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Kučera A, Vavříček D, Volařík D, Samec P, Úradníček L. Wooded biocorridors substantially improve soil properties in low-altitude rural benchlands. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24381. [PMID: 38312539 PMCID: PMC10835163 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
This study examines soil properties in 30- and 60-year-old agricultural biocorridors and provides a comparative overview with neighbouring farmland. Both mixed and undisturbed soil samples were collected from six farmland/biocorridor study areas to assess a wide spectrum of physical, hydrophysical, chemical and biological soil properties. Biocorridor soils were characterised by higher water retention capacities, porosity, aeration and soil carbon stock, the latter increasing with depth. On the other hand, biocorridor bulk density under forest vegetation cover was lower, indicating progressive soil restoration. Slightly lower soil reactions in biocorridor soils disproved the hypothesis that nutrient-rich soils under biocorridors would form substrates with a high base cation content, leading to soil acidification. Biological activity, expressed through respiration coefficients, was generally low due to unfavourable physical conditions (clayey or silty-clay substrates), with the lowest levels in biocorridors. Nevertheless, biocorridor soil microbiota displayed more effective utilisation of organic matter as a carbon and nitrogen source, with lighter-textured soils tending to show more effective organic matter utilisation after excluding the influence of land use. Our results confirm biocorridors as an important landscape component, contributing to both soil stability and local revitalisation of soil environments and further emphasising their potential as climate-change mitigation tools in their role as carbon sinks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleš Kučera
- Department of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dušan Vavříček
- Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Volařík
- Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Samec
- Department of Geology and Soil Science, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Luboš Úradníček
- Department of Forest Botany, Dendrology and Geobiocoenology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
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2
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Severe E, Errigo IM, Proteau M, Sayedi SS, Kolbe T, Marçais J, Thomas Z, Petton C, Rouault F, Vautier C, de Dreuzy JR, Moatar F, Aquilina L, Wood RL, LaBasque T, Lécuyer C, Pinay G, Abbott BW. Deep denitrification: Stream and groundwater biogeochemistry reveal contrasted but connected worlds above and below. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 880:163178. [PMID: 37023812 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Excess nutrients from agricultural and urban development have created a cascade of ecological crises around the globe. Nutrient pollution has triggered eutrophication in most freshwater and coastal ecosystems, contributing to a loss in biodiversity, harm to human health, and trillions in economic damage every year. Much of the research conducted on nutrient transport and retention has focused on surface environments, which are both easy to access and biologically active. However, surface characteristics of watersheds, such as land use and network configuration, often do not explain the variation in nutrient retention observed in rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Recent research suggests subsurface processes and characteristics may be more important than previously thought in determining watershed-level nutrient fluxes and removal. In a small watershed in western France, we used a multi-tracer approach to compare surface and subsurface nitrate dynamics at commensurate spatiotemporal scales. We combined 3-D hydrological modeling with a rich biogeochemical dataset from 20 wells and 15 stream locations. Water chemistry in the surface and subsurface showed high temporal variability, but groundwater was substantially more spatially variable, attributable to long transport times (10-60 years) and patchy distribution of the iron and sulfur electron donors fueling autotrophic denitrification. Isotopes of nitrate and sulfate revealed fundamentally different processes dominating the surface (heterotrophic denitrification and sulfate reduction) and subsurface (autotrophic denitrification and sulfate production). Agricultural land use was associated with elevated nitrate in surface water, but subsurface nitrate concentration was decoupled from land use. Dissolved silica and sulfate are affordable tracers of residence time and nitrogen removal that are relatively stable in surface and subsurface environments. Together, these findings reveal distinct but adjacent and connected biogeochemical worlds in the surface and subsurface. Characterizing how these worlds are linked and decoupled is critical to meeting water quality targets and addressing water issues in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilee Severe
- Lancaster Environmental Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK; Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Isabella M Errigo
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA; Grupo de Investigación en Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Salud (BIOMAS), Facultad de Ingenierías y Ciencas Aplicadas, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Mary Proteau
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Sayedeh Sara Sayedi
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Tamara Kolbe
- Section of Hydrogeology and Hydrochemistry, Institute of Geology, Faculty of Geoscience, Geoengineering and Mining, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Jean Marçais
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAe), RiverLy, Centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Zahra Thomas
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAe), Sol Agro et Hydrosystème Spatialisation, UMR 1069, Agrocampus Ouest, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Christophe Petton
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - François Rouault
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAe), Sol Agro et Hydrosystème Spatialisation, UMR 1069, Agrocampus Ouest, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Camille Vautier
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France; Univ Rennes, CNRS, OSUR (Observatoire des sciences de l'univers de Rennes), UMS 3343, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Florentina Moatar
- RiverLy, INRAE, Centre de Lyon-Grenoble Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Lyon, France
| | - Luc Aquilina
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Rachel L Wood
- Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Thierry LaBasque
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
| | | | - Gilles Pinay
- Environnement, Ville & Société (EVS UMR5600), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Lyon, France
| | - Benjamin W Abbott
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.
