RZ-TRADEOFF: A New Model to Estimate Riparian Water and Air Quality Functions

Authors

Yasaman T. Hassanzadeh
Philippe G. Vidon
Arthur J. Gold, University of Rhode IslandFollow
Soni M. Pradhanang, University of Rhode Island
Kelly Addy Lowder, University of Rhode Island

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

2019

Department

Natural Resources Science

Abstract

Riparian zones are often used as best management practices due to their ability to remove nitrate (NO₃⁻) from subsurface flow. Research suggests that beyond local biogeochemical controls, the impact of riparian zones on nitrogen removal and other functions, such as phosphorus dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions, largely depends on land-use/land-cover, hydrogeomorphology, and weather. In this study, we therefore present RZ-TRADEOFF, a novel and easily applicable model that connects multiple riparian functions and characteristics (NO₃⁻ and phosphate (PO₄³⁻), concentration and removal in subsurface flow, total phosphorus (TP) removal in overland flow, nitrous oxide (N₂O), methane (CH₄), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, water table) to landscape hydrogeomorphic characteristics, weather, and land-cover/land-use. RZ-TRADEOFF was developed with data from past studies and digital databases, and validated with data collected from the literature. Three functions (water table, PO₄³⁻ and CO₂) were observed to be significantly influenced by climate/weather, while the others were primarily influenced by hydrogeomorphology and land use. The percent bias and normalized root mean square error respectively were −3.35% and 0.28 for water table, 16.00% and 0.34 for NO₃⁻ concentration, −7.83% and 20.82 for NO₃⁻ removal, 6.64% and 0.35 for PO₄³⁻ concentration, 2.55% and 0.17 for TP removal, 40.33% and 0.23 for N₂O, 72.68% and 0.18 for CH₄, and −34.98% and 0.91 for CO₂. From a management standpoint, RZ-TRADEOFF significantly advances our ability to predict multiple water and air quality riparian functions using easily accessible data over large areas of the landscape due to its scalability.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Hassanzadeh, Y. T., Vidon, P. G., Gold, A. J., Pradhanang, S. M., & Lowder K. A. (2019). RZ-TRADEOFF: A New Model to Estimate Riparian Water and Air Quality Functions. Water, 11(4), 769. doi: 10.3390/w11040769

Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/w11040769

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Comment

Arthur J. Gold and Kelly Addy Lowder are from the Department of Natural Resources Science.

Soni M. Pradhanang is from the Department of Geosciences.