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Cecily C.Y. Chang

Publications and source records attributed to Cecily C.Y. Chang.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2004

Evaluating the source of streamwater nitrate using δ 15 N and δ 18 O in nitrate in two watersheds in New Hampshire, USA

The natural abundance of nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in nitrate can be a powerful tool for identifying the source of nitrate in streamwater in forested watersheds, because the two main sources of nitrate, atmospheric deposition and microbial nitrification, have distinct δ 18 O values. Using a simple mixing model, we estimated the relative fractions in streamwater derived from these sources for two forested watersheds with markedly different streamwater nitrate outputs. In this study, we monitored δ 15 N and δ 18 O of nitrate biweekly in atmospheric deposition and in streamwater for 20 months at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA (moderate nitrogen export), and monthly in streamwater at the Bowl Research Natural Area, New Hampshire, USA (high nitrogen export). For rain, δ 18 O values ranged from +47 to +77‰ (mean: +58‰) and δ 15 N from −5 to +1‰ (mean: −3‰); for snow, δ 18 O values ranged from +52 to +75‰ (mean: +67‰) and δ 15 N from −3 to +2‰ (mean: −1‰). Streamwater nitrate, in contrast to deposition, had δ 18 O values between +12 and +33‰ (mean: +18‰) and δ 15 N between −3 and +6‰ (mean: 0‰). Since nitrate produced by nitrification typically has δ 18 O values ranging from −5 to +15‰, our field data suggest that most of the nitrate lost from the watersheds in streamflow was nitrified within the catchment. Our results confirm the importance of microbial nitrogen transformations in regulating nitrogen losses from forested ecosystems and suggest that hydrologic storage may be a factor in controlling catchment nitrate losses.

Hydrological Processes↗
USGS2004

Preparation and analysis of nitrogen-bearing compounds in water for stable isotope ratio measurement

This chapter reviews methods for analyzing "natural abundance" nitrogen-bearing compounds in water for δ 15 N, δ 18 O, and δ 17 O. The techniques that are reviewed are Kjeldahl distillation and digestion, diffusion, micro diffusion, ion exchange, and microbial denitrifier methods. It overlaps the contents of the preparation of ecological and biogeochemical samples for isotope analysis and also covers sections on particulate organic nitrogen and biological samples. Nitrogen comprises 78% of the atmosphere, oxygen 21% and argon 1%. There are two stable isotopes of N are 14 N and 15 N and a wide range of oxidation numbers exhibited by nitrogen compounds. Developments of continuous-flow mass spectrometry makes it possible to determine both δ15N and δ18O values of nitrate samples. Such techniques are particularly useful for small-size samples. With decreasing sample size, possible isotopic fractionations associated with extraction from the matrix, contaminants in the reagents, and leaks will become more significant. Due to the interest in distinguishing different species of organic-N compounds, the diffusion method is applied to differentiate types of organic-N.

Book chapter↗
USGS2003

Mechanisms underlying export of N from high-elevation catchments during seasonal transitions

Mechanisms underlying catchment export of nitrogen (N) during seasonal transitions (i.e., winter to spring and summer to autumn) were investigated in high-elevation catchments of the Sierra Nevada using stable isotopes of nitrate and water, intensive monitoring of stream chemistry and detailed catchment N-budgets. We had four objectives: (1) determine the relative contribution of snowpack and soil nitrate to the spring nitrate pulse, (2) look for evidence of biotic control of N losses at the catchment scale, (3) examine dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) export patterns to gain a better understanding of the biological and hydrological controls on DON loss, and (4) examine the relationship between soil physico-chemical conditions and N export. At the Emerald Lake watershed, nitrogen budgets and isotopic analyses of the spring nitrate pulse indicate that 50 to 70% of the total nitrate exported during snowmelt (ca. April to July) is derived from catchment soils and talus; the remainder is snowpack nitrate. The spring nitrate pulse occurred several weeks after the start of snowmelt and was different from export patterns of less biologically labile compounds such as silica and DON suggesting that: (1) nitrate is produced and released from soils only after intense flushing has occurred and (2) a microbial N-sink is operating in catchment soils during the early stages of snowmelt. DON concentrations varied less than 20-30% during snowmelt, indicating that soil processes tightly controlled DON losses.