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3
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López-Felices B, Aznar-Sánchez JA, Velasco-Muñoz JF, Mesa-Vázquez E. Installation of hedgerows around greenhouses to encourage biological pest control: Farmers' perspectives from Southeast Spain. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 323:116210. [PMID: 36108512 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The intensification of agriculture has led to the deterioration of various ecosystem services, including pest control. The installation of hedgerows around greenhouses is presented as a viable option to maintain and favour natural enemies of pests. Despite the economic and environmental advantages of this type of facility, farmers are reluctant to implement it. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the factors that influence the decision to install hedgerows and the most appropriate incentives to promote their establishment. This article analyses intensive agriculture in Southeastern Spain. The application of cluster analysis techniques allowed the detection of four types of farmers in relation to this practice. The factors that drive its installation are an increase in the effectiveness of biological control, a reduction in the use of pesticides and the possible economic and environmental benefits. As a barrier, a lack of knowledge of and confidence in the effectiveness of this practice stand out. Among the measures to encourage their installation, the most valued are training and advice and recurring payments for the ecosystem services generated. The results obtained can be useful for policy makers in regions in which the installation of non-crop vegetation is promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén López-Felices
- Department of Economy and Business, Research Centre on Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agrifood Biotechnology, University of Almería, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Jose A Aznar-Sánchez
- Department of Economy and Business, Research Centre on Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agrifood Biotechnology, University of Almería, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Juan F Velasco-Muñoz
- Department of Economy and Business, Research Centre on Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agrifood Biotechnology, University of Almería, 04120, Almería, Spain.
| | - Ernesto Mesa-Vázquez
- Department of Economy and Business, Research Centre on Mediterranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agrifood Biotechnology, University of Almería, 04120, Almería, Spain.
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4
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Liu H, Meng C, Wang Y, Liu X, Li Y, Li Y, Wu J. Multi-spatial scale effects of multidimensional landscape pattern on stream water nitrogen pollution in a subtropical agricultural watershed. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 321:115962. [PMID: 35987057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Multidimensional (coupled land use, soil properties, and topography) landscape effects on stream water nitrogen (N) are complex and scale-dependent. However, studies that identify critical buffer zones that explain large variations in riverine N, and estimate specific thresholds of multidimensional landscape patterns at the class level, result in a sudden changes in riverine N pollution, are still limited. Here, a new multidimensional landscape metric that combined land use, soil properties, and topography effects was applied to various riparian buffer zones and sub-watershed scales, and their relationships to riverine N levels were investigated. We used stream water ammonium-N, nitrate-N, and total-N concentrations datasets, from 2010 to 2017, in the nine subtropical sub-watersheds in China. The results of model selection and model averaging in ordinary least squares regressions, indicated that the riparian buffer zone with widths of 400 m, had more pronounced influence on water NH4-N and TN levels than at other scales. Within the 400 m buffer zone, the key landscape metrics for NH4-N, NO3-N and TN concentrations in stream water were different, and explained up to 43.35%-76.55% (adjusted R2) of the total variation in river N levels. When ENN_MNClass17 below 39-56 m, PDClass8 above 4.63-6.55 n/km2, PLANDClass27 above 23-29%, and CONTIG_MNClass42 below 0.35-0.37% within the 400 m buffer zone, riverine NH4-N and TN would be abruptly increased. This study provided practical ideas for regulation regarding landscape management linked to watershed structure, and identified reference thresholds for multidimensional landscape metrics, which should help reduce riverine N pollution in subtropical China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanyao Liu
- College of Resource and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Cen Meng
- Key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Wang
- College of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China.
