scholarly journals Remediating Agricultural Legacy Nutrient Loads in the Baltic Sea Region

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 3872
Author(s):  
Julia Tanzer ◽  
Ralf Hermann ◽  
Ludwig Hermann
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Nutrient Emissions ◽  
Long Run ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Agricultural Legacy

The Baltic Sea is considered the marine water body most severely affected by eutrophication within Europe. Due to its limited water exchange nutrients have a particularly long residence time in the sea. While several studies have analysed the costs of reducing current nutrient emissions, the costs for remediating legacy nutrient loads of past emissions remain unknown. Although the Baltic Sea is a comparatively well-monitored region, current data and knowledge is insufficient to provide a sound quantification of legacy nutrient loads and much less their abatement costs. A first rough estimation of agricultural legacy nutrient loads yields an accumulation of 0.5–4.0 Mt N and 0.3–1.2 Mt P in the Baltic Sea and 0.4–0.5 Mt P in agricultural soils within the catchment. The costs for removing or immobilising this amount of nutrients via deep water oxygenation, mussel farming and soil gypsum amendment are in the range of few tens to over 100 billion €. These preliminary results are meant as a basis for future studies and show that while requiring serious commitment to funding and implementation, remediating agricultural legacy loads is not infeasible and may even provide economic benefits to local communities in the long run.

scholarly journals An integrated simulation model to evaluate national measures for the abatement of agricultural nutrients in the Baltic Sea

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 440-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. HYYTIÄINEN ◽  
H. AHTIAINEN ◽  
J. HEIKKILÄ
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Simulation Model ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Gulf Of Finland ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Bothnian Bay ◽  
The Gulf Of Finland

This study introduces a prototype model for evaluating measures to abate agricultural nutrients in the Baltic Sea from a Finnish national perspective. The stochastic simulation model integrates nutrient dynamics of nitrogen and phosphorus in the sea basins adjoining the Finnish coast, nutrient loads from land and other sources, benefits from nutrient abatement (in the form of recreation and other ecosystem services) and the costs of agricultural abatement activities. The aim of the study is to present the overall structure of the model and to demonstrate its potential using preliminary parameters. The model is made flexible for further improvements in all of its ecological and economic components. The results of a sensitivity analysis suggest that investments in reducing the nutrient load from arable land in Finland would become profitable only if the neighboring countries in the northern Baltic committed themselves to similar reductions. Environmental investments for improving water quality yield the highest returns for the Bothnian Bay and the Gulf of Finland, with smaller returns for the Bothnian Sea. Somewhat surprisingly, in the Bothnian Bay the abatement activities become profitable from the national viewpoint, because the riverine loads from Finland represent a high proportion of the total nutrient loads. In the Gulf of Finland, this proportion is low, but the size of the coastal population benefiting from improved water quality is high.;

scholarly journals Future socioeconomic conditions may have a larger impact than climate change on nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea

AMBIO ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 1325-1336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alena Bartosova ◽  
René Capell ◽  
Jørgen E. Olesen ◽  
Mohamed Jabloun ◽  
Jens Christian Refsgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Dynamic Modelling ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Socioeconomic Drivers ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The Baltic Sea is suffering from eutrophication caused by nutrient discharges from land to sea, and these loads might change in a changing climate. We show that the impact from climate change by mid-century is probably less than the direct impact of changing socioeconomic factors such as land use, agricultural practices, atmospheric deposition, and wastewater emissions. We compare results from dynamic modelling of nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea under projections of climate change and scenarios for shared socioeconomic pathways. Average nutrient loads are projected to increase by 8% and 14% for nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively, in response to climate change scenarios. In contrast, changes in the socioeconomic drivers can lead to a decrease of 13% and 6% or an increase of 11% and 9% in nitrogen and phosphorus loads, respectively, depending on the pathway. This indicates that policy decisions still play a major role in climate adaptation and in managing eutrophication in the Baltic Sea region.

scholarly journals How effective are River Basin Management Plans in reaching the nutrient load reduction targets?

