Seasonal Nitrogen Cycling in Agricultural Riparian Groundwater

Nitrogen is a critical nutrient that can govern biological activity, and thus can affect water quality. As groundwater flows through agricultural landscapes, it accumulates nutrients including various forms of nitrogen. When groundwater is intercepted by riparian zones, high rates of chemical transformation can occur. Understanding the processes that transform solutes within the riparian zone is critical for understanding how riparian zones function to impact water quality. Furthermore, in order to fully understand these processes and the importance they have on a watershed scale, seasonal and event-based trends of nitrogen processing in riparian zones must be researched. The purpose of this study is to evaluate nitrogen concentrations and transformations along a longitudinal transect of a riparian wetland draining an agricultural field. Groundwater samples and soil sensor data collected on a weekly basis and before and after precipitation events were used to understand the biological, physical, chemical, and spatio-temporal drivers of nitrogen cycling. Understanding what governs nitrogen cycling is important for managing downstream water quality