Quantifying atmospheric nitrogen deposition through a nationwide monitoring network across China

Xu, W.; Luo, X.S.; Pan, Y.P.; Zhang, L.; Tang, A.H.; Shen, J.L.; Zhang, Y.; Li, K.H.; Wu, Q.H.; Yang, D.W.; Zhang, Y.Y.; Xue, J.; Li, W.Q.; Li, Q.Q.; Tang, L.; Lu, S.H.; Liang, T.; Tong, Y.A.; Liu, P.; Zhang, Q.; Xiong, Z.Q.; Shi, X.J.; Wu, L.H.; Shi, W.Q.; Tian, K.; Zhong, X.H.; Shi, K.; Tang, Q.Y.; Zhang, L.J.; Huang, J.L.; He, C.E.; Kuang, F.H.; Zhu, B.; Liu, H.; Jin, X.; Xin, Y.J.; Shi, X.K.; Du, E.Z.; Dore, A.J.; Tang, S.; Collett Jr., J.L.; Goulding, K.; Sun, Y.X.; Ren, J.; Zhang, F.S.; Liu, X.J.

Xu, W.; Luo, X.S.; Pan, Y.P.; Zhang, L.; Tang, A.H.; Shen, J.L.; Zhang, Y.; Li, K.H.; Wu, Q.H.; Yang, D.W.; Zhang, Y.Y.; Xue, J.; Li, W.Q.; Li, Q.Q.; Tang, L.; Lu, S.H.; Liang, T.; Tong, Y.A.; Liu, P.; Zhang, Q.; Xiong, Z.Q.; Shi, X.J.; Wu, L.H.; Shi, W.Q.; Tian, K.; Zhong, X.H.; Shi, K.; Tang, Q.Y.; Zhang, L.J.; Huang, J.L.; He, C.E.; Kuang, F.H.; Zhu, B.; Liu, H.; Jin, X.; Xin, Y.J.; Shi, X.K.; Du, E.Z.; Dore, A.J.; Tang, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7814-3998; Collett Jr., J.L.; Goulding, K.; Sun, Y.X.; Ren, J.; Zhang, F.S.; Liu, X.J.. 2015 Quantifying atmospheric nitrogen deposition through a nationwide monitoring network across China. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 15 (21). 12345-12360. 10.5194/acp-15-12345-2015

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Abstract

A Nationwide Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring Network (NNDMN) containing 43 monitoring sites was established in China to measure gaseous NH3, NO2, and HNO3 and particulate NH4+ and NO3− in air and/or precipitation from 2010 to 2014. Wet/bulk deposition fluxes of Nr species were collected by precipitation gauge method and measured by continuous-flow analyzer; dry deposition fluxes were estimated using airborne concentration measurements and inferential models. Our observations reveal large spatial variations of atmospheric Nr concentrations and dry and wet/bulk Nr deposition. On a national basis, the annual average concentrations (1.3–47.0 μg N m−3) and dry plus wet/bulk deposition fluxes (2.9–83.3 kg N ha−1 yr−1) of inorganic Nr species are ranked by land use as urban > rural > background sites and by regions as north China > southeast China > southwest China > northeast China > northwest China > Tibetan Plateau, reflecting the impact of anthropogenic Nr emission. Average dry and wet/bulk N deposition fluxes were 20.6 ± 11.2 (mean ± standard deviation) and 19.3 ± 9.2 kg N ha−1 yr−1 across China, with reduced N deposition dominating both dry and wet/bulk deposition. Our results suggest atmospheric dry N deposition is equally important to wet/bulk N deposition at the national scale. Therefore, both deposition forms should be included when considering the impacts of N deposition on environment and ecosystem health.

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