| | - Xinliang Liu
- Key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Physics and Atmospheric Chemistry, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Yuyuan Li
- Key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jinshui Wu
- Key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, 410125, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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5
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Zhou J, Hu M, Liu M, Yuan J, Ni M, Zhou Z, Chen D. Combining the multivariate statistics and dual stable isotopes methods for nitrogen source identification in coastal rivers of Hangzhou Bay, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:82903-82916. [PMID: 35759093 PMCID: PMC9244199 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21116-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coastal rivers contributed the majority of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loads to coastal waters, often resulting in eutrophication and hypoxia zones. Accurate N source identification is critical for optimizing coastal river N pollution control strategies. Based on a 2-year seasonal record of dual stable isotopes ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) and water quality parameters, this study combined the dual stable isotope-based MixSIAR model and the absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model to elucidate N dynamics and sources in two coastal rivers of Hangzhou Bay. Water quality/trophic level indices indicated light-to-moderate eutrophication status for the studied rivers. Spatio-temporal variability of water quality was associated with seasonal agricultural, aquaculture, and domestic activities, as well as the seasonal precipitation pattern. The APCS-MLR model identified soil + domestic wastewater (69.5%) and aquaculture tailwater (22.2%) as the major nitrogen pollution sources. The dual stable isotope-based MixSIAR model identified soil N, aquaculture tailwater, domestic wastewater, and atmospheric deposition N contributions of 35.3 ±21.1%, 29.7 ±17.2%, 27.9 ±14.5%, and 7.2 ±11.4% to riverine [Formula: see text] in the Cao'e River (CER) and 34.4 ±21.3%, 29.5 ±17.2%, 27.4 ±14.7%, and 8.7 ±12.8% in the Jiantang River (JTR), respectively. The APCS-MLR model and the dual stable isotope-based MixSIAR model showed consistent results for riverine N source identification. Combining these two methods for riverine N source identifications effectively distinguished the mix-source components from the APCS-MLR method and alleviated the high cost of stable isotope analysis, thereby providing reliable N source apportionment results with low requirements for water quality sampling and isotope analysis costs. This study highlights the importance of soil N management and aquaculture tailwater treatment in coastal river N pollution control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhou
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Minpeng Hu
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Mei Liu
- Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Key Laboratory of Fish Health and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313001, China
| | - Julin Yuan
- Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Key Laboratory of Fish Health and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313001, China
| | - Meng Ni
- Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Key Laboratory of Fish Health and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313001, China
| | - Zhiming Zhou
- Agriculture Ministry Key Laboratory of Healthy Freshwater Aquaculture, Key Laboratory of Fish Health and Nutrition of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, Huzhou, 313001, China
| | - Dingjiang Chen
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang Province, China.
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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6
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Zhang Q, Shu W, Li F, Li M, Zhou J, Tian C, Liu S, Ren F, Chen G. Nitrate source apportionment and risk assessment: A study in the largest ion-adsorption rare earth mine in China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 302:119052. [PMID: 35227848 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate (NO3-) pollution in water bodies has received widespread attention, but studies on nitrogen transformation and pollution risk assessment are still limited, especially in rare earth mining areas. In this study, surface and groundwater samples were collected from the largest rare earth mining site in southern China, and analyzed for the hydrochemical and stable isotopic characteristics. The results showed that the NO3- concentrations ranged from 1.61 to 453.11 mg/L, with 35% of surface water and 53.3% of groundwater samples exceeding the WHO standard (i.e., 50 mg/L). Health risk assessment showed that 31.4% of the water samples had a moderate to high non-carcinogenic risk, and the high-risk areas were concentrated in rare earth mining regions. Additionally, adults were more vulnerable to the non-carcinogenic health risks than children. The high variability of δ15N-NO3- (from -6.43 to 17.09‰) and δ18O-NO3- (from -7.91 to 22.79‰) showed that NO3- was influenced by multiple nitrogen sources and transformation processes. Hydrochemistry and isotopic evidence further indicated that NO3- was primarily influenced by nitrification and hydraulic connection between surface and groundwater. The results of the Bayesian mixing model showed that about 70% of NO3- originated from mine drainage and soil N in the rare earth mining area, while more than 90% of NO3- originated from fertilizer, soil N, and manure and sewage in rural and urban areas in the middle and downstream. This study suggests reducing anthropogenic nitrogen discharge (e.g., leaching agents and fertilizer inputs) as the primary means of NO3- pollution control with biogeochemical processes (e.g., denitrification) to further reduce its pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Wang Shu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Sino-Danish College of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China; Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research, Beijing, 101408, China.
