Nitrogen behavior in the shallow groundwater–soil system within agricultural landscapes

Abstract

The research is devoted to the analysis of the changes in the chemical composition of shallow groundwater within the agricultural landscapes of the Poyang Lake area taking into account the peculiarities of soil composition. The analysis is based on field data collected during 2011–2017 by the sampling of the shallow groundwater from the private and public wells and adjoining soils. Correlations between the content of the N-compounds and the Eh values in autumn as well as a relationship of the NH4+ concentration with the DOC content reflect the processes of the organic matter transformation in the aquifer. Correlations between the N content in the upper soil horizon and the concentrations of the N-compounds in the shallow groundwater indicate a strong connection of the origin of the groundwater chemical composition with the soil composition.