scholarly journals Agricultural impacts on streams near Nitrate Vulnerable Zones: a case study in the Ebro basin, northern Spain

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubén Ladrera ◽  
Oscar Belmar ◽  
Rafael Tomás ◽  
Narcís Prat ◽  
Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Northern Spain ◽  
Ebro Basin ◽  
Macroinvertebrate Assemblages ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Nitrate Concentrations ◽  
Vulnerable Zones

AbstractAgricultural intensification during the last century has produced river degradation across Europe. From the wide range of pressures derived from agricultural activities that impact rivers, diffuse agricultural pollution has received most of the attention from managers and scientists. The aim of this study was to determine the main pressures exerted by intensive agriculture around Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), which are areas of land that drain into waters polluted by nitrates according to the European Nitrate Directive (91/676/EEC). The study area was located in the NW of La Rioja (Northern Spain), which has the highest levels of nitrate concentrations within the Ebro basin. The relationships between forty environmental variables and the taxonomic and functional characteristics of macroinvertebrate assemblages (which are good indicators of water quality) were analyzed in 11 stream reaches differentially affected by upstream agricultural activity. The streams affected by a high percentage of agricultural area had significantly greater nitrate concentrations and distinct macroinvertebrate assemblages dominated by pollution tolerant taxa. Hydromorphological alteration (i.e. channel simplification, riparian forest degradation and sediment inputs), which is closely linked to agricultural practices, was the main factor affecting macroinvertebrate assemblages. Good agricultural practices should be implemented in streams affected by NVZs to reverse stream degradation, in consonance with the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Management actions in these areas should not focus exclusively on nitrate reduction, but also on restoring riparian and aquatic habitats.

scholarly journals Agricultural impacts on streams near Nitrate Vulnerable Zones: A case study in the Ebro basin, Northern Spain

PLoS ONE ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. e0218582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubén Ladrera ◽  
Oscar Belmar ◽  
Rafael Tomás ◽  
Narcís Prat ◽  
Miguel Cañedo-Argüelles
Keyword(s):  
Northern Spain ◽  
Ebro Basin ◽  
Agricultural Impacts ◽  
Vulnerable Zones

scholarly journals Experimental Economics in Agriculture: A Review of Worldwide Research

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1566
Author(s):  
Ernesto Mesa-Vázquez ◽  
Juan F. Velasco-Muñoz ◽  
José A. Aznar-Sánchez ◽  
Belén López-Felices
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Policy ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Public Goods ◽  
Experimental Economics ◽  
Scientific Production ◽  
Bibliometric Study ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Wide Range

Over the last two decades, experimental economics has been gaining relevance in the research of a wide range of issues related to agriculture. In turn, the agricultural activity provides an excellent field of study within which to validate the use of instruments employed by experimental economics. The aim of this study is to analyze the dynamics of the research on the application of experimental economics in agriculture on a global level. Thus, a literature review has been carried out for the period between the years 2000 and 2020 based on a bibliometric study. The main results show that there has been a growing use of experimental economics methods in the research on agriculture, particularly over the last five years. This evolution is evident in the different indicators analyzed and is reflected in the greater scientific production and number of actors involved. The most relevant topics within the research on experimental economics in agriculture focus on the farmer, the markets, the consumer, environmental policy, and public goods. These results can be useful for policy makers and researchers interested in this line of research.

scholarly journals Whole genome-based characterisation of antimicrobial resistance and genetic diversity in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from ruminants

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Medelin Ocejo ◽  
Beatriz Oporto ◽  
José Luis Lavín ◽  
Ana Hurtado
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Campylobacter Jejuni ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Campylobacter Coli ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Northern Spain ◽  
Sequence Alignments ◽  
Phenotypic Data ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractCampylobacter, a leading cause of gastroenteritis in humans, asymptomatically colonises the intestinal tract of a wide range of animals.Although antimicrobial treatment is restricted to severe cases, the increase of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a concern. Considering the significant contribution of ruminants as reservoirs of resistant Campylobacter, Illumina whole-genome sequencing was used to characterise the mechanisms of AMR in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli recovered from beef cattle, dairy cattle, and sheep in northern Spain. Genome analysis showed extensive genetic diversity that clearly separated both species. Resistance genotypes were identified by screening assembled sequences with BLASTn and ABRicate, and additional sequence alignments were performed to search for frameshift mutations and gene modifications. A high correlation was observed between phenotypic resistance to a given antimicrobial and the presence of the corresponding known resistance genes. Detailed sequence analysis allowed us to detect the recently described mosaic tet(O/M/O) gene in one C. coli, describe possible new alleles of blaOXA-61-like genes, and decipher the genetic context of aminoglycoside resistance genes, as well as the plasmid/chromosomal location of the different AMR genes and their implication for resistance spread. Updated resistance gene databases and detailed analysis of the matched open reading frames are needed to avoid errors when using WGS-based analysis pipelines for AMR detection in the absence of phenotypic data.

scholarly journals ASSESSMENT OF A 5-YEAR-OLD REHABILITATED RIPARIAN FOREST: IS IT ALREADY SUSTAINABLE?

