Iron Exports From Catchments Are Constrained by Redox Status and Topography

Fe(III) hydroxides stabilize organic carbon (OC) and P in soils. Observations of rising stream Fe concentrations are controversially posited to result from a flushing of iron‐rich deeper soil layers or a decrease of competing electron acceptors inhibiting Fe reduction (NO3− $\mathrm{N}{{\mathrm{O}}_{3}}^{-}$ and SO42− $\mathrm{S}{{\mathrm{O}}_{4}}^{2-}$). Here, we argue that catchment topography constrains the release of Fe, OC, and P to streams. We therefore incubated organic topsoil and mineral subsoil and modified the availability of NO3− $\mathrm{N}{{\mathrm{O}}_{3}}^{-}$. We found that Fe leaching was highest in topsoil. Fe, OC, and P released at quantities proportional to their ratios in the source soil. Supply of NO3− $\mathrm{N}{{\mathrm{O}}_{3}}^{-}$ reduced Fe leaching to 18% and increased pore water OC:Fe and P:Fe ratios. Subsoil, however, was an insignificant Fe source (