scholarly journals Modeling the impact of nitrate fertilizers on groundwater quality in the southern part of the Nile Delta, Egypt

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 561-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Galal Eltarabily ◽  
Abdelazim M. Negm ◽  
Chihiro Yoshimura ◽  
Oliver C. Saavedra
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Contamination ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Groundwater Modeling ◽  
Nile Delta ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Water Source ◽  
The Impact

The use of fertilizers in agriculture in Egypt, especially nitrogen, has increased significantly in the last decade, resulting in nonpoint contamination of the groundwater resources. This study investigated the effect of using nitrogen fertilizer on groundwater contamination with nitrate in the central southern part of the Nile Delta. NO3− concentrations in shallow groundwater were assessed based on the applied urea dose (the common nitrogen fertilizer used) in year 2014. A groundwater modeling system (GMS) comprising MODFLOW and MT3D was used to simulate the three-dimensional groundwater flow and NO3− transportation processes in El-Menoufia Governorate, located in the central region of the Nile Delta aquifer. Calibration for MODFLOW was conducted to match known head configurations to minimize the water balance differences. Calibration of MT3D was accomplished by fitting the model to the measured NO3− concentrations during the year 2014. The results highlighted areas of groundwater contamination by NO3−, which occurred at shallow depths (40 m) due to the significant loads of nitrogen fertilizer application and the flood irrigation method. While the results suggested one approach was to avoid using contaminated shallow groundwater as a water source, a more sustainable approach would be to implement best management practices to reduce and control the amount of nitrate leaching into the shallow groundwater system in the future.

1033 REDUCING NITROGEN FERTILIZER APPLICATIONS BY BALANCING THE NITROGEN SULFUR RATIO

HortScience ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 576d-576
Author(s):  
Ellen T. Paparozzi
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Contamination ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽  
Nutrient Balance ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Consumer Perceptions ◽  
Consumer Acceptance ◽  
Statistical Techniques ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Future Plans

Fertilizer particularly nitrogen is part of the concern about groundwater contamination. Many floricultural and ornamental plants do not need the high rates of nitrogen that are typically recommended. However, whenever one alters the quantity of a given nutrient the overall nutrient balance, as well as other physiological processes, changes. A brief overview of our research on poinsettias, roses, and chrysanthemums will be presented. Suggested ratios, critical S levels and nutrient problems associated with incorrect balances will be shared. Limitations due to statistical methods and the impact nutrient balance has on certain plant processes such as flowering and coloring and thus, consumer acceptance will be summarized. Future plans in this area may focus on the need for new statistical techniques, nutrient acquisition by roots and consumer perceptions of plant quality.

scholarly journals Assessing the Potential of Nontraditional Water Sources for Landscape Irrigation

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul I. Cabrera ◽  
James E. Altland ◽  
Genhua Niu
Keyword(s):  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Aesthetic Quality ◽  
The Impact

Scarcity and competition for good quality and potable water resources are limiting their use for urban landscape irrigation, with several nontraditional sources being potentially available for these activities. Some of these alternative sources include rainwater, stormwater, brackish aquifer water, municipal reclaimed water (MRW), air-conditioning (A/C) condensates, and residential graywater. Knowledge on their inherent chemical profile and properties, and associated regional and temporal variability, is needed to assess their irrigation quality and potential short- and long-term effects on landscape plants and soils and to implement best management practices that successfully deal with their quality issues. The primary challenges with the use of these sources are largely associated with high concentrations of total salts and undesirable specific ions [sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), boron (B), and bicarbonate (HCO3−) alkalinity]. Although the impact of these alternative water sources has been largely devoted to human health, plant growth and aesthetic quality, and soil physicochemical properties, there is emergent interest in evaluating their effects on soil biological properties and in natural ecosystems neighboring the urban areas where they are applied.

scholarly journals Perceived vulnerability and propensity to adopt best management practices for huanglongbing disease of citrus in California

