5:15 PM - 6:45 PM
[AHW18-P10] A framework for integrating the diversity of livestock systems into global water quality assessment
Keywords:Organic nitrogen, Global scale, Livestock, Hydrology, Water quality
Food production systems consume large amounts of land and water and are required to transform rapidly to accommodate for population growth and changes in consumption patterns (Vanham et al. 2023). Livestock systems, a core component of food production systems, are not as water resource intensive as irrigated agriculture and have, as a result, often been omitted, or their representation greatly simplified, in global hydrological models (Telteu et al. 2021). The spatial resolution of these global hydrological models is increasing rapidly and concurrently these models are integrate more processes, including water quality. Recognizing the diversity of livestock systems around the world is critical for adequately predicting organic nitrogen (N) fluxes.
In this study, we present a framework that moves beyond the statistical approaches previously used for representing livestock systems in global water quality analysis. We initially conducted a meticulous literature review of the typical livestock feeding regime adopted across countries and livestock production systems. Next, we adopted the livestock production classification of the Food and Agriculture Organization and actively differentiated between rangelands (LR), mixed rainfed (MR), and mixed irrigated (MI) livestock systems. Such production systems directly influence feeding regime and manure management, which, combined with livestock density, largely dictate the amount of organic nitrogen that is mobilizable. Global runoff simulations from the H08 model, operated under the ISIMIP protocol and at a monthly resolution, are used to determine N flow from feed to water courses. Importantly, the framework carefully inventories the sources of N flow, including animal type, livestock production type, and country of origin to realistically evaluate the trade-off embedded in pollution mitigation scenarios.
In this study, we present a framework that moves beyond the statistical approaches previously used for representing livestock systems in global water quality analysis. We initially conducted a meticulous literature review of the typical livestock feeding regime adopted across countries and livestock production systems. Next, we adopted the livestock production classification of the Food and Agriculture Organization and actively differentiated between rangelands (LR), mixed rainfed (MR), and mixed irrigated (MI) livestock systems. Such production systems directly influence feeding regime and manure management, which, combined with livestock density, largely dictate the amount of organic nitrogen that is mobilizable. Global runoff simulations from the H08 model, operated under the ISIMIP protocol and at a monthly resolution, are used to determine N flow from feed to water courses. Importantly, the framework carefully inventories the sources of N flow, including animal type, livestock production type, and country of origin to realistically evaluate the trade-off embedded in pollution mitigation scenarios.