An evaluation of sources of nitrogen in shallow groundwater using (15)N abundance technique

A (15)N abundance technique was employed to identify the source of NO(3)-N in groundwater under three commercial citrus production sites in central Florida. Water samples were collected from 0 to 300 and 300 to 600 cm depths in the surficial aquifer and analyzed for NO(3)-N and delta N-15 (delta (15)N). Groundwater samples were also collected in a residential area adjacent to one of the citrus groves and analyzed for NO(3)-N and delta (15)N. The delta (15)N values were in the range of (+)1 to (+)10% in both depths underneath the citrus groves. The range of delta (15)N measured in this study represents the range expected for groundwater that was impacted by NO(3)-N originated from mineralization of organic N from the soil as well as from the crop residue. There are occasional high delta (15)N values which are indicative of the effects of NH(3) volatilization losses of applied fertilizer N. The range of delta (15)N values for groundwater samples collected from the residential area adjacent to the citrus groves was very similar to that from the groundwater underneath the citrus groves. Thus, the source of NO(3)-N that impacted the groundwater under the citrus groves also impacted the groundwater in the adjacent residential area.