scholarly journals Evidence of Phosphate Mining and Agriculture Influence on Concentrations, Forms, and Ratios of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in a Florida River

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1064
Author(s):  
Shuiwang Duan ◽  
Kamaljit Banger ◽  
Gurpal S. Toor

Florida has a long history of phosphate-mining, but less is known about how mining affects nutrient exports to coastal waters. Here, we investigated the transport of inorganic and organic forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) over 23 sampling events during a wet season (June–September) in primary tributaries and mainstem of Alafia River that drains into the Tampa Bay Estuary. Results showed that a tributary draining the largest phosphate-mining area (South Prong) had less flashy peaks, and nutrients were more evenly exported relative to an adjacent tributary (North Prong), highlighting the effectiveness of the mining reclamation on stream hydrology. Tributaries draining > 10% phosphate-mining area had significantly higher specific conductance (SC), pH, dissolved reactive P (DRP), and total P (TP) than tributaries without phosphate-mining. Further, mean SC, pH, and particulate reactive P were positively correlated with the percent phosphate-mining area. As phosphate-mining occurred in the upper part of the watershed, the SC, pH, DRP, and TP concentrations increased downstream along the mainstem. For example, the upper watershed contributed 91% of TP compared to 59% water discharge to the Alafia River. In contrast to P, the highest concentrations of total N (TN), especially nitrate + nitrite (NOx–N) occurred in agricultural tributaries, where the mean NOx–N was positively correlated with the percent agricultural land. Dissolved organic N was dominant in all streamwaters and showed minor variability across sites. As a result of N depletion and P enrichment, the phosphate-mining tributaries had significantly lower molar ratios of TN:TP and NOx–N:DRP than other tributaries. Bi-weekly monitoring data showed consistent increases in SC and DRP and a decrease in NOx–N at the South Prong tributary (highest phosphate-mining area) throughout the wet season, and different responses of dissolved inorganic nutrients (negative) and particulate nutrients (positive) to water discharge. We conclude that (1) watersheds with active and reclaimed phosphate-mining and agriculture lands are important sources of streamwater P and N, respectively, and (2) elevated P inputs from the phosphate-mining areas altered the N:P ratios in streamwaters of the Alafia River.

Author(s):  
Moh Sholichin ◽  
Tri Budi Prayogo

Lake Tondano is the largest natural lake in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, which functions as a provider of clean water, hydroelectric power, rice field irrigation, inland fisheries, and tourism. This research aims to determine the effect of land cover types from the Tondano watershed on the lake water quality. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to evaluate the rate of soil erosion and the pollutant load of various land types in the watershed during the last ten years. Rainfall data is obtained from two rainfall stations, namely Paleloan Station and Noonan Station. The model is calibrated and validated before being used for analysis. We use climatological data from 2014 to 2019. The process of the SWAT model calibration and validation was carried out with the statistical formulas of the coefficient of determination (R2) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE). The results show that the potential for pollution load from the Tondao watershed is organic N of 0.039 kg/ha and organic P of 0.006 kg/ha coming from the agricultural land. The results of this study conclude that the fertility conditions of Lake Tondano are at the eutrophic level, where the pollutant inflow is collected in the lake waters, especially for the parameters of total N (1503697.44kg/year) and total P (144831.36kg/year). The SWAT simulation results show deviation between the modeling and field data collected with the value of R2 = 0.9303, and the significant level ≤ 10.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sokchhay Heng ◽  
Alexander Horton ◽  
Panha Hok ◽  
Sarit Chung ◽  
Jorma Koponen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Water infrastructure development is crucial for driving economic growth in the developing countries of the Mekong. Yet it may also alter existing hydrological and flood conditions, with serious implications for water management, agricultural production and ecosystem services, especially in the floodplain regions. Our current understanding of the hydrological and flood pattern changes associated with infrastructural development still contain several knowledge gaps, such as the consideration of overlooked prospective drivers, and the interactions between multiple drivers. This research attempts to conduct a cumulative impact assessment of flood changes in the Cambodian part of the Mekong floodplains. The developmental activity of six central sectors (hydropower, irrigation, navigation, flood protection, agricultural land use and water use) as well as climate change were considered in our modelling analysis. Our results show that the monthly, sub-seasonal, and seasonal hydrological regimes will be subject to substantial alterations under the 2020 planned development scenario, and even larger alterations under the 2040 planned development scenario. The degree of hydrological alteration under the 2040 planned development is somewhat counteracted by the effect of climate change, as well as the removal of mainstream dams in the Lower Mekong Basin and hydropower mitigation investments. The likely impact of decreasing water discharge in the early wet season (up to −34 %) will pose a critical challenge to rice production, whereas the likely increase in water discharge in the mid-dry season (up to +54 %) indicates improved water availability for coping with drought stresses and sustaining environmental flow. At the same time, these changes would have drastic impacts on total flood extent, which is projected to decline up to −18 %, having potentially negative impacts on floodplain productivity whilst at the same time reducing the flood risk to the area. Our findings urge the timely establishment of adaptation and mitigation strategies to manage such future environmental alterations in a sustainable manner.


