The contribution of wetlands to stream nitrogen load in the Loch Vale Watershed, Colorado, USA

Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology
By: , and 

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Abstract

We explored the difference between the concentrations of different N forms and other chemical properties between stream water and riparian zone wetland soil water in the Loch Vale Watershed which is located on the eastern slope of the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA. The nitrate N concentration in stream water were significantly higher than in soil water of the three wetlands, while no significant difference appeared in ammonium N. The pH values were higher and conductivity values were lower in stream water than in wetland soil water. However, significant difference also appeared between nitrate N concentrations, pH and conductivity values in the water sampled from different positions of streams. The stream tributary water had higher nitrate N concentrations, higher pH and higher conducitity values. We also conducted experiments to compare the difference between the productivity, total N concentrations in biomass and soil of upper layers. At the end, we concluded that the wetlands distributed along the streams in Loch Vale Watershed had little effect on the nitrogen load of the stream water there.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The contribution of wetlands to stream nitrogen load in the Loch Vale Watershed, Colorado, USA
Series title Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology
Volume 20
Issue 4
Year Published 1996
Language English
Publisher Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology
Contributing office(s) Fort Collins Science Center
Description 4 p.
First page 289
Last page 302
Country United States
State Colorado
Other Geospatial Loch Vale Watershed
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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