N Deposition in the Great Lakes Region
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NO_x is generated during combustion processes such as coal fired power plants and automobile operation is converted to HNO₃ in the atmosphere. This NO₃- is deposited locally and is especially intense in the Great Lakes Region of the US. This N deposition is used as a nutrient in the Lakes and can be exported via river streams to the Gulf of Mexico in the great lake region where surface water eutrophication (rapid algal growth) can occur harming regional fisheries. We use stable isotopes to trace HNO₃ production in the atmosphere, track it as it moves through soils and water ways and assess how it is transformed and recycles as it moves through the ecosystem (PDF Link). We are currently probing the Sugar Creek watershed in southern Indiana to assess how watershed characteristics influence how much atmospheric nitrate is exported from the watershed. This work is funded by the Showalter Family trust.