Stochastic modelling of N-leaching using GIS and multivariate statistical methods

• Published in: Water Science & Technology 1998-01, Vol.38 (10), p.191-197
• Main Authors: NEMETH, T, PASZTOR, L, SZABO, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural management; Agricultural pollution; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Crop management; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental conditions; Evaluation; Exact sciences and technology; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geographical information systems; Groundwaters; Growing season; Hungary; Leaching; Modelling; Natural water pollution; Nitrates; Nitrogen; Pollution; Pollution abatement; Pollution, environment geology; Rooting; Soil; Soil and water pollution; Soil mapping; Soil science; Soil water; Statistical methods; Stochastic models; Stochasticity; Vulnerability; Water pollution; Water resources; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732; 0264-1275
• DOI: 10.1016/S0273-1223(98)00749-5

After the growing season, a part of the nitrogen remains in forms sensitive to changes of the conditions, such as nitrate. In years with above-average precipitation a significant amount of nitrate can leave the rooting zone. Integration of knowledge related to environmental conditions of a certain area with the soil, water, and crop management practices helps to prevent the simultaneity of the unfavourable processes leading to nitrate leaching, thus water resources may be protected from nitrate pollution of agricultural origin. In our work we present a stochastic approach for the evaluation of the vulnerability of soils for nitrate leaching. The method was applied for mapping N-leaching hazard in Hungary at a scale of 1:1M.