Impact of nitrogen fertilizers on the natural weathering-erosion processes and fluvial transport in the Garonne basin

Knowledge of the impact of N-fertilizers on the weathering-erosion processes of soils in intensively cultivated regions is of prime importance. Nitrification of NH4- fertilizers produces HNO3 in the basin of the Garonne river, enhancing soil degradation. Their influence on the weathering rates was determined by calculating the consumption rate of atmospheric/soil CO2 by soil weathering and erosion, and its contribution to the total dissolved riverine HCO3-. This contribution was found to be less than 50% which corresponds normally to a complete carbonate dissolution by carbonic acid, suggesting that part of the alkalinity in the river waters is due to carbonate dissolution by an acid other than carbonic acid, probably HNO3. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.