Supplemental Figure Supplemental Figure 1 The study area and water quality monitoring sites 40 30 δ N(‰)AIR 20 15 10 0 -10 -20 e rat Nit ion itat cip pre re nu Ma age Sew N il So zer tili fer e rat Nit m niu mo Am zer tili fer m niu mo Am io itat n cip pre Supplemental Figure 2 Box-and-Whisker plots of δ15N values of NO3- from various sources and sinks. Note: 1) Reference: Bateman and Kloppmann, 2007; Besard et al., 2003; Cao et al., 1991; Choi et al., 2002, 2003, 2007; Curt et al., 2004; Deutsch et al., 2006; Durka et al., 1994; Elliott et al., 2007; Finlay et al., 2007; Fogg et al.,1998; Hales et al., 2007; Heaton et al., 1986; Iqbal et al., 1997; Karr et al., 2001; Kendall, 1998; Lee et al., 2008; Li et al., 2007; Mariotti et al., 1988; Mayer et al., 2001; Mcclelland and Valiela, 1998; Piatek et al., 2005; Pardo et al., 2004; Roadcap et al., 2001; Rock and Mayer, 2002; Spoelstra et al., 2007; Townsend et al., 2007; Wassenaar, 1995; Widory et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2008; Li and Liu, 2006; Xing et al., 2001. 2) Number of samples: NO3- in precipitation: n=61; Manure=58; Sewage:n=24; Soil N: n=23; NO3- fertilizer: n=18; NH4+ in fertilizer: n=117; NH4+ in precipitation: n=31. 100 18 δ O(‰)SMOW 80 60 40 20 0 Nitrate precipitation Nitrate fertilizer Nitrification Supplemental Figure 3 Box-and-Whisker plots of δ18O values of NO3- from various sources and sinks. Note: 1) Reference: Amberger and Schmidt, 1987; Aravena and Evans, 1993; Cao et al., 1991; Deutsch et al., 2006; Durka et al., 1994; Finlay et al., 2007; Fukada et al., 2004; Hales et al., 2007; Kendall, 1998, 2007; Lee et al., 2008; Mayer et al., 2001; Piatek et al., 2005; Pardo et al., 2004; Rock and Mayer, 2002; Spoelstra et al., 2007; Wassenaar, 1995; Williard et al., 2001; Li and Liu, 2006. 2) Number of samples: NO3- in precipitation: n=40; NO3- fertilizer: n=15; Nitrification: n=36. Reference: [1] Cao, Y.C., Sun, G.Q., Xing, G.X., Xu, H., 1991. Natural abundance of 15N in main N-containing chemical fertilizers of China. Pedosphere, 1, 377–382. [2] Li, X., Masuda, H., Koba, K., Zeng, H., 2007. Nitrogen isotope study on nitrate-contaminated groundwater in the Sichuan Basin, China. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 178(1-4), 145-156. [3] Zhang, Y., Liu, X. J., Fangmeier, A., Goulding, K. T. W., Zhang, F. S., 2008. Nitrogen inputs and isotopes in precipitation in the North China Plain. Atmospheric Environment, 42(7), 1436-1448. [4] Townsend-Small, A., McCarthy, M.J., Brandes, J.A., Yang, L., Zhang, L., Gardner, W.S., 2007. Stable isotopic composition of nitrate in Lake Taihu, China, and major inflow rivers. Hydrobiologia, 581(1), 135-140. [5] Elliott, E.M., Kendall, C., Wankel, S.D., Burns, D.A., Boyer, E.W., Harlin, K., 2007. Nitrogen isotopes as indicators of NOx source contributions to atmospheric nitrate deposition across the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. Environ Sci Technol, 41:7661–7667. [6] Heaton, T.H.E., 1986. Isotopic studies of nitrogen pollution in the hydrosphere and atmosphere: a review. Chem. Geol. (Isot. Geosci. Sect.), 59, 87–102. [7] Fogg, G.E., Rolston, D.E., Decker, D.L., Louie, D.T., Grismer, M.E., 1998. Spatial variation in nitrogen isotope values beneath nitrate contamination sources. Groundwater, 36(3), 418-426. [8] Iqbal M Z, Krothe N C, Spalding R F. 1997. Nitrogen isotope indicators of seasonal source variability to ground water. Environ. Geol, 32, 210–218. [9] Choi, W.J., Han, G.H., Lee, S.M., Lee, G.T., Yoon, K.S., Choi, S.M., Ro, H.M., 2007. Impact of land-use types on nitrate concentration and δ15N in unconfined groundwater in rural areas of Korea. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 120(2), 259-268. 15N [10] Choi, W.J., Lee, S.M., Ro, H.M., Kim, K.C., Yoo, S.H., 2002. Natural abundances of maize and soil amended with urea and composted pig manure. Plant Soil, 245, 223–232. [11] Choi, W.J., Ro, H.M., Lee, S.M., 2003. Natural 15N abundances of inorganic nitrogen in soil treated with fertilizer and compost under changing soil moisture regimes. Soil Biol. Biochem, 35,1289–1298. [12] Curt, M.D., Aguado, P., Sanchez, G., Bigeriego, M., Fernandez, J., 2004. Nitrogen isotope ratios of synthetic and organic sources of nitrate water contamination in Spain. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 151(1-4), 135-142. [13] Widory, D., Kloppmann, W., Chery, L., Bonnin, J., Rochdi, H., Guinamant, J.L., 2004. Nitrate in groundwater: an isotopic multi-tracer approach. