Partial Validation of the Dutch Model for Emission and Transport of Nutrients (STONE)

The Netherlands has to cope with large losses of N and P to groundwater and surface water. Agriculture is the dominant source of these nutrients, particularly with reference to nutrient excretion due to intensive animal husbandry in combination with fertilizer use. The Dutch government has recently launched a stricter eutrophication abatement policy to comply with the EC nitrate directive. The Dutch consensus model for N and P emission to groundwater and surface water (STONE) has been developed to evaluate the environmental benefits of abatement plans. Due to the possibly severe socioeconomic consequences of eutrophication abatement plans, it is of utmost importance that the model is thoroughly validated. Because STONE is applied on a nationwide scale, the model validation has also been carried out on this scale. For this purpose the model outputs were compared with lumped results from monitoring networks in the upper groundwater and in surface waters. About 13,000 recent point source observations of nitrate in the upper groundwater were available, along with several hundreds of observations showing N and P in local surface water systems. Comparison of observations from the different spatial scales available showed the issue of scale to be important. Scale issues will be addressed in the next stages of the validation study

Methoden om kosten en effecten van maatregelen op aquatische ecologie te bepalen : achtergronddocument bij Natuurverkenning 2010-2040

Dit werkdocument geeft een beschrijving van een methode om kosten en ecologische effecten van maatregelen ten faveure van aquatische ecologie te bepalen. De resultaten van de kosten- en effectberekeningen worden getoond aan de hand van enkele kijkrichtingen uit de Natuurverkenning 2010-2040 die in 2012 is verschenen

Bridging policy targets and aquatic ecosystem responses

Aquatic ecosystems are deteriorated due to eutrophication and fragmentation as main causes. In response to degradation, policy targets were defined to prevent further biodiversity losses. The aim of this thesis was to bridge the gap between policy targets and ecosystem responses to environmental pressures and restoration measures. Therefore, methods were developed to describe the links in the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework quantitatively, to develop science-policy indicators, to analyze restoration measures and to analyze spatial and temporal scale aspects. In this thesis, articles are presented from drivers to impacts and from large, global scale to regional scale. On a global scale, the emissions of nutrients from households to rivers were modelled. On a national scale, the algae concentrations in lakes were calculated with the nutrient load from households and agriculture in combination with hydrological characteristics. Spatial and hydromorphological measures also determine nature values; these effects were calculated for the impact for two case studies in Ijsselmeer and Markermeer. Indicators were developed for national trends of nutrient quality and biological quality in the Netherlands. Fragmentation of rivers was analysed on two scales, on European scale for large distance anadromous species and on regional scale for riverine species in tributaries in Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands. I concluded that the DPSIR framework comprise a useful framework to communicate with policy makers, but needs to be extended with more specific elements and indicators. Responses could be distinguished in cause- or effect-oriented or even symbolic depending on the type and scale of responses

Datasets of the phosphorus content in laundry and dishwasher detergents

This data article provides the data of Phosphorus emissions from laundry and dishwasher detergents as part of the Phosphorus emissions from households. The household emissions are presented in the research article “Global nitrogen and phosphorus in urban waste water based on the Shared Socio-economic pathway” (van Puijenbroek et al., 2019) [1]. Laundry and dishwasher detergents are a major source of phosphorus loading of aquatic ecosystems in countries with a substantial use of laundry and dishwasher machines.In this article, datasets are presented with the global use of laundry and dishwasher detergents and the Phosphorus emissions due to laundry and dishwasher detergents. These results are presented for 10 world regions for 1970 and 2010, and for 2050 with 5 Shared Socio-economic Pathways. The outlook results for 2050 were based on the growth in income and population and on environmental policy for the introduction of Phosphorus free detergents

Bomen en stroming verhogen ecologische kwaliteit. Herstel Hierdense beek

Veel beken hebben een onvoldoende ecologische kwaliteit. Ondanks dat sterk wordt ingezet op beekherstel, leidt dit niet altijd tot het gewenste kwaliteitsverbetering. De oorzaak hiervan is het eenzijdig aanpakken van bepaalde factoren in plaats van het geheel dat sturend is voor een levensgemeenschap. Aan de hand van de Hierdense Beek laten we zien hoe verschillende factoren inwerken op de ecologische kwaliteit en waar de kansen en beperkingen liggen voor beekherstel

Bomen en stroming verhogen ecologische kwaliteit. Herstel Hierdense beek

Veel beken hebben een onvoldoende ecologische kwaliteit. Ondanks dat sterk wordt ingezet op beekherstel, leidt dit niet altijd tot het gewenste kwaliteitsverbetering. De oorzaak hiervan is het eenzijdig aanpakken van bepaalde factoren in plaats van het geheel dat sturend is voor een levensgemeenschap. Aan de hand van de Hierdense Beek laten we zien hoe verschillende factoren inwerken op de ecologische kwaliteit en waar de kansen en beperkingen liggen voor beekherstel

Species and river specific effects of river fragmentation on European anadromous fish species

Fragmentation is one of the major threats to riverine ecosystems and this is most explicitly expressed by the decline in numbers of migratory fish species. Yet each species has different migration requirements and their natural distribution can include several catchments with multiple dams. Hence, to prioritize candidate rivers for improving accessibility, differences between species and between catchments have to be taken into account. The aim of this study was therefore to analyse the species and river specific effects of river fragmentation on migratory fish on a European scale. The effect of river damming on migratory fish was quantified for all 16 European long- and mid-distance anadromous species and for 33 large European rivers. The historical distribution was compared with the current upstream accessibility of the main river and the current distribution and population status of each species. The observed effects of reduced connectivity were further quantified using the Dendritic Connectivity Index for species and the Fragmentation Index for rivers. Our results showed that only very few rivers are still unaffected by dams in the main stem and that the few remaining viable migratory fish populations in Europe occur in these accessible rivers. Barriers were prioritized for making passable based on the potential accessibility gain and the number of benefitting species, showing that the main stems of the rivers Shannon and Nemunas are the best candidates. It was concluded that evaluating species and river specific effects of fragmentation strongly aids in prioritizing rivers for improving upstream accessibility