Natural sources and controlling factors of urea-nitrogen concentrations in agricultural drainage ditches

Agricultural drainage ditches accumulate high urea-nitrogen (N) concentrations even in the absence of urea fertilizer applications to adjacent crop fields. The accumulated urea, and other bioavailable forms of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), can be flushed downstream during substantial rainfall events altering downstream water quality and phytoplankton communities. Sources of urea-N supporting its accumulation in agricultural drainage ditches are poorly understood. A ditch flooding event was simulated using mesocosms with N treatment solutions and monitored for changes in N concentrations, physicochemical properties, dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition, and N cycling enzymes. N concentrations were also monitored in field ditches after two rainfall events. Urea-N concentrations were higher with DON enrichment, but the treatment effects were temporary. The DOM released from the mesocosm sediments was dominated by terrestrial-derived, high molecular weight material. The lack of microbial-derived DOM and evidence from the bacterial gene abundances in the mesocosms suggests that urea-N accumulation after rainfall may not be associated with fresh biological inputs. The urea-N concentrations after spring rainfall and flooding with DON substrates indicated the urea from fertilizers may only temporarily affect urea-N concentrations in drainage ditches. Because urea-N concentrations increased with a high degree of DOM humification, sources of urea may derive from the slow decomposition of complex DOM structures. This study provides further insights of sources contributing to high urea-N concentrations and the types of DOM released from drainage ditches to nearby surface waters after hydrological events.