Abstract
The stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ 15 N) of particulate organic matter (POM) and periphyton were measured at sites along the Dashahe River, a short subtropical watercourse in SE China. δ 15 N values of both POM and periphyton tended to increase from upstream to downstream, ranging from 1.1 to 7.4 for periphyton and 1.6 to 7.2 for POM. The δ 15 N values in both POM and periphyton were depleted at upstream sites with lower concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) but enriched at downstream sites with relatively high TN and TP. In addition, δ 15 N values for POM and periphyton showed a significant negative correlation with distance to the most polluted section of the river, implicating human impact in the pattern of increasing δ 15 N. This study confirms δ 15 N in POM and periphyton as an excellent indicator of anthropogenic nitrogen pollution in rivers.
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