Storm-induced nitrogen transport via surface runoff, interflow and groundwater in a pomelo agricultural watershed, southeast China

The storm-induced export of nitrogen (N) from agricultural watersheds significantly impacts aquatic ecosystems, yet the mechanisms of source supply and transport behind N species remain unclear. Here, we investigated the hydrological factors influencing the timing and magnitude of river N species export in a Chinese pomelo agricultural watershed. We conducted continuous observations of watershed hydrology, N species, and their isotopic ratios along a soil-groundwater-river continuum during two storm events in 2018-2019. We found the export flux of river NO3-N covers similar to 80% of the total N flux during storms, and the rest for other N species. Our results further revealed distinct pathways and timing of N transport among different N species, especially between ammonium N (NH4-N) and nitrate N (NO3-N). NH4-N in stormflow predominantly originates from sewage and soil leachate, rapidly transported via surface runoff and interflow. Orchard fertilization (contributed 41-56% based on SIAR analysis) was the major source of river NO3-N, which underwent initial dilution via surface runoff and subsequently became enriched through delayed discharge of soil leachate and groundwater. The variations in timing and magnitude of N transport between storms can be explained by antecedent conditions such as precipitation, soil N pools, and storm size. These findings emphasize the hydrological controls on N export from agricultural watersheds, and highlight the variations in source supply and transport pathways among different N species. The insights gained from this study hold significance for managing agricultural pollution and restoring impaired aquatic systems.