Project

Multi-pollutant assessment of water quality and food production for agricultural green development in China: an integrated, multi-scale modelling approach

PhD research by Yanan Li

Research challenges

Food production in China has increased. This holds especially for the North China Plain.

Agricultural activities are important sources of environmental pollution including rivers.

Agricultural Green Development is an opportunity to reduce water pollution and increase the sustainability of agricultural activities.

is to assess future Agricultural Green Development in China, in terms of sustainable food production and multiple pollutants in water systems at different scales.

Methods

Fig. 1: The research framework of the PhD thesis including four research questions (RQs). SSPs are Shared Socio-economic pathways. RCPs are Representative Concentration Pathways. AGD is agricultural green development. N and P are nitrogen and phosphorous, respectively.
Fig. 1: The research framework of the PhD thesis including four research questions (RQs). SSPs are Shared Socio-economic pathways. RCPs are Representative Concentration Pathways. AGD is agricultural green development. N and P are nitrogen and phosphorous, respectively.

Expected results

    • New version of the MARINA-Global model to assess inputs of multiple pollutants to surface waters by source and sub-basin;
    • The multi-pollutant assessment of surface water quality in the world, China and North China Plain;
    • Agricultural Green Development (AGD) options to reduce future water pollution;
    • Recommendations for AGD development at different scales to support sustainable food production and water security in the future.