Biogeochemistry: Pollutant Transport in Cultivated Environments

The module's content is organized into six sections:

1) Introduction by the EU: scientific and operational challenges related to biogeochemical issues and water quality in agricultural watersheds;

2) Physicochemical and hydrological processes that determine the availability and mobility of pesticides in a watershed;

3) TD: modeling tutorials on the transfer of pesticides;

4) The biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus in agricultural systems;

5) Nitrogen cycle and balance in agricultural watersheds;

6) Tutorial: Assessment of the nitrogen balance in a watershed; diagnosis of surface water contamination

The objective of this module is to present the biogeochemical functioning of watersheds, focusing on the analysis and modeling of the processes that determine the chemical quality of surface water, soil water, and groundwater in relation to agricultural activities. To this end, the focus is on three chemical compounds with significant environmental and health implications: plant protection products, and compounds involved in the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles.

• "Soil Hydrodynamics" course from the first semester (S1) or equivalent
• Course “Hydrological Transfers in Small Cultivated Watersheds” from S1 or equivalent

Final exam: written test without reference materials (2 hours) (100%)