Stream-Watershed Relations in the Missouri Ozark Plateau Province

摘要

Land use is the most influential watershed characteristic determining chemical concentrations of 23 streams that drained watersheds with different land uses, geologic bedrock, and soil associations in the Missouri Ozark Plateau Province. Streams draining watershed with urban land use had the highest chemical concentrations and streams draining forest watershed the lowest. Streams draining pasture watersheds were intermediate, more closely resembling streams in overall salinity, and urbans streams in nitrogen and phosphorus. Nutrient concentrations increase along a continuum in response to the area or urban or pasture area on the watershed and decrease with increasing forest area.