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 603-610
Author(s):  
Vinícius Londe ◽  
Hildeberto Caldas de Sousa ◽  
Alessandra Rodrigues Kozovits
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Invasive Plants ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Canopy Openness ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Minas Gerais State ◽  
Hemispherical Photographs ◽  
Exotic Invasive ◽  
Exotic Invasive Plants ◽  
Over Time

ABSTRACTAs important as the establishment of projects of ecological restoration is its assessment post-implementation to know whether the area is becoming self-sustainable or need to be redirected. In this way, this study aimed to know the current situation of a 5-year-old rehabilitated riparian forest,inserted in an anthropogenic impacted region,at the das Velhas River, Minas Gerais State, studying the canopy openness and recruitment of seedlings as plant indicators. 15 plots were allocated in the forest, where hemispherical photographs were taken to analyze the canopy openness and evaluate all seedlings from 0.30 m to 1.30 m height.Canopy openness ranged from 23.7% to 38.8% between seasons and only 192 seedlings were found,from 13 species, five of them exotic and aggressive. Although canopy openness was low, it seems that lateral penetration of light has been favoring the development and dominancy of plants from invasive species, whereas few native ones have been recruited. The exotic/invasive plants may compromise the success of restoration mainly by competition with native planted species. The outcomes evidenced an unsustainability of the riparian forest and the requirement of some management actions to control exotic and invasive plants and ensure the preservation of the area and its ecological roles over time.

scholarly journals Effect on nitrate concentration in stream water of agricultural practices in small catchments in Brittany: I. Annual nitrogen budgets

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Ruiz ◽  
S. Abiven ◽  
P. Durand ◽  
C. Martin ◽  
F. Vertès ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Nitrate Concentration ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Nitrogen Budgets ◽  
Annual Variations ◽  
Nitrate Concentrations ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Small Catchments

Abstract. The hydrological and biogeochemical monitoring of catchments has become a common approach for studying the effect of the evolution of agricultural practices on water resources. In numerous studies, the catchment is used as a "mega-lysimeter" to calculate annual input-output budgets. However, the literature reflects two opposite interpretations of the trends of nitrate concentration in streamwater. For some authors, essentially in applied studies, the mean residence time of leached nitrate in shallow groundwater systems is much less than one year and river loads reflect annual land use while for others, nitrate is essentially transport limited, independent of soil nitrate supply in the short term and annual variations reflect changes in climatic conditions. This study tests the effect of agricultural land-use changes on inter-annual nitrate trends on stream water of six small adjacent catchments from 0.10 to 0.57 km2 in area, on granite bedrock, at Kerbernez, in Western Brittany (France). Nitrate concentrations and loads in streamwater have been monitored for nine years (1992 to 2000) at the outlet of the catchments. An extensive survey of agricultural practices from 1993 to 1999 allowed assessment of the nitrogen available for leaching through nitrogen budgets. For such small catchments, year-to-year variations of nitrate leaching can be very important, even when considering the 'memory effect' of soil, while nitrate concentrations in streamwater appear relatively steady. No correlation was found between the calculated mean nitrate concentration of drainage water and the mean annual concentration in streams, which can even exhibit opposite trends in inter-annual variations. The climatic conditions do not affect the mean concentration in streamwater significantly. These results suggest that groundwater plays an important role in the control of streamwater nitrate concentration. Keywords: nitrate, diffuse pollution, agricultural catchment, nitrogen budget, leaching, Kerbernez catchments

scholarly journals Modelling of nitrogen concentrations in water from drained peat soils

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoli Vassiljev ◽  
Ivar Annus ◽  
Nils Kändler ◽  
Katrin Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Significant Source ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Large Share ◽  
Peat Soils ◽  
Nitrate Concentrations ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Improve Water Quality ◽  
Model Water

Abstract In addition to traditional sources, drained peat soils have been found to be a significant source of nitrogen in Estonia. As a result, supplementary measures are required to improve water quality in rivers. Modelling is a widespread method to select means for improving water quality. At present, modelling of nitrogen in rivers has been concentrated on the influence of agricultural activity. However, drained peat can increase nitrogen concentrations even without fertilization and farming activities. This investigation describes the attempt to model water quality in the watershed with a large share of drained peat soils. The results showed a good alignment between measured and modelled nitrate concentrations using the MACRO and the SOILN for MACRO models. Some measures to improve water quality were tested using these models.

scholarly journals Soil Fertility Assessment of an High Natural Value Eligible Area in South-Eastern Transylvania