| | - Fadong Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Ming Li
- Appraisal Centre for Environmental and Engineering, Environmental Protection Ministry, Beijing, 100012, China.
| | - Jun Zhou
- Appraisal Centre for Environmental and Engineering, Environmental Protection Ministry, Beijing, 100012, China.
| | - Chao Tian
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Shanbao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Futian Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida A&M University (FAMU)-Florida State University (FSU) Joint College of Engineering, Tallahassee, FL, 32310, USA.
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7
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Webber ZR, Webber KGI, Rock T, St Clair I, Thompson C, Groenwald S, Aanderud Z, Carling GT, Frei RJ, Abbott BW. Diné citizen science: Phytoremediation of uranium and arsenic in the Navajo Nation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 794:148665. [PMID: 34218141 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mid-20th century mining in Naabeehó Bináhásdzo (Navajo Nation) polluted soil and groundwater with uranium and arsenic. The Diné and other indigenous residents of this region use groundwater for drinking, livestock, and irrigation, creating a serious environmental health risk. Currently, many individuals and communities on the Navajo Nation must purchase and transport treated water from hours away. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) preferentially take up uranium and arsenic, potentially representing a tool to remove these contaminants through on-site, low-cost phytoremediation. This study reports the results of a collaboration among researchers, high school students, teachers, and tribal leaders to analyze water chemistry and perform a phytoremediation experiment. In 2018 and 2019, we compiled existing data from the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency (NNEPA) and collected samples from surface and groundwater. We then used sunflower seedlings grown in local soil to assess whether phytoremediation could be effective at removing arsenic and uranium. For the NNEPA-sampled wells, 9.5% exceeded the maximum contaminant level for uranium (30 μg per liter) and 16% for arsenic (10 μg per liter). For the new samples, uranium was highest in surface pools, suggesting leaching from local soil. Unlike studies from humid regions, sunflowers did not decrease uranium and arsenic in soil water. Instead, there was no change in arsenic concentration and an increase in uranium concentration in both planted and control treatments, attributable to weathering of uranium-bearing minerals in the desert soil. Because much of global uranium mining occurs in arid and semiarid regions, the ineffectiveness of phytoremediation on the Navajo Nation emphasizes the importance of prevention and conventional remediation. More generally, the participatory science approach created meaningful relationships and an important collaboration between a tribal chapter and a university, providing both cultural and scientific experiential learning opportunities for Diné high school students, undergraduate researchers, and senior personnel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zak R Webber
- Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, 4105 LSB, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Kei G I Webber
- Brigham Young University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, C-104 BNSN, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Tommy Rock
- University of Utah Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, 391 Chipeta Way Suite C, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Isaac St Clair
- Brigham Young University, Department of Statistics, 223 TMCB, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Carson Thompson
- Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, 4105 LSB, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | | | - Zach Aanderud
- Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, 4105 LSB, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Gregory T Carling
- Brigham Young University, Department of Geological Sciences, S-389 ESC, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Rebecca J Frei
- University of Alberta, Department of Renewable Resources, 751 General Services Building University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Benjamin W Abbott
- Brigham Young University, Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, 4105 LSB, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
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8
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Vautier C, Kolbe T, Babey T, Marçais J, Abbott BW, Laverman AM, Thomas Z, Aquilina L, Pinay G, de Dreuzy JR. What do we need to predict groundwater nitrate recovery trajectories? