The discharge of excess nitrogen to streams and rivers poses an existential threat to both humans and ecosystems. A seminal study of headwater streams across the United States concluded that in-stream removal of nitrate is controlled primarily by stream chemistry and biology. Reanalysis of these data reveals that stream turbulence (in particular, turbulent mass transfer across the concentration boundary layer) imposes a previously unrecognized upper limit on the rate at which nitrate is removed from streams. The upper limit closely approximates measured nitrate removal rates in streams with low concentrations of this pollutant, a discovery that should inform stream restoration designs and efforts to assess the effects of nitrogen pollution on receiving water quality and the global nitrogen cycle.

Factoring stream turbulence into global assessments of nitrogen pollution / Grant, Stanley B.; Azizian, Morvarid; Cook, Perran; Boano, Fulvio; Rippy, Megan A.. - In: SCIENCE. - ISSN 0036-8075. - 359:6381(2018), pp. 1266-1269. [10.1126/science.aap8074]

Factoring stream turbulence into global assessments of nitrogen pollution

Boano, Fulvio;
2018

Abstract

The discharge of excess nitrogen to streams and rivers poses an existential threat to both humans and ecosystems. A seminal study of headwater streams across the United States concluded that in-stream removal of nitrate is controlled primarily by stream chemistry and biology. Reanalysis of these data reveals that stream turbulence (in particular, turbulent mass transfer across the concentration boundary layer) imposes a previously unrecognized upper limit on the rate at which nitrate is removed from streams. The upper limit closely approximates measured nitrate removal rates in streams with low concentrations of this pollutant, a discovery that should inform stream restoration designs and efforts to assess the effects of nitrogen pollution on receiving water quality and the global nitrogen cycle.
2018
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
1266.full.pdf

non disponibili

Descrizione: Articolo principale
Tipologia: 2a Post-print versione editoriale / Version of Record
Licenza: Non Pubblico - Accesso privato/ristretto
Dimensione 442.28 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
442.28 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
aap8074_Grant_SM.pdf

non disponibili

Descrizione: Supplemental Material
Tipologia: Altro materiale allegato
Licenza: Non Pubblico - Accesso privato/ristretto
Dimensione 891.2 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
891.2 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Factoring_Revised_Main_Text_11_15_17.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: 1. Preprint / submitted version [pre- review]
Licenza: PUBBLICO - Tutti i diritti riservati
Dimensione 1.65 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.65 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11583/2704203