Issue 7, 2014

Understanding nutrient biogeochemistry in agricultural catchments: the challenge of appropriate monitoring frequencies

Abstract

We evaluate different frequencies of riverine nutrient concentration measurement to interpret diffuse pollution in agricultural catchments. We focus on three nutrient fractions, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), total reactive phosphorus (TRP) and total phosphorus (TP) observed using conventional remote laboratory-based, low-frequency sampling and automated, in situ high-frequency monitoring. We demonstrate the value of low-frequency routine nutrient monitoring in providing long-term data on changes in surface water and groundwater nutrient concentrations. By contrast, automated high-frequency nutrient observations provide insight into the fine temporal structure of nutrient dynamics in response to a full spectrum of flow dynamics. We found good agreement between concurrent in situ and laboratory-based determinations for nitrate-nitrogen (Pearson's R = 0.93, p < 0.01). For phosphorus fractions: TP (R = 0.84, p < 0.01) and TRP (R = 0.79, p < 0.01) the relationships were poorer due to the underestimation of P fractions observed in situ and storage-related changes of grab samples. A detailed comparison between concurrent nutrient data obtained by the hourly in situ automated monitoring and weekly-to-fortnightly grab sampling reveals a significant information loss at the extreme range of nutrient concentration for low-frequency sampling.

Graphical abstract: Understanding nutrient biogeochemistry in agricultural catchments: the challenge of appropriate monitoring frequencies

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Febr. 2014
Accepted
17 Apr. 2014
First published
17 Apr. 2014

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2014,16, 1676-1691

Author version available

Understanding nutrient biogeochemistry in agricultural catchments: the challenge of appropriate monitoring frequencies

M. Z. Bieroza, A. L. Heathwaite, N. J. Mullinger and P. O. Keenan, Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 2014, 16, 1676 DOI: 10.1039/C4EM00100A

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