The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central Poland
Agricultural practices have a significant impact on stream water quality in rural landscapes; however, there is still little empirical evidence of how different types of cultivation alter the hydrochemistry of running water. Thus, the current study explored the spatial dynamics of selected ion conce...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/1/50 |
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| author | Krzysztof Stępniewski Michał Karger Maksym Łaszewski |
| author_facet | Krzysztof Stępniewski Michał Karger Maksym Łaszewski |
| author_sort | Krzysztof Stępniewski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Agricultural practices have a significant impact on stream water quality in rural landscapes; however, there is still little empirical evidence of how different types of cultivation alter the hydrochemistry of running water. Thus, the current study explored the spatial dynamics of selected ion concentrations and their land cover dependence in lowland agricultural catchments. From November 2021 to October 2022, water samples were collected from 30 sites located across small tributaries of the rivers Bzura, Pilica, and Radomka for chemical analysis of their NO<sub>3</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>, Ca, Mg, K, Na, As, Ba, Sr, and V concentrations. The results indicated a clear spatial heterogeneity of water quality, related to lithology and dominant land cover evaluated with the CORINE Land Cover 2018 dataset. Overall, sites representing agricultural land promoted increased concentrations of major and trace elements, while those with pepper cultivation were additionally contaminated with NO<sub>3</sub> and NO<sub>2</sub>. The correlation performance for nitrogen compounds was the highest for narrower buffer zones, which was not documented for major and trace elements, which were linked more strongly with land cover at larger scales. Such new insights into the water quality dynamics of lowland agricultural catchments, being a simultaneous reflection of lithology, agricultural practices, and several municipal impacts, have significant implications for appropriate water management in rural landscapes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:55:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a96fdc4064f74ae3ad5853716f61e278 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:55:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-a96fdc4064f74ae3ad5853716f61e2782024-01-10T15:11:28ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412023-12-011615010.3390/w16010050The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central PolandKrzysztof Stępniewski0Michał Karger1Maksym Łaszewski2Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście 30, 00-927 Warsaw, PolandLaboratory of Geomicrobiology and Environmental Geochemistry, Faculty of Geology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Hydrology, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies, University of Warsaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście 30, 00-927 Warsaw, PolandAgricultural practices have a significant impact on stream water quality in rural landscapes; however, there is still little empirical evidence of how different types of cultivation alter the hydrochemistry of running water. Thus, the current study explored the spatial dynamics of selected ion concentrations and their land cover dependence in lowland agricultural catchments. From November 2021 to October 2022, water samples were collected from 30 sites located across small tributaries of the rivers Bzura, Pilica, and Radomka for chemical analysis of their NO<sub>3</sub>, NO<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>, Ca, Mg, K, Na, As, Ba, Sr, and V concentrations. The results indicated a clear spatial heterogeneity of water quality, related to lithology and dominant land cover evaluated with the CORINE Land Cover 2018 dataset. Overall, sites representing agricultural land promoted increased concentrations of major and trace elements, while those with pepper cultivation were additionally contaminated with NO<sub>3</sub> and NO<sub>2</sub>. The correlation performance for nitrogen compounds was the highest for narrower buffer zones, which was not documented for major and trace elements, which were linked more strongly with land cover at larger scales. Such new insights into the water quality dynamics of lowland agricultural catchments, being a simultaneous reflection of lithology, agricultural practices, and several municipal impacts, have significant implications for appropriate water management in rural landscapes.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/1/50water qualityagriculturepepperorchardsCORINE Land Cover 2018catchment |
| spellingShingle | Krzysztof Stępniewski Michał Karger Maksym Łaszewski The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central Poland Water water quality agriculture pepper orchards CORINE Land Cover 2018 catchment |
| title | The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central Poland |
| title_full | The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central Poland |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central Poland |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central Poland |
| title_short | The Impact of Various Types of Cultivation on Stream Water Quality in Central Poland |
| title_sort | impact of various types of cultivation on stream water quality in central poland |
| topic | water quality agriculture pepper orchards CORINE Land Cover 2018 catchment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/16/1/50 |
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