2001 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lester J. McKee ◽  
Bradley D. Eyre ◽  
Shahadat Hossain ◽  
Peter R. Pepperell

Water quality was monitored on a spatial and temporal basis in the subtropical Richmond River catchment over two years. Nutrient concentrations varied seasonally in a complex manner with highest concentrations (maximum =3110 µg N L – 1 and 572 µg P L –1 ) associated with floods. However, median (444 µg N L – 1 and 55 µg P L – 1 ) concentrations were relatively low compared with other parts of the world. The forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in streams varied seasonally, with greater proportions of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus during the wet season. Minimum nutrient concentrations were found 2—3 months after flood discharge. With the onset of the dry season, concentration increases were attributed to point sources and low river discharge. There were statistically significant relationships between geology and water quality and nutrient concentrations increased downstream and were significantly related to population density and dairy farming. In spite of varying geology and naturally higher phosphorus in soils and rocks in parts of the catchment, anthropogenic impacts had the greatest effects on water quality in the Richmond River catchment. Rainfall quality also appeared to be related both spatially and seasonally to human activity. Although the responses of the subtropical Richmond River catchment to changes in land use are similar to those of temperate systems of North America and Europe, the seasonal patterns appear to be more complex and perhaps typical of subtropical catchments dominated by agricultural land use.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-164
Author(s):  
U Kumar ◽  
JR Mitra ◽  
MY Mia

The study was conducted at Shyamnagar and Talaupazila of Satkhira district in Bangladesh to know about the soil salinity and its relation to other properties of soil in both dry and wet season and comparison the present status of soil between two upazilas. Electrical Conductivity (EC) value of the study area showed that yield of many crops can be restricted in dry season due to salinity. Mean EC was slightly saline (5.93 dsm-1) in dry season and non- saline (0.61 dsm-1) in wet season. Ranges of pH were slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (6.2 to 7.5) in dry season and slightly acidic to neutral (5.7 to 6.9) in wet season. pH values indicate it was suitable for crop production. Mean Organic Matter (OM) status was low in both seasons (1.5 % in dry season and 1.6 % in wet season). Mean total N status was very low (0.08 %) in dry season and low (0.10 %) in wet season. Mean status of P in the study areas was low (8.08 µgg-1 soil) in dry season and very low (4.98 µgg-1 soil) in wet season. Mean status of K, Ca, Mg, S and Zn were very high in both season of study area and this was may be due to excessive fertilizer use and inherent properties of soil in the agricultural land. Mean status of B was high in Tala in both season and in Shyamnagar was high in dry season and optimum in wet season. To test the significance of the pair of parameters p-value has been measured. Pearson’s correlations among the different parameters were done to identify the highly correlated and interrelated soil quality parameters. EC showed significant and positive correlation with Potassium, Sulphur and Zinc in dry season. Although chemical properties of soil at Shyamnagar and Talaupazila was not found similar and optimum level but it was found that the chemical properties of soil of wet season more suitable than the dry season because of soil salinity. Progressive Agriculture 30 (2): 157-164, 2019


Author(s):  
Hajar Taherisoudejani ◽  
Erica Racchetti ◽  
Fulvio Celico ◽  
Marco Bartoli

