Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard Systems
The event scale method, employed for assessing changes in nitrogen (N) dynamics pre- and post-rain, provides insights into its transport to surface water systems. However, the relationships between N discharge in catchments dominated by different land uses and water quality remain unclear. This stud...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| author | Mengdie Jiang Yue Luo Hengbin Xiao Peng Xu Ronggui Hu Ronglin Su |
| author_facet | Mengdie Jiang Yue Luo Hengbin Xiao Peng Xu Ronggui Hu Ronglin Su |
| author_sort | Mengdie Jiang |
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| description | The event scale method, employed for assessing changes in nitrogen (N) dynamics pre- and post-rain, provides insights into its transport to surface water systems. However, the relationships between N discharge in catchments dominated by different land uses and water quality remain unclear. This study quantified variations in key N components in ponds across forest, paddy field, and orchard catchments before and after six rainfall events. The results showed that nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N) was the main N component in the ponds. Post-rainfall, N concentrations increased, with ammonium (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N) and particulate nitrogen (PN) exhibiting significant elevations in agricultural ponds. Orchard catchments contributed the highest N load to the ponds, while forest catchments contributed the lowest. Following a heavy rainstorm event, total nitrogen (TN) loads in the ponds within forest, paddy field, and orchard catchments reached 6.68, 20.93, and 34.62 kg/ha, respectively. These loads were approximately three times higher than those observed after heavy rain events. The partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) identified that rainfall amount and changes in water volume were the dominant factors influencing N dynamics. Furthermore, the greater slopes of forest and orchard catchments promoted more N loss to the ponds post-rain. In paddy field catchments, larger catchment areas were associated with decreased N flux into the ponds, while larger pond surface areas minimized the variability in N concentration after rainfall events. In orchard catchment ponds, pond area was positively correlated with N concentrations and loads. This study elucidates the effects of rainfall characteristics and catchment heterogeneity on N dynamics in surface waters, offering valuable insights for developing pollution management strategies to mitigate rainfall-induced alterations. |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj-art-4d95d85bc3fd4fcaa92361b1ea98d5732025-08-20T02:48:19ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-07-011514145910.3390/agriculture15141459Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard SystemsMengdie Jiang0Yue Luo1Hengbin Xiao2Peng Xu3Ronggui Hu4Ronglin Su5Engineering Research Center of Ecology and Agricultural Use of Wetland, Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaSchool of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, ChinaEngineering Research Center of Ecology and Agricultural Use of Wetland, Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaThe event scale method, employed for assessing changes in nitrogen (N) dynamics pre- and post-rain, provides insights into its transport to surface water systems. However, the relationships between N discharge in catchments dominated by different land uses and water quality remain unclear. This study quantified variations in key N components in ponds across forest, paddy field, and orchard catchments before and after six rainfall events. The results showed that nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N) was the main N component in the ponds. Post-rainfall, N concentrations increased, with ammonium (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N) and particulate nitrogen (PN) exhibiting significant elevations in agricultural ponds. Orchard catchments contributed the highest N load to the ponds, while forest catchments contributed the lowest. Following a heavy rainstorm event, total nitrogen (TN) loads in the ponds within forest, paddy field, and orchard catchments reached 6.68, 20.93, and 34.62 kg/ha, respectively. These loads were approximately three times higher than those observed after heavy rain events. The partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) identified that rainfall amount and changes in water volume were the dominant factors influencing N dynamics. Furthermore, the greater slopes of forest and orchard catchments promoted more N loss to the ponds post-rain. In paddy field catchments, larger catchment areas were associated with decreased N flux into the ponds, while larger pond surface areas minimized the variability in N concentration after rainfall events. In orchard catchment ponds, pond area was positively correlated with N concentrations and loads. This study elucidates the effects of rainfall characteristics and catchment heterogeneity on N dynamics in surface waters, offering valuable insights for developing pollution management strategies to mitigate rainfall-induced alterations.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/14/1459rainfall eventscatchment characteristicsnitrogen dynamicsponds |
| spellingShingle | Mengdie Jiang Yue Luo Hengbin Xiao Peng Xu Ronggui Hu Ronglin Su Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard Systems Agriculture rainfall events catchment characteristics nitrogen dynamics ponds |
| title | Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard Systems |
| title_full | Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard Systems |
| title_fullStr | Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard Systems |
| title_short | Rainfall-Driven Nitrogen Dynamics in Catchment Ponds: Comparing Forest, Paddy Field, and Orchard Systems |
| title_sort | rainfall driven nitrogen dynamics in catchment ponds comparing forest paddy field and orchard systems |
| topic | rainfall events catchment characteristics nitrogen dynamics ponds |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/14/1459 |
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