The Effects of Meteorological and Hydrological Conditions on Nutrient Losses from Agricultural Areas in Latvia

Abstract Water quality in any stream is affected by complex interactions between natural and anthropogenic factors a given catchment area. Agriculture has been identified as major contributor of nitrogen phosphorus inputs to surface waters the Baltic Sea region. Although decisions regarding agricultural management practices, e.g. crop rotation, tillage, fertilization, have direct impact on likelihood magnitude losses from areas waters, such meteorological hydrological conditions triggering role processes determining transformations, storage, uptake nutrients. In order investigate effects (precipitation air temperature) (runoff) water (losses total (TN) (TP)) results Agricultural Runoff Monitoring Programme collected at three monitoring sites (Berze, Mellupite, Vienziemite) during time period 1995–2020 were summarized analysed. The pronounced differences mean annual temperature precipitation observed when information representing periods twenty years was compared indicating for evidences climate change. addition, relationships seasonal runoff detected. As behaviour TN TP catchments had large variations depending intensity production site location. changes patterns precipitation, may increase risks nutrient future.