Determinative factors of denitrification in a urban, arid wash of central Arizona (2012-2013)

Although the absence of nitrogen (N) can be detrimental to many biological processes, in large quantities certain forms of N can be harmful to the environment. N deposits can leak down through the soil and accumulate in groundwater stores, lakes, and other bodies of water. In arid, residential watersheds, N accumulates by fertilization, atmospheric deposition, and litter from residents and is transported to washes during storms. The main goal of this research is to ascertain how geochemical and hydrological factors limit denitrification and, therefore, affect the quantities of N exported from such a wash. In this study, we evaluate the effects of factors including moisture content, soil texture, and N concentrations on denitrification in a residential, desert wash. In order to carry out our research, we sampled soil from a wash in Scottsdale, AZ during summer 2012. Although there were no strong geochemical correlations with denitrification, it was found that there was a strong relationship between denitrification and distance between inlets and sites.尽管氮（N）的缺失会对诸多生物过程造成不利影响，但过量的特定形态氮却会对环境产生危害。氮沉积物可随土壤渗透，在地下水储层、湖泊及其他水体中蓄积。在干旱的居民区流域中，氮可通过施肥、大气沉降以及居民产生的枯枝落叶累积，并在暴雨期间被冲刷至荒漠冲沟。本研究的核心目标是明确地球化学与水文因素如何限制反硝化作用（denitrification），进而影响此类荒漠冲沟输出的氮总量。本研究针对居民区荒漠冲沟的反硝化作用展开评估，分析了含水率、土壤质地以及氮浓度等因素对其的影响。为开展本研究，我们于2012年夏季采集了亚利桑那州斯科茨代尔一处荒漠冲沟的土壤样本。尽管未观测到反硝化作用与地球化学因素间存在显著相关性，但研究发现反硝化作用与采样点与入口间的距离存在显著关联。