Biogeochemistry↗
USGS2002

Pathways for nitrate release from an alpine watershed: Determination using δ15N and δ18O

Snowpack, snowmelt, precipitation, surface water, and groundwater samples from the Loch Vale watershed in Colorado were analyzed for δ 15 N and δ 18 O of nitrate to determine the processes controlling the release of atmospherically deposited nitrogen from alpine and subalpine ecosystems. Although overlap was found between the δ 15 N (NO3) values for all water types (−4 to +6‰), the δ 18 O (NO3) values for surface water and groundwater (+10 to +30‰) were usually distinct from snowpack, snowmelt, and rainfall values (+40 to +70‰). During snowmelt, δ 18 O (NO3) indicated that about half of the nitrate in stream water was the product of microbial nitrification; at other times that amount was greater than half. Springs emerging from talus deposits had high nitrate concentrations and a seasonal pattern in δ 18 O (NO3) that was similar to the pattern in the streams, indicating that shallow groundwater in talus deposits is a likely source of stream water nitrate. Only a few samples of surface water and groundwater collected during early snowmelt and large summer rain events had isotopic compositions that indicated most of the nitrate came directly from atmospheric deposition with no biological assimilation and release. This study demonstrates the value of the nitrate double‐isotope technique for determining nitrogen‐cycling processes and sources of nitrate in small, undisturbed watersheds that are enriched with inorganic nitrogen.

Water Resources Research↗
USGS2002

Nitrate stable isotopes: Tools for determining nitrate sources among different land uses in the Mississippi River Basin

A study was conducted to determine whether NO 3 – stable isotopes (δ 15 N and δ 18 O), at natural abundance levels, could discriminate among NO 3 – sources from sites with different land uses at the basin scale. Water samples were collected from 24 sites in the Mississippi River Basin from five land-use categories: (1) large river basins (>34 590 km 2 ) draining multiple land uses and smaller basins in which the predominant land use was (2) urban, (3) undeveloped, (4) crops, or (5) crops and livestock. Our data suggest that riverine nitrates from different land uses have overlapping but moderately distinct isotopic signatures. δ 18 O data were critical in showing abrupt changes in NO 3 – source with discharge. The isotopic values of large rivers resembled crop sites, sites with livestock tended to have δ 15 N values characteristic of manure, and urban sites tended to have high δ 18 O values characteristic of atmospheric nitrate.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS2001

Chemical and isotopic evidence of nitrogen transformation in the Mississippi River, 1997-98

Nitrate (NO 3 ) and other nutrients discharged by the Mississippi River are suspected of causing a zone of depleted dissolved oxygen (hypoxic zone) in the Gulf of Mexico each summer. The hypoxic zone may have an adverse affect on aquatic life and commercial fisheries. The amount of NO 3 delivered by the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico is well documented, but the relative contributions of different sources of NO 3 , and the magnitude of subsequent in-stream transformations of NO 3 , are not well understood. Forty-two water samples collected in 1997 and 1998 at eight stations located either on the Mississippi River or its major tributaries were analysed for NO 3 , total nitrogen (N), atrazine, chloride concentrations and NO 3 stable isotopes (δ 15 N and δ 18 O). These data are used to assess the magnitude and nature of in-stream N transformation and to determine if the δ 15 N and δ 18 O of NO 3 provide information about NO 3 sources and transformation processes in a large river system (drainage area 2 900 000 km 2 ) that would otherwise be unavailable using concentration and discharge data alone. Results from 42 samples indicate that the δ 15 N and δ 18 O ratios between sites on the Mississippi River and its tributaries are somewhat distinctive, and vary with season and discharge rate. Of particular interest are two nearly Lagrangian sample sets, in which samples from the Mississippi River at St Francisville, LA, are compared with samples collected from the Ohio River at Grand Chain, II, and the Mississippi River at Thebes, IL. In both Lagrangian sets, mass-balance calculations indicate only a small amount of in-stream N loss. The stable isotope data from the samples suggest that in-stream N assimilation and not denitrification accounts for most of the N loss in the lower Mississippi River during the spring and early summer months.

Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, ↗
USGS2001

Isotopic and chemical composition of inorganic and organic water-quality samples from the Mississippi River Basin, 1997-98