Water quality modeling is increasingly recognized as a useful tool for obtaining valuable information for optimal water quality management. In this study, the free software QUAL2Kw was used to evaluate the impacts of agricultural nitrogen (N) excess on river nitrate (NO3-N) concentrations. We explored the possibility to use QUAL2Kw in order to back calculate the exchange of water and N from the groundwater to the Oglio River, northern Italy, which drains a heavily irrigated and fertilized agricultural land. Along the river course water monitoring activities carried out in the dry, summer period revealed steep increases of NO3-N in different sectors, by up to 2 orders of magnitude, not explained by any significant point inputs. Such increases suggest the occurrence of large water exchange with nitrate-polluted groundwater and diffuse inputs. In turn, groundwater pollution is due to high N excess in the watershed (~200 kg N ha-1 yr-1), flood-based irrigation techniques and soil permeability. The QUAL2Kw model was calibrated using the average of 2 years' data collected in winter 2010 and 2011 and validated using the data of winter 2012. To minimize the error between simulation results and measured data, the constants of inorganic suspended solid (ISS), ammonium (NH4-N), nitrate and organic N were calibrated. The calibration and validation results showed a good correspondence between the calculated and measured values for most of water-quality variables. QUAL2Kw was then run separately with three years' summer data (2009, 2010 and 2011), and large gaps were found between the measured and predicted values of discharge, electrical conductivity, NO3-N and total N. Such gaps are discussed in terms of river-groundwater interactions, limited to the summer period and following irrigation by flooding, rise of the groundwater table and vertical transport of N. The gaps allowed to back calculate the volumes of water and the amount of N exchanged. The total load of NO3-N entering into the river from groundwater was estimated in 25.17, 25.63 and 29.89 ton per day for NO3-N in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively. Similar results were obtained in another study based on mass balance of N isotopes. The combination of experimental and QUAL2Kw modelled data proved to be a simple, low cost but effective tool in the estimation of NO3-N exchange between the surface and groundwater.


1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. K. Biswas ◽  
F. R. Higginson ◽  
I. Shannon

Intensive rural industry is developing rapidly in parts of inland Australia. The usually nutrient and salt rich effluent from these sources has traditionally been disposed to both land and water bodies. Since direct water discharge is no longer permitted, a challenge now exists when applying effluent to land especially where the rate of application exceeds crop requirements. Effluent of high volume and concentration of nutrients and/or salts can easily contaminate land and water resources. Predicting the optimum rate of land application of effluent is complicated by the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. This paper addresses the characteristics of effluents from various intensive rural industries and their potential environmental impacts when irrigated to agricultural land in New South Wales, Australia. To assess the environmental sustainability of effluent reuse in land application, a mathematical model (ERIM) has been developed based on a monthly water balance. ERIM includes historical rainfall and evaporation; the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus introduced; their yearly removal by plants to be grown; amount of applied organic matter; and water holding capacity of soil.


1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 257-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans E. Andersen ◽  
Brian Kronvang ◽  
Søren E. Larsen

An empirical leaching model was applied to data on agricultural practices at the field level within 6 small Danish agricultural catchments in order to document any changes in nitrogen (N) leaching from the root zone during the period 1989-96. The model calculations performed at normal climate revealed an average reduction in N-leaching that amounted to 30% in the loamy catchments and 9% in the sandy catchments. The reductions in N leaching could be ascribed to several improvements in agricultural practices during the study period: (i) regulations on livestock density; (ii) regulations on the utilisation of animal manure; (iii) regulations concerning application practices for manure. The average annual total N-loss from agricultural areas to surface water constituted only 54% of the annual average N leached from the root zone in the three loamy catchments and 17% in the three sandy catchments. Thus, subsurface N-removal processes are capable of removing large amounts of N leached from agricultural land. An empirical model for the annual diffuse N-loss to streams from small catchments is presented. The model predicts annual N-loss as a function of the average annual use of mineral fertiliser and manure in the catchment and the total annual runoff from the unsaturated zone.


Author(s):  
Betina Nørgaard Pedersen ◽  
Bent T. Christensen ◽  
Luca Bechini ◽  
Daniele Cavalli ◽  
Jørgen Eriksen ◽  
...  

