Abstract:
Terrestrial nitrogen (N) input is one of the main reasons for the eutrophication in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). The chemical form of exogenous N in the riparian zone soil plays a crucial role in its further release into the TGR. Purple alluvial soils were collected in the riparian zone of the TGR, and soil N fractions were measured using the sequential fractionation method. Soil N fractions were investigated under the treatments of four types of N input (NaNO
3, NH
4NO
3, (NH
4)
2SO
4, CO(NH
2)
2) and two hydrological conditions (dry and flood). The results showed that with the addition of NaNO
3, NH
4NO
3, (NH
4)
2SO
4 and CO(NH
2)
2, the contents of soil ion-exchangeable form (IEF-N) were 93.88, 79.42, 59.02 and 46.80 mg/kg after the dry incubation, respectively, and were 65.60, 56.95, 42.46 and 32.94 mg/kg after the flood incubation, respectively; the contents of soil organic matter-sulfide form (OSF-N) were 122.18, 126.21, 137.53 and 148.19 mg/kg after the dry incubation, respectively, and were 142.22, 149.09, 156.43 and 161.76 mg/kg after the flood incubation, respectively. Meanwhile, with the addition of NaNO
3, NH
4NO
3, (NH
4)
2SO
4 and CO(NH
2)
2, the proportions of the content of IEF-N change in the amount of total N addition were 45.20%, 35.56%, 21.96% and 13.82% after the dry incubation, respectively, and were 36.57%, 30.80%, 16.21% and 7.26% after the flood incubation, respectively; the proportions of the content of OSF-N change in the amount of total N addition were 12.33%, 15.02%, 22.57% and 29.68% after the dry incubation, respectively, and were 16.76%, 21.84%, 26.73% and 30.29% after the flood incubation, respectively. The content of IEF-N and the proportion of its change in the amount of total N addition were the highest with NaNO
3 addition, and the lowest with CO(NH
2)
2 addition during both the dry and flood periods. Moreover, they were much higher in the dry period than that in the flood period. However, the opposite results were observed for that of OSF-N. We concluded that the exogenous N was mostly transformed to OSF-N during both the dry and the flood periods. In addition, it was also transformed to iron-manganese oxide form during the dry period. Therefore, we suggested that the exogenous N control, especially for nitrate in the riparian zone during the dry period, was an effective way to prevent the eutrophication of the TGR.