Impact of Riparian and Stream Restoration on Denitrification in Geomorphic Features of Agricultural Streams

Abstract

HighlightsDenitrification enzyme activity (DEA) was measured in stream sediments of restored and unrestored agricultural streams.Nitrate, sediment characteristics, riparian vegetation, and geomorphology influenced DEA.Pools at restored sites had lower organic carbon, coarser sediment textures, and lower denitrification potential.Restoration strategies should increase organic carbon and residence times through complex flowpaths.Abstract. Agricultural land use, channel modifications, and riparian vegetation composition can affect instream denitrification by altering geomorphic features, such as sediment texture, organic matter, retention time, and hyporheic exchange. Stream and riparian restoration is widely implemented in agricultural watersheds to mitigate excess nutrient export to sensitive downstream waters; however, the cumulative impact of channel reconstruction and altered channel and near-stream morphology on nitrogen dynamics remains poorly understood. We measured denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) and environmental variables (e.g., water chemistry, sediment texture, and organic matter) in different geomorphic features in agriculturally influenced streams in North Carolina with varied channel and riparian zone characteristics. Our results indicate that denitrification is primarily influenced by increased transport of nitrate (NO3-) to the streams in wetter months. Secondarily, structural factors, including riparian vegetation and stream geomorphology, impact denitrification by controlling the distribution of sediment texture and organic carbon. In the newly restored stream, we observed coarser streambed sediments and low sediment organic carbon, especially in scour pools constructed downstream from cross-vanes. Lower DEA was observed in restored pools (39.1 ng N g-1 dry mass h-1) compared to naturally occurring pools (70.7 to 278.1 ng N g-1 dry mass h-1). These results highlight the need for restoration strategies to be directed at increasing organic carbon and residence times through complex flowpaths (e.g., meanders, root wads, artificial woody debris dams). Keywords: Denitrification, Freshwater, Nitrogen, Restoration, Riparian, Stream, Water quality.