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Sandström S, Lannergård EE, Futter MN, Djodjic F. Water quality in a large complex catchment: Significant effects of land use and soil type but limited ability to detect trends. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 349:119500. [PMID: 37951108 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Globally, significant societal resources are devoted to mitigating negative effects of eutrophication from excessive phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) loading. Potential effectiveness of mitigation measures and possible confounding factors are often assessed using studies conducted in headwater catchments. However, success is often evaluated based on trends in river mouth water chemistry. It is not clear how transferrable insights from headwater catchments are to larger rivers. Here, relationships between P and suspended solids (SS) identified in small agricultural headwater catchments were applied to 30 larger, mixed land use catchments draining into Mälaren, a Swedish great lake. Relationships identified in headwater streams between SS concentration, catchment agricultural land percentage and arable land clay content were corroborated for the larger catchments (R2 = 0.59, p-value<0.001. The same was true for connections between SS and particulate P (R2 = 0.74, p-value<0.001). This study highlights the importance of agricultural land, clay content and SS for P transport, on both smaller headwater as well as larger catchment scales, supporting the use of headwater findings on larger, management relevant scales. Consequently, these relationships should be used to target mitigation measures to reduce SS and P losses. To explore the effectiveness of mitigation measures on water quality, we assessed long-term (20 year) trends in tributary water quality and compared these trends to the amount of mitigation measures implemented in the catchment. Overall improving trends were detected using regional Mann Kendall tests, but few decreasing trends in nutrient concentrations were found for individual sites using Generalized Additive Models (GAM). The lack of significant trends and identifiable connections to amount of mitigation measures implemented could be due to several reasons, e.g. insufficient time for recently implemented measures to have an effect, ongoing release of legacy P as well as low areal coverage and poor spatial placement of implemented measures. In addition, trend detection requires large amounts of data and the results should be carefully interpreted and communicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Sandström
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO-Box 7050, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Emma E Lannergård
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO-Box 7050, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martyn N Futter
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO-Box 7050, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Faruk Djodjic
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO-Box 7050, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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Hambäck PA, Dawson L, Geranmayeh P, Jarsjö J, Kačergytė I, Peacock M, Collentine D, Destouni G, Futter M, Hugelius G, Hedman S, Jonsson S, Klatt BK, Lindström A, Nilsson JE, Pärt T, Schneider LD, Strand JA, Urrutia-Cordero P, Åhlén D, Åhlén I, Blicharska M. Tradeoffs and synergies in wetland multifunctionality: A scaling issue. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 862:160746. [PMID: 36513236 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Wetland area in agricultural landscapes has been heavily reduced to gain land for crop production, but in recent years there is increased societal recognition of the negative consequences from wetland loss on nutrient retention, biodiversity and a range of other benefits to humans. The current trend is therefore to re-establish wetlands, often with an aim to achieve the simultaneous delivery of multiple ecosystem services, i.e., multifunctionality. Here we review the literature on key objectives used to motivate wetland re-establishment in temperate agricultural landscapes (provision of flow regulation, nutrient retention, climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation and cultural ecosystem services), and their relationships to environmental properties, in order to identify potential for tradeoffs and synergies concerning the development of multifunctional wetlands. Through this process, we find that there is a need for a change in scale from a focus on single wetlands to wetlandscapes (multiple neighboring wetlands including their catchments and surrounding landscape features) if multiple societal and environmental goals are to be achieved. Finally, we discuss the key factors to be considered when planning for re-establishment of wetlands that can support achievement of a wide range of objectives at the landscape scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- P A Hambäck
- Dept of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - L Dawson
- School of Forest Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
| | - P Geranmayeh
- Dept of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J Jarsjö
- Dept of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - I Kačergytė
- Dept of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Peacock
- Dept of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; Dept of Geography and Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK
| | - D Collentine
- Dept of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - G Destouni
- Dept of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Futter
- Dept of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - G Hugelius
- Dept of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - S Hedman
- The Rural Economy and Agricultural Society, Eldsberga, Sweden
| | - S Jonsson
- Dept of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - B K Klatt
- The Rural Economy and Agricultural Society, Eldsberga, Sweden; Dept of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - A Lindström
- National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J E Nilsson
- Dept of Environmental and Biosciences, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden; Dept of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - T Pärt
- Dept of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - L D Schneider
- The Rural Economy and Agricultural Society, Eldsberga, Sweden
| | - J A Strand
- The Rural Economy and Agricultural Society, Eldsberga, Sweden
| | | | - D Åhlén
- Dept of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - I Åhlén
- Dept of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Blicharska
- Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, Dept of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Djodjic F, Geranmayeh P, Collentine D, Markensten H, Futter M. Cost effectiveness of nutrient retention in constructed wetlands at a landscape level. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 324:116325. [PMID: 36162315 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116325] [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: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Since 1990, over 13 000 ha of constructed wetlands (CWs) have been implemented to increase biodiversity and reduce nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loads to Swedish waters. Despite the considerable number of CWs and ambitious investments planned for the coming three years, there is limited follow up of cost-efficiency of catchment- and landscape-scale nutrient retention by existing CWs. Such follow up evaluation could provide clear guidance regarding optimal size and location of future CWs. We present a three-step modelling approach to assess cost-efficiency of 233 CWs in two Swedish regions (East, 4321 km2, and West, 916 km2). Modelled nutrient retention in CWs was predominantly low, especially in the East, due to their suboptimal location in catchments, e.g., with inadequate upstream areas (low hydraulic loads) and/or low share of arable land (low nutrient loads). Suboptimal location of CWs generates both higher than necessary costs and low area-specific nutrient retention, leading to low cost-efficiency. Some high cost-efficiency CWs were identified, especially for N retention in the West. To increase their cost-efficiency, continued investments in CWs require clear guidance and instructions. To achieve optimal placement, both CW site and size in relation to incoming hydraulic and nutrient loads must be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Djodjic
- The Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, SLU, P.O. Box 7050, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - P Geranmayeh
- The Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, SLU, P.O. Box 7050, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - D Collentine
- The Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, SLU, P.O. Box 7050, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - H Markensten
- The Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, SLU, P.O. Box 7050, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Futter
- The Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, SLU, P.O. Box 7050, SE-75007, Uppsala, Sweden
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Nitrogen Removal from Agricultural Subsurface Drainage by Surface-Flow Wetlands: Variability. Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9010156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Agriculture has long been considered a great source of nitrogen (N) to surface waters and a major cause of eutrophication. Thus, management practices at the farm-scale have since attempted to mitigate the N losses, although often limited in tile-drained agricultural catchments, which speed up the N transport, while minimizing natural removal in the landscape. In this context, surface-flow constructed wetlands (SFWs) have been particularly implemented as an edge-of-field strategy to intercept tile drains and reduce the N loads by re-establishing ecosystems services of previously drained water ponded areas. These systems collect the incoming water volumes in basins sufficiently large to prolong the hydraulic residence time to a degree where biogeochemical processes between the water, soil, sediments, plants, macro and microorganisms can mediate the removal of N. Despite their documented suitability, great intra and inter-variability in N treatment is still observed to date. Therefore, it is essential to thoroughly investigate the driving factors behind performance of SFWs, in order to support their successful implementation according to local catchment characteristics, and ensure compliance with N removal goals. This review contextualizes the aforementioned issue, and critically evaluates the influence of hydrochemistry, hydrology and biogeochemistry in the treatment of N by SFWs.
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Martens M, Karlsson NPE, Ehde PM, Mattsson M, Weisner SEB. The greenhouse gas emission effects of rewetting drained peatlands and growing wetland plants for biogas fuel production. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 277:111391. [PMID: 33049611 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are receiving increased attention among governmental and commercial actors. In recent years, the interest in paludiculture, i.e. the use of rewetted peatlands, has grown because of its potential to reduce GHG emissions by stopping soil decomposition. Moreover, cultivating wetland plants on rewetted peatlands for bioenergy production that replaces fossil fuels in the transport sector, can contribute to additional GHG emission reductions. In this study, an analysis of literature data was conducted to obtain data on GHG emissions (CO2 and CH4) and biomass production from rewetted peatlands cultivated with two different wetland plant species: Phragmites australis (Pa) and Typha latifolia (Tl). In addition, a biogas experiment was carried out to investigate the biomethane yield of Pa and Tl biomass, and the reduction of global warming potential (GWP) by using biomethane as vehicle fuel. The results show that peatland rewetting can be an important measure to mitigate the GWP as it reduces GHG emissions from the soil, particularly on a 100-year timescale but also to some extent on a 20-year timescale. More specifically, rewetting of 1 km2 of peatland can result in a GWP reduction corresponding to the emissions from ±2600 average sized petrol cars annually. Growing Pa on rewetted peatlands reduces soil GHG emissions more than growing Tl, but Pa and Tl produced similar amounts of biomass and biomethane per land area. Our study concludes that Pa, because of a more pronounced GWP reduction, is the most suitable wetland plant to cultivate after peatland rewetting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireille Martens
- Water Technology Group, HZ University of Applied Sciences, Vlissingen, the Netherlands
| | - Niklas P E Karlsson
- Rydberg Laboratory of Applied Sciences, School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.
| | - Per Magnus Ehde
- Rydberg Laboratory of Applied Sciences, School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Marie Mattsson
- Rydberg Laboratory of Applied Sciences, School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Stefan E B Weisner
- Rydberg Laboratory of Applied Sciences, School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
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Djodjic F, Geranmayeh P, Markensten H. Optimizing placement of constructed wetlands at landscape scale in order to reduce phosphorus losses. AMBIO 2020; 49:1797-1807. [PMID: 32918721 PMCID: PMC7502644 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01349-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are one of the main countermeasures to reduce diffuse phosphorus (P) losses, but there is still a lack of systematic guidance accounting for spatially variable effects of hydraulic and P load on P retention. We present a three-step modelling approach for determining suitable placement of CWs in four different size groups (0.1-1.0 ha), based on incoming hydraulic and P load. The modelled hypothetical CW area was only 17% of that previously estimated and area of efficient CWs is even lower. The mean area-specific P retention increased with CW size. However, the spatial variation in retention was large for all size groups and largest (6-155 kg ha-1 year-1) for the smallest CWs due to highly variable incoming P loads, showing the possible benefits of targeted placement of CWs. The presented modelling approach has also flexibility to include and account for possible future changes in land cover and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faruk Djodjic
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjälmsv. 9, P.O. Box 7050, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pia Geranmayeh
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjälmsv. 9, P.O. Box 7050, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hampus Markensten
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lennart Hjälmsv. 9, P.O. Box 7050, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
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7
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Chan KMA, Satterfield T. The maturation of ecosystem services: Social and policy research expands, but whither biophysically informed valuation? PEOPLE AND NATURE 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kai M. A. Chan
- Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability The University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Terre Satterfield
- Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability The University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
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Nilsson JE, Liess A, Ehde PM, Weisner SEB. Mature wetland ecosystems remove nitrogen equally well regardless of initial planting. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 716:137002. [PMID: 32036131 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Josefin E Nilsson
- Rydberg Laboratory for Applied Sciences, Halmstad University, 301 18 Halmstad, Sweden.
| | - Antonia Liess
- Rydberg Laboratory for Applied Sciences, Halmstad University, 301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Per Magnus Ehde
- Rydberg Laboratory for Applied Sciences, Halmstad University, 301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Stefan E B Weisner
- Rydberg Laboratory for Applied Sciences, Halmstad University, 301 18 Halmstad, Sweden
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Catchment-Scale Analysis Reveals High Cost-Effectiveness of Wetland Buffer Zones as a Remedy to Non-Point Nutrient Pollution in North-Eastern Poland. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12030629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale re-establishment of wetland buffer zones (WBZ) along rivers is regarded as an effective measure in order to reduce non-point source nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollution in agricultural catchments. We estimated efficiency and costs of a hypothetical establishment of WBZs along all watercourses in an agricultural landscape of the lower Narew River catchment (north-eastern Poland, 16,444 km2, amounting to 5% of Poland) by upscaling results obtained in five sub-catchments (1087 km2). Two scenarios were analysed, with either rewetting selected wetland polygons that collect water from larger areas (polygonal WBZs) or reshaping and rewetting banks of rivers (linear WBZs), both considered in all ecologically suitable locations along rivers. Cost calculation included engineering works necessary in order to establish WBZs, costs of land purchase where relevant, and compensation costs of income forgone to farmers (needed only for polygonal WBZs). Polygonal WBZs were estimated in order to remove 11%–30% N and 14%–42% P load from the catchment, whereas linear WBZs were even higher with 33%–82% N and 41%–87% P. Upscaled costs of WBZ establishment for the study area were found to be 8.9 M EUR plus 26.4 M EUR per year (polygonal WBZ scenario) or 170.8 M EUR (linear WBZ scenario). The latter value compares to costs of building about 20 km of an express road. Implementation of buffer zones on a larger scale is thus a question of setting policy priorities rather than financial impossibility.
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Effects of Water Depth and Phosphorus Availability on Nitrogen Removal in Agricultural Wetlands. WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w11122626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Excess nitrogen (N) from agricultural runoff is a cause of pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Created free water surface (FWS) wetlands can be used as buffering systems to lower the impacts of nutrients from agricultural runoff. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate critical factors for N removal in FWS wetlands receiving high nitrate (NO3−) loads from agriculture. The study was performed in 12 experimental FWS wetlands in southern Sweden, receiving drainage water from an agricultural field area. The effects of water depth (mean depth of 0.4 m and 0.6 m, respectively) and phosphorus (P) availability (with or without additional P load) were investigated from July to October. The experiment was performed in a two-way design, with three wetlands of each combination of depth and P availability. The effects of P availability on the removal of NO3− and total N were strongly significant, with higher absolute N removal rates per wetland area (g m−2 day−1) as well as temperature-adjusted first-order area-based removal rate coefficients (Kat) in wetlands with external P addition compared to wetlands with no addition. Further, higher N removal in deep compared to shallow wetlands was indicated by statistically significant differences in Kat. The results show that low P availability may limit N removal in wetlands receiving agricultural drainage water. Furthermore, the results support that not only wetland area but also wetland volume may be important for N removal. The results have implications for the planning, location, and design of created wetlands in agricultural areas.
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