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Garcia Figuera ◽  
Holly Deniston-Sheets ◽  
Elizabeth E Grafton-Cardwell ◽  
Bruce Babcock ◽  
Mark Lubell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Perceived Vulnerability ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Preventive Practices ◽  
Citrus Groves ◽  
Plant Disease Management ◽  
The Impact

Huanglongbing (HLB) disease of citrus, associated with the bacterium “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus”, is confined to residential properties in Southern California eight years after it was first detected in the state. To prevent the spread of HLB to commercial citrus groves, growers have been asked to adopt a portfolio of voluntary best management practices. This study evaluates the citrus industry’s propensity to adopt these practices using surveys and a novel multivariate ordinal regression model. We estimate the impact on adoption of perceived vulnerability to HLB, intentions to stay informed and communicate about the disease and various socio-economic factors, and reveal what practices are most likely to be jointly adopted as an integrated approach to HLB. Survey participants were in favor of scouting and surveying for HLB symptoms, but they were reluctant to test trees, use early detection technologies (EDTs) or install barriers around citrus groves. Most practices were perceived as complementary, particularly visual inspections and some combinations of preventive practices with tests and EDTs. Participants who felt more vulnerable to HLB had a higher propensity to adopt several practices, as well as those who intended to stay informed and communicate with the coordinators of the HLB control program, although this effect was modulated by the perceived vulnerability to HLB. Communication with neighbors and the size of citrus operations also influenced practice adoption. Based on these results, we provide recommendations for outreach about HLB management in California and suggest future directions for research about the adoption of plant disease management practices.

scholarly journals The Role of Electric Power Sector in China’s Global Economic Expansion

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 188-202
Author(s):  
R. A. Epikhina
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Electricity Sector ◽  
Power Sector ◽  
Economic Expansion ◽  
The Impact

The article discusses some of the major characteristics and trends of China’s economic expansion in the global power industry. It argues that by investing in electricity infrastructure China creates prerequisites for long-term dominance in one of the key sectors in a number of countries and regions. Deals in the power sector are mainly implemented by state-owned companies and facilitated by state-owned financial institutions. In terms of structure and geography, foreign investment in the electricity sector is dominated by traditional types of generation in developing countries. However, China has been diversifying into renewables, nuclear power and grids and entering markets of the developed countries. The creation of a special international organization (GEIDCO) should facilitate its expansion in the electricity sector abroad. It is worth noting that foreign economic expansion plays an important role in supporting China’s slowing economy amid the transformation of its growth model. It allows China to adopt advanced technologies and best management practices in developed countries while forming alternative value chains, as well as promoting its own equipment and standards (especially in ultra-high voltage power transmission) in the developing countries. However, given the impact of the trade war, increasing securitization of the Chinese foreign investments, Chinese authorities’ control over capital outflows and the rising environmental concerns in developing countries, further expansion of the Chinese capital in the global electricity industry is likely to be held back, while competition from non-Chinese electricity companies is likely to grow.

scholarly journals Soil Temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain, Romania

1970 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David WEINDORF ◽  
Beatrix HAGGARD ◽  
Teodor RUSU ◽  
Horea CACOVEAN ◽  
Stephanie JOHNSON
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Annual Variation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Physicochemical Analysis ◽  
Slope Aspect ◽  
Best Management ◽  
Important Region ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
The Impact

The Transylvanian Plain, Romania is an important region for agronomic productivity. However, limited soils data and adoption of best management practices can hinder land productivity. Soil temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain were evaluated using a set of twenty datalogging stations positioned throughout the plain. Soil temperatures were monitored at the surface, 10 cm, 30 cm, and 50 cm, and soil moisture was monitored at 10 cm. Pedons were excavated, described, and sampled for physicochemical analysis. Preliminary results indicate that most soils of the Transylvanian Plain will have a mesic temperature regime. However, differences in seasonal warming and cooling trends across the plain were noted. These have important implications for planting recommendations. Some soils of the plain were noted to freeze at 50 cm, while others did not. Longer term study of temperatures of the Transylvanian Plain will average out annual variation in soil temperature and evaluate the impact of slope aspect, slope inclination, soil moisture, and physicochemical properties on soil temperatures.

