Determinative factors of denitrification in a urban, arid wash of central Arizona (2012-2013)

Although the absence of nitrogen (N) can be detrimental to many
biological processes, in large quantities certain forms of N can be
harmful to the environment. N deposits can leak down through the soil
and accumulate in groundwater stores, lakes, and other bodies of
water. In arid, residential watersheds, N accumulates by
fertilization, atmospheric deposition, and litter from residents and
is transported to washes during storms. The main goal of this research
is to ascertain how geochemical and hydrological factors limit
denitrification and, therefore, affect the quantities of N exported
from such a wash. In this study, we evaluate the effects of factors
including moisture content, soil texture, and N concentrations on
denitrification in a residential, desert wash. In order to carry out
our research, we sampled soil from a wash in Scottsdale, AZ during
summer 2012. Although there were no strong geochemical correlations
with denitrification, it was found that there was a strong
relationship between denitrification and distance between inlets and
sites.