Abstract
Phosphorus (P) runoff from agricultural sources is a recognized environmental problem, particularly in regions draining into Lake Erie. This problem may well be exacerbated particularly through increased magnitude and frequency of extreme climatic events (e.g., excessive precipitation and droughts). On the physical sciences side, the recent extensive literature focuses on structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) which have the potential to mitigate both surface and sub-subsurface P losses. Modeling studies show that there is still a lack of adoption of these P-related voluntary BMPs by the farmers. At the same time, and while the social sciences side of the literature on structural BMPs adoption weakly affirms the latter, this paper argues that the literature on resilience and on agricultural innovation can better inform our understanding of the limited adoption of phosphorus related structural BMPs by farmers in the Lake Erie Basin.
Highlights
Lake Erie is the southernmost of the five Laurentian Great Lakes that form a portion of the border between the USA and Canada
It analyzes the adoption of structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) that plays an important role in mitigating phosphorous runoff from croplands and livestock. It first starts by reviewing case studies that used modeling land management practices on watershed yields in relation to climate change to show that the adoption of structural BMPs is still limited
Ross et al [14] assessed the effectiveness of drainage water management (DWM), a type of structural BMP, on crop production in the United States using a multiple linear regression approach and concluded that DWM is effective in reducing water discharge and nutrient losses via tile drains
Summary
Precipitation patterns in the Lake Erie Basin are characterized by less frequent but more intense storms [9] Such intense events lead to higher nutrient runoff from agricultural lands, and increased overall nutrient loads to Lake Erie. The relevant agricultural region discussed in this paper is focused on Ontario as well as that part of the United States that border Lake Erie. It analyzes the adoption of structural BMPs that plays an important role in mitigating phosphorous runoff from croplands and livestock. It shows how the literatures on resilience and agricultural innovation can better inform us on the limited adoption of BMPs while bringing some insights to the issue
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