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Simple Approaches for Measuring Dry Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition to Watersheds
Citation:
GOLDEN, H. E., E. W. Boyer, M. G. Brown, AND D. K. Lee. Simple Approaches for Measuring Dry Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition to Watersheds. WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH. American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, 44:W00D02, (2008).
Impact/Purpose:
This research is to evaluate the potential for using passive atmospheric N sampling techniques in watershed biogeochemical research and watershed management.
Description:
Assessing the effects of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on surface water quality requires accurate accounts of total N deposition (wet, dry, and cloud vapor); however, dry deposition is difficult to measure and is often spatially variable. Affordable passive sampling methods are available for estimating "hotspots" and spatial variations of gaseous dry N deposition (i.e., nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ammonia (NH3)), though few viable methods for estimating the deposition from nitric acid (HNO3) gas using passive sampling techniques exist. We consider passive sampling approaches for assessing spatial patterns of dry atmospheric N deposition across watersheds and a potential method for monitoring spatial variations in the magnitude of HNO3 in the atmosphere using simple passive monitoring techniques. We demonstrate the applicability of passive samplers for use in water quality modeling, watershed nitrogen budgets, and watershed management through a review of previous applications and via our own case study in the South Korean peninsula.
