New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Nitrogen and phosphorus in streamwaters from adjacent pasture, pine, and native forest catchments
A. BRYCE COOPER CHRISTINE E. THOMSEN
Water Quality Centre
Ministry of Works and Development*
P. O. Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand
Abstract
Measurements were made of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in streams draining three adjacent catchments of different land use. Generally, the pasture catchment stream showed highest concentrations of N and P, compared to the streams draining the pine and native catchments. Total N export coefficients (kg km
2 year"
1) were estimated as 1195, 131, and 367 for the pasture, pine, and native catchments, respectively. Total P export coefficients (kg km~
2 year'
1) were estimated as 167, 9.5, and 12.0 for the pasture, pine, and native catchments, respectively. Exports of N and P from the pasture catchment were unevenly distributed through the year, with most export occurring as paniculate forms during storm events. By comparison, export from the two forested catchments was more evenly distributed and baseflow dissolved forms of N and P formed a higher proportion of total export. The influences of land use were attributable to differences in hydrology, source materials of N and P available for transport, and rates of upstream processing.
Keywords nitrogen; phosphorus; water quality; land use; streamwaters
New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1988, Vol. 22: 279-291 ; Crown copyright 1988Received 8 January 1987; accepted 30 June 1987
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1091K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
This year's abstracts |
Journal home page |
All abstracts |
Publishing home page