Abstract The plant availability of manure nitrogen (N) is influenced by manure composition in the year of application whereas some studies indicate that the legacy effect in following years is independent of the composition. The plant availability of N in pig and cattle slurries with variable contents of particulate matter was determined in a 3-year field study. We separated cattle and a pig slurry into liquid and solid fractions by centrifugation. Slurry mixtures with varying proportions of solid and liquid fraction were applied to a loamy sand soil at similar NH4+-N rates in the first year. Yields and N offtake of spring barley and undersown perennial ryegrass were compared to plots receiving mineral N fertilizer. The first year N fertilizer replacement value (NFRV) of total N in slurry mixtures decreased with increasing proportion of solid fraction. The second and third season NFRV averaged 6.5% and 3.8% of total N, respectively, for cattle slurries, and 18% and 7.5% for pig slurries and was not related to the proportion of solid fraction. The estimated net N mineralization of residual organic N increased nearly linearly with growing degree days (GDD) with a rate of 0.0058%/GDD for cattle and 0.0116%/GDD for pig slurries at 2000–5000 GDD after application. In conclusion NFRV of slurry decreased with increasing proportion of solid fraction in the first year. In the second year, NFRV of pig slurry N was significantly higher than that of cattle slurry N and unaffected by proportion between solid and liquid fraction.


Author(s):  
Subin Kalu ◽  
Gboyega Nathaniel Oyekoya ◽  
Per Ambus ◽  
Priit Tammeorg ◽  
Asko Simojoki ◽  
...  

AbstractA 15N tracing pot experiment was conducted using two types of wood-based biochars: a regular biochar and a Kon-Tiki-produced nutrient-enriched biochar, at two application rates (1% and 5% (w/w)), in addition to a fertilizer only and a control treatment. Ryegrass was sown in pots, all of which except controls received 15N-labelled fertilizer as either 15NH4NO3 or NH415NO3. We quantified the effect of biochar application on soil N2O emissions, as well as the fate of fertilizer-derived ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) in terms of their leaching from the soil, uptake into plant biomass, and recovery in the soil. We found that application of biochars reduced soil mineral N leaching and N2O emissions. Similarly, the higher biochar application rate of 5% significantly increased aboveground ryegrass biomass yield. However, no differences in N2O emissions and ryegrass biomass yields were observed between regular and nutrient-enriched biochar treatments, although mineral N leaching tended to be lower in the nutrient-enriched biochar treatment than in the regular biochar treatment. The 15N analysis revealed that biochar application increased the plant uptake of added nitrate, but reduced the plant uptake of added ammonium compared to the fertilizer only treatment. Thus, the uptake of total N derived from added NH4NO3 fertilizer was not affected by the biochar addition, and cannot explain the increase in plant biomass in biochar treatments. Instead, the increased plant biomass at the higher biochar application rate was attributed to the enhanced uptake of N derived from soil. This suggests that the interactions between biochar and native soil organic N may be important determinants of the availability of soil N to plant growth.


2011 ◽  
Vol 347-353 ◽  
pp. 2302-2307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Xiang Wang ◽  
Yi Shi ◽  
Jian Ma ◽  
Cai Yan Lu ◽  
Xin Chen

A field experiment was conducted to study the characteristics of non-point source nitrogen (N) in the surface runoff from sloping croplands and the influences of rainfall and cropland slope gradient. The results showed that dissolved total N (DTN) was the major form of N in the runoff, and the proportion occupied by dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) ranged from 45% to 85%. The level of NH4+-N was generally higher than the level of NO3--N, and averaged at 2.50 mg·L-1and 1.07 mg·L-1respectively. DIN was positively correlated with DTN (R2=0.962). Dissolved organic N (DON) presented a moderate seasonal change and averaged at 1.40 mg·L-1. Rainfall amount and rainfall intensity significantly affected the components of DTN in the runoff. With the increase of rainfall amount and rainfall intensity, the concentrations of DTN, NH4+-N and NO3--N presented a decreased trend, while the concentration of DON showed an increased trend. N loss went up with an increase in the gradient of sloping cropland, and was less when the duration was longer from the time of N fertilization.fertilization.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document