scholarly journals Assessing the Impact of Best Management Practices in a Highly Anthropogenic and Ungauged Watershed Using the SWAT Model: A Case Study in the El Beal Watershed (Southeast Spain)

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrián López-Ballesteros ◽  
Javier Senent-Aparicio ◽  
Raghavan Srinivasan ◽  
Julio Pérez-Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Lagoon ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Check Dam ◽  
Best Management ◽  
The Impact

Best management practices (BMPs) provide a feasible solution for non-point source pollution problems. High sediment and nutrient yields without retention control result in environmental deterioration of surrounding areas. In the present study, the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model was developed for El Beal watershed, an anthropogenic and ungauged basin located in the southeast of Spain that drains into a coastal lagoon of high environmental value. The effectiveness of five BMPs (contour planting, filter strips, reforestation, fertilizer application and check dam restoration) was quantified, both individually and in combination, to test their impact on sediment and nutrient reduction. For calibration and validation processes, actual evapotranspiration (AET) data obtained from a remote sensing dataset called Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) were used. The SWAT model achieved good performance in the calibration period, with statistical values of 0.78 for Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE), 0.81 for coefficient of determination (R2), 0.58 for Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and 3.9% for percent bias (PBIAS), as well as in the validation period (KGE = 0.67, R2 = 0.83, NS = 0.53 and PBIAS = −25.3%). The results show that check dam restoration is the most effective BMP with a reduction of 90% in sediment yield (S), 15% in total nitrogen (TN) and 22% in total phosphorus (TP) at the watershed scale, followed by reforestation (S = 27%, TN = 16% and TP = 20%). All effectiveness values improved when BMPs were assessed in combination. The outcome of this study could provide guidance for decision makers in developing possible solutions for environmental problems in a coastal lagoon.

scholarly journals Impacts of Sea Level Rise and Groundwater Extraction Scenarios on Fresh Groundwater Resources in the Nile Delta Governorates, Egypt

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marmar Mabrouk ◽  
Andreja Jonoski ◽  
Gualbert H. P. Oude Essink ◽  
Stefan Uhlenbrook
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Nile Delta ◽  
Saline Water ◽  
Groundwater Resources ◽  
Salt Transport ◽  
Groundwater Extraction ◽  
Fresh Groundwater ◽  
The Impact

As Egypt’s population increases, the demand for fresh groundwater extraction will intensify. Consequently, the groundwater quality will deteriorate, including an increase in salinization. On the other hand, salinization caused by saltwater intrusion in the coastal Nile Delta Aquifer (NDA) is also threatening the groundwater resources. The aim of this article is to assess the situation in 2010 (since this is when most data is sufficiently available) regarding the available fresh groundwater resources and to evaluate future salinization in the NDA using a 3D variable-density groundwater flow model coupled with salt transport that was developed with SEAWAT. This is achieved by examining six future scenarios that combine two driving forces: increased extraction and sea level rise (SLR). Given the prognosis of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), the scenarios are used to assess the impact of groundwater extraction versus SLR on the seawater intrusion in the Delta and evaluate their contributions to increased groundwater salinization. The results show that groundwater extraction has a greater impact on salinization of the NDA than SLR, while the two factors combined cause the largest reduction of available fresh groundwater resources. The significant findings of this research are the determination of the groundwater volumes of fresh water, brackish, light brackish and saline water in the NDA as a whole and in each governorate and the identification of the governorates that are most vulnerable to salinization. It is highly recommended that the results of this analysis are considered in future mitigation and/or adaptation plans.

scholarly journals Review of attitudes and awareness in the agricultural industry to diffuse pollution issues

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Merrilees ◽  
A. Duncan
Keyword(s):  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Diffuse Pollution ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Agricultural Industry ◽  
Agricultural Enterprises ◽  
Farming Industry ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
The Impact

