The responses of nitrogen transformations and nitrate (NO_3 -) leaching to experimentally increased N deposition were studied in forested sub-catchments (1500 m2) with Gleysols in Central Switzerland. The aim was toinvestigate whether the increase in NO3 - leaching,due to elevated N deposition, was hydrologically driven orresulted from N saturation of the forest ecosystem.Three years of continuous N addition at a rate of 30 kgNH4NO3-N ha-1 yr-1 had no effects on bulksoil N, on microbial biomass N, on K2SO4-extractableN concentrations in the soil, and on net nitrification rates.In contrast, N losses from the ecosystem through denitrification and NO3 - leaching increased significantly. Nitrate leaching was 4 kg N ha-1yr-1at an ambient N deposition of 18 kg N ha-1 yr-1.Leaching of NO3 - at elevated N deposition was 8 kg Nha-1 yr-1. Highest NO3 - leaching occurredduring snowmelt. Ammonium was effectively retained within theuppermost centimetres of the soil as shown by the absence ofNH4 + in the soil solution collected with microsuction cups. Quantifying the N fluxes indicated that 80% ofthe added N were retained in the forest ecosystem.Discharge and NO3 - concentrations of the outflow from the sub-catchments responded to rainfall within 30 min. The water chemistry of the sub-catchment outflow showed thatduring storms, a large part of the runoff from this Gleysol derived from precipitation and from water which had interactedonly with the topsoil. This suggests a dominance of near-surface flow and/or preferential transport through this soil. The contact time of the water with the soil matrix wassufficient to retain NH4 +, but insufficient for a complete retention of NO3 -. At this site with soilsclose to water saturation, the increase in NO3 - leaching by 4 kg N ha-1 yr-1 through elevated N inputsappeared to be due to the bypassing of the soil and the rootsystem rather than to a soil-internal N surplu
