Soil property control of biogeochemical processes beneath two subtropical stormwater infiltration basins

Journal of Environmental Quality
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Abstract

Substantially different biogeochemical processes affecting nitrogen fate and transport were observed beneath two stormwater infiltration basins in north-central Florida. Differences are related to soil textural properties that deeply link hydroclimatic conditions with soil moisture variations in a humid, subtropical climate. During 2008, shallow groundwater beneath the basin with predominantly clayey soils (median, 41% silt+clay) exhibited decreases in dissolved oxygen from 3.8 to 0.1 mg L-1 and decreases in nitrate nitrogen (NO3-–N) from 2.7 mg L-1 to <0.016 mg L-1, followed by manganese and iron reduction, sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis. In contrast, beneath the basin with predominantly sandy soils (median, 2% silt+clay), aerobic conditions persisted from 2007 through 2009 (dissolved oxygen, 5.0–7.8 mg L-1), resulting in NO3-–N of 1.3 to 3.3 mg L-1 in shallow groundwater. Enrichment of d15N and d18O of NO3- combined with water chemistry data indicates denitrification beneath the clayey basin and relatively conservative NO3- transport beneath the sandy basin. Soil-extractable NO3-–N was significantly lower and the copper-containing nitrite reductase gene density was significantly higher beneath the clayey basin. Differences in moisture retention capacity between fine- and coarse-textured soils resulted in median volumetric gas-phase contents of 0.04 beneath the clayey basin and 0.19 beneath the sandy basin, inhibiting surface/subsurface oxygen exchange beneath the clayey basin. Results can inform development of soil amendments to maintain elevated moisture content in shallow soils of stormwater infiltration basins, which can be incorporated in improved best management practices to mitigate NO3- impacts.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Soil property control of biogeochemical processes beneath two subtropical stormwater infiltration basins
Series title Journal of Environmental Quality
DOI 10.2134/jeq2011.0204
Volume 41
Issue 2
Year Published 2012
Language English
Publisher American Society of Agronomy
Publisher location Madison, WI
Contributing office(s) Florida Water Science Center-Orlando
Description 18 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Journal of Environmental Quality
First page 564
Last page 581
Country United States
State Florida
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