Nitrate accumulation in an intensive small agricultural catchment

• The long term application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has changed the
  global N biogeochemical cycle. Understanding the fate of N
  fertilizer in soil and plant system (crop uptake, residual in soil, and loss) is important to increase N use efficiency and decrease its loss.
  Nitrification is very fast in upland soil. Therefore, the accumulation
  of nitrate in soil profile is one of important fate of N fertilizer after
  application.

• China has consumed about one thirds of the global N
  fertiliser now. Fruits and vegetables together in China have
  consumed at least 30% of N fertilizers. However, there are limited
  researches to study nitrate accumulation in soil profiles both at field and catchment scales, to evaluate their potential risk to the
  groundwater quality.