Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentrations and Their Ratios as Indicators of Water Quality and Eutrophication of the Hydro-System Danube–Tisza–Danube

Radovan Savic, Milica Stajic, Boško Blagojević, Atila Bezdan, Milica Vranesevic, Vesna Nikolić Jokanović, Aleksandar Baumgertel, Marina Bubalo Kovačić, Jelena Horvatinec and Gabrijel Ondrasek
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Radovan Savic: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg D. Obradovica 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Milica Stajic: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg D. Obradovica 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Boško Blagojević: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg D. Obradovica 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Atila Bezdan: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg D. Obradovica 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Milica Vranesevic: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg D. Obradovica 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Vesna Nikolić Jokanović: Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Aleksandar Baumgertel: Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, Kneza Viseslava 1, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Marina Bubalo Kovačić: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetosimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Jelena Horvatinec: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetosimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Gabrijel Ondrasek: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetosimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Conserving clean and safe freshwater is a global challenge, with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) as frequent limiting factors affecting water quality due to eutrophication. This paper provides a critical overview of the spatiotemporal variability in both nutrient concentrations and their total mass ratio (TN:TP) in the canal network of the Hydro system Danube–Tisza–Danube at 21 measuring locations monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency of the Republic of Serbia over a length of almost 1000 km, collected once a month during the last decade. A spatiotemporal variation in nutrient concentrations in the tested surface water samples was confirmed by correlations and cluster analyses. The highest TN concentrations were found in winter and early spring (non-vegetation season), and the highest TP concentrations in the middle of the year (vegetation season). The TN:TP mass ratio as an indicator of the eutrophication pointed out N and P co-limitation (TN:TP 8–24) in 64% of samples, N limitation (TN:TP < 8) was detected in 27% and P limitation (TN:TP > 24) in the remaining 9% of water samples. Such observations indicate slow-flowing, lowland water courses exposed to the effects of non-point and point contamination sources as nutrient runoff from the surrounding farmlands and/or urban and industrial zones, but further investigation is needed for clarification. These results are an important starting point for reducing N and P runoff loads and controlling source pollution to improve water quality and underpin recovery from eutrophication in the studied watershed.

Keywords: water quality; nitrogen; phosphorus; TN:TP ratio; canal network; eutrophication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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