Open AccessAn Overview of the Effectiveness of Agricultural Conservation Practices for Water Quality Improvement
Author(s) -
Yongping Yuan,
Ruth Book,
Kyle R. Mankin,
Lydia Koropeckyj-Cox,
Laura E. Christianson,
Tiffany L. Messer,
Reid D. Christianson
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of the asabe
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2769-3295
pISSN - 2769-3287
DOI - 10.13031/ja.14503
Subject(s) - agriculture , conservation agriculture , water quality , water conservation , quality (philosophy) , environmental planning , environmental science , business , environmental resource management , agricultural engineering , agroforestry , engineering , water resources , ecology , biology , physics , quantum mechanics
HighlightsDenitrifying bioreactor and nutrient management effectively reduced nitrate-N loads from subsurface drainage. Constructed wetland was effective in removing total N, nitrate-N, and total P from wetland influent water. Filter strip was the most effective practice in reducing sediment, total N, and total P loads from surface runoff.Cover crop was effective in reducing sediment and total P loads from surface runoff. More research is needed on conservation practice effectiveness in reducing dissolved P loss from agricultural fields.Abstract . This article introduces a Special Collection of literature reviews documenting the performance and cost-effectiveness of six agricultural conservation practices (ACPs): conservation crop rotation, cover crop, filter strip, nutrient management, denitrifying bioreactor, and constructed wetland. The overall objectives of the Special Collection are to: (1) review published studies on ACP effectiveness in reducing nutrient and sediment losses from agricultural fields; (2) compare, integrate, and synthesize the results from those studies to obtain a systematic understanding of the mitigation efficacy of each ACP in a consistent format across the selected ACPs; and (3) assemble cost analyses and obtain general insights on performance-based costs of the ACPs. The specific objectives of this introductory article are to summarize key information from each of the six review articles and develop a comparative understanding of the performance and cost-effectiveness of the six ACPs. Among the selected ACPs, denitrifying bioreactor, constructed wetland, cover crop, crop rotation, and nutrient management were all effective in reducing nitrate-N loads in subsurface drainage, with performance effectiveness in load reduction ranging from 23% to 40%. A corn-soybean rotation (relative to continuous corn) was the most cost-effective among the selected ACPs and can reduce nitrate-N load at a net benefit of about USD $5 per kg nitrate-N compared to continuous corn. Filter strip was most effective in reducing sediment, total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) loads from surface runoff and can be effective in reducing nitrate-N and dissolved P. Cover crop was also effective in reducing sediment and total P loads. Studies of the selected ACPs for their performance effectiveness for dissolved P are limited, and results varied among the ACPs included; thus, more research is needed relative to ACP effectiveness in reducing dissolved P loss, particularly in subsurface flow. Finally, although each review article included cost-analysis information, more data and analyses are needed to better understand the cost-effectiveness of ACPs and their ecological benefits. Keywords: Constructed wetland, Cost-effectiveness, Cover crop, Crop rotation, Filter strip, Nutrient management, Denitrifying bioreactor, Reduction effectiveness.