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

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Understanding nutrient biogeochemistry in agricultural catchments: the challenge of appropriate monitoring frequencies. / Bieroza, Magdalena; Heathwaite, Louise; Mullinger, Neil et al.
In: Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, Vol. 16, No. 7, 2014, p. 1676-1691.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

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Bieroza M, Heathwaite L, Mullinger N, Keenan P. Understanding nutrient biogeochemistry in agricultural catchments: the challenge of appropriate monitoring frequencies. Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts. 2014;16(7):1676-1691. Epub 2014 Apr 17. doi: 10.1039/c4em00100a

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Bibtex

@article{f19a8433ff2a40a59b6c72cd733e6a78,
title = "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.",
author = "Magdalena Bieroza and Louise Heathwaite and Neil Mullinger and Patrick Keenan",
year = "2014",
doi = "10.1039/c4em00100a",
language = "English",
volume = "16",
pages = "1676--1691",
journal = "Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts",
issn = "2050-7887",
publisher = "Royal Society of Chemistry",
number = "7",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding nutrient biogeochemistry in agricultural catchments

T2 - the challenge of appropriate monitoring frequencies

AU - Bieroza, Magdalena

AU - Heathwaite, Louise

AU - Mullinger, Neil

AU - Keenan, Patrick

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1039/c4em00100a

DO - 10.1039/c4em00100a

M3 - Journal article

VL - 16

SP - 1676

EP - 1691

JO - Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts

JF - Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts

SN - 2050-7887

IS - 7

ER -