Differences in nonpoint source pollution load losses based on hydrological zone characteristics: a case study of the Shaying River Basin, China

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 30; no. 54; pp. 115950 - 115964
• Main Authors: Li, Huifeng, Chen, Shuai, Ruan, Xiaohong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.11.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Annual rainfall; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Chemical indicators; Confidence intervals; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Cultivated lands; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Hydrology; Land pollution; Land use; Nitrogen; Nonpoint source pollution; Phosphorus; Pollution; Pollution abatement; Pollution load; Pollution prevention; Pollution sources; Rainfall; Regression models; Research Article; River basins; Rivers; Soil lime; Soil pollution; Soil types; Soil water; Statistical analysis; Variance analysis; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water quality; Shaying River Basin; Soil and Water Assessment Tool; Hydrological zoning; Nitrogen and phosphorus load; Nonpoint source pollution
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30360-8

Agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution loss is closely related to hydrological processes. Understanding the differences in NPS pollution load loss under hydrological processes is useful for the management and prevention of NPS pollution. In this paper, hydrological and water quality data from 2016 to 2018 and monitoring data of physical and chemical indicators in 1347 field soil samples in the Shaying River Basin (SYRB) were used to analyze spatiotemporal variations in NPS pollution using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool and multifactor analysis of variance. The intensities and differences in NPS pollution losses for different soil types and land use patterns were evaluated under different hydrological zones. The annual rainfall in the SYRB decreased gradually from 1136.50 to 404.04 mm, showing a significant zoning. Areas with high loss intensities were mainly distributed in areas with steep slopes and in the 800–1000 mm rainfall zone. Cultivated land had the largest loss of NPS pollution, followed by forest land and rural residential land. Fluvo-aquic soil had the largest loss of NPS pollution, followed by cinnamon soil and lime concretion black soil. A nonlinear regression model was established for rainfall and the NPS pollution loss intensity and had a correlation coefficient of 0.60–0.99 at a 95% confidence level. Slope and rainfall were the main factors influencing the nitrogen and phosphorus losses. In the 800–1000 mm rainfall zone, the soil background nitrogen and phosphorus load was also a major factor influencing the nitrogen and phosphorus loss intensities.