Waterborne nutrient budgets for the riparian zone of an agricultural watershed

Agroecosystems in the southeastern United States Coastal Plain typically have uplands in agriculture with mixed hardwood forests along the stream channels. This study determined the inputs and outputs of waterborne nutrients for the riparian forest ecosystem of an agricultural watershed. Quantities of phreatic groundwater and precipitation nutrient inputs and phreatic and surface nutrient outputs were determined during 1979. Based on input/output budgets, these streamside forests were shown to be effective in retaining N, P, Ca, and Mg. Partial conversion of the riparian forest to cropland was projected to increase NO₃-N and NH₄-N loads by up to 800%. Total replacement of riparian forest with crops would increase loads of all nutrients studied except organic N, DMRP, and total P. Land managers can maintain the nutrient filtering capacity of the streamside forest by selective harvesting of hardwoods and by maintaining the present hydrologic regime.