and Webster, \{J. R.\} and Valett, \{H. M.\}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Ramie Wilkerson, Susan Carroll, Christy Fellas, Awilda Blanco, and Daniel So-bota for their assistance in the field and laboratory. Gratitude is also extended to the Microbial Biogeochemistry Group and the Environmental Chemistry Section of the Environmental Sciences Division of ORNL for use of their laboratory facilities. This research was supported by the US Department of Energy's Environmental Sciences Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, as well as Virginia Tech's Graduate Research Development Project. The work was performed in part at DOE's Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725. Funding Information: We thank Ramie Wilkerson, Susan Carroll, Christy Fellas, Awilda Blanco, and Daniel So-bota for their assistance in the field and laboratory. Gratitude is also extended to the Microbial Biogeochemistry Group and the Environmental Chemistry Section of the Environmental Sciences Division of ORNL for use of their laboratory facilities. This research was supported by the US Department of Energy{\textquoteright}s Environmen- tal Sciences Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, as well as Virginia Tech{\textquoteright}s Graduate Research Development Project. The work was performed in part at DOE{\textquoteright}s Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05–00OR22725.",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.2307/1468084",

language = "English",

volume = "20",

pages = "505--519",

journal = "Journal of the North American Benthological Society",

issn = "0887-3593",

publisher = "North American Benthological Society",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Denitrification potential in sediments of headwater streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

AU - Martin, L. A.

AU - Mulholland, P. J.

AU - Webster, J. R.

AU - Valett, H. M.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Ramie Wilkerson, Susan Carroll, Christy Fellas, Awilda Blanco, and Daniel So-bota for their assistance in the field and laboratory. Gratitude is also extended to the Microbial Biogeochemistry Group and the Environmental Chemistry Section of the Environmental Sciences Division of ORNL for use of their laboratory facilities. This research was supported by the US Department of Energy's Environmental Sciences Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, as well as Virginia Tech's Graduate Research Development Project. The work was performed in part at DOE's Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725. Funding Information: We thank Ramie Wilkerson, Susan Carroll, Christy Fellas, Awilda Blanco, and Daniel So-bota for their assistance in the field and laboratory. Gratitude is also extended to the Microbial Biogeochemistry Group and the Environmental Chemistry Section of the Environmental Sciences Division of ORNL for use of their laboratory facilities. This research was supported by the US Department of Energy’s Environmen- tal Sciences Division, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, as well as Virginia Tech’s Graduate Research Development Project. The work was performed in part at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Environmental Research Park, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, for the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05–00OR22725.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - We investigated variations in resource availability (NO3-N and labile organic C [LOC]) as determinants of potential denitrification in stream sediments in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. Stream water and sediments were sampled seasonally in 2 streams of contrasting NO3-N availability, Noland Creek (high NO3-N) and Walker Branch (low NO3-N). Eight additional streams with varying NO3-N levels were sampled once during summer. Stream sediments were incubated at ambient stream temperatures, and nitrous oxide accumulation was quantified following acetylene inhibition of nitrous oxide reduction. Denitrification potential was greater in Noland Creek than Walker Branch. In autumn and spring, NO3-N and LOC amendments indicated that denitrification potential in Walker Branch sediments was NO3-N limited, whereas temperature had no effect on rates. Denitrification potential in Noland Creek sediments was not limited by NO3-N or LOC, but was significantly affected by season and temperature. However, no differences in denitrification potential were detected when Noland Creek seasonal data were adjusted to a common temperature. NO3-N in the 10 surveyed streams ranged from 10 to 549 μg/L, with the highest NO3-N levels and denitrification rates generally occurring in the higher-elevation streams of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our results suggest that NO3-N availability is the primary factor limiting potential denitrification in Southern Appalachian streams. Despite the ideal conditions of slurry studies, extrapolation of potential rates to estimate denitrification loss in the catchment channels indicates that the process is an insignificant N sink (1.7% of stream N export in Walker Branch and 1.5% of N export in the Noland Divide Watershed).

AB - We investigated variations in resource availability (NO3-N and labile organic C [LOC]) as determinants of potential denitrification in stream sediments in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA. Stream water and sediments were sampled seasonally in 2 streams of contrasting NO3-N availability, Noland Creek (high NO3-N) and Walker Branch (low NO3-N). Eight additional streams with varying NO3-N levels were sampled once during summer. Stream sediments were incubated at ambient stream temperatures, and nitrous oxide accumulation was quantified following acetylene inhibition of nitrous oxide reduction. Denitrification potential was greater in Noland Creek than Walker Branch. In autumn and spring, NO3-N and LOC amendments indicated that denitrification potential in Walker Branch sediments was NO3-N limited, whereas temperature had no effect on rates. Denitrification potential in Noland Creek sediments was not limited by NO3-N or LOC, but was significantly affected by season and temperature. However, no differences in denitrification potential were detected when Noland Creek seasonal data were adjusted to a common temperature. NO3-N in the 10 surveyed streams ranged from 10 to 549 μg/L, with the highest NO3-N levels and denitrification rates generally occurring in the higher-elevation streams of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our results suggest that NO3-N availability is the primary factor limiting potential denitrification in Southern Appalachian streams. Despite the ideal conditions of slurry studies, extrapolation of potential rates to estimate denitrification loss in the catchment channels indicates that the process is an insignificant N sink (1.7% of stream N export in Walker Branch and 1.5% of N export in the Noland Divide Watershed).

KW - Denitrification

KW - Dissolved organic carbon

KW - Nitrate

KW - Nitrogen deposition

KW - Nutrient limitations

KW - Sediments

KW - Stream ecology

KW - Temporal variability

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0035657933

U2 - 10.2307/1468084

DO - 10.2307/1468084

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0035657933

SN - 0887-3593

VL - 20

SP - 505

EP - 519

JO - Journal of the North American Benthological Society

JF - Journal of the North American Benthological Society

IS - 4

ER -

Denitrification potential in sediments of headwater streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

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