Nitrate Contamination of Groundwater: Determinants and Indicators

Nitrogen is an important input to agricultural production but also detrimentally affects the environmental quality of air, soil and water. Identifying the determinants of nitrate pollution and in turn defining sensible performance indicators to design, enforce and monitor regulatory policies is therefore of utmost importance. Using data on more than 1000 Austrian municipalities, we provide a detailed econometric analysis of (1) the determinants of nitrate concentration in groundwater, and (2) the predictive abilities of one of the most commonly used agri-environmental indicators, the Nitrogen Balance. We find that the proportion of cropland exerts a positive effect on the nitrate content in groundwater. Additionally, environmental factors such as temperature and precipitation are found to be important. Higher average temperature leads to lower nitrate pollution of groundwater possibly due to increased evapotranspiration. Equally, higher average precipitation dilutes nitrate content in the soil, reducing nitrate concentration in groundwater. To assess the Nitrogen Balance, we link observed pollution levels to the theoretical indicator and evaluate its ability to measure nitrate pollution effects. Indeed, the indicator proves to be a good predictor for nitrate pollution. We also show that its predictive power can be improved if average precipitation of a region is taken into account. If average precipitation is higher, the Nitrogen Balance predicts nitrate levels in groundwater more precisely.nitrate concentration, groundwater, Nitrogen Balance, agriculture, regression analysis., Agricultural and Food Policy, Crop Production/Industries, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use, Production Economics,

Investment in Irrigation Systems under Weather Uncertainty

Irrigated agriculture will play a crucial role to meet future food demand, but a sustainable water resource management in agriculture is crucial as well. Therefore, the European Water Framework Directive promotes several measures, e.g., the adoption of adequate water pricing mechanisms or the promotion of water-saving irrigation techniques. Since production conditions such as weather and climate development are uncertain, farmers might be reluctant to invest in a water-saving but capital intensive irrigation system. We apply a stochastic dynamic programming approach to analyze a farmer’s optimal investment strategy for either a water–saving drip irrigation system or sprinkler irrigation system under weather uncertainty and assess the probability of adopting either irrigation system until the year 2040. We design two policy scenarios: (i) irrigation water pricing and (ii) equipment subsidies for drip irrigation, and investigate how they affect the farmer’s optimal investment strategy. Our case study analysis is performed for the region Marchfeld, a typical semi-arid agricultural production region in Austria. We use data from the bio-physical process simulation model EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate) which accounts for site and management related characteristics as well as weather parameters from a statistical climate change model. We find that investment in drip irrigation is unlikely unless subsidies for equipment cost are granted. Even water prices do not increase the probability to adopt a drip irrigation system, but rather decrease the probability to invest into either irrigation system.Irrigation investment, stochastic dynamic programming approach, water policies, weather uncertainty, EPIC, Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty,

Designing of research coalitions in promoting GEOSS. A brief overview of the literature

The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) links a variety of existing and future observation systems and forecasting models into one comprehensive system of systems to provide accurate environmental data and to enable an encompassing vision and understanding of the Earth system. GEOSS is based on voluntary efforts, and shall be made accessible freely or at a very low cost, such that it bears properties of non-rivalry and non-excludability and can be compared with a public good. Agreements on the provision of a public good often suffer low participation. We apply a game theoretical approach to analyze GEOSS as a research coalition with varying spillover rates, in order to figure out whether a coalition with full participation can exist in equilibrium. We also focus on the question how varying spillover rates influence the size of the equilibrium coalition and suggest two measures, which can increase participation in equilibrium. The revision of the literature shows that the full participation is socially optimal and spillovers which take the form of strategic complements can lead to a high level of cooperation. Also measures like the linkage of negotiations and the formation of multiple coalitions can achieve a high level of participation.coalition theory, research coalitions, public goods

ANALYZING THE EFFECT OF AGRI-ENVIRONMENT MEASURES ON NITRATE CONCENTRATION IN GROUNDWATER FOR AUSTRIA

The Austrian agri-environment program (ÖPUL) from 2000-2006 introduced several measures to reduce nitrate concentration in groundwater. We apply spatial econometric methods on a country-wide panel dataset to assess the partial effects of ÖPUL and other determining factors on nitrate concentration in groundwater. Preliminary results reveal that organic farming and refraining from using inputs on arable land have a measurable negative effect on nitrate concentration

Nitrate Contamination of Groundwater in Austria: Determinants and Indicators

Nitrogen is an important input to agricultural production but also detrimentally affects the environmental quality of air, soil and water. Identifying the determinants of nitrate pollution and in turn defining sensible performance indicators to design, enforce and monitor regulatory policies is therefore of utmost importance. Using data on more than 1000 Austrian municipalities, we provide a detailed econometric analysis of (1) the determinants of nitrate concentration in groundwater, and (2) the predictive abilities of one of the most commonly used agri-environmental indicators, the Nitrogen Balance. We find that the proportion of cropland exerts a positive effect on the nitrate content in groundwater. Additionally, environmental factors such as temperature and precipitation are found to be important. Higher average temperature leads to lower nitrate pollution of groundwater possibly due to increased evapotranspiration. Equally, higher average precipitation dilutes nitrate content in the soil, reducing nitrate concentration in groundwater. To assess the Nitrogen Balance, we link observed pollution levels to the theoretical indicator and evaluate its ability to measure nitrate pollution effects. Indeed, the indicator proves to be a good predictor for nitrate pollution. We also show that its predictive power can be improved if average precipitation of a region is taken into account. If average precipitation is higher, the Nitrogen Balance predicts nitrate levels in groundwater more precisely.nitrate concentration, groundwater contamination, Nitrogen Balance, agriculture, regression analysis

Modelling robust crop production portfolios to assess agricultural vulnerability to climate change

Agricultural vulnerability is assessed by (i) modelling climate change impacts on crop yields and gross margins, (ii) identifying crop production portfolios for adaptation, and (iii) analyzing the effect of agricultural policies and risk aversion on adaptive capacity. We combine, spatially explicit, a statistical climate change model, the bio-physical process model EPIC and a portfolio optimization model. Under climate change, optimal portfolios include higher shares of intensive crop managements which increase crop yields and gross margins by 2-3%. Abolishment of decoupled but higher agri-environmental payments would reduce nitrogen fertilizer inputs by 23-33%, but also crop yields and gross margins by 18-37%

Nitrate Contamination of Groundwater: Determinants and Indicators

Nitrogen is an important input to agricultural production but also detrimentally affects the environmental quality of air, soil and water. Identifying the determinants of nitrate pollution and in turn defining sensible performance indicators to design, enforce and monitor regulatory policies is therefore of utmost importance. Using data on more than 1000 Austrian municipalities, we provide a detailed econometric analysis of (1) the determinants of nitrate concentration in groundwater, and (2) the predictive abilities of one of the most commonly used agri-environmental indicators, the Nitrogen Balance. We find that the proportion of cropland exerts a positive effect on the nitrate content in groundwater. Additionally, environmental factors such as temperature and precipitation are found to be important. Higher average temperature leads to lower nitrate pollution of groundwater possibly due to increased evapotranspiration. Equally, higher average precipitation dilutes nitrate content in the soil, reducing nitrate concentration in groundwater. To assess the Nitrogen Balance, we link observed pollution levels to the theoretical indicator and evaluate its ability to measure nitrate pollution effects. Indeed, the indicator proves to be a good predictor for nitrate pollution. We also show that its predictive power can be improved if average precipitation of a region is taken into account. If average precipitation is higher, the Nitrogen Balance predicts nitrate levels in groundwater more precisely