AMBIO ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikołaj Piniewski ◽  
Sirkka Tattari ◽  
Jari Koskiaho ◽  
Olle Olsson ◽  
Faruk Djodjic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
River Basin ◽  
River Basin Management ◽  
Load Reduction ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Basin Management ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
River Basin Management Plans ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract Riverine nutrient loads are among the major causes of eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. This study applied the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in three catchments flowing to the Baltic Sea, namely Vantaanjoki (Finland), Fyrisån (Sweden), and Słupia (Poland), to simulate the effectiveness of nutrient control measures included in the EU’s Water Framework Directive River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs). Moreover, we identified similar, coastal, middle-sized catchments to which conclusions from this study could be applicable. The first modelling scenario based on extrapolation of the existing trends affected the modelled nutrient loads by less than 5%. In the second scenario, measures included in RBMPs showed variable effectiveness, ranging from negligible for Słupia to 28% total P load reduction in Vantaanjoki. Adding spatially targeted measures to RBMPs (third scenario) would considerably improve their effectiveness in all three catchments for both total N and P, suggesting a need to adopt targeting more widely in the Baltic Sea countries.

Sources of uncertainty of Baltic Sea future projections

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Meier ◽  
Christian Dieterich ◽  
Matthias Gröger
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Natural Variability ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Sources Of Uncertainty ◽  
Hypoxic Area ◽  
Rcp 8.5 ◽  
The Baltic

<p>In an ensemble of regional scenarios for the Baltic Sea we analyzed the sources of uncertainty in climate indices and environmental quality indicators. The ensemble is based on 32 regionalized scenarios where four different external drivers have been varied. Climate is represented by four different Earth System Models (ESMs). Uncertain future greenhouse gas emissions are represented by two different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). Two nutrient load scenarios, broadly equivalent to two Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs), describe two distinct evolutions of the regional population development, agricultural practices and food demand and two scenarios for global mean sea level rise (GMSL) measure the impact of the water level on the biogeochemical cycle in the Baltic Sea. The volume averaged temperature increase at the end of the century relative to the reference period 1976-2005 is 1.3 to 2.2 K (RCP 4.5) and 2.9 to 4.2 K (RCP 8.5). Averaged salinity changes by -2.1 and +0.2 g/kg (RCP 4.5) and -3.2 and -0.2 g/kg (RCP 8.5). For temperature, uncertainties before 2080 are dominated by natural variability and ESM biases. After 2080 the largest source of uncertainty is related to the unknown greenhouse gas concentrations. As expected, uncertainties related to either SLR or nutrient loads are negligible. For salinity, the dominating source of uncertainty during the entire 21st century is explained by the biases of the ESMs. However, natural variability and, in particular by the end of the century, uncertainties due to unknown greenhouse gas concentrations and sea level rises are important as well. For hypoxic area, uncertainties before 2040 are dominated by ESM biases. After 2040 the largest source of uncertainty is related to the unknown nutrient loads (SSPs). However, ESM biases, natural variability, unknown greenhouse gas concentrations and unknown sea level rises play an important role as well. Hence, the predictability of hypoxic area on long time scales requires accurate knowledge of various drivers and accurate quality of ESMs.</p><p> </p>

Phosphorus in agricultural soils around the Baltic Sea - comparison of laboratory methods as indices for phosphorus leaching to waters

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 5-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Eriksson ◽  
B. Ulén ◽  
L. Berzina ◽  
A. Iital ◽  
V. Janssons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Phosphorus Leaching ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Laboratory Methods ◽  
The Baltic

A combination of species distribution and ocean-biogeochemical models suggests that climate change overrides eutrophication as the driver of future distributions of a key benthic crustacean in the estuarine ecosystem of the Baltic Sea

