Evaluation of agricultural measures to safeguard the vulnerable karst groundwater habitat of the black olm (Proteus anguinus parkelj) from nitrate pollution

Glavan, Matjaž (author), Cvejić, Rozalija (author)

The black olm (Proteus anguinus parkelj Sket & Arntzen) is an endemic species found exclusively in the Dobličica River subterranean water systems of the Dinaric karst in southern Slovenia. These unique habitats are vulnerable to contamination due to rapid water flow, primarily from nitrates from agricultural fertilisers and untreated urban wastewater. The safe limit of nitrate concentration for olms is 9.2 mg NO3$^− $/L, yet measurements in karst springs have shown levels ranging from 3 mg to over 20 mg NO3$^− $/L. The SWAT modelling tool assessed agri-environmental and land use scenarios for their impact on nitrate leaching. Using the model, we identified hotspots with high nitrogen leaching potential that require immediate attention and implementation of better agricultural practices for fertiliser use. For these hotspots, the most effective approach combines scenarios of cover crops (R2), reduced fertilisation (R3), crop rotation (R4), and conversion of cropland to grassland (E2, E4, E5), potentially decreasing nitrate leaching by up to 60%. Implementing the best scenarios is expected to reduce nitrogen levels below the limit value of 9.2 mg NO3$^− $/L, essential for maintaining the black olm habitat.

• Language: English
• Keywords: black olm, karst, groundwater, habitat, agriculture, measures, nitrate, SWAT model
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 26 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, iss. 24, art. 11309
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-166214
• UDC: 504.5
• ISSN on article: 2071-1050
• DOI: 10.3390/su162411309
• COBISS.SI-ID: 220411651
• Publication date in RUL: 24.12.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Sustainability
• Shortened title: Sustainability
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2071-1050
• COBISS.SI-ID: 5324897

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: črni močeril, Kras, podtalnica, življenjski prostor, kmetijstvo, nitrati, Proteus anguinus parkelj