Dissecting the contributions of organic nitrogen aerosols to global atmospheric nitrogen deposition and implications for ecosystems

Yumin Li; Tzung-May Fu; Jian Zhen Yu; Xu Yu; Qi Chen; Ruqian Miao; Yang Zhou; Aoxing Zhang; Jianhuai Ye; Xin Yang; Shu Tao; Hongbin Liu; Weiqi Yao

doi:10.1093/nsr/nwad244

Dissecting the contributions of organic nitrogen aerosols to global atmospheric nitrogen deposition and implications for ecosystems

Natl Sci Rev. 2023 Sep 18;10(12):nwad244. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwad244. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Authors

Yumin Li^{1

2

3}, Tzung-May Fu^{1

2

4}, Jian Zhen Yu^{3

5}, Xu Yu³, Qi Chen⁶, Ruqian Miao⁶, Yang Zhou^{7

8}, Aoxing Zhang^{1

2}, Jianhuai Ye^{1

2}, Xin Yang^{1

2}, Shu Tao^{1

2}, Hongbin Liu⁹, Weiqi Yao¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Precision Measurement and Early Warning Technology for Urban Environmental Health Risks, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Observation and Research Station for Coastal Atmosphere and Climate of the Greater Bay Area, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China.
³ Division of Environment and Sustainability, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong999077, China.
⁴ National Center for Applied Mathematics Shenzhen, Shenzhen518055, China.
⁵ Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong999077, China.
⁶ State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, International Joint Laboratory for Regional Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, China.
⁷ Frontier Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of China, Qingdao266100, China.
⁸ College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao266100, China.
⁹ Department of Ocean Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong999077, China.
¹⁰ Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen518055, China.

Abstract

Atmospheric deposition of particulate organic nitrogen (ON_p) is a significant process in the global nitrogen cycle and may be pivotally important for N-limited ecosystems. However, past models largely overlooked the spatial and chemical inhomogeneity of atmospheric ON_p and were thus deficient in assessing global ON_p impacts. We constructed a comprehensive global model of atmospheric gaseous and particulate organic nitrogen (ON), including the latest knowledge on emissions and secondary formations. Using this model, we simulated global atmospheric ON_p abundances consistent with observations. Our estimated global atmospheric ON deposition was 26 Tg N yr^-1, predominantly in the form of ON_p (23 Tg N yr^-1) and mostly from wildfires (37%), oceans (22%) and aqueous productions (17%). Globally, ON_p contributed as much as 40% to 80% of the total N deposition downwind of biomass-burning regions. Atmospheric ON_p deposition thus constituted the dominant external N supply to the N-limited boreal forests, tundras and the Arctic Ocean, and its importance may be amplified in a future warming climate.

Keywords: biomass burning; organic nitrogen aerosol; secondary organic nitrogen.