Human interaction and excess release of nitrogen in coastal regions like Cape Cod have led to an imbalance in the cycling of nitrogen. This has created accumulation of nitrogen within the region on a scale that exceeds the environment’s capacity leading to damage to the local environment. Some solutions have been proposed but their efficacy is not fully understood. To better understand the situation and the possible solutions, we have modeled the flow of nitrogen throughout Cape Cod as a network of nodes representing different aspects of the region. We constructed the model by calculating how much nitrogen flows between the nodes from data found in our research and compiling it all into a flow matrix. By using Ecological Network Analysis in the R programming language (enaR), we were able to analyze the network to better understand the nitrogen “metabolism” in the region. In general, a healthy nitrogen metabolism minimizes inputs and outputs and provides for effective cycling within the system. Our results show that an increase in Innovative/Advanced (I/A) onsite wastewater treatment systems significantly decreases the amount of reactive nitrogen going to the biosphere while increasing the amount of non-reactive nitrogen (N2) going to the atmosphere. Increasing I/A systems, however, has little impact on the recovery and cycling of nitrogen in the Cape Cod region. As a result, this intervention does not reduce the inputs of reactive nitrogen to Cape Cod. We also found that an increase in composting on Cape Cod would greatly increase the cycling of nitrogen within the Cape Cod region (the Cape plus areas adjacent to the Cape not modeled in our network). Overall, examining the nitrogen metabolism of coastal regions provides a more holistic perspective of the nitrogen issue in coastal regions like Cape Cod and greater insight into possible solutions.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Boothroyd, Vincent
• Nguyen, Dang

Subject

• Environment
• Sustainability

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-050324-175651
• 122484

Advisor

• Walker, Harold Webb

Year

• 2024

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
• 13 - Climate Action
• 14 - Life Below Water

Date created

• 2024-05-03

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Source

• E-project-050324-175651

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Dernière modification

• 2024-05-17