Abstract
In the context of declining water quality, the threat of nonpoint source pollution (NSP) to aquatic habitats and species is a well-recognized phenomenon. The recognition of NSP continues to grow as legal regulatory practices as well as public and scientific awareness of this source of pollution increase. Agricultural runoff from farms and fields often contains various contaminants such as pesticides, fertilizers, pathogens, sediments, salts, trace metals, and substances that contribute to changes in biological oxygen demand. Farmers and growers releasing agricultural runoff are increasingly required to implement water-quality regulations and management practices to reduce NSP. Constructed or restored shelterbelts and natural peatlands can be two of the many best management practices farmers can use to address this problem. We compared the barrier efficiency of the agricultural landscape elements, i.e., a shelterbelt of various plant compositions and a peatland, to control the spread of NSP in groundwater between ecosystems. In agricultural areas with high water tables, biogeochemical barriers in the form of shelterbelts and peatlands can remove or retain many groundwater pollutants from agricultural runoff with careful planning and management.
Highlights
Nonpoint source pollution (NSP) is a global problem affecting the safety of our drinking water supply, aquatic habitats and groundwater
Groundwater samples were collected from April to October, once a month, for three years, from the three wells located in shelterbelt: S0, S1, S2 (Figure 1C) and from three wells on peatland: P0, P1 and P2 (Figure 1D)
The results showed that the lowest concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were determined in groundwater samples in P0 and S1 points (Figures 4 and 5)
Summary
Nonpoint source pollution (NSP) is a global problem affecting the safety of our drinking water supply, aquatic habitats and groundwater. Shelterbelts and peatlands in the agricultural landscape fulfill significant positive functions, as geochemical barriers, by reducing soil erosion from wind and protecting plants from wind-related damage [20,21] They improve the microclimate for agricultural production and are able to counteract or minimize the effect of extreme climatic or weather phenomena ( low and high temperatures) [22]. Plant cover increases infiltration rates by slowing runoff, which is of particular importance, against water eutrophication with a high level of fertilization in cultivated fields Those barriers limit the spread of chemical compounds in the agricultural landscape between ecosystems, control matter cycling and protect an accumulation of toxic chemicals, and threats [24,25].
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