Long-term nitrate increases in two oligotrophic lakes, due to the leaching of atmospherically-deposited N from moorland ranker soils

Tipping, E.; Thacker, S.A.; Wilson, D.; Hall, J.R.

Long-term nitrate increases in two oligotrophic lakes, due to the leaching of atmospherically-deposited N from moorland ranker soils

2008

Tipping, E. | Thacker, S.A. | Wilson, D. | Hall, J.R.

During the last 50 years nitrate concentrations in Buttermere and Wastwater (Cumbria, UK) have risen significantly, by 70 and 100%, respectively. By estimating contemporary nitrate fluxes in the lakes' catchments and in sub-catchments and comparing them with the fractional areas of different soil types, it is deduced that the surface water nitrate is derived almost entirely from organic-rich ranker soils that have a limited ability to retain atmospherically-deposited nitrogen. Little or no nitrate leaches from the other major soil type, a brown podzol, despite it having a lower C:N ratio (12.0 g g-1) than the ranker (17.0 g g-1), nor is there much contribution from the small areas of improved (chemically fertilised) grassland within the catchments. Although some nitrate leaching is occurring, total N losses are appreciably smaller than atmospheric inputs, so the catchment soils are currently accumulating between 3 and 4 g N m-2 a-1. Increases in lakewater nitrate concentrations over 50 years are due to the limited ability of ranker soils to retain atmospherically-deposited nitrogen.

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