HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (33) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cole, M. L. Articles by Carvalho da Silva, M. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cole, M. L. Articles by Carvalho da Silva, M. H. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Cole, M. L. Articles by Carvalho da Silva, M. H. Related Collections Fate Ground Water Quality Nutrients

TECHNICAL REPORTS

Ground Water Quality

Assessment of a ¹⁵N Isotopic Method to Indicate Anthropogenic Eutrophication in Aquatic Ecosystems

^a Save the Bay, 434 Smith St., Providence, RI 02908
^b Boston Univ. Marine Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
^c Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., Woods Hole, MA 02543
^d Dauphin Island Sea Lab, P.O. Box 369-370, Dauphin Island, AL 36528
^e USEPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Atlantic Ecology Division, 27 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882
^f Univ. de São Paulo, Inst. Oceanográfico, Cidade Univ., Butantã SP, Brazil

^* Corresponding author (mcole{at}savebay.org).

Received for publication February 8, 2003. Increased anthropogenic delivery of nutrients to water bodies, both freshwater and estuarine, has caused detrimental changes in habitat, food web structure, and nutrient cycling. Nitrogen-stable isotopes may be suitable indicators of such increased nutrient delivery. In this study, we looked at the differences in response of macrophyte ¹⁵N values to anthropogenic N across different taxonomic groups and geographic regions to test a stable isotopic method for detecting anthropogenic impacts. Macrophyte ¹⁵N values increased with wastewater input and water-column dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration. When macrophytes were divided into macroalgae and plants, they responded similarly to increases in wastewater N, although macroalgae was a more reliable indicator of both wastewater inputs and water-column DIN concentrations. Smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel.) ¹⁵N increased uniformly with wastewater inputs across a geographic range. We used the relationship derived between S. alterniflora and relative wastewater load to predict wastewater loads in locations lacking quantitative land use data. The predictions matched well with known qualitative information, proving the use of a stable isotopic method for predicting wastewater input.

Abbreviations: ANCOVA, analysis of covariance • DIN, dissolved inorganic nitrogen • NLM, nitrogen-loading model • POM, particulate organic matter

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Bedard-Haughn, K. W. Tate, and C. van Kessel Quantifying the Impact of Regular Cutting on Vegetative Buffer Efficacy for Nitrogen-15 Sequestration J. Environ. Qual., August 9, 2005; 34(5): 1651 - 1664. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Bedard-Haughn, K. W. Tate, and C. van Kessel Using Nitrogen-15 to Quantify Vegetative Buffer Effectiveness for Sequestering Nitrogen in Runoff J. Environ. Qual., November 1, 2004; 33(6): 2252 - 2262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]