Nitrate sink function of riparian zones induced by river stage fluctuations.

River stage fluctuation (RSF) induced by tides, dam releases, or storms may lead to enhanced nitrogen cycling (N cycling) in riparian zones (RZ). We conducted a laboratory water table manipulation experiment and applied a multiphase flow and transport model (TOUGHREACT) to investigate the role of RSF in N cycling in the RZ. Coupled nitrification and denitrification occur in the water table fluctuation zone under alternating aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Nitrate removal was enhanced in the saturated and unsaturated zones of the RZ. The net nitrate reduction rate in groundwater increased with the increasing number of RSF, as a result, the cumulative water influx. The RZ nitrate sink function became stronger with increasing RSF amplitude and soil organic matter (SOM) content, and weaker with increasing [NH]/[NO] ratio and mineralization rate. RSF generally creates a hot moment for net nitrate removal in the RZ. However, a hot moment for the nitrate source function might occur if the [NH]/[NO] ratio of groundwater is much greater than 1 and/or if a large pool of nitrate accumulates in the topsoil over a prolonged dry period. The absence of oxygen diffusion in the model would overestimate the nitrate removal capacity of the RZ.