资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

Understanding linkages between river chemistry and biological production in arctic coastal waters requires improved estimates of riverine nutrient export. Here we present the results of a synthesis effort focusing on relationships between watershed slope and seasonal concentrations of river-borne dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and nitrate (NO3-) around the pan-Arctic. Strong negative relationships exist between watershed slope and concentrations of DOC and DON in arctic rivers. Spring and summer concentration-slope relationships for DOC and DON are qualitatively similar, although spring concentrations are higher. Relationships for NO3- are more variable, but a significant positive relationship exists between summer NO3- concentrations and watershed slopes. These results suggest that watershed slope can serve as a master variable for estimating spring and summer DOC and DON concentrations, and to a lesser degree NO3-, from drainage areas where field data are lacking, thus improving our ability to develop pan-arctic estimates of watershed nutrient export.