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-67
Author(s):  
Monica Dumitrașcu ◽  
Mihaela Lungu ◽  
Sorin Liviu Ștefănescu ◽  
Victoria Mocanu ◽  
Gabi Mirela Matei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Plant Nutrition ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Reaction ◽  
Short Supply ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Growth And Nutrition ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract As low-input environmentally friendly agricultural practices are currently associated with the delivery of a wide range of public goods and socioeconomic benefits, the strategy of European Union in mitigating climate change effects, protecting environment and ensuring public health has, among others, focused around preserving the High Natural Value (HNV) areas. About a quarter of the land in Romania is potentially covered by HNV farming and eligible for associated support payments, mostly along the chain of the Carpathian Mountains. Since soil systematic data on HNV area are scarce, recent research developments currently undertake to build up a first national HNV soil data base. Soil fertility state in a HNV payment eligible area of south-eastern Transylvania was studied in seven in-depth dug profiles and seven additional shallow dug profiles. Soil samples were taken by genetic horizons as well as agrochemical samples from the upper soil layers (0-20 cm). Physical, chemical, and microbiological analyses revealed that the studied soils have a medium clayey loamy texture, good fertility and are subject to an adequate HNV management in the area, as the analytical values mostly range in favorable intervals for plant growth and nutrition. Thus, soil reaction is moderately acid up to slightly alkaline in the presence of carbonates, the soil organic matter, generally well mineralized, reaches fair levels and the high and very high cation exchange capacity ensure good conditions for plants growth and nutrition whilst nitrogen and potassium supply is adequate. Phosphorus is the only element in short supply – a situation often encountered in Romania unfertilized soils. Soil bulk density and total porosity are also favorable for root growth and spreading and plant nutrition. Microorganisms’ activity is diverse and is also adequate for plant nutrition.

Assessing Nitrogen Legacies in Western Europe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Musolff ◽  
Sophie Ehrhardt ◽  
Rémi Dupas ◽  
Rohini Kumar ◽  
Pia Ebeling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Time Lags ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Biological Fixation ◽  
Nitrogen Inputs ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
N Input ◽  
Nitrate Concentrations ◽  
Input Time

<p>Intensive agricultural land use have introduced vast quantities of nutrients such as reactive nitrogen (N) to soils and subsequently to groundwater and surface waters. High nitrate concentrations are still a pressing issue for drinking water safety and aquatic ecosystem health e.g. in Europe, although fertilizer inputs have been significantly lowered in the last decades. This is partly due to a slow response of riverine nitrate concentrations to changes in nitrogen inputs attributed to N legacies in catchments. N can be stored organically bound as a biogeochemical legacy in soils or can be slowly transported as nitrate in groundwater forming a hydrologic legacy. Legacy can thus lead to a net retention of N in catchments and to substantial time lags in the response to input changes. Here, we systematically explore legacy effects over a wide range of catchment in the Western European countries France and Germany. We are making use of long observational time series of nitrate concentration in 238 catchments covering 40% of the total area of France and Germany. We apply a Weighted Regression on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) to derive continuous daily flow-normalized concentrations and loads. The temporal pattern of concentration and loads at the catchment outlet is compared to the N input time series evolving from agricultural N surplus, atmospheric deposition and biological fixation. We found that on long-term catchments retain on average 72% of the N input. Time lags between input and output were successfully explained by a lognormal transport time distribution. The modes of these distributions were found to be rather short with a median mode of 5.4 years across all catchments. Based on this data-driven assessment only the fate of N in the catchments is hard to assess as denitrification in soil and groundwater can lead to similar observations as the storage of N in legacies. Focusing on the mobile part of N that is exported by catchments, we estimate that a substantial amount of N is still stored in the subsurface that will be released in the coming years. We therefore analyzed how catchment nitrate export will evolve under the scenario of a total cut down, reduced or constant future N inputs. We report the expected timescale of reaction to implemented measures to help tackling this pressing water quality problem.</p>

scholarly journals Modelling of the Effect of Drained Peat Soils to Water Quality Using MACRO and SOILN Models

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoli Vassiljev ◽  
Ivar Annus ◽  
Nils Kändler ◽  
Katrin Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Significant Source ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Large Share ◽  
Peat Soils ◽  
Nitrate Concentrations ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Improve Water Quality ◽  
Model Water

Investigations have indicated that in addition to traditional sources, drained peat soils can be considered as a significant source of nitrogen in Estonia. This changes the measures to improve water quality in rivers. At present modelling of nitrogen in rivers has been concentrated on influence of agricultural activity. However, drained peat can increase nitrogen concentrations even without fertilization and farming activities. This investigation describes the attempt to model water quality in the watershed with large share of drained peat soils. A good alignment between measured and modelled nitrate concentrations using the MACRO and the SOILN for MACRO models was shown.

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