Dataset Information

Legacy of contaminant N sources to the NO3- signature in rivers: a combined isotopic (?15N-NO3-, ?18O-NO3-, ?11B) and microbiological investigation.

ABSTRACT: Nitrate content of surface waters results from complex mixing of multiple sources, whose signatures can be modified through N reactions occurring within the different compartments of the whole catchment. Despite this complexity, the determination of nitrate origin is the first and crucial step for water resource preservation. Here, for the first time, we combined at the catchment scale stable isotopic tracers (?15N and ?18O of nitrate and ?11B) and fecal indicators to trace nitrate sources and pathways to the stream. We tested this approach on two rivers in an agricultural region of SW France. Boron isotopic ratios evidenced inflow from anthropogenic waters, microbiological markers revealed organic contaminations from both human and animal wastes. Nitrate ?15N and ?18O traced inputs from the surface leaching during high flow events and from the subsurface drainage in base flow regime. They also showed that denitrification occurred within the soils before reaching the rivers. Furthermore, this study highlighted the determinant role of the soil compartment in nitrate formation and recycling with important spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability.

SUBMITTER: Briand C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5288703 | biostudies-other | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Legacy of contaminant N sources to the NO3- signature in rivers: a combined isotopic (δ15N-NO3-, δ18O-NO3-, δ11B) and microbiological investigation.

Briand Cyrielle C Sebilo Mathieu M Louvat Pascale P Chesnot Thierry T Vaury Véronique V Schneider Maude M Plagnes Valérie V

Scientific reports 20170202

Nitrate content of surface waters results from complex mixing of multiple sources, whose signatures can be modified through N reactions occurring within the different compartments of the whole catchment. Despite this complexity, the determination of nitrate origin is the first and crucial step for water resource preservation. Here, for the first time, we combined at the catchment scale stable isotopic tracers (δ15N and δ18O of nitrate and δ11B) and fecal indicato ...[more]

PMID: 28150819

Similar Datasets

Project description:Introduced bird species can become invasive in agroecosystems and their management is inhibited if their origin and movements are not well understood. Stable isotope measurements of feathers can be used to infer molt origins and interstate movements in North America. We analyzed stable-hydrogen (?2H), carbon (?13C) and nitrogen (? 15N) isotope ratios in feathers to better understand the molt origin of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) collected at dairies and feedlots throughout the United States. Primary feathers were used from 596 adult and 90 juvenile starlings collected during winter at dairies and feedlots that experience starling damages in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. The best-fit model indicated that the combination of feather ?2H, ?13C and ?15N values best predicted the state where samples were collected and thus supported use of this approach for tracing molt origins in European starlings. Interestingly, molt origins of starlings collected at dairies and feedlots generally west of -90° longitude (i.e. 11 of 15 states west of the Mississippi River, including Wisconsin) were assigned to the collection state and/or the state adjacent to the collection state. In contrast, molt origins of starlings collected generally east of -90° longitude (four of five eastern states) were not assigned to the collection state and/or the state adjacent to the collection state. Among all starlings (N = 686), 23% were assigned to the collection state and 19% were assigned to the state adjacent to the collection state. Among all males (N = 489) and all females (N = 197), 23% and 26% were assigned to the collection state and 19% and 13% were assigned to the state adjacent to the collection state, respectively. We observed a greater proportion (88%) of juvenile starlings assigned to states other than their collection state (i.e. potentially a result of natal dispersal) than that proportion (76%) in adult starlings. This study included an unprecedented sample of feather isotopes from European starlings throughout the United States. As a novel contribution to the ecology and management of invasive and migratory passerines, we demonstrate how such feather isoscapes can be used to predict molt origin and, potentially, interstate movements of European starlings for subsequent ecological and management investigations.

Dataset Information

Legacy of contaminant N sources to the NO3- signature in rivers: a combined isotopic (?15N-NO3-, ?18O-NO3-, ?11B) and microbiological investigation.

Publications

Legacy of contaminant N sources to the NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup> signature in rivers: a combined isotopic (δ<sup>15</sup>N-NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>, δ<sup>18</sup>O-NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>, δ<sup>11</sup>B) and microbiological investigation.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets