A change in surface condition of a watershed, which is usually caused by development, can have measured effects on the naturally occurring hydrologic cycle and nitrogen cycle. This could result in environmental problems, such as reduced springflow and eutrophication. In an effort to address these issues, a combination of best management practices (BMPs) can be adhered to. The practice of using excess stormwater as a source for irrigation is proposed as a BMP for the minimization of impacts by development to the hydrologic and nitrogen cycles. To study the proposed BMP, a field experiment was installed in an outdoor location on the UCF main campus in Orlando, Florida. The experiment consists of three soil chambers, (2x2x4 ft, L:W:H), filled with compacted soil and covered with St. Augustine grass to simulate a suburban lawn. The grass was irrigated up to twice a week with detained stormwater with a nitrate nitrogen concentration of up to 2 mg/L. A mass balance and a total nitrogen balance were performed to determine evapotranspiration (ET) and impacts on groundwater nitrogen content. It was determined that the groundwater characteristics are largely dependent on the characteristics of the soil. The input nitrogen (precipitation and irrigation) was mostly in the form of nitrate and the output nitrogen (groundwater) was mostly in the form of ammonia. A total nitrogen mass balance indicated the mass output of nitrogen was significantly larger than mass input of nitrogen, which was due to ammonia leaching from the soil. Only small concentrations of nitrate were detected in the groundwater, resulting in an estimated nitrate removal (conversion to ammonia) of 97 percent at a depth of four feet when the input nitrate concentration was 2 mg/L. The average ET of the three chambers was compared to the estimated ET from the modified Blaney-Criddle equation on a monthly basis and a yearly basis. The modified Blaney-Criddle equation was proven to be accurate for estimating the actual ET for this application: irrigated St. Augustine grass in the Central Florida climate. In conclusion, using the available literature and the data collected from the field experiment, it was shown through an example design problem that the proposed BMP of using excess stormwater as a source for irrigation can help achieve a pre- versus postdevelopment volume balance and can help control post-development nitrate emissions.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a greenhouse gas (GHG) with 300 times the radiative forcing in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO2), and has recently become a subject of great concern because the nitrogen (N) fertilizers which have been necessary to increase agricultural productivity have also dramatically increased N2O emissions from agroecosystems. Many N control practices have been suggested and implemented in agroecosystems, but their ability to simultaneously remove reactive N from the environment and prevent the production of N2O is, at best poorly understood. The goal of this work is to characterize environmental controls on production of N2O in denitrifying bioreactors. The review portion of this work first discusses the geologic history of the N cycle, how its past and present processes differ, and how it is being affected by human activity. It then explores the N cycle's biochemical pathways, reviews the controls for each of its steps, and discusses the environmental drivers of these controls. The review closes with a discussion of environmental N management strategies. The experimental portion of this work further explores these concepts by observing how biochar amendment and the modification of pH affect N2O production in the denitrification pathway in denitrifying bioreactors. Both pH and biochar have previously been shown to affect N2O production and many N management practices utilize biochar or manipulate pH to increase N retention. The objectives of the experiment were to: 1) Examine headspace N2O concentration in sealed, biochar-amended, denitrifying bioreactors; 2) Determine if the effects of pH on N2O production differ in biochar-amended systems versus controls (under acidic, unbuffered, and buffered conditions); 3) Quantify key denitrification genes (nirK, nirS, nosZ) in each treatment combination. Experimental results showed biochar treatment to significantly increase N2O emissions, a result which runs contrary to most, but not all studies regarding its effects on N2O production. Differences between treatments decreased with increasing pH levels. Biochar did not exhibit significant effects on individual denitrification genes, but it did show influence on the ratios of their populations. On the other hand, pH was found to have significant effects on nirS and nosZ populations. Differences in N2O production between biochar and controls were thus explained by biochar's chemical effects, likely its ability to increase denitrification activity. Developing an understanding of the mechanisms behind these differences will require using a combination of isotope tracing, enzyme assays, and mass balance approaches. Future microbial work in biochar-amended systems should attempt to characterize differences in gene expression, overall community structure, and long-term population trends in the genes of interest. The combination of these approaches should allow researchers to better predict where N2O production will occur and develop strategies to mitigate it while simultaneously increasing food production to meet the demands of a growing population. / Master of Science

Intensive site preparation practices and their effect on nitrogen cycling have been implicated as possible causes of productivity declines on forest sites in Australia and New Zealand. This study was initiated in order to determine the effects of site preparation intensity upon N distribution and availability in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in Virginia. In the summer of 1982, three forest sites at the Reynolds Homestead Research Center on the Virginia Piedmont were clearcut. In the fall of the same year all three sites were prepared for planting using one of the following treatments: 1. shear, rake, disk (S,R,D) (3-passes); 2. shear-disk (S-D) (1-pass); and 3. chop, burn (C,B) (high intensity burn). During March of 1983, 1-0 genetically improved loblolly pine seedlings were planted on all sites. Pine biomass was greatest on the S,R,D area after three growing seasons. Total biomass and N content (NCONT) of native vegetation and forest floor were greatest in the S-D area. Total N in the upper 15 cm of mineral soil was also greatest in the S-D area. Total system N was highest in the S-D area and this treatment is more N-conservative than either of the more intensive treatments. During the third growing season potentially mineralizable N levels were highest on the two disked treatment areas, 157 and 144 kg N/ha for the s-o, and S,R,D areas, respectively. Pine foliar nutrient concentrations determined after the second and third growing seasons provided no evidence of existing or impending nutrient deficiencies. These results show that short-term pine nutrition and growth were not adversely affected by reductions of N capital on these sites. However, if wasteful practices, such as raking and burning with high intensity fires, are also used to establish subsequent stands on these same sites, cumulative losses of N could result in productivity declines. / M.S.

L’oxyde nitreux (N2O), un puissant gaz à effet de serre (GES) ayant plus de 300 fois le potentiel de réchauffement du dioxyde de carbone (CO2), est produit par des processus microbiens du cycle de l’azote (N). Bien que les eaux de surface continentales soient reconnues comme des sites actifs de transformations de l’azote, leur intégration dans les budgets globaux de N2O comporte de nombreuses incertitudes, dont l’absence des lacs dans ces modèles. Le biome boréal est caractérisé par une des plus grandes densités d’eaux douces au monde, pourtant aucune évaluation exhaustive des émissions aquatiques de N2O n’a à date été conduite dans cette région. Dans la présente étude, nous avons mesuré les concentrations de N2O à travers une large gamme de lacs, rivières, et étangs, dans quatre régions boréales du Québec (Canada), et nous avons calculé les flux eau-air résultants. Les flux nets fluctuent entre -23.1 et 177.9 μmol m-2 J-1, avec une grande variabilité inter-système, inter-régionale, et saisonnière. Étonnamment, 40% des systèmes échantillonnés agissaient en tant que puits de N2O durant l’été, et le réseau d’eaux de surfaces d’une des régions était un net consommateur de N2O. Les concentrations maximales de N2O ont été mesurées en hiver dû à l’accumulation de ce gaz sous la glace. Nous avons estimé que l’émission qui en résulte lors de la fonte des glaces représente 20% des émissions annuelles des eaux douces. Parmi les types d’eaux douces échantillonnées, les lacs sont les principaux responsables du flux aquatique net (jusqu’à 90%), et doivent donc être intégrés dans les budgets globaux de N2O. En se basant sur les données empiriques de la littérature, nous avons éstimé l’émission globale de N2O des eaux douces à 0.78 Tg N (N2O) an-1. Ce chiffre est influencé par les émissions des régions de hautes latitudes (tel que le biome boréal) dont les flux nets varient de positif à négatif constituant -9 à 27 % du total. / Nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas with over 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (CO2), is produced during microbial nitrogen (N) cycling (Trogler 1999). Inland waters, known as active sites of N processing (Seitzinger et al. 2006., Harrison et al. 2008), are nevertheless poorly characterized in recent global N2O budgets (Nevison 2000, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 2006), especially considering the absence of an estimate for lakes emissions. Although the boreal biome holds the highest density of freshwater on earth (Lehner and Döll 2004), no comprehensive evaluation of N2O emissions from boreal aquatic systems has ever been conducted. In this study, we measured N2O concentrations across a wide range of rivers, lakes, and ponds in four distinct boreal regions of Québec (Canada), and derived water surface-atmosphere N2O fluxes. Net fluxes ranged from -23.1 to 177.9 μmol m-2 d-1, with a large degree of variability across sampled systems, regions, and seasons. Over 40% of the 322 systems sampled acted as N2O sinks during the summer, with one region’s aquatic network being an overall net atmospheric N2O consumer. Seasonally, maximum N2O concentrations were measured during winter due to gas accumulation under the ice, resulting in an outgassing at ice thaw that accounts for approximately 20% of annual flux. Lakes were major drivers of the net freshwater regional flux (up to 90%), and must therefore be integrated in global aquatic N2O budgets. Based on empirical literature data, we estimated global freshwater N2O emissions to be 0.78 Tg N (N2O) yr-1. This number is subtantially influenced by fluxes from high latitude regions (including the boreal biome) which, being extremely variable, may contribute from -9 to 27 % of the total.

L'objectif principal de cette thèse est de déterminer le rôle des communautés microbiennes dans les émissions de N2O du sol, et plus précisément de définir dans quelle mesure les champignons sont impliqués. Par conséquent, leur structure communautaire à l'échelle micro, leur comportement dans la réduction de l'azote et la production de N2O, et leur interaction avec les communautés microbiennes impliquées dans le cycle de l'azote en tant que décomposeurs de matière organique dans le sol ont été étudiés. L'analyse des fractions de sol du parc Rothamsted a montré que les communautés fongiques changent au sein de fractions isolées, contrairement aux communautés bactériennes. De plus, des potentiels de nitrification, de dénitrification et de réduction de N2O ont été détectés dans toutes les fractions et se sont révélés liés à la chimie du carbone et de l'azote. Des expériences quantifiant la production de NO et N2O à partir de nitrite sur 24 souches de champignons de culture pure ont montré que les espèces de Fusarium sont de véritables producteurs de N2O parmi les champignons. Le suivit de NO a révélé que le milieu de nitrite est instable dans des conditions anoxiques et produit du NO abiotiquement, ce qui implique que des souches produisant du N2O à de faibles taux détoxifient ce NO plutôt que de le respirer, comme précédemment supposé. L’absence d’un nirK - p450nor dans la plupart des champignons a étayé cette hypothèse. Les relations interspécifiques entre champignons et bactéries ont été étudiées après l'addition de matière organique. Différentes modifications organiques ont déclenché des réponses distinctes en termes d’activité bactérienne et fongique sein d'une même communauté de sol. Les signatures fonctionnelles identifiées dans cette étude corroborent notre hypothèse selon laquelle les champignons sont impliqués dans la production de N2O en influençant les bactéries impliquées dans le cycle N par des processus de dégradation de glucides. Les résultats de cette thèse fournissent une base pour explorer les relations interspécifiques dans le cycle biogéochimique de l’azote dans le sol et marque une étape vers l'intégration de tous les membres de la communauté dans la recherche sur les écosystèmes du sol. / The main objective of this thesis is to determine the role of microbial communities in N2O emissions from soil, and more specifically to define to what extent fungi are involved. Therefore, their community structure at the micro scale, their behavior in reducing nitrogen and producing N2O, and their impact on nitrogen cycling communities as decomposers in soil were investigated. Analysis of soil fractions of unmanaged, pristine Rothamsted Park Grass soil showed that fungal communities change within isolated fractions in contrast to bacterial communities. Also, nitrifying, denitrifying and N2O reducing potentials were detected in all fractions and found to be linked to carbon and nitrogen chemistry. Pure culture experiments on 24 fungal strains quantifying NO and N2O production from nitrite showed that Fusarium species are true N2O producers among fungi. Monitoring NO revealed that nitrite medium is unstable under anoxic conditions and produces NO abiotically, which implies that low N2O producing strains are actually detoxifying this NO rather than respiring it, as previously assumed. The lack of a nirK - p450nor in most fungi supported this hypothesis. Interspecies relationships between fungi and bacteria were studied following community development after organic matter addition. Different organic amendments triggered distinct responses of a soil community with respect to bacterial and fungal activity. Functional signatures identified in this study corroborated our hypothesis that fungi are involved in N2O production by influencing a N-cycling bacterial community via carbohydrate degradation processes. The results from this thesis provide a basis for exploring interspecies relationships in nitrogen cycling processes in soil and mark a step towards integrating all members of the community in soil ecosystem research.

As mudanças no uso do solo, como por exemplo a remoção de áreas florestais para a implantação da agricultura e pecuária, promovem alterações no teor de matéria orgânica do solo. Em contrapartida, a regeneração natural surge como uma possibilidade do reestabelecimento parcial de funções ecológicas importantes, com destaque para o papel das florestas secundárias na redução do fluxo de gases atmosféricos, na influência da qualidade e quantidade da água, e no sequestro de carbono da atmosfera e estocagem no solo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento do carbono e do nitrogênio no solo ao longo da sequência cronológica de florestas secundárias, comparando-as com floresta madura e pastagens no município de Rio Claro (SP). Com o auxílio de imagens aéreas (dos anos de 1978, 1995, 2000 e 2008) foram selecionadas 15 parcelas com 900 m2 cada, as quais consistiram em uma sequência temporal de florestas secundárias regeneradas sob pastagem (apresentando 8 a 16 anos (FS12), 21 a 38 anos (FS30) e 38 a 54 anos (FS46)), além de floresta \"fonte\" (floresta estacional semidecidual) com mais de 55 anos (FF) e pastagem em uso há mais de 50 anos (PA50). O solo da área de estudo é classificado como Argissolo de textura média. As concentrações e estoques de carbono (C) e nitrogênio (N) e os valores isotópicos de C (?13C) foram analisados na serapilheira e nas camadas de 0-10, 10-20 e 20-30 cm do solo. A análise de ?13C indicou presença do sinal isotópico oriundo de vegetação C3 já nos primeiros 12 anos de regeneração, representando 60% do C presente no solo (proveniente da FF e da FS12). Na área de pastagem foi constatada a presença de carbono remanescente da floresta nativa (C3), correspondendo por 30% do carbono total. A análise de componentes principais definiu os agrupamentos de acordo com as áreas de estudo, além de correlacionar negativamente os estoques de carbono e nitrogênio e os teores de areia. As florestas secundárias apresentaram estoques de carbono e nitrogênio na serapilheira próximos à floresta fonte (1,8 Mg C ha-1 e 0,10 Mg N ha-1). Os estoques de C e N no solo (0-30 cm) foram maiores na floresta fonte (74,1 Mg C ha-1 e 7,6 Mg N ha-1), ocorrendo brusca redução (40%) na conversão para pastagem (41,4 Mg C ha-1 e 4,7 Mg N ha-1). Além disso, as áreas de regeneração não diferiram da área de pastagem quanto aos estoques de carbono e nitrogênio no solo / Changes in soil use, such as the removal of forest areas for the implantation of agriculture and livestock, promote changes in soil organic matter content. Due to this imbalance between the inputs and outputs of plant material in the system the MOS dynamics will be changed, affecting the ecosystem as a whole. On the other hand, natural regeneration appears as a possibility for the partial reestablishment of important ecological functions, with emphasis on the role of secondary forests in the reduction of the flow of atmospheric gases, the influence of water quality and quantity, and sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere and storage in the soil. The objective of this work was to evaluate the behavior of carbon and nitrogen in the soil along the chronological sequence of secondary forests, comparing them with old growth forest and pastures in Rio Claro (SP). Fifteen plots with 900 m2 each were selected using aerial images (from 1978, 1995, 2000 and 2008), which consisted of a temporal sequence of regenerated secondary forests under pasture (8 to 16 years old (FS12) 21 to 38 years old (FS30) and 38 to 54 years old (FS46)), as well as an old growth forest (seasonal semideciduous forest) with more than 55 years (FF) and pasture in use for more than 50 years (PA50). The soil of the study area is classified as Argissolo. with medium texture. The concentrations and stocks of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and the isotopic values of C (?13C) were analyzed in the litter and in the layers of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm of the soil. The analysis of ?13C indicated the presence of the isotopic signal from C3 vegetation already in the first 12 years of regeneration, representing 60% of the C present in the soil (coming from FF and FS12). In the pasture area, the remaining carbon of the native forest (C3) was observed, corresponding to 30% of the total carbon. The principal components analysis defined the groupings according to the study areas, in addition to negatively correlating the carbon and nitrogen stocks and the sand contents. Secondary forests presented carbon and nitrogen stocks in the litter approximate to the old growth forest (1,8 Mg C ha-1 and 0,10 Mg N ha-1). C and N stocks in the soil (0-30 cm) were higher in the old growth forest (74,1 Mg C ha-1 and 7,6 Mg N ha-1), with an abrupt reduction (40%) in conversion to pasture (41,4 Mg C ha-1 and 4,7 Mg N ha-1). In addition, the regeneration areas did not differ from the pasture area for carbon and nitrogen stocks in the soil

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2013. / In title on title page, "[delta]" appears as lower case Greek letters. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references. / The stable isotopes, [delta]¹⁵N and [delta]¹⁸O, of nitrite and nitrate can be powerful tools used to interpret nitrogen cycling in the ocean. They are particularly useful in regions of the ocean where there are multiple sources and sinks of nitrogenous nutrients, which concentration profiles alone cannot distinguish. Examples of such regions are "oxygen deficient zones" (ODZ). They are of particular interest because they are also important hot spots of fixed N loss and production of N₂O, a potent greenhouse gas. In order to interpret these isotope profiles, the isotope systematics of each process involved must be known so that we can distinguish the isotopic signature of each process. One of the important processes to consider here is nitrification, the process by which ammonium is oxidized nitrite and then to nitrate. This thesis describes numerous experiments using both cultures of nitrifying organisms as well as natural seawater samples to determine the oxygen isotope systematics of nitrification. These experimental incubations show that the accumulation of nitrite has a large effect on the resulting [delta]¹⁸ONO3. In experiments where nitrite does not accumulate, [delta]¹⁸ONO3 produced from nitrification is between -1 to l%o. These values will be applicable for the majority of the ocean, but the nitrite isotopic exchange will be important in the regions of the ocean where nitrite accumulates, such as the base of the euphotic zone and oxygen deficient zones. [delta]¹⁸ONO2 was developed as a unique tracer in this thesis because it undergoes abiotic equilibration with water [delta]¹⁸O at a predictable rate based on pH, temperature and salinity. This rate, its dependencies, and how the [delta]¹⁸ONO2 values can be used as not only biological source indicators but also indicators of age are described. This method was applied to samples from the primary nitrite maximum in the Arabian Sea, revealing that the dominant source and sinks of nitrite are ammonia oxidation and nitrite oxidation with an average age of 37 days. Finally, using the isotope systematics of nitrification as well as the properties of nitrite oxygen isotope exchange described in this thesis, the final chapter interprets multiisotope nitrate and nitrite profiles in the Costa Rica Upwelling Dome using a simple ID model. The nitrite isotopes showed that there were multiple sources of nitrite in the primary nitrite maximum including (1) decoupling of ammonia oxidation and nitrite oxidation, (2) nitrate reduction during assimilation and leakage of nitrite by phytoplankton. In the oxygen deficient zone and secondary nitrite maximum, there were equal contributions of nitrite removal from nitrite oxidation and nitrite reduction. This recycling of nitrite to nitrate through oxidation indicates that the percentage of reduced nitrate fully consumed to N2 gas is actually smaller than previous estimates. Overall, this thesis describes new nitrogen and oxygen isotopic tracers and uses them to elucidate the complicated nitrogen biogeochemistry in oxygen deficient zones. / by Carolyn Buchwald. / Ph.D.

O óxido nitroso (N2O) é um importante gás de efeito estufa (GEE) e, nos ecossistemas terrestres, é produzido principalmente pelo processo de desnitrificação. Esse ocorre em condições anaeróbias e, portanto, é fortemente estimulado pelo aumento do teor de umidade do solo. Entretanto, solos sob diferentes usos podem exibir taxas de emissão de N2O distintas, mesmo quando apresentam teores de umidade equivalentes. Ainda não está claro se isso se deve somente ao fato de os mesmos diferirem quanto a atributos físicos e químicos capazes de afetar a atividade dos organismos desnitrificantes ou se também se deve à diferenças com relação ao tamanho de suas populações. O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de compreender as relações entre os fluxos de N2O, a umidade e a abundância de genes bacterianos envolvidos no processo de desnitrificação (nirK, norB e nosZ) em solos de floresta, pastagem e cultivo de cana-de-açúcar, utilizando um experimento de microcosmos. Amostras de solo foram coletadas na fazenda Capuava, situada no município de Piracicaba, SP. Os microcosmos estabelecidos a partir das mesmas foram mantidos com diferentes teores de umidade (original e ajustados para atingir 60% e 90% da capacidade de campo) e incubados a 30 °C por 30 dias. Ao longo do período de incubação, os fluxos de N2O a partir desses solos foram analisados por cromatografia gasosa. Amostras coletadas do interior dos microcosmos, antes e depois da aplicação dos tratamentos, foram comparadas quanto à estrutura de suas comunidades bacterianas, utilizando a técnica de T-RFLP, e quanto à abundância dos genes 16S rRNA, nirK, norB e nosZ, através da técnica de qPCR. Somente os solos que tiveram sua umidade ajustada para 90% da capacidade de campo exibiram incrementos significativos na produção de N2O. Em tais amostras, também foi verificada a alteração da estrutura das comunidades bacterianas e do número de cópias dos genes norB e nosZ. Apenas este último, no entanto, apresentou uma correlação positiva com a umidade do solo. A abundância dos genes avaliados não apresentou correlações significativas com as taxas de emissão do GEE. Por outro lado, as emissões cumulativas de N2O se correlacionaram positivamente com as quantidades de genes desnitrificantes presentes inicialmente nas amostras de solo. Estes genes se mostraram mais abundantes nas amostras de pastagem e floresta, as quais apresentavam maiores teores de matéria orgânica, carbono, nitrogênio, nitrato e argila do que aquelas provenientes da área cultivada com cana-de-açúcar. Tais resultados demonstram que o conteúdo de água do solo afeta a taxa de emissão de N2O, mas que isso não se deve a alterações na abundância das bactérias envolvidas no processo, como as que carregam os genes nirK, norB e nosZ. Aparentemente, no entanto, quantidade de GEE que o solo é capaz de produzir está relacionada ao tamanho das populações desses organismos desnitrificantes. / Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas (GHG) and, in terrestrial ecosystems, it is mainly produced by denitrification. This process occurs under anaerobic conditions and, therefore, is strongly stimulated by the increase of the soil moisture content. However, soils under different uses may exhibit distinct N2O emission rates, even when they have the same moisture content. It is still not clear whether this is due solely to the fact that they differ in relation to physical and chemical properties that affect the activity of denitrifying organisms or whether this is also due to differences in the size of their populations. The aim of this work was to evaluate the relations between N2O fluxes, moisture and abundance of bacterial genes involved in denitrification process (nirK, norB e nosZ) in soil samples from forest, pasture and sugarcane field, through a microcosm experiment. These samples were collected at Fazenda Capuava, located in Piracicaba, SP. Microcosms established from them were maintained with different moisture contents (original and adjusted to achieve 60% and 90% of field capacity) and incubated at 30 °C for 30 days. During the incubation period, the N2O fluxes from soils were analyzed by gas chromatography. Soil samples from microcosms, collected before and after application of the treatments, were compared regarding the structure of their bacterial communities, by using T-RFLP technique, and the abundance of 16S rRNA, nirK, norB and nosZ genes, through qPCR technique. Only samples that had their moisture content adjusted to 90% of field capacity exhibited significant increases in N2O production. In these samples, changes in the structure of bacterial communities and in the copy numbers of norB and nosZ genes were also detected. Only the latter gene, however, showed a positive correlation with soil moisture. The abundance of the quantified genes showed no significant correlations with the gas emission rates. On the other hand, the cumulative N2O emissions were positively correlated with the amounts of denitrifying genes initially present in the samples. These genes were more abundant in pasture and forest soils, which had higher levels of organic matter, carbon, nitrogen, nitrate and clay than those from sugarcane cropping area. These results indicate that soil water content affects the N2O emission rates. However it is not due to changes in the abundance of bacteria involved in the process, such as those that bear the nirK, norB and nosZ genes. Apparently, it is the size of these organisms\' populations that determines the amount of GHG that the soil is able to produce.