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 2089-2105
Author(s):  
Mayya Gogina ◽  
Michael L Zettler ◽  
Irene Wåhlström ◽  
Helén Andersson ◽  
Hagen Radtke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Estuarine Ecosystem ◽  
Biogeochemical Models ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract Species in the brackish and estuarine ecosystems will experience multiple changes in hydrographic variables due to ongoing climate change and nutrient loads. Here, we investigate how a glacial relict species (Saduria entomon), having relatively cold, low salinity biogeographic origin, could be affected by the combined scenarios of climate change and eutrophication. It is an important prey for higher trophic-level species such as cod, and a predator of other benthic animals. We constructed habitat distribution models based occurrence and density of this species across the entire Baltic and estimated the relative importance of different driving variables. We then used two regional coupled ocean-biogeochemical models to investigate the combined impacts of two future climate change and nutrient loads scenarios on its spatial distribution in 2070–2100. According to the scenarios, the Baltic Sea will become warmer and fresher. Our results show that expected changes in salinity and temperature outrank those due to two nutrient-load scenarios (Baltic Sea Action Plan and business as usual) in their effect on S. entomon distribution. The results are relatively similar when using different models with the same scenarios, thereby increasing the confidence of projections. Overall, our models predict a net increase (and local declines) of suitable habitat area, total abundance and biomass for this species, which is probably facilitated by strong osmoregulation ability and tolerance to temperature changes. We emphasize the necessity of considering multiple hydrographic variables when estimating climate change impacts on species living in brackish and estuarine systems.

scholarly journals Quantifying the contribution of shipping NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> emissions to the marine nitrogen inventory – a case study for the western Baltic Sea

Ocean Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-134
Author(s):  
Daniel Neumann ◽  
Matthias Karl ◽  
Hagen Radtke ◽  
Volker Matthias ◽  
René Friedland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Deposition ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Ocean Model ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The western Baltic Sea is impacted by various anthropogenic activities and stressed by high riverine and atmospheric nutrient loads. Atmospheric deposition accounts for up to a third of the nitrogen input into the Baltic Sea and contributes to eutrophication. Amongst other emission sources, the shipping sector is a relevant contributor to the atmospheric concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOX) in marine regions. Thus, it also contributes to atmospheric deposition of bioavailable oxidized nitrogen into the Baltic Sea. In this study, the contribution of shipping emissions to the nitrogen budget in the western Baltic Sea is evaluated with the coupled three-dimensional physical biogeochemical model MOM–ERGOM (Modular Ocean Model–Ecological ReGional Ocean Model) in order to assess the relevance of shipping emissions for eutrophication. The atmospheric input of bioavailable nitrogen impacts eutrophication differently depending on the time and place of input. The shipping sector contributes up to 5 % to the total nitrogen concentrations in the water. The impact of shipping-related nitrogen is highest in the offshore regions distant from the coast in early summer, but its contribution is considerably reduced during blooms of cyanobacteria in late summer because the cyanobacteria fix molecular nitrogen. Although absolute shipping-related total nitrogen concentrations are high in some coastal regions, the relative contribution of the shipping sector is low in the vicinity of the coast because of high riverine nutrient loads.

Past, current, and future freshwater inflows to the Baltic Sea under changing climate and socioeconomics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alena Bartosova ◽  
René Capell ◽  
Jørgen E. Olesen ◽  
Berit Arheimer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Socioeconomic Conditions ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Nitrogen Loads ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Freshwater Inflows