The Scottish Executive considers ‘Diffuse Pollution from Agricultural Enterprises’ as a priority issue over the next 5-10 years and recognises the need to improve knowledge transfer, advice and training amongst farmers, crofters, contractors and advisers. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency commissioned SAC to survey advisory staff on diffuse pollution issues, mitigation measures and delivery of environmental advice to the farming industry. This showed that the impact of agricultural diffuse pollution on the environment is considered a serious problem as is the future impact of legislation on farm business. There is an urgent requirement to raise advisers' awareness of environmental legislation and of mitigation measures. Advisers consider that farmers have limited awareness of diffuse pollution problems but those that do would consider the impact on the environment to be serious. There is a lack of knowledge on the effectiveness of pollution mitigation measures. Better technical information, supported by research, is required. This information is best conveyed to advisers via the internet, technical notes and directly by environmental specialists and delivered on to farmers by farm visits. Lack of funds prevents most farmers adopting best management practices and more than 80% of advisers consider that environmental advice should be free.

scholarly journals Pollution from non-oil sources in the river Nun downstream of Yenegoa Town, South-South Nigeria

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ifeanyichukwu Clinton Ezekwe ◽  
Ngozi Nma Odu ◽  
Ayibatonye Gasa
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Oil And Grease ◽  
Impact Of Urbanization ◽  
Waste Management Practices ◽  
Downstream Communities ◽  
The Impact

Levels of heavy metals (mercury, chromium, lead, cadmium and iron) in the water snail (Pilaovata) in the river nun downstream of Yenegoa Town, south-south Nigeria and other parameters (temperature, ph,turbidity, Total Dissolved Solids TDS, oil and grease) in the water column was investigated in an attempt to understand the impact of urbanization and poor waste management practices on downstream communities in non-oil impacted communities in the Niger delta of Nigeria. While mercury was very minute, iron and chromium where within standards for food in the snail, lead (26-27.4 mg/l), cadmium (12.11--12.16 mg/l) and arsenic (6.92-8.41mg/l) concentrations where above the standards for food sources. Turbidity in the water column was above recommended levels for drinking water, aesthetics and aquatic health. The study concludes that the area may also have lost its capacity to support good fish production, and the water source has become a dangerous source of food and water to inhabitants due to hydrocarbon and heavy metal concentrations. Government intervention and environmental education is recommended.

scholarly journals Water quality and management in the Australian pig industry

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (7) ◽  
pp. 637
Author(s):  
Louise Edwards ◽  
Helen Crabb
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Quality Of Water ◽  
Standard Quality ◽  
Pig Performance ◽  
The Impact

Context Water is the first nutrient and an essential component of all agricultural production systems. Despite its importance there has been limited research on water, and in particular, the impact of its availability, management and quality on production systems. Aims This research sought to describe the management and quality of water used within the Australian pig industry. Specifically, the water sources utilised, how water was managed and to evaluate water quality at both the source and the point of delivery to the pig. Methods Fifty-seven commercial piggeries across Australia participated in this study by completing a written survey on water management. In addition, survey participants undertook physical farm parameter measurements including collecting water samples. Each water sample was tested for standard quality parameters including pH, hardness, heavy metals and microbiological status. Key results Responses were received from 57 farms, estimated to represent at least 22% of ‘large’ pig herds. Bore water was the most common water source being utilised within the farms surveyed. Management practices and infrastructure delivering water from the source to the point of consumption were found to differ across the farms surveyed. Furthermore, water was regularly used as a delivery mechanism for soluble additives such as antibiotics. The quality of water at the source and point of consumption was found to be highly variable with many parameters, particularly pH, hardness, salinity, iron, manganese and microbiological levels, exceeding the acceptable standard. Conclusions In general, water quality did not appear to be routinely monitored or managed. As a result, farm managers had poor visibility of the potential negative impacts that inferior water quality or management may be having on pig production and in turn the economics of their business. Indeed, inferior water quality may impact the delivery of antibiotics and in turn undermine the industry’s antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Implications The study findings suggest that water quality represents a significant challenge to the Australian pig industry. Access to drinking water of an acceptable quality is essential for optimal pig performance, health and welfare but also to ensure farm to fork supply chain integrity, traceability and food safety.

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