CAREER: Air-ecosystem-water interactions of reactive nitrogen in urban systems

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As creation of reactive nitrogen (Nr) accelerates to meet global food and fuel demand, the research challenges regarding the environmental and health effects of excess N have become ever more pressing. While atmospheric deposition chemistry monitoring networks in the U.S. are globally respected, these networks were intentionally established in rural settings to monitor regional changes in deposition chemistry. Despite studies documenting the relatively local impact of vehicle emissions- and that vehicles are the largest source of nitrogen oxide emissions in the U.S., the ecological and water quality impacts of these spatial deposition patterns are rarely explored. Concomitantly, studies continue to report surprisingly high rates of urban watershed Nr retention, bucking expectations for high nitrate export from these systems, while nitrate export to sensitive receiving waters continues to exceed targeted limitations. We hypothesize that poor constraints on urban Nr deposition fluxes have translated into an underestimation of the influence of atmospheric Nr as a nutrient source to urban ecosystems, streams, and riverine systems. This research examines the tight coupling between human activities and fluxes of Nr across atmospheric, terrestrial and aquatic systems in urban environments using a unique suite of analytical approaches. Research goals will fill major knowledge gaps in urban Nr budgets and will: 1) compare Nr deposition fluxes, speciation, and sources in urban and rural environments; 2) examine mechanisms for Nr retention in urban ecosystems; and 3) evaluate the role of atmospheric nitrate as a eutrophication source to streams and rivers. This project will advance understanding of interdisciplinary connections in Earth system science - with a specific focus on interactions between energy, the environment, and society. Broader project aims seek to improve regional resources for interdisciplinary Geoscience education and to create new pathways for illuminating the relevance of Geoscience disciplines to society. These aims will be accomplished with educational activities focused on the following goals: 1) create new pipelines to the geosciences for under-represented teens in the Pittsburgh region; 2) advance Earth systems science literacy, focusing on synergies between energy, environment, and society; and 3) develop sustainable alliances to promote Geoscience education in the Pittsburgh region. These activities leverage existing resources at the University of Pittsburgh including the Regional Stable Isotope Laboratory for Earth and Environmental Science Research, the Mobile Air Quality Research Laboratory, and a newly funded NSF initiative, ENERGY-NET. ENERGY-NET links geosciences expertise at the University of Pittsburgh to one of five Carnegie Museums in Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. This project extends this collaboration to the Carnegie Science Center, located in downtown Pittsburgh. The Carnegie Science Center receives 500,000 visitors annually and will serve as the hub for planned urban deposition measurements. In partnership with the Carnegie Science Center, this project will integrate research and monitoring data into public exhibits and utilize popular outreach efforts to engage and inform youth regarding geosciences career awareness and societial relevance.