&lt;p&gt;The Baltic Sea is suffering from eutrophication caused by nutrient discharges from land to sea. These freshwater inflows vary in magnitude from year to year as well as within each year due to e.g. natural variability, weather patterns, and seasonal human activities. Nutrient transport models are important tools for assessments of macro-nutrient fluxes (nitrogen, phosphorus) and for evaluating the connection between pollution sources and the assessed water body. While understanding of current status is important, impacts from changing climate and socio-economics on freshwater inflows to the Baltic Sea also need to be taken into account when planning management practices and mitigation measures.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Continental to global scale catchment-based hydrological models have emerged in recent years as tools e.g. for flood forecasting, large-scale climate impact analyses, and estimation of time-dynamic water fluxes into sea basins. Here, we present results from the pan-European rainfall-runoff and nutrient transfer model E-HYPE, developed as a multi-purpose tool for large-scale hydrological analyses. We compared current freshwater inflows from land with those from dynamic modelling with E-HYPE under various climate and socioeconomic conditions. The socioeconomic conditions (land use, agricultural practices, population changes, dietary changes, atmospheric deposition, and wastewater technologies) were evaluated for 3 additional time horizons: 2050s using the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways, 1900s using historical data, and a reference period using a synthetic &amp;#8220;no human impact&amp;#8221; scenario. An ensemble of 4 climate models that preserves the range of projected changes in precipitation and temperature from a larger ensemble was selected for analysis of climate impacts in 2050s. &amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We show that while climate change affects nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea, these impacts can be overshadowed by the impacts of changing socioeconomic factors. Historical nitrogen loads were estimated as 43% and 33% of the current loads for the 1900s and the &amp;#8220;no human impact&amp;#8221; scenarios, respectively. Average nitrogen loads are projected to increase by 4-10% (8% on average) as a response to climate change by 2050s. Purely mitigation measures that did not address the magnitude of the nutrient sources reduced the total nitrogen load by &lt;5%, with local efficiencies being reduced through retention processes. However, changes in the socioeconomic drivers led to significant changes in the future loads with the range of impacts spanning 30% of the current load depending on the socioeconomic pathway to be followed. This means that policy decisions have by far the largest impact when managing eutrophication in the Baltic Sea region.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bartosova, A., Capell, R., Olesen, J.E. et al. (2019). Future socioeconomic conditions may have a larger impact than climate change on nutrient loads to the Baltic Sea. Ambio 48, 1325&amp;#8211;1336 doi:10.1007/s13280-019-01243-5&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals The economic benefits of achieving Good Environmental Status in the Finnish marine waters of the Baltic Sea

Marine Policy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 99 ◽  
pp. 181-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmi Nieminen ◽  
Heini Ahtiainen ◽  
Carl-Johan Lagerkvist ◽  
Soile Oinonen
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Marine Waters ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Environmental Status ◽  
Good Environmental Status ◽  
The Baltic

scholarly journals Contribution of shipping NO<sub><i>x</i></sub> emissions to the marine nitrogenbudget of the western Baltic Sea – A case study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Neumann ◽  
Matthias Karl ◽  
Hagen Radtke ◽  
Volker Matthias ◽  
René Friedland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Deposition ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Coastal Regions ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The western Baltic Sea is impacted by various anthropogenic activities and stressed by high riverine and atmospheric nutrient loads. Atmospheric deposition accounts for up to a third of the nitrogen input into the Baltic Sea and contributes to eutrophication. Amongst other emission sources, the shipping sector is a relevant contributor to atmospheric concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in marine regions. Thus, it also contributes to atmospheric deposition of bioavailable oxidized nitrogen into the Baltic Sea. In this study, the contribution of shipping emissions to the nitrogen budget in the western Baltic Sea is evaluated with the coupled three-dimensional physical biogeochemical model MOM-ERGOM in order to assess the relevance of shipping emissions for eutrophication. The input of bioavailable nitrogen impacts eutrophication differently depending on time and place of input – e.g. nitrogen is processed and denitrified faster in flat coastal regions. The shipping sector contributes up to 5 % to the total nitrogen concentrations in the water. The impact of shipping-related nitrogen is highest in the off-shore regions distant to the coast in early summer but is considerably reduced during blooms of cyanobacteria in later summer. Although absolute shipping-related total nitrogen concentrations are high in some coastal regions, the relative contribution of the shipping sector is low in the vicinity to the coast because of high riverine nutrient loads.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document