Doctoral Dissertation Research: Assessing Rural Farmers' Soil Management Practices

博士论文研究：评估农村农民的土壤管理实践

• 批准号: 2049491
• 负责人: Flora Lu
• 金额: $ 2.52万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Cruz
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-10-01 至 2023-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2049491&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Assessing; Rural

Agricultural nitrate pollution and subsequent contamination of freshwater resources pose a major threat to human health. High levels of nitrates in drinking water are often attributed to poor nutrient management practices on farms, where fertilizers leach into regional water supplies. Agricultural scientists have widely investigated soil management practices that can reduce nitrate pollution; however, effective practices remain underutilized among farmers. This project, which supports the training of a graduate student in anthropological methods, uses theoretical insights from economic anthropology to investigate the factors that affect farmers’ amenability to various soil management practices and implications for nitrate losses to freshwater resources. This doctoral dissertation research focuses on farmers’ soil management practices among rural residential communities exposed to nitrates in drinking water. Specifically, it asks: how are agricultural soils managed when the people applying fertilizers are also those most exposed to nitrate-contaminated drinking water? To answer this question, the researcher will interview and work alongside farmers, shadow farmer assistance providers, and observe public meetings related to regional water quality. Findings will illustrate how environmental inequality intersects with socioeconomic mobility and community support to offer a deeper understanding of how communities of farmers negotiate the costs and benefits of resource management.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

农业硝酸盐污染和随后的淡水资源污染对人类健康构成了重大威胁。饮用水中硝酸盐的高水平通常被归因于农场营养管理不善，化肥渗入地区供水。农业科学家对可以减少硝酸盐污染的土壤管理措施进行了广泛的调查；然而，有效的做法在农民中仍然没有得到充分利用。该项目支持对研究生进行人类学方法培训，利用经济人类学的理论见解，调查影响农民适应各种土壤管理做法的因素，以及硝酸盐对淡水资源损失的影响。这篇博士论文研究的重点是接触饮用水中硝酸盐的农村居民区的农民土壤管理实践。具体地说，它问：当使用化肥的人也是那些最容易接触受硝酸盐污染的饮用水的人时，农业土壤如何管理？为了回答这个问题，研究人员将与农民、影子农民援助提供者一起采访和工作，并观察与区域水质有关的公共会议。调查结果将说明环境不平等如何与社会经济流动性和社区支持相交，以更深入地了解农民社区如何协商资源管理的成本和收益。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。