Modeling Nutrient Release in the Tai Lake Basin of China: Source Identification and Policy Implications

An empirical framework have be established to investigate the contribution of five major sectors to the increasingly severe nutrient enrichment in the Tai Lake Basin of China. Industrial manufacturing, livestock breeding, crop agriculture, household consumption and atmospheric deposition were studied, of which household consumption accounts for the most of nitrogen and phosphorus input. Six best management practices were analyzed and compared in cost-effectiveness analysis. Recommendations are made, while more factors should be taken into account in the actual decision-making process.