Nashville yard Project
Project Overview
Fertilizer application has a number of known environmental impacts including nitrous oxide emissions (a powerful greenhouse gas), eutrophication, groundwater contamination, and acidification. Lawn fertilizer application is a significant source of nitrogen pollution in many urban and suburban watersheds throughout the United States, and the problem is growing. In addition, the contribution of lawn fertilizer to US greenhouse gas emissions is not known.
The goals of this project are to examine:
Fertilizer application has a number of known environmental impacts including nitrous oxide emissions (a powerful greenhouse gas), eutrophication, groundwater contamination, and acidification. Lawn fertilizer application is a significant source of nitrogen pollution in many urban and suburban watersheds throughout the United States, and the problem is growing. In addition, the contribution of lawn fertilizer to US greenhouse gas emissions is not known.
The goals of this project are to examine:
- The physical processes that lead to nitrous oxide emissions from household nitrogen-containing fertilizer use
- The types and levels of individual and household activities that affect household nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer use
- The values, beliefs and norms associated with these individual and household activities
- The communities and social networks associated with these activities.
Methodology
Study utilizes a combination of methods including co-located household surveys, key informant interviews, and physical measurements of lawn emissions. This study took place in randomly selected neighborhoods within the Richland Creek Watershed of Nashville, TN. The watershed is 28.5 square miles of primarily urban and suburban neighborhoods in the greater Nashville metropolitan area. These neighborhoods represent a diverse range of residents in terms of race, income, education, and ownership patterns, making it an ideal setting to examine how these factors relate to fertilizer use. The sample consists of 340 households clustered within 60 neighborhoods throughout the study area. The survey instrument collects data regarding demographics, lawn care practices, fertilizer usage, risk perceptions, environmental attitudes, informal and formal neighborhood governance, as well as neighborhood norms.
Study utilizes a combination of methods including co-located household surveys, key informant interviews, and physical measurements of lawn emissions. This study took place in randomly selected neighborhoods within the Richland Creek Watershed of Nashville, TN. The watershed is 28.5 square miles of primarily urban and suburban neighborhoods in the greater Nashville metropolitan area. These neighborhoods represent a diverse range of residents in terms of race, income, education, and ownership patterns, making it an ideal setting to examine how these factors relate to fertilizer use. The sample consists of 340 households clustered within 60 neighborhoods throughout the study area. The survey instrument collects data regarding demographics, lawn care practices, fertilizer usage, risk perceptions, environmental attitudes, informal and formal neighborhood governance, as well as neighborhood norms.
Collaborators
The research team includes researchers from Vanderbilt University (VIEE) and the University of Colorado. The research team represents represents a diverse set of disciplines including sociology, geography, hydrology, engineering, and environmental law. More information about this project and collaborators can be found here.
The research team includes researchers from Vanderbilt University (VIEE) and the University of Colorado. The research team represents represents a diverse set of disciplines including sociology, geography, hydrology, engineering, and environmental law. More information about this project and collaborators can be found here.
Publications and Presentations
Gu, C.; Crane, J., Hornberger, G., Carrico, A.R. (2015). The effects of household management practices on the global warming potential of urban lawns. Journal of Environmental Management, accepted.
Carrico, A. R., J. Fraser, and J. T. Bazuin, (2013). "Green with envy: Psychological and social predictors of lawn fertilizer application." Environment and Behavior, 45(4): 427-454.
Crane, J.; Hornberger, G.M. (2012). Gases and Grasses: Sampling nitrous oxide emissions from urban and suburban lawns. World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2012.
Gu, C., Hornberger, G.M., Crane, J.W. (2012). Multi-scale dependence of soil N2O emissions on soil moisture and soil temperature. American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA.
Carrico, A.R., Fraser, J., Bazuin, J. (2011). Exploring factors that shape household lawn fertilization. Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Bazuin, J.T., Fraser, J.C., Carrico, A.R. (2011). The use of spatