title: Assessing the impacts of sustainable agricultural practices for water quality improvements in the Vouga catchment (Portugal) using the SWAT model.
abstract: The extensive use of fertilizers has become one of the most challenging environmental issues in agricultural catchment areas. In order to reduce the negative impacts from agricultural activities and to accomplish the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive we must consider the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. In this study, we assess sustainable agricultural practices based on reductions in N-fertilizer application rates (from 100% to 0%) and N-application methods (single, split and slow-release) across key agricultural land use classes in the Vouga catchment, Portugal. The SWAT model was used to relate sustainable agricultural practices, agricultural yields and N-NO3 water pollution deliveries. Results show that crop yields as well as N-NO3 exportation rates decrease with reductions in N-application rates and single N-application methods lead to lower crop yields and higher N-NO3 exportation rates as compared to split and slow-release N-application methods.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) & Department of Environmental Planning (DAO), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: joaocrocha@ua.pt.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) & Department of Environmental Planning (DAO), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: peter.roebeling@ua.pt.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roebeling
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) & Department of Environmental Planning (DAO), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. Electronic address: m.rial@ua.pt.
authors.forename: María Ermitas
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rial-Rivas
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011174:Portugal; D058996:Quality Improvement
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Crop yields; N-NO(3) export; SWAT-Cup calibration; SWAT2009; Sustainable agricultural practices