Nitrate (NO 3 ) and other nutrients discharged by the Mississippi River combined with seasonal stratification of the water column are known to cause a zone of depleted dissolved oxygen (hypoxic zone) in the Gulf of Mexico each summer. About 120 water and suspended sediment samples collected in 1997 and 1998 from 24 locations in the Mississippi River Basin were analyzed for the isotope ratios δ 15 N and δ 18 O of dissolved NO 3 , and δ 15 N and δ 13 C of suspended particulate organic material (POM). Sampling stations include both large rivers (drainage areas more than 30,000 square kilometers) that integrate the effects of many land uses, and smaller streams (drainage areas less than 2,500 square kilometers) that have relatively uniform land use within their drainage areas. The data are used to determine sources and transformations of NO 3 in the Mississippi River. Results of this study demonstrate that much of the NO 3 in the Mississippi River originates in the agriculturally dominated basins of the upper midwestern United States and is transported without significant transformation or other loss to the Gulf of Mexico. Results from major tributaries that drain into the Mississippi River suggest that NO 3 is not significantly altered by denitrification in its journey, ultimately, to the Gulf of Mexico. The spatial variability of isotope ratios among the smaller streams appears to be related to the dominant nitrogen source in the basins. There are some distinct isotope differences among land-use types. For example, for both NO 3 and POM, the majority of δ 15 N isotope ratio values from basins dominated by urban and undeveloped land are less than +5 per mil, whereas the majority of values from basins dominated by row crops and row crops and/or livestock production are greater than +5 per mil. Also, the median δ 18 O of NO 3 isotope ratio value (+14.0 per mil) from undeveloped basins is more than 6 per mil higher than the median value (+7.3 per mil) from the row crop dominated basins and 5 per mil higher than the median value (+9.0 per mil) from the row crop and/or livestock production dominated basins. The median δ 18 O of NO 3 isotope ratio value (+21.5 per mil) from urban basins is 6.5 per mil higher than the median value (+14.0 per mil) from the undeveloped basins. The majority of NO 3 concentrations are greater than 3 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in basins dominated by row crops and row crops and/or livestock production, whereas all NO 3 concentrations are less than 2 mg/L in basins dominated by urban and undeveloped land.

Mississippi River basin↗
USGS2000

A new method for collection of nitrate from fresh water and the analysis of nitrogen and oxygen isotope ratios

A new method for concentrating nitrate from fresh waters for δ 15 N and δ 18 O analysis has been developed and field-tested for four years. The benefits of the method are: (1) elimination of the need to transport large volumes of water to the laboratory for processing; (2) elimination of the need for hazardous preservatives; and (3) the ability to concentrate nitrate from fresh waters. Nitrate is collected by, passing the water-sample through pre-filled, disposable, anion exchanging resin columns in the field. The columns are subsequently transported to the laboratory where the nitrate is extracted, converted to AgNO 3 and analyzed for its isotope composition. Nitrate is eluted from the anion exchange columns with 15 ml of 3 M HCl. The nitrate-bearing acid eluant is neutralized with Ag 2 O, filtered to remove the AgCl precipitate, then freeze-dried to obtain solid AgNO 3 , which is then combusted to N 2 in sealed quartz tubes for δ 15 N analysis. For δ 18 O analysis, aliquots of the neutralized eluant are processed further to remove non-nitrate oxygen-bearing anions and dissolved organic matter. Barium chloride is added to precipitate sulfate and phosphate; the solution is then filtered, passed through a cation exchange column to remove excess Ba 2+ , re-neutralized with Ag 2 O, filtered, agitated with activated carbon to remove dissolved organic matter and freeze-dried. The resulting AgNO 3 is combusted with graphite in a closed tube to produce CO 2 , which is cryogenically purified and analyzed for its oxygen isotope composition. The 1 σ analytical precisions for δ 15 N and δ 18 O are ±0.05‰ and ±0.5‰, respectively, for solutions of KNO 3 standard processed through the entire column procedure.

Journal of Hydrology↗
USGS1999

A method for nitrate collection for δ 15 N and δ 18 O analysis from waters with low nitrate concentrations

Recently, methods have been developed to analyze NO3- for δ15N and δ18O, improving our ability to identify NO3- sources and transformations. However, none of the existing methods are suited for waters with low NO3- concentrations (0.7-10 µM). We describe an improved method for collecting and recovering NO3- on exchange columns. To overcome the lengthy collection loading times imposed by the large sample volumes (7-70 L), the sample was prefiltered (0.45 µm) with a large surface area filter. Switching to AG2X anion resin and using a coarser mesh size (100-200) than previous methods also enhanced sample flow. Placement of a cation column in front of the anion column minimized clogging of the anion column by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) accumulation. This also served to minimize transfer of unwanted oxygen atoms from DOC to the 18O portion of the NO3- sample, thereby contaminating the sample and shifting δ18O. The cat-AG2X method is suited for on-site sample collection, making it possible to collect and recover NO3- from low ionic strength waters with modest DOC concentrations (80-800 µM), relieves the investigator of transporting large volumes of water back to the laboratory, and offers a means of sampling rain, snow, snowmelt, and stream samples from access-limited sites.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS1995

