Naslov
Agricultural impact on groundwater vulnerability to nitrate in northern Croatia

Autori
Bubalo, Marina ; Romić, Davor ; Zovko, Monika ; Kuspilić, Neven

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Book of Abstracts 4th CASEE Conference "Food and Biomass Production - Basis for a Sustainable Rural Development" / Milan Mesić - Zagreb : Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, 2013, 22-22

ISBN
978-953-7878-07-8

Skup
4th CASEE Conference "Food and Biomass Production - Basis for a Sustainable Rural Development"

Mjesto i datum
Zagreb, Hrvatska, 01.07.2013. - 03.07.2013

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
agricultural impact; groundwater vulnerability; nitrate; soil

Sažetak
There is very high emphasis on environment protection in all social segments, but especially in agriculture since it is one of the main sources of various pollutions. To reduce present and prevent potential additional water pollution as a consequence of agricultural production, European Union has adopted legislation The Nitrate Directive and designation of nitrate vulnerable zones based on results of continuous water monitoring. Besides physiography, as well as hydrological characteristics of an area, land use and differences in agricultural practices have a significant impact on potential N losses. One of the region identified as highly vulnerable to nitrogen losses in northwestern Croatia is Varaždin County, heavily impacted agricultural region (out of the total county 59% is agricultural land). Hence, the main objective of this paper is to assess agricultural impact on groundwater nitrates vulnerability according to on-going integrated soil and water monitoring program. In order to monitor groundwater pollution caused by agricultural production, 10 piezometers were installed (2006) in research area. Product of continuously collected 4-years results was designation of vulnerable (VZ) and preliminary vulnerable (PVZ) zones in Varaždin County. Analysis of two land use databases: Croatian national system of land parcels identification and land use records (ARKOD) and CORINE Land Cover 2006 (CLC 2006) for Croatia showed that 30, 6% of Varaždin County is within VZ and 20, 7% within PVZ. There are differences in agricultural land use data according to ARKOD and CLC 2006, respectively 37, 4% and 65, 7%, but according to both databases, the most significant segment of agricultural production in defined zones is in average 80% on arable land. Whereas the nitrate vulnerability in northern part of Varaždin County was obvious, nitrogen balancing for 1 m deep soil profile was conducted twice a year since 2009 on three plots (Družbinec) with mineral fertilization. Analysis results in dry soil from selected plots show that there is total of 100-113 kg/ha of residual nitrogen in soil profile in November, which can be easily, by rainfall, leached to deeper layers and groundwater. In 2011 sets of three field lysimetres were installed on additional agricultural parcels with different production systems on different soil types in order to more precisely define connection between certain agricultural practice and groundwater nitrate pollution. The average value of NO3-N in water samples from the Hrastovsko location (in PVZ) is 7, 5 mg/l, which is below maximum allowed concentration (MAC) of 10 mg NO3- N/l and average of NO3-N concentration at Greda location (in VZ) is 36 mg NO3-N/l, which exceeds MAC almost 4 times. The results confirm groundwater nitrate vulnerability on two different levels in Varaždin County and they are very much consistent with each other. Soil and water analysis results show that production which uses mineral fertilizers (Greda and Družbinec locations) has higher impact on groundwater nitrate pollution than production using manure (Hrastovsko). Stated shows that mitigation of intensive agricultural production effects in water protection zones can be enhanced with changes in agricultural management strategies.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Geologija, Poljoprivreda (agronomija)

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