The northeastern United States receives elevated inputs of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) largely from net imports of food and atmospheric deposition, with lesser inputs from fertilizer, net feed imports, and N fixation associated with leguminous crops. Ecological consequences of elevated N inputs to the Northeast include tropospheric ozone formation, ozone damage to plants, the alteration of forest N cycles, acidification of surface waters, and eutrophication in coastal waters. We used two models, PnET-BGC and WATERSN, to evaluate management strategies for reducing N inputs to forests and estuaries, respectively. Calculations with PnET-BGC suggest that aggressive reductions in N emissions alone will not result in marked improvements in the acid–base status of forest streams. WATERSN calculations showed that management scenarios targeting removal of N by wastewater treatment produce larger reductions in estuarine N loading than scenarios involving reductions in agricultural inputs or atmospheric emissions. Because N pollution involves multiple sources, management strategies targeting all major pollution sources will result in the greatest ecological benefits.
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1 April 2003
Nitrogen Pollution in the Northeastern United States: Sources, Effects, and Management Options
CHARLES T. DRISCOLL,
DAVID WHITALL,
JOHN ABER,
ELIZABETH BOYER,
MARK CASTRO,
CHRISTOPHER CRONAN,
CHRISTINE L. GOODALE,
PETER GROFFMAN,
CHARLES HOPKINSON,
KATHLEEN LAMBERT,
GREGORY LAWRENCE,
SCOTT OLLINGER
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BioScience
Vol. 53 • No. 4
April 2003
Vol. 53 • No. 4
April 2003
Atmospheric Deposition
Nitrogen management
northeastern United States