Long-term field research on water and environmental quality

Journal Article · · Agronomy Journal; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1991.00021962008300010013x· OSTI ID:5624152

Menzel, R G ^[1]

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1. Dept. of Agriculture, Durant, OK (United States)

Maintaining the quality of soil, water, and air presently has a high national priority, and is particularly important for agriculture. The deterioration of environmental quality, in most respects, has proceeded almost imperceptibly. Long-term research is required to study effects that change slowly with time, such as contamination of groundwater, or that depend upon infrequent weather events, such as water erosion of soil. Much environment quality research involves long-term measurement of runoff and soil erosion because these are the dominant mechanisms for transporting nutrients and pesticides to rivers and lakes. Water and environmental quality studies are being made at sites ranging from small field plots to large watersheds and experimental lakes. Effects of acid rain are being studied mainly at watershed and lake sites. There has been little long-term groundwater quality research on agricultural areas, but a major investigation of nitrate and pesticide movement is getting under way. Long-term field research is essential to confirm and refine the predictions derived from environmental models.

• OSTI ID: 5624152
• Journal Information: Agronomy Journal; (United States), Journal Name: Agronomy Journal; (United States) Vol. 83:1; ISSN 0002-1962; ISSN AGJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID RAIN
AGRICULTURE
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EROSION
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
LAKES
MONITORING
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
POLLUTION
RAIN
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOILS
SURFACE WATERS
WATER
WATER POLLUTION