16 research outputs found
Cost-benefit analysis of abatement measures for nutrient emission from agriculture
In intensive animal husbandry areas surface water N and P concentrations often remain too high. The Water Framework Directive calls for additional nutrient emission abatement measures. Therefore, costs and benefits for possible agricultural measures in Flanders were first analysed in terms of soil balance surplus. Finally, abatement measures for agriculture, households and industry were set off against each other and ranked according to their cost-efficiency by the Environmental Costing Model. Increased dairy cattle efficiency, winter cover crops and increased pig feed efficiency turn out very cost efficient. Other agricultural measures are less cost efficient than for instance collective treatment for households and industry.nitrogen and phosphorus abatement, surface water, cost efficiency, Environmental Economics and Policy, Livestock Production/Industries,
Toekomstverkenning landbouw en milieu
Dit project was meer dan louter een toekomstverkenning voor de Vlaamse land- en tuinbouw aan de hand van de modelleertool SELES. Het was in eerste instantie een diepgaande kennismaking met het model, zijn mogelijkheden en beperkingen en het verkrijgen van inzicht in de samenhang tussen inputs en output. Het LEI was tevens betrokken bij de klankbordgroep voor deze modelerin
Development of artificial neural network models predicting macroinvertebrate taxa in the river Axios (Northern Greece)
Artificial Neural Network models (ANNs) were used to predict habitat suitability for 12 macroinvertebrate taxa, using
environmental input variables. This modelling technique was applied to a dataset of 102 measurement series collected in 31
sampling sites in the Greek river Axios. The database consisted of seven physical-chemical and seven structural variables, as well
as abundances of 90 macroinvertebrate taxa. A seasonal variable was included to allow the description of potential temporal
changes in the macroinvertebrate communities. The induced models performed well for predicting habitat suitability of the
macroinvertebrate taxa. Senso-nets and sensitivity analyses revealed that dissolved oxygen concentration and the substrate
composition always played a crucial role in predicting habitat suitability of the macroinvertebrates. Although ANNs are often
referred to as black box prediction techniques, it was demonstrated that ANNs combined with sensitivity analyses can provide
insight in the relationship between river conditions and the occurrence of macroinvertebrates, and thus deliver new ecological
knowledge. Consequently, these models can be useful in decision-making for river restoration and conservation management
Cost-benefit analysis of abatement measures for nutrient emission from agriculture
In intensive animal husbandry areas
surface water N and P concentrations often remain
too high. The Water Framework Directive calls for
additional nutrient emission abatement measures.
Therefore, costs and benefits for possible agricultural
measures in Flanders were first analysed in
terms of soil balance surplus. Finally, abatement
measures for agriculture, households and industry
were set off against each other and ranked according
to their cost-efficiency by the Environmental
Costing Model. Increased dairy cattle efficiency,
winter cover crops and increased pig feed efficiency
turn out very cost efficient. Other agricultural
measures are less cost efficient than for instance
collective treatment for households and industry