Evidence of autumn nitrogen limitation and contribution of picoplankton to carbon fixation in Lake Tahoe

Water samples were collected from Lake Tahoe at midlake and nearshore stations at three depths (25, 50, and 75 m, corresponding to light intensities of approximately 10, 1, and 0.1% of surface light) in May and September. The water samples were evaluated to decide the following: (1) whether carbon fixation was N-limited and whether there were differences between picoplankton and larger phytoplankters and (2) the relative importance of picoplankton carbon fixation and related photosynthetic parameters. Evidence of N-limitation was observed only in September at the midlake station for the populations at 50 and 75 m, and to a lesser extent at the nearshore station at 75 m, but only for the nanoplankton fraction. The contribution of picoplankton to total carbon fixation ranged from 34 to 69% and did not increase with depth. Low values for I k , the photoadaptation parameter, for deep water populations (0.1% light level) in September, but not May, suggested that these populations were adapted to low light in the fall but not the spring.

California, Nevada↗
USGS1992

Phosphate and iron limitation of phytoplankton biomass in Lake Tahoe

Bioassays were carried out to assess the response of inoculated, single-species diatom populations (Cyclotella meneghiniana and Aulocosiera italica) to additions of synthetic chelators and phosphate. A chemical speciation model along with the field data was also used to predict how trace metal speciation, and hence bioavailability, was affected by the chelator additions. Results suggest that phosphate was limiting to phytoplankton biomass. Other solutes, Fe in particular, may also exert controls on biomass. Nitrate limitation seems less likely, although Fe-limiting conditions may have led to an effective N limitation because algae require Fe to carry out nitrate reduction. -from Authors

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences↗
USGS1990

Effects of benthic flora on arsenic transport

Chemical and biological interactions involving arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) appear to affect significantly As transport and distribution in Whitewood Creek, South Dakota. Data (first‐order uptake rate constants, standing crop, and accumulation factors) that can be used to predict As transport have been determined using algae collected in the creek along a transect from upstream of mine discharge down gradient through a 57‐km impacted reach. Cultures of Achnanthes minutissima (Bacillariophyceae) were isolated from four sites along a longitudinal gradient of dissolved As within the study reach and were maintained at ambient dissolved‐As concentrations. Arsenic sorption‐rate constants for cell surfaces of these isolates were estimated as a function of dissolved arsenate and orthophosphate. All isolates sorbed orthophosphate preferentially over arsenate. Initial sorption of both arsenate and orthophosphate appeared to follow a first‐order equation within media formulations but did not adequately describe other observed effects among formulations or between isolates. Although estimated sorption‐rate constants increased slightly with increased dissolved arsenate concentration, algae isolated from a site with elevated dissolved As had a significantly slower rate of As uptake compared with the same species isolated from an uncontaminated site upstream. Field and laboratory results indicate that the benthic flora represent a significant As pool, which may episodically affect water‐column concentrations.

Journal of Environmental Engineering↗
USGS1989

Trace metal associations in the water column of South San Francisco Bay, California

Spatial distributions of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) were followed along a longitudinal gradient of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in South San Francisco Bay (herein referred to as the South Bay). Dissolved Cu, Zn and Cd concentrations ranged from 24 to 66 nM, from 20 to 107 nM and from 1·2 to 4·7 nM, respectively, in samples collected on five dates beginning with the spring phytoplankton bloom and continuing through summer,1985. Dissolved Cu and Zn concentrations varied indirectly with salinity and directly with DOC concentration which ranged from 2·1 to 4·1 mg l −1 . Available thermodynamic data strongly support the hypothesis that Cu speciation may be dominated by association with dissolved organic matter. Analogous control of Zn speciation by organic complexation was, however, not indicated in our computations. Computed free ion activity estimates for Cu, Zn and Cd were of the order of 10 −10 , 10 −8 and 10 −10 M, respectively. The availability of these metals may be among the factors regulating the growth of certain phytoplankton species within this region of the estuary. In contrast to dissolved Cu, dissolved Cd was directly related to the concentration of suspended particulate matter, suggesting a source of dissolved Cd coincident with elevated particle concentrations in the South Bay (e.g. runoff and solute desorption). Consistent with work in other estuaries, partitioning of all three trace metals onto suspended particulates was negatively correlated with salinity and positively correlated with increases in particulate organic carbon associated with the phytoplankton bloom. These results for the South Bay indicate that sorption processes influence dissolved concentrations of these trace metals, the degree of this influence varies among metals, and processes controlling metal distribution in this estuary appear to be more element-specific than spatially- or temporally-specific.