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 788:147661. [PMID: 34034194 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate contamination affects many of the Earth's aquifers and surface waters. Large-scale predictions of groundwater nitrate trends normally require the characterization of multiple anthropic and natural factors. To assess different approaches for upscaling estimates of nitrate recovery, we tested the influence of hydrological, historical, and biological factors on predictions of future nitrate concentration in aquifers. We tested the factors with a rich hydrogeological dataset from a fractured bedrock catchment in western France (Brittany). A sensitivity analysis performed on a calibrated model of groundwater flow, denitrification, and nitrogen inputs revealed that trends in nitrate concentration can effectively be approximated with a limited number of key parameters. The total mass of nitrate that entered the aquifer since the beginning of the industrial period needs to be characterized, but the shape of the historical nitrogen input time series can be largely simplified without substantially altering the predictions. Aquifer flow and transport processes can be represented by the mean and standard deviation of the residence time distribution, offering a tractable tool to make reasonable predictions at watershed to regional scales. Apparent sensitivity to denitrification rate was primarily attributable to time lags in oxygen depletion, meaning that denitrification can be simplified to an on/off process, defined only by the time needed for nitrate to reach the hypoxic reactive layer. Obtaining these key parameters at large scales is still challenging with currently available information, but the results are promising regarding our future ability to predict nitrate concentration with integrated monitoring and modeling approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Vautier
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Tamara Kolbe
- Chair of Hydrogeology and Hydrochemistry, Faculty of Geoscience, Geoengineering and Mining, Institute of Geology, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, 09599 Freiberg, Germany
| | - Tristan Babey
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jean Marçais
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAe), RiverLy, Centre de Lyon-Villeurbanne, 69625 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Benjamin W Abbott
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | | | - Zahra Thomas
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAe), Sol Agro et Hydrosystème Spatialisation, UMR 1069, Agrocampus Ouest, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Luc Aquilina
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Gilles Pinay
- Environnement, Ville et Société, EVS, UMR5600 CNRS, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Raynald de Dreuzy
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, Géosciences Rennes, UMR 6118, 35000 Rennes, France; Univ Rennes, CNRS, OSUR (Observatoire des sciences de l'univers de Rennes), UMS 3343, 35000 Rennes, France.
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9
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Serra AA, Bittebière AK, Mony C, Slimani K, Pallois F, Renault D, Couée I, Gouesbet G, Sulmon C. Local-scale dynamics of plant-pesticide interactions in a northern Brittany agricultural landscape. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 744:140772. [PMID: 32711307 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Soil pollution by anthropogenic chemicals is a major concern for sustainability of crop production and of ecosystem functions mediated by natural plant biodiversity. Understanding the complex effects of soil pollution requires multi-level and multi-scale approaches. Non-target and agri-environmental plant communities of field margins and vegetative filter strips are confronted with agricultural xenobiotics through soil contamination, drift, run-off and leaching events that result from chemical applications. Plant-pesticide dynamics in vegetative filter strips was studied at field scale in the agricultural landscape of a long-term ecological research network in northern Brittany (France). Vegetative filter strips effected significant pesticide abatement between the field and riparian compartments. However, comparison of pesticide usage modalities and soil chemical analysis revealed the extent and complexity of pesticide persistence in fields and vegetative filter strips, and suggested the contribution of multiple sources (yearly carry-over, interannual persistence, landscape-scale contamination). In order to determine the impact of such persistence, plant dynamics was followed in experimentally-designed vegetative filter strips of identical initial composition (Agrostis stolonifera, Anthemis tinctoria/Cota tinctoria, Centaurea cyanus, Fagopyrum esculentum, Festuca rubra, Lolium perenne, Lotus corniculatus, Phleum pratense, Trifolium pratense). After homogeneous vegetation establishment, experimental vegetative filter strips underwent rapid changes within the following two years, with Agrostis stolonifera, Festuca rubra, Lolium perenne and Phleum pratense becoming dominant and with the establishment of spontaneous vegetation. Co-inertia analysis showed that plant dynamics and soil residual pesticides could be significantly correlated, with the triazole fungicide epoxiconazole, the imidazole fungicide prochloraz and the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam as strong drivers of the correlation. However, the correlation was vegetative-filter-strip-specific, thus showing that correlation between plant dynamics and soil pesticides likely involved additional factors, such as threshold levels of residual pesticides. This situation of complex interactions between plants and soil contamination is further discussed in terms of agronomical, environmental and health issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Antonella Serra
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Anne-Kristel Bittebière
- Université de Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Cendrine Mony
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Kahina Slimani
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Frédérique Pallois
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - David Renault
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Ivan Couée
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France.
