Modeling the non-point source pollution risks by combing pollutant sources, precipitation, and landscape structure

Abstract

Traditional models of nutrient simulation usually focus on the pollutant sources and precipitation, lacking the quantification of landscape structure. We developed a new prediction model of pollution risks by combing pollutant sources, precipitation, and landscape structure, which was defined as the source-precipitation-landscape model (SPLM). The SPLM was applied to simulate the non-point source (NPS) total nitrogen (TN) exports in one of the largest river basins in China (the Haihe River Basin, HRB). TN concentrations of 35 sampling catchments in 2013 were used to test the accuracy of the SPLM. Simulated results showed that (1) the SPLM had a relative high accuracy in the simulation of NPS TN export and intensity, especially for TN intensity. (2) The mean TN export and intensity of all the 1578 catchments in the HRB were 441.97 t and 2.08 t/km², respectively. (3) The TN export intensities differed greatly among the sub-basins in the HRB, ranging from 0.64 to 6.81 t/km². On the whole, the TN export intensities of the plain sub-basins (e.g., the Tuhaimajia River, the Heilonggang River, and the Beisihe River) were much higher than those of mountainous sub-basins (e.g., the Yongding River, the Beisanhe River, and the Luanhe River). (4) The contributions to TN exports, from high to low, were land use (38.82%), livestock husbandry (33.57%), and rural population (27.61%). Among all the ten pollution sources, arable land (30.87%), rural population (27.61%), and large livestock (17.73%) had the top three contributions to TN exports. This study provides a feasible tool for policymakers and administrators to develop workable management measures for the mitigation of NPS pollution. This SPLM can be extended to other regions in a rapid urbanization context.

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