Trans-disciplinarity required in understanding, predicting and dealing with water eutrophication

Abstract

Eutrophication remains a challenge for water quality, and leaching of phosphorus (P) from agriculture remains usually the determining factor as point source emissions of sewage are mainly under control. The Morsa watershed, southeast of Oslo, is a case in point. In spite of abatement actions during the past 20 years, the total concentration of P in the lake has decreased less than expected, causing growing frustration and scepticism among farmers. Hydro-biochemical interactions between phosphate (PO 4 ) and calcium, aluminium and iron in soil and water have produced unexpected results. Decline in acid rain deposition over Norway has reduced the leaching of aluminium into water. This has caused a loss of an important fixation and removal of P by sorption to precipitating aluminium oxy-hydroxides. The combination of more precipitation and higher winter temperatures causes more flushing of P from surface soil horizons. Furthermore, water-logged soil loses much of its ability to hold PO 4 in that iron is reduced, thereby allowing more P to escape. Farmers proved to have good agronomical knowledge and are taking part in an active network for spreading of agricultural practices. Reducing the amount of P in fertilizers was accepted fairly easily, whereas minimal autumn tillage has been a much harder task to implement. Therefore, just applying economic incentives will not do; developing basic environmental literacy with an ability to understand feedback loops and rebound effects is necessary. Following this, interaction between science and stakeholders is required, calling for trans-disciplinary research and trans-disciplinary processes.

Explaining and understanding environmental actions in Chinese agriculture: the case of Yuqiao watershed of Tianjin municipality

“…However, Burton and Wilson (2006) conclude that farmers are dominated by production-oriented identities, a conclusion supported by our own research in Norway (Orderud & Vogt 2013;Barton et al 2015). Reviewing the literature on demographic factors such as age, gender, education, and experience, Burton (2014) concludes that the observed inconsistencies regarding environmental actions may pertain to a lack of understanding of the complex and contradictory character of the causality of these factors.…”

The Role of Information and Knowledge in Achieving Environmentally Sound Farming: A Chinese Case

“…Burton (2004) argued that fellow farmers are important as sources for information in spite of some studies showing the opposite, explaining this apparent contradiction with an unwillingness to admit looking to other farmers. A similar study in Norway by Orderud and Vogt (2013) showed that protagonist farmers acted as role models for how to do good farming, making the point of differentiating between other farmers in general and a few outstanding ones. This last study also outlined how an institutionalized system of practice-oriented dissemination of information and knowledge played an important role for the process of learning.…”

Effectiveness of Lake Remediation towards Water Quality: Application in Varsity Lake, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur

“…Due to continuous accumulation of pollutants in lakes, primarily from surface run-off and excessive fish feeding, the nutrient level of pond water will gradually increase. As a result, the lake usually suffers from eutrophication and certain amounts of those nutrients will even cause algal blooms (Orderud & Vogt 2013). Eutrophication of surface water bodies is a worldwide phenomenon (Izmest'eva et al 2016), creating difficult challenges to all involved in water management and imposing severe environmental costs (Pretty et al 2003) due to water quality deterioration (Prepas & Charette 2005;Smith et al 2006Smith et al , 1999.…”

“…Numerous approaches were implemented to reduce lake water pollution such as preventing or reducing the amount of pollutant loads to the lakes especially the nutrients (Hu et al 2008;Jeppesen et al 2007Jeppesen et al , 2005Köhler et al 2005;Oglesby & Edmondson 1966;Skarbøvik & Bechmann 2010;Welch 1981). Nutrient loads can be reduced by controlling the agricultural activities like pesticides and fertilizers use (Orderud & Vogt 2013), wetland construction and buffer construction and change in tillage practice (Skarbøvik & Bechmann 2010). Basic environmental literacy such as interaction between science and stakeholders is also required and this is called as trans-disciplinary research and processes (Orderud & Vogt 2013).…”

“…Nutrient loads can be reduced by controlling the agricultural activities like pesticides and fertilizers use (Orderud & Vogt 2013), wetland construction and buffer construction and change in tillage practice (Skarbøvik & Bechmann 2010). Basic environmental literacy such as interaction between science and stakeholders is also required and this is called as trans-disciplinary research and processes (Orderud & Vogt 2013).…”