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Simulating the effects of behavioral and landscape heterogeneity on non-point source pollution

Arrueta Antequera, Lourdes D.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5873-9479
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1589943030581552

Abstract Details

2020, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environmental Science.
Non-point source pollution is the primary cause of reduced water quality in the United States. According to the EPA (2017), these loadings result primarily from fertilizer and manure application. One of the most widely used hydrological models to predict the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application on nutrient loadings is the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). While important advances have been made to improve the SWAT model, their ability to capture the complexity of human land management behaviors within remains a major challenge. Currently, most SWAT model applications assume that farmer behaviors are relatively homogeneous. For example, this homogeneity is simplified as an actor who adopt the traditional or regular behavior or maximizes their benefit in a perfectly rational way. Meanwhile, for decades social scientists have explored farmers’ behavior suggesting that farmers are not a homogeneous group, but rather their behaviors are complex and diverse. Therefore, the first chapter of my project is focused on assessing how realistically SWAT models capture farmers’ fertilizer behavior. The second chapter of my project incorporates the results of the first chapter and analyzes the direct and interactive effect of behavioral and biophysical heterogeneity on the water quality of the Maumee River Watershed using SWAT. Results of this analysis point to opportunities to better represent farmers’ fertilizer behavior in SWAT models, which could improve our ability to link changes in land use and management to water quality and increase the effectiveness of conservation program interventions.
Douglas Jackson-Smith, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Margaret Kalcic, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Robyn Wilson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
105 p.
Environmental Science
non point source pollution; water quality; fertilizer behavior

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Arrueta Antequera, L. D. (2020). Simulating the effects of behavioral and landscape heterogeneity on non-point source pollution [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1589943030581552

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Arrueta Antequera, Lourdes. Simulating the effects of behavioral and landscape heterogeneity on non-point source pollution. 2020. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1589943030581552.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Arrueta Antequera, Lourdes. "Simulating the effects of behavioral and landscape heterogeneity on non-point source pollution." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1589943030581552

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1589943030581552
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.