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 72(1), 165-188. [14] Bateman, A.S., Kelly, S.D., 2007. Fertilizer nitrogen isotope signatures. Isot. Environ. Health Stud, 43, 237–247. [15] Xing, G.X., Cao, Y.C., Shi, S.L., Sun, G.Q., Du, L.J., Zhu, J.G., 2001. Nitrate pollution sources and denitrification of water environment in Tai Lake region. Science in China (Series B), 31(2): 130-137. (in Chinese) [16] Roadcap, G.S., Hackley, K.C., Hwang, H.H., Johnson, T.M., 2001, April. Application of nitrogen and oxygen isotopes to identify sources of nitrate. In Illinois Groundwater Consortium Conference, Carbondale, IL. [17] Karr, J.D., Showers, W.J., Gilliam, J.W., Andres, A.S., 2001. Tracing nitrate transport and environmental impact from intensive swine farming using delta nitrogen-15. Journal of Environmental Quality, 30(4), 1163-1175. [18] Mariotti, A., Landreau, A., Simon, B., 1988. 15N isotope biogeochemistry and natural denitrification process in ground water: application to the chalk aquifer in northern France. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 52, 1869–1878. [19] McClelland, J.W., Valiela, I., 1998. Linking nitrogen in estuarine producers to land-derived sources[J]. Limnol. Oceanogr, 43, 577–585. [20] Bedard-Haughn, A., Van Groenigen, J.W., Van Kessel, C., 2003. Tracing 15N through landscapes: potential uses and precautions. Jourbal of Hydrology, 2003, 272:175–190. [21] Li, S.L., Liu, C.Q., 2006. The character and application of 18O-NO 3 in the groundwater of Guiyang[J]. Carsologica Sinica, 25(2): 108-111. (in Chinese) [22] Wassenaar, L.I., 1995. Evaluation of the origin and fate of nitrate in the Abbotsford Aquifer using the isotopes of 15N and 18O in NO3-. Appl. Geochem, 10, 391–405. [23] Rock, L., Mayer, B., 2002. Isotopic assessment of sources and processes affecting sulfate and nitrate in surface water and ground water of Luxembourg. Isot. Environ. Health Stud, 38, 191–206. [24] Mayer, B., Bollwerk, S.M., Mansfeldt, T., Hütter, B., Veizer, J., 2001. The oxygen isotope composition of nitrate generated by nitrification in acid forest floors. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 65(16), 2743-2756. [25] Deutsch, B., Mewes, M., Liskow, I., Voss, M., 2006. Quantification of diffuse nitrate inputs into a small river system using stable isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen in nitrate. Org. Geochem, 37,1333–1342. [26] Spoelstra, J., Schiff, S.L., Hazlett, P.W., Jeffries, D.S., Semkin, R.G., 2007. The isotopic composition of nitrate produced from nitrification in a hardwood forest floor. Geochimica et cosmochimica acta, 71(15), 3757-3771. [27] Kendall, C., 1998. Tracing sources and cycling of nitrate in catchments. In: Kendall, C., McDonnell, J.J. (Eds.), Isotope Tracers in Catchment Hydrology. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 519–576. [28] Durka, W., Schulze, E.D., Gebauer, G., Voerkeliust, S., 1994. Effects of forest decline on uptake and leaching of deposited nitrate determined from 15N and 18O measurements. Nature, 372(6508), 765-767. [29] Piatek, K.B., Mitchell, M.J., Silva, S.R., Kendall, C., 2005. Sources of nitrate in snowmelt discharge: evidence from water chemistry and stable isotopes of nitrate. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 165(1-4), 13-35. [30] Hales, H.C., Ross, D.S., Lini, A., 2007. Isotopic signature of nitrate in two contrasting watersheds of Brush Brook, Vermont, USA. Biogeochemistry, 84, 51–66. [31] Lee, K.S., Bong, Y.S., Lee, D., Kim, Y., Kim, K., 2008. Tracing the sources of nitrate in the Han River watershed in Korea, using δ15N-NO3- and δ18O- NO3- values. Sci Total Environ, 395(2-3), 117-124. [32] Pardo, L.H., Kendall, C., Pett-Ridge, J., Chang, C. C., 2004. Evaluating the source of streamwater nitrate using δ15N and δ18O in nitrate in two watersheds in New Hampshire, USA. Hydrological Processes, 18(14), 2699-2712. [33] Finlay, J.C., Sterner, R.W., Kumar, S., 2007. Isotopic evidence for in-lake production of accumulating nitrate in Lake Superior. Ecol. Appl, 17, 2323–2332. [34] Aravena, R., Evans, M.L., Cherry, J.A., 1993. Stable Isotopes of Oxygen and Nitrogen in Source Identification of Nitrate from Septic Systems. Ground Water, 1993, 31: 180-186. [35] Williard, K.W., DeWalle, D.R., Edwards, P.J., Sharpe, W. E., 2001. 18O isotopic separation of stream nitrate sources in mid-Appalachian forested watersheds. Journal of Hydrology, 252(1), 174-188. [36] Kendall, C., Elliott, E.M., Wankel, S.D., 2007. Tracing anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen to ecosystems. In: Michener R, Lajtha K, editors. Stable isotopes in ecology and environmental science. 2nd ed. Blackwell publishing; 375–449. [37] Amberger, A., Schmidt, H.L., 1987. Natural isotope contents of nitrate as indicators for its origin. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 51, 2699–2705. [38] Fukada, T., Hiscock, K.M., Dennis, P.F., 2004. A dual isotope approach to the nitrogen hydrochemistry of an urban aquifer. Appl. Geochem, 19, 709–719.