California↗
USGS1988

The distribution, structure, and composition of freshwater ice deposits in Bolivian salt lakes

Freshwater ice deposits are described from seven, high elevation (4117-4730 m), shallow (mean depth <30 cm), saline (10-103 g l-1) lakes in the southwestern corner of Bolivia. The ice deposits range to several hundred meters in length and to 7 m in height above the lake or playa surface. They are located near the lake or salar margins; some are completely surrounded by water, others by playa deposits or salt crusts. Upper surfaces and sides of the ice deposits usually are covered by 20-40 cm of white to light brown, dry sedimentary materials. Calcite is the dominant crystalline mineral in these, and amorphous materials such as diatom frustules and volcanic glass are also often abundant. Beneath the dry overburden the ice occurs primarily as horizontal lenses 1-1000 mm thick, irregularly alternating with strata of frozen sedimentary materials. Ice represents from 10 to 87% of the volume of the deposits and yields freshwater (TFR <3 g l-1) when melted. Oxygen isotope ratios for ice are similar to those for regional precipitation and shoreline seeps but much lower than those for the lakewaters. Geothermal flux is high in the region as evidenced by numerous hot springs and deep (3.0-3.5 m) sediment temperatures of 5-10??C. This flux is one cause of the present gradual wasting away of these deposits. Mean annual air temperatures for the different lakes probably are all in the range of -2 to 4??C, and mean midwinter temperatures about 5??C lower. These deposits apparently formed during colder climatic conditions by the freezing of low salinity porewaters and the building up of segregation ice lenses. ?? 1988 Dr W. Junk Publishers.

Hydrobiologia↗
USGS1987

A study of metal ion adsorption at low suspended-solid concentrations

A procedure for conducting adsorption studies at low suspended solid concentrations in natural waters (<50 mg l −1 ) is described. Methodological complications previously associated with such experiments have been overcome. Adsorption of zinc ion onto synthetic colloidal titania (TiO 2 ) was studied as a function of pH, supporting electrolyte (NaCl) concentration (0·1-0·002 m ) and particle concentration (2–50 mg l −1 ). The lack of success of the Davis Leckie site bonding model in describing Zn(II) adsorption emphasizes the need for further studies of adsorption at low suspended-solid concentrations.

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science↗
USGS1986

Algal growth response to particle-bound orthophosphate and zinc

Effects of Zn (0-1 mu M total Zn(II)) and orthophosphate (8-12 mu M total P) additions on growth indices for the chlorophyte Selenastrum capricornutum were examined in a medium containing 50 mg liter-1 colloidal titania. Over the Zn(II) concentration range used, detrimental growth and yield effects were observed. Addition of P to a synthetic growth medium increased stationary phase cell density, but had minimal effect on growth rate and duration of lag phase. Presence of TiO2 particles in culture media significantly reduced Zn and P dissolved fractions.-from Authors

Limnology and Oceanography↗
USGS1985

Culturing Selenastrum capricornutum (Chlorophyta) in a synthetic algal nutrient medium with defined mineral particulates

Algal nutrient studies in chemically-defined media typically employ a synthetic chelator to prevent iron hydroxide precipitation. Micronutrient-particulate interactions may, however, significantly affect chemical speciation and hence biovailability of these nutrients in natural waters. A technique is described by which Selenastrum capricornutum Printz (Chlorophyta) may be cultured in a medium where trace metal speciation (except iron) is controlled, not by organic chelation, but by sorption onto titanium dioxide. Application of this culturing protocol in conjunction with results from sorption studies of nutrient ions on mineral particles provides a means of studying biological impacts of sorptive processes in aquatic environments.

Hydrobiologia↗
USGS1984

Ancient ice islands in salt lakes of the Central Andes

Massive blocks of freshwater ice and frozen sediments protrude from shallow, saline lakes in the Andes of southwestern Bolivia and northeastern Chile. These ice islands range up to 1.5 kilometers long, stand up to 7 meters above the water surface, and may extend out tens of meters and more beneath the unfrozen lake sediments. The upper surfaces of the islands are covered with dry white sediments, mostly aragonite or calcite. The ice blocks may have formed by freezing of the fresh pore water of lake sediments during the "little ice age." The largest blocks are melting rapidly because of possibly recent increases in geothermal heat flux through the lake bottom and undercutting by warm saline lake water during the summer.

Central Andes↗