Toward Understanding of Long-Term Nitrogen Transport and Retention Dynamics Across German Catchments

Abstract

Long-term nitrogen (N) transport and retention dynamics across catchments are not well understood. Using a process-based model for 89 German catchments, results across study catchments reveal that most N surplus (during 1950–2014) was removed by denitrification (mean ± standard deviation: 58 ± 15%) while the remaining fraction was mostly stored in the soil (14% ± 11%). The mean groundwater transit times in these catchments varied from 3.2 to 20.3 years. These results indicate that past N inputs could continue to affect surface and groundwater quality in the coming years. We identified four catchment groups with distinct archetypal N transport and retention dynamics, which are linked to the catchments' climate, topographic, and geological conditions. Overall, our results shed light on long-term N dynamics in German catchments and how they are linked to catchment characteristics, emphasizing the role of long-term N accumulation and transport for water quality management and evaluation programs.