The feedbacks between hydrology and biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N) are of critical importance to global bioavailable N budgets. Human activities are dramatically increasing the amount of bioavailable N in the biosphere, which is causing increasingly frequent and severe impacts on ecosystems and human welfare. Streams are important features in the landscape for N cycling, because they integrate many sources of terrestrially derived N and control export to downgradient systems via internal source and sink processes. N transformations in stream ecosystems are typically very complex due to spatiotemporal variability in the factors controlling N biogeochemistry. Thus, it is difficult to predict if a particular stream system will function as a net source or sink of bioavailable N. A key location for N transformations in stream ecosystems is the hyporheic zone, where stream and ground waters mix. The hyporheic zone can be a source of bioavailable N via nitrification or a sink via denitrification. These N transformations are regulated by the physical and biogeochemical conditions of hyporheic zones. Natural heterogeneity in streams leads to unique combinations of both the physical and biogeochemical conditions which in turn result in unique N source and sink conditions. This dissertation investigates the relationships between physical and biogeochemical controls and the resulting fate of bioavailable N in hyporheic zones. The key physical factor investigated is the supply rate of solutes which is a function of transport processes - advection and dispersion, and transport conditions - hydraulic conductivity and flowpath length. Different physical conditions result in different characteristic residence times of water and solutes in hyporheic zones. The key biogeochemical factors investigated are the dynamics of oxygen (O₂), labile dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and inorganic bioavailable N (NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻). This dissertation uses ¹⁵N isotope experiments, numerical modeling of coupled transport of the bioavailable N species, O₂ and DOC, and a suite of geophysical measurements to identify the key linkages between hydrological and biogeochemical controls on N transformations in hyporheic zones. Specifically, it was determined that the conditions governing the fate of hyporheic N are both the physical transport and reaction kinetics – the residence time of water and the O2 uptake rate. An important scaling relationship is developed by relating the characteristic timescales of residence time and O₂ uptake. The resulting dimensionless relationship, the Damköhler number for O₂, is useful for scaling different streams hyporheic zones and their role on stream N source – sink dynamics. More generally, these investigations demonstrate that careful consideration and quantification of hydrological processes can greatly inform the investigation of aquatic biogeochemical dynamics and lead to the development of process-based knowledge. In turn, this process-based knowledge will facilitate more robust approaches to quantifying and predicting biogeochemical cycles and budgets. / Graduation date: 2012 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from Sept. 21, 2011 - March 21, 2012

While community ecologists have traditionally focused on local-scale processes, it has become apparent that a broader perspective, which explores the community-level ramifications of material fluxes within and between ecosystems, is necessary to effectively evaluate bottom-up influences on community structure and dynamics. In this dissertation, I employed ecosystem principles to understand these processes in rocky intertidal communities. I specifically examined the roles of sessile invertebrates in mediating the transfers and transformations of carbon and nitrogen in intertidal ecosystems. First, I quantified the links between nearshore pelagic and rocky intertidal systems. By assimilating suspended particulate organic material (seston), mussels and other sessile invertebrates serve as mediators of material exchange from pelagic to benthic ecosystems. I evaluated these trophic linkages along productivity gradients on the coasts of New Zealand and Oregon, which allowed me to address the influences of seston quality and quantity on the growth and ammonium excretion rates of mussels. My results highlight the necessity of simultaneously considering both seston quantity (total organic particulates) and quality (phytoplankton availability) in evaluating benthic-pelagic coupling. Second, I assessed the utilization of invertebrate-excreted ammonium by macroalgae in high-intertidal pools. Sessile invertebrates not only serve as mediators of material transfer into intertidal ecosystems, they also chemically transform that material, converting particulate organic nitrogen, which is unusable by macroalgae, into ammonium, which algae readily assimilate. l showed that especially in high-zone pools, which are isolated from the ocean for 80% of the time, invertebrate-excreted ammonium is an important nitrogen source for macroalgae. Ammonium accumulated in tide pools and was subsequently taken up by algae. This novel positive interaction influenced community structure: macroalgal species richness increased with the rate of invertebrate-mediated ammonium loading in pools. Finally, by experimentally manipulating macroalgae and invertebrates in laboratory mesocosms, I quantified the effect of ammonium loading on algal growth. I demonstrated that algal nitrogen assimilation rates increased with the rate of ammonium accumulation in tide pools, which resulted in enhanced growth when invertebrates were present. Together, these studies suggest that by merging community and ecosystem perspectives we can gain unique and important insights into the bottom-up processes influencing intertidal systems. / Graduation date: 2004