Leader: Venâncio Cátia
Coauthor(s): Isabel Lopes, Carla Patinha, Solange Magalhães, Pedro Pato
Disciplines
Sciences du système terrestre
Biologie environnementale, écologie et évolution
Biotechnologie et ingénierie des biosystèmes
Keywords
Invasive species; Valorization; Circular economy; Regenerative agriculture; Sustainability
Abstract
Estarreja is a unique ecosystem that harmonizes the subsistence of local communities with the environment. The Estarreja OHM Observatory has been working to understand the effects of pollution on water, soil, ecosystem services, and the health of local population. Several sources of diffuse pollution, namely agriculture and livestock, have contributed to the increase in concentrations of sulphates, chlorides, and phosphorus in the surrounding waters. These increases contribute to the worsening of other problems, such as infestation by invasive plants. Water hyacinth (WH) has caused several disturbances in the region, interfering with the circulation of water courses and native biodiversity, causing damage to infrastructure, and mobilizing an expensive collection of machinery and labour to control it.
This proposal aims to evaluate the potential value of using WH as fertilizer for sustainable agricultural practices in the Estarreja region. WH biomass, whose potential has been tested as a source of phosphorus and nitrogen, could decrease local farmers' dependence on chemical fertilizers and improve plant growth while contributing to compliance with national and European regulations on water pollution, and invasive species control and mitigation. Furthermore, Estarreja fits perfectly as a lighthouse study for this work due to the extensive work carried out by the OHM Observatory in many areas (biology, geology, ecology, and agronomy), but also because the accessibility, involvement, and receptivity of local communities and municipalities to this type of initiative are excellent.
Participants
Venâncio Cátia, Patinha Carla, Lopes Isabel, Magalhães Solange, Pato Pedro
See the project
