Influence of precipitation and temperature variability on anthropogenic nutrient inputs in a river watershed: Implications for environmental management.

Since the Industrial Revolution, anthropogenic activities have substantially increased the input of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) into river watersheds, exacerbated by uncertainties stemming from climate change. This study provided a detailed analysis of N and P inputs within the Dawen River Watershed in China from 2000 to 2021. The Net Anthropogenic Nitrogen Input (NANI) and Net Anthropogenic Phosphorus Input (NAPI) methods were used in study, which aimed to investigate how they respond to various climate change factors. Our findings reveal a generally decreasing trend in NANI, with an average of 17,882.34 kg/km/yr. NAPI showed an initially increasing and then decreasing trend, with an average value of 5151.79 kg/km/yr. Fertilizer usage emerged as the primary sources of nutrient inputs, accounting for approximately 63.42% of N and 61.88% of P inputs. Precipitation positively impacted the NANI and NAPI while temperature exerted more influential but opposing effects. Lag effects were evident as demonstrated by the stronger impacts of temperature in preceding year on NANI and NAPI. Moreover, climate not only influenced the quantity of NANI and NAPI but also impacted their changes, as well as the inputs of their components. Through quantitative analyses, we unveiled key thresholds in the correlation between nutrient inputs and climate variables, with cutoffs of 14.1 °C in temperature and 820 mm in precipitation. Our study highlights the complex relationships between anthropogenic nutrient inputs and climate change, and identifies critical climate thresholds that underscore the importance of sustainable management practices in the Dawen River Watershed to mitigate negative environmental impacts.