Abstract Title
Ammonia Volatilization in an Intermittent Stream
Abstract
I examined ammonia emissions in an intermittent stream network. Ammonia volatilization is the process by which ammonia gas is released by the soil leading to a loss of nitrogen. The main factors behind the rate of emission in soils are pH level and soil moisture. To determine if these factors are still the main predictors in an intermittent stream we collected thirteen samples throughout a stream network. We collected stream sediment pH, gravimetric water content and installed Ogawa samplers that passively collected ammonia. I performed a regression analysis and found that pH and soil moisture were not strongly correlated with the ammonia emissions. Data from a concurrent study involving sediment ammonium revealed that ammonium concentration was a good predictor of ammonia emissions. This indicates that while in a constantly flowing stream pH and soil moisture are good indicators of ammonia volatilization, it is not the main indicator in an intermittent stream and instead the more reliable indicator is ammonium concentration.
Ammonia Volatilization in an Intermittent Stream
I examined ammonia emissions in an intermittent stream network. Ammonia volatilization is the process by which ammonia gas is released by the soil leading to a loss of nitrogen. The main factors behind the rate of emission in soils are pH level and soil moisture. To determine if these factors are still the main predictors in an intermittent stream we collected thirteen samples throughout a stream network. We collected stream sediment pH, gravimetric water content and installed Ogawa samplers that passively collected ammonia. I performed a regression analysis and found that pH and soil moisture were not strongly correlated with the ammonia emissions. Data from a concurrent study involving sediment ammonium revealed that ammonium concentration was a good predictor of ammonia emissions. This indicates that while in a constantly flowing stream pH and soil moisture are good indicators of ammonia volatilization, it is not the main indicator in an intermittent stream and instead the more reliable indicator is ammonium concentration.