Nitrogen wet deposition stoichiometry: the role of organic nitrogen, seasonality, and snow

Wet deposition of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (N) is declining nationally, accompanied by a shift in stoichiometry from predominantly oxidized to reduced forms of N. Stoichiometric trends that include the organic fraction of N wet deposition have yet to be assessed in light of anthropogenic pressures and global change, including shifting seasonality. Here we use 17 years of weekly, year-round wet deposition data from a temperate watershed in New Hampshire (USA) to assess long-term and seasonal trends in NO 3 − , NH 4 + , and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and quantify the dependence of N stoichiometry on precipitation type (rain or snow). Concentration, load, and relative abundance of DON are increasing, a pattern previously unreported in the U.S. Deposition of total dissolved nitrogen at this site is declining, but is increasingly depleted in NH 4 + , contrary to national trends. The stoichiometry of inorganic N is highly sensitive to precipitation type with snow containing significantly more NO 3 − than rain, which was relatively enriched in NH 4 + . The effects of climate change on seasonality such as warmer winters could result in a greater proportion of precipitation entering the biosphere as rain that is relatively enriched in reduced N, with significant implications for watershed biogeochemical cycles at the regional scale. This study demonstrates variability in contemporary N deposition inputs including trends in stoichiometry and explores the role of organic N and seasonality in regulating inter- and intra- variability in N deposition stoichiometry.