Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2013MD308B

The role of streams in nitrogen fluxes from watersheds in the Choptank Basin (Graduate Fellowship)

Institute: Maryland
Year Established: 2013 Start Date: 2013-05-01 End Date: 2013-10-31
Total Federal Funds: $5,500 Total Non-Federal Funds: $12,501

Principal Investigators: Kaye Brubaker, Thomas Fisher

Project Summary: Anthropogenic N inputs have degraded Maryland's waters. However, the proportion of watershed N inputs lost to N removal processes is unknown. I am investigating stream export of total nitrogen and biogenic N gases (N2 and N20), evasion of biogenic gases from streams to the atmosphere, and the effect of storm flow on N export. Export and evasion of biogenic N gases from watersheds is poorly understood, but may represent a significant portion of anthropogenic inputs. This research will increase understanding of N transport and processing in Maryland watersheds, develop new methods, and improve watershed management.