Doctoral Degree Bellaterra January, 2009 University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Institute: Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Facultat de Ciències PhD program: Environmental Sciences, option in Analysis of the Natural Environment Title: Integrated Environmental Assessment of Nutrient Emissions in a Mediterranean catchment: A case study in La Tordera, Catalonia Research conducted by: Frédérique Caille Directors of research: Dr. Joan Lluís Riera Rey Department of Ecology Universitat de Barcelona Dr. Antoni Rosell Melé ICREA Research Professor Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Frédérique Caille, 2009 Doctoral degree Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Facultat de Ciències PhD program: Environmental Sciences, option in Analysis of the Natural Environment Funding for this project was provided by the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (ICTA, UAB) and the European Project Eurolimpacs (FP6-SUSTDEV, project reference 505540). Frédérique Caille benefited from an IQUC, Marie Curie and ICTA short- time scholarship, respectively from the Catalan government, the European Community for the Sense research school programme, and the ICTA for PhD completion. 2 Doctoral Degree Bellaterra January, 2009 University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Institute: Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Facultat de Ciències PhD program: Environmental Sciences, option in Analysis of the Natural Environment Title: Integrated Environmental Assessment of Nutrient Emissions in a Mediterranean catchment: A case study in La Tordera, Catalonia Research conducted by: Frédérique Caille Directors of research: Dr. Joan Lluís Riera Rey Department of Ecology Universitat de Barcelona Dr. Antoni Rosell Melé ICREA Research Professor Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 3 4 Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to thank the many people who made this thesis possible. Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr. Joan Lluís Riera Rey and Dr. Antoni Rosell-Melé. Without their support, encouragement, insights and comments, I would never have completed this dissertation. I would like to express my gratitude to Joan for helping me throughout the PhD. With his enthusiasm, his inspiration, and his great efforts to teach different techniques and programs, and explain things clearly and simply, he helped me overcome all the difficulties I encountered. In the final stages of the work, both of my supervisors have also been abundantly helpful, and have assisted me in numerous ways, providing encouragement, sound advice, good teaching, and excellent ideas. My gratitude also goes to the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA, UAB) for hosting me, providing funding for this project, and awarding me one of the two IQUC scholarships that the institute got from the Generalitat (Catalan government) and a short-term fellowship for the PhD completion. Regarding these grants, I would like to thank Xavier Gabarrell Durany, Louis Lemkow, Joan Martínez Alier and the other members of the selection committee, and Antoni Rosell- Melé for selecting and believing in me. I also thank the Catalan government for the IQUC scholarship, the European Community for the Marie Curie scholarship to study in Utrecht University for the Sense research school programme, and the European Project Eurolimpacs (FP6-SUSTDEV, project reference 505540) for the funding provided. I would like to thank the researchers from the ICTA, the Ecology Department of the University of Barcelona (UB), the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB), and the Department of Physical Geography of Utrecht University, who helped me to make great progress in my research, namely to David Saurí, Jereon Van den Bergh, Giorgos Kallis, Quico Sabater, Eugenia Martí, and Hans Middelkoop, respectively. And thanks to Dani and Alba (CEAB) for sharing their knowledge of La Tordera catchment with me, and for letting me participate in their PhD research field work. I am grateful to the secretaries of the institute for assisting me in many different ways. I would like to say 'thank-you' to all people who agreed to be interviewed for the social analysis of the thesis, to all participants in the workshop, and local authorities. I wish to thank Maria-Rosa Rovira and his husband for their kindness, help and support during my stay in Barcelona. 5 I have to say big 'thank-you' to all my friends for providing a stimulating and fun environment in which to learn and grow, and for helping me get through the difficult times, and for all the emotional support, entertainment, caring, and love they provided throughout the PhD. Lastly, I wish to thank my parents, my sister, my brother (merci à tous les deux pour votre aide si précieuse) and my grand-mother for their understanding, endless patience and constant encouragement, and for providing a loving environment for me; they took care of me, supported me, and loved me. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements.................................................................................... 5 Summary ................................................................................................... 11 Acronyms .................................................................................................. 13 Chapter 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................15 1.1. Conceptual background for the research project....................................17 1.2. Nutrient emissions and catchment management: the Catalan context ...21 1.3. Study area .............................................................................................22 1.3.1. Location .................................................................................................. 22 1.3.2. Hydrogeology and climate ...................................................................... 23 1.3.3. Territorial divisions and land uses .......................................................... 24 1.3.4. Population and nutrient management..................................................... 25 1.4. Objectives and structure of the thesis ....................................................30 Chapter 2 Social system analysis for the integrated assessment of nutrient flows .......33 2.1. Introduction............................................................................................35 2.2. Methodology ..........................................................................................36 2.2.1. Identification of stakeholders .................................................................. 37 2.2.2. Interviews................................................................................................ 37 2.2.3. Analysis of interview data ....................................................................... 40 2.3. Results and discussion ..........................................................................40 2.3.1. Selection of stakeholders........................................................................ 41 2.3.2. Description of the social system ............................................................. 42 2.3.3. Changes during the 1993-2003 period ................................................... 52 2.3.4. Stakeholders’ perspectives on the environment and water quality ........ 59 2.4. Conclusions ...........................................................................................62 Chapter 3 Modelling nitrogen and phosphorus loads in La Tordera, 1995-2002.............63 3.1. Introduction............................................................................................65 7 3.2. Methodology...........................................................................................66 3.2.1. The MONERIS model ............................................................................. 66 3.2.2. Model setup............................................................................................. 68 3.2.3. Calibration and verification process........................................................ 79 3.2.4. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis ........................................................ 81 3.3. Results...................................................................................................81 3.3.1. Model calibration and verification............................................................ 81 3.3.2. Partitioning of nutrient emissions ............................................................ 86 3.3.3. Model uncertainty and sensitivity to input data ....................................... 91 3.4. Discussion..............................................................................................95 3.4.1. Patterns of nutrient loads and emissions in time and space .................. 95 3.4.2. Uncertainties in the model exercise........................................................ 97 3.4.3. Uncertainty, sensitivity, and scenario development................................ 98 3.5. Conclusions............................................................................................99 Chapter 4 Participatory development of socioeconomic scenarios for La Tordera, 2030 horizon......................................................................................................101 4.1. Introduction ..........................................................................................103