Wet deposition of atmospheric inorganic nitrogen at five remote stations on the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

Alpine ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau are sensitive to elevated nitrogen (N) deposition, and N wet deposition in this region has shown an increasing trend since the mid-20th century. However, the amount of N wet deposition on the Tibetan remains unclear, due in most part to the lack of direct observations. Using the Tibetan Observation and Research Platform network, we investigated wet deposition of the major ions (NO3-, Cl-, SO42-, NH4+, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+) at five remote stations. At Southeast Tibet Station, Nam Co Station, Qomolangma Station, Ngari Station, and Muztagh Ata Station, the NH4+-N wet deposition was 0.63, 0.91, 1.61, 0.36 and 1.25 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively; the NO3--N wet deposition was 0.28, 0.35, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.3 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively; and the inorganic N deposition was 0.91, 1.26, 1.64, 0.44 and 1.55 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Combining our field observations with previous studies, the average wet deposition of atmospheric NH4+-N, NO3--N, and inorganic N on the Tibetan Plateau was estimated to be 1.17, 0.58 and 1.75 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. The estimated NH4+-N :NO3--N ratio in precipitation on the Tibetan Plateau was 2 :1. Compared to the present study, the inorganic N wet deposition for the entire Tibetan Plateau in previous studies, either through atmospheric chemistry transport model simulations or interpolations based on limited observations, has been highly overestimated. To clarify the total N deposition on the Tibetan Plateau, it is necessary to conduct long-term and large-scale monitoring of both wet and dry deposition of N in the future.