Title: | Modeling nutrient load changes from fertilizer application scenarios in six catchments around the Baltic Sea |
Authors: | Thodsen, H., C. Farkas, J. Chormanski, D. Trolle, G. Blicher-Mathiesen, R. Grant, A. Engebretsen, I. Kardel and H.E. Andersen |
Year: | 2017 |
Journal: | Agriculture |
Volume (Issue): | 7(5) |
Pages: | |
Article ID: | 41 |
DOI: | 10.3390/agriculture7050041 |
URL (non-DOI journals): | |
Model: | SWAT |
Broad Application Category: | hydrologic and pollutant |
Primary Application Category: | nitrogen cycling/loss and transport |
Secondary Application Category: | sensitivity analysis |
Watershed Description: | 1059 km^2 Odense River in Denmark, 6,721 km^2 Parmu River in Estonia, 6,142 km^2 Nevezis in Lithuania, 1,539 km^2 Plonia in Poland, 18,108 km^2 Kalix River in Sweden, and 21,812 km^2 Norrstrom River in Sweden; all of which drain to the Baltic Sea. |
Calibration Summary: | |
Validation Summary: | |
General Comments: | |
Abstract: | The main environmental stressor of the Baltic Sea is elevated riverine nutrient loads, mainly
originating from diffuse agricultural sources. Agricultural practices, intensities, and nutrient losses
vary across the Baltic Sea drainage basin (1.75 × 106 km2
, 14 countries and 85 million inhabitants).
Six “Soil and Water Assessment Tool” (SWAT) models were set up for catchments representing the
major agricultural systems, and covering the different climate gradients in the Baltic Sea drainage
basin. Four fertilizer application scenarios were run for each catchment to evaluate the sensitivity of
changed fertilizer applications. Increasing sensitivity was found for catchments with an increasing
proportion of agricultural land use and increased amounts of applied fertilizers. A change in chemical
fertilizer use of ±20% was found to affect watershed NO3-N loads between zero effect and ±13%,
while a change in manure application of ±20% affected watershed NO3-N loads between zero effect
and −6% to +7%. |
Language: | English |
Keywords: | agricultural management scenarios; Baltic Sea; environmental modelling; SWAT |