CONCENTRATIONS AND FLUXES OF DISSOLVED NUTRIENTS IN THE YANGTZE RIVER: LONG-TERM TRENDS AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS

doi:10.15302/J-FASE-2020344

Front. Agr. Sci. Eng.

2021, Vol. 8

Issue (4) : 559-567 https://doi.org/10.15302/J-FASE-2020344

LETTER

CONCENTRATIONS AND FLUXES OF DISSOLVED NUTRIENTS IN THE YANGTZE RIVER: LONG-TERM TRENDS AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS

Yandan FU, Jiahui KANG, Ziyue LI, Xuejun LIU, Wen XU(

)

College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of the Ministry of the Environment, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.

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Abstract

• Historic trends in nutrient loading and flux in the Yangtze River were analyzed

• Decreasing trends in the concentrations and fluxes of DSi were found

• Significant increasing trends in DIN and DIP concentrations were observed

• The frequency of and area covered by red tide outbreaks substantially increased

• Atmospheric deposition become a vital factor influencing DIN loadings and fluxes

Intensifying human activity in the Yangtze River basin has substantially increased nutrient concentrations in the Yangtze River Estuary, leading to degradation of the coastal environment. Analysis of nutrient determinations published over the past 50 years reveals a gradual decreasing trend in the concentrations and fluxes of dissolved silicate (DSi). However, both dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) concentrations have increased significantly since the 1970s. The frequency of and area covered by red tide outbreaks have increased greatly during this period, mainly due to changes in nutrient supply ratios [i.e., N/P (DIN/DIP), N/Si (DIN/DSi), P/Si (DIP/DSi)]. A strong correlation was found between the riverine DIN fluxes and the estimated DIN inputs from the major N sources, particularly fertilizers and atmospheric deposition. The data provide a comprehensive assessment of nutrients in the Yangtze River basin and their ecological impacts and indicate a potentially significant influence of atmospheric deposition on DIN loadings and fluxes.

Keywords atmospheric deposition ecological impacts nitrogen sources nutrients Yangtze delta

Corresponding Author(s): Wen XU

Just Accepted Date: 08 June 2020 Online First Date: 21 December 2020 Issue Date: 19 November 2021

Cite this article:

Yandan FU,Jiahui KANG,Ziyue LI, et al. CONCENTRATIONS AND FLUXES OF DISSOLVED NUTRIENTS IN THE YANGTZE RIVER: LONG-TERM TRENDS AND ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS[J]. Front. Agr. Sci. Eng. , 2021, 8(4): 559-567.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/10.15302/J-FASE-2020344
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fase/EN/Y2021/V8/I4/559

Fig.1 Interannual variation in the concentrations and fluxes of DIN, DIP and DSi; (a) DIN concentration; (b) flux of N; (c) DIP concentration; (d) flux of P; (e) DSi concentration; (f) flux of Si. Numbers above the bars are the number of yearly data points, and the error bars indicate standard deviation. The yearly mean values of DSi, DIN, and DIP concentrations and fluxes in the river for the period between 1958 and 2010 were collected from published literature^[²^,¹⁴^,¹⁷^,²⁴^,²⁹^,³⁰^]. All data were gathered from Datong station located at the lower reaches of the river (30°60′ N, 117°11′ E). The DIN concentrations and fluxes were obtained by summing the amounts of ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrite (NO₂^–) and nitrate (NO₃^–) ions; DSi is mainly silicate (SiO₃^2–); and DIP is phosphate (PO₄^3–).

Fig.2 Trends in ratios of (a) N/P (DIN/DIP) and (b) N/Si (DIN/DSi) and P/Si (DIP/DSi) in Yangtze River water from 1964 to 2002.

Fig.3 (a) Temporal trends in different DIN inputs (expressed as mmol·L^-¹) to the Yangtze River for the period 1970–2009 and (b) relationships between variables (expressed as mmol·L^-¹) and fluxes of N (10⁶ t·yr^-¹). Atmospheric N refers to the deposition over water bodies.

Fig.4 Trends in number and area of red tide incidents in the Yangtze River Estuary and its adjacent seas over the last five decades. Red tide data for the period from 1933 to 2009 were obtained from published reports^[²^,³^,¹⁴^] and from the East China Sea environmental monitoring center.

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