Global model with 0.5° by 0.5° resolution applied in this study, taking soil N budgets (accounting for ammonia volatilization) as a starting point to compute surface runoff, leaching from subsoil to groundwater, denitrification in soils, and transport and denitrification in groundwater and riparian zones A H W Beusen C P Slomp A F Bouwman 10.6084/m9.figshare.1011636.v1 https://iop.figshare.com/articles/figure/_Global_model_with_0_5_by_0_5_resolution_applied_in_this_study_taking_soil_N_budgets_accounting_for_/1011636 <p><strong>Figure 1.</strong> Global model with 0.5° by 0.5° resolution applied in this study, taking soil N budgets (accounting for ammonia volatilization) as a starting point to compute surface runoff, leaching from subsoil to groundwater, denitrification in soils, and transport and denitrification in groundwater and riparian zones. Not all grid cells include all compartments, depending on the presence of shallow groundwater, deep groundwater and surface water.</p> <p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p>The role of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), the leakage of groundwater from aquifers into coastal waters, in coastal eutrophication has been demonstrated mostly for the North American and European coastlines, but poorly quantified in other regions. Here, we present the first spatially explicit global estimates of N inputs via SGD to coastal waters and show that it has increased from about 1.0 to 1.4 Tg of nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub>-N) per year over the second half of the 20th century. Since this increase is not accompanied by an equivalent increase of groundwater phosphorus (P) and silicon (Si), SGD transport of nitrate is an important factor for the development of harmful algal blooms in coastal waters. Groundwater fluxes of N are linked to areas with high runoff and intensive anthropogenic activity on land, with Southeast Asia, parts of North and Central America, and Europe being hot spots.</p> 2013-09-26 00:00:00 1.4 Tg southeast asia Central America sgd North American grid cells groundwater phosphorus surface water equivalent increase ammonia volatilization algal blooms submarine groundwater discharge groundwater fluxes N inputs soil N budgets riparian zones European coastlines surface runoff anthropogenic activity Environmental Science