| | - Gwenola Gouesbet
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Cécile Sulmon
- Univ Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)] - UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, F-35042 Rennes Cedex, France
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Hu M, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Dahlgren RA, Chen D. Coupling stable isotopes and water chemistry to assess the role of hydrological and biogeochemical processes on riverine nitrogen sources. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 150:418-430. [PMID: 30557828 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2018.11.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Accurate source identification is critical for optimizing water pollution control strategies. Although the dual stable isotope (15N-NO3-/18O-NO3-) approach has been widely applied for differentiating riverine nitrogen (N) sources, the relatively short-term (<1 yr) 15N-NO3-/18O-NO3- records typically used in previous studies often hinders rigorous assessment due to high temporal variability associated with watershed N dynamics. Estimated contributions of legacy N sources in soils and groundwater to riverine N export by modeling approaches in many previous studies also lack validation from complementary information, such as multiple stable isotopes. This study integrated three years of multiple stable isotope (15N-NO3-/18O-NO3- and 2H-H2O/18O-H2O) and hydrochemistry measurements for river water, groundwater and rainfall to elucidate N dynamics and sources in the Yongan watershed (2474 km2) of eastern China. Nonpoint source N pollution dominated and displayed considerable seasonal and spatial variability in N forms and concentrations. Information from δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3- indicated that riverine N dynamics were regulated by contributing sources, nitrification and denitrification, as well as hydrological processes. For the three examined catchments and entire watershed, slow subsurface and groundwater flows accounted for >75% of river discharge and were likely the major hydrological pathways for N delivery to the river. Riverine NO3- sources varied with dominant land use (p < 0.001), with the highest contributions of groundwater (60%), wastewater (35%), and soil (50%) occurring in agricultural, residential and forest catchments, respectively. For the entire watershed, groundwater (∼50%) and soil N (>30%) were the dominant riverine NO3- sources, implying considerable potential for N pollution legacy effects. Results were consistent with observed nitrous oxide dynamics and N sources identified in previous modeling studies. As the first attempt to apply multiple isotope tracers for exploring and quantifying N transformation and transport pathways, this study provides an integrated approach for verifying and understanding the N pollution legacy effects observed in many watersheds worldwide. This study highlights that river N pollution control in many watersheds requires particular attention to groundwater restoration and soil N management in addition to N input control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minpeng Hu
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Subtropical Soil and Plant Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanmei Liu
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yufu Zhang
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Randy A Dahlgren
- Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Dingjiang Chen
- College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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11
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Abstract
Although groundwater is a critical source of drinking water and irrigation, it has been polluted worldwide by agriculture, industry, and domestic activity. Because assessing groundwater quality and recovery rates is challenging, we developed a method for determining where and how quickly nitrate is removed in aquifers using just a few point measurements of groundwater chemistry. This methodology opens new avenues for characterizing catchment-scale nutrient dynamics, including nitrogen, carbon, and silica, with existing datasets for ecosystems around the globe. Understanding the subsurface structure of reactivity would also improve estimates of recovery time frames for polluted ecosystems and inform sustainable limits for anthropogenic activity. Biogeochemical reactions occur unevenly in space and time, but this heterogeneity is often simplified as a linear average due to sparse data, especially in subsurface environments where access is limited. For example, little is known about the spatial variability of groundwater denitrification, an important process in removing nitrate originating from agriculture and land use conversion. Information about the rate, arrangement, and extent of denitrification is needed to determine sustainable limits of human activity and to predict recovery time frames. Here, we developed and validated a method for inferring the spatial organization of sequential biogeochemical reactions in an aquifer in France. We applied it to five other aquifers in different geological settings located in the United States and compared results among 44 locations across the six aquifers to assess the generality of reactivity trends. Of the sampling locations, 79% showed pronounced increases of reactivity with depth. This suggests that previous estimates of denitrification have underestimated the capacity of deep aquifers to remove nitrate, while overestimating nitrate removal in shallow flow paths. Oxygen and nitrate reduction likely increases with depth because there is relatively little organic carbon in agricultural soils and because excess nitrate input has depleted solid phase electron donors near the surface. Our findings explain the long-standing conundrum of why apparent reaction rates of oxygen in aquifers are typically smaller than those of nitrate, which is energetically less favorable. This stratified reactivity framework is promising for mapping vertical reactivity trends in aquifers, generating new understanding of subsurface ecosystems and their capacity to remove contaminants.
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