Overall, the pressure of agriculture on river water quality has slightly eased since
early 1990s due to the reduction in fertilizers and pesticides use in light of the
environmental movement. However, despite this minor improvement, pollutions
from agricultural practices remain significant and substantial. In comparison to the
point source the agricultural runoff (non-point pollution) contributes more in the
degradation of water quality and that can be controlled only up to certain stage (Giri
and Qiu 2016). Fertilizers having high concentration of nitrogen, phosphorous, and
other compounds are constantly added to the soil without following any
recommended dose. Therefore, the surplus amount of these compounds often
remains in the soil get leached into the ground as well washed off to the water
bodies. The enhanced concentrations of nutrients in river water decrease the oxygen
level and lead to toxic conditions by producing more algal boom (Evans et al. 2019).
Furthermore, in most developing countries, the decline in forest and woodlands is
attributed largely to land transformation, especially the expansion of agricultural
fields for crop production. Various studies also alluded that these structural changes
are influenced by political and economic policies (FAO 2018).
Unfortunately, these perpetual transformations in natural landscapes occasionally
invoke unexpected problems that sometimes extent to the other regions also. For
example, the algae bloom phenomenon that is attributed to Sargassum seaweed on
the Caribbean coast of Mexico can spread to the entire tropical Atlantic Ocean. This
area is named as Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) known for largest
macroalgal bloom in the world. The major reasons for the propagation of algal
bloom are deforestation and use of fertilizers in the Amazon forest that steadily
increased nutrient runoff. The aggregations of macroalgae in coastal waters deplete
oxygen and affect the other aquatic organism. At excess level, they may produce
rotten egg smells that consequently affect the number of tourists as well as to the
local fisheries. So, the landscape alteration can affect the whole water systems
(Wang et al. 2019).
2.3 Landscape Influence on Water Quality: A Case Study
in Bentong River
Landscape patterns and ecological processes interact with one another. By
establishing relationships between the two, we can take further steps to comprehend
the influence of landscape on water quality and assess more information that
strengthen our grasp of landscape ecology. Hence, it has become very imperative
to identify and describe the relationships among water parameters and land use
patterns and landscape metrics in order to implement sustainable water management
strategies (Crosa et al. 2006). Lately, studies have started to focus on spatial
configuration of land uses and on different landscape metrics in an attempt to further
understand the association and interconnection between land use patterns and water
characteristics of watersheds. Incorporating advanced statistical analysis and spatial
22
N. R. Jamil and Z. N. Shehab
early 1990s due to the reduction in fertilizers and pesticides use in light of the
environmental movement. However, despite this minor improvement, pollutions
from agricultural practices remain significant and substantial. In comparison to the
point source the agricultural runoff (non-point pollution) contributes more in the
degradation of water quality and that can be controlled only up to certain stage (Giri
and Qiu 2016). Fertilizers having high concentration of nitrogen, phosphorous, and
other compounds are constantly added to the soil without following any
recommended dose. Therefore, the surplus amount of these compounds often
remains in the soil get leached into the ground as well washed off to the water
bodies. The enhanced concentrations of nutrients in river water decrease the oxygen
level and lead to toxic conditions by producing more algal boom (Evans et al. 2019).
Furthermore, in most developing countries, the decline in forest and woodlands is
attributed largely to land transformation, especially the expansion of agricultural
fields for crop production. Various studies also alluded that these structural changes
are influenced by political and economic policies (FAO 2018).
Unfortunately, these perpetual transformations in natural landscapes occasionally
invoke unexpected problems that sometimes extent to the other regions also. For
example, the algae bloom phenomenon that is attributed to Sargassum seaweed on
the Caribbean coast of Mexico can spread to the entire tropical Atlantic Ocean. This
area is named as Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) known for largest
macroalgal bloom in the world. The major reasons for the propagation of algal
bloom are deforestation and use of fertilizers in the Amazon forest that steadily
increased nutrient runoff. The aggregations of macroalgae in coastal waters deplete
oxygen and affect the other aquatic organism. At excess level, they may produce
rotten egg smells that consequently affect the number of tourists as well as to the
local fisheries. So, the landscape alteration can affect the whole water systems
(Wang et al. 2019).
2.3 Landscape Influence on Water Quality: A Case Study
in Bentong River
Landscape patterns and ecological processes interact with one another. By
establishing relationships between the two, we can take further steps to comprehend
the influence of landscape on water quality and assess more information that
strengthen our grasp of landscape ecology. Hence, it has become very imperative
to identify and describe the relationships among water parameters and land use
patterns and landscape metrics in order to implement sustainable water management
strategies (Crosa et al. 2006). Lately, studies have started to focus on spatial
configuration of land uses and on different landscape metrics in an attempt to further
understand the association and interconnection between land use patterns and water
characteristics of watersheds. Incorporating advanced statistical analysis and spatial
22
N. R. Jamil and Z. N. Shehab