TY  - JOUR
AU  - Schwiede, M.
AU  - Duijnisveld, W. H. M.
AU  - Böttcher, J.
PY  - 2005//
TI  - Investigation of processes leading to nitrate enrichment in soils in the Kalahari Region, Botswana
JO  - Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts A/B/C
SP  - 712
EP  - 716
VL  - 30
IS  - 11
KW  - Nitrate
KW  - Arenosol soils
KW  - Semi-arid
KW  - Kalahari
KW  - Cattle
KW  - Chloride
KW  - Travel time
N2  - In Southern Africa elevated nitrate concentrations are observed in mostly uninhabited semi-arid areas. In the Kalahari of Botswana groundwater locally exhibits concentrations up to 600mg/l. It is assumed, that nitrate found in the groundwater originates mainly from nitrogen input and transformations in the soils. Our investigations in the Kalahari between Serowe and Orapa show that cattle raising is an important source for enhanced nitrate concentrations in the soils (Arenosols). But also in termite mounds very high nitrate stocks were found, and under natural vegetation (acacia trees and shrubs) nitrate concentrations were mostly unexpectedly high. This nitrate enrichment in the soils poses a serious threat to the groundwater quality. However, calculated soil water age distributions in the unsaturated zone clearly show that today’s nitrate pollution of the groundwater below the investigation area could originate from natural sources, but cannot be caused by the current land use for cattle raising.
SN  - 1474-7065
UR  - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474706505000835
N1  - Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and the Millennium Development Goals: Managing Water for Peace and Prosperity
ID  - Schwiede_etal2005
ER  -