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ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #434276
Research Project: Development of a Monitoring Network, Engineering Tools, and Guidelines for the Design, Analysis, and Rehabilitation of Embankment Dams, Hydraulic Structures, and Channels

Location: Agroclimate and Hydraulics Research Unit

Title: Fine-scale patterns in dissolved oxygen, dissolved carbon and nitrogen across stream-riparian transects

Author
item BONGIOVI, OLIVIA - University Of Missouri
item Hunt, Sherry
item ARGERICH, ALBA - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/2026
Publication Date: 4/20/2026
Citation: Bongiovi, O., Hunt, S., Argerich, A. 2026. Fine-scale patterns in dissolved oxygen, dissolved carbon and nitrogen across stream-riparian transects. Meeting Abstract. University of Missouri Show Me Research Week April 20-24, 2026.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fine-scale spatial heterogeneity in stream–riparian systems can influence physicochemical conditions and nutrient dynamics, yet these patterns are often under characterized. This study quantified temporal and spatial variability in dissolved oxygen (DO) and nutrient concentrations across a lateral gradient (stream, sediment, riparian) using a network of shallow wells. Physicochemical parameters were measured over ~72 hours, and nutrient samples were collected over a 26-hour period. Dissolved oxygen showed strong temporal variability across all wells, with surface water exhibiting higher and more dynamic conditions than subsurface environments. Nutrient concentrations varied across the gradient, with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) highest in stream wells and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) elevated in riparian wells. This inverse relationship suggests enhanced biogeochemical processing along lateral flow paths. Despite these spatial differences, DOC and DON remained tightly coupled across all positions. These findings highlight the role of fine scale hydrologic structure in regulating carbon and nitrogen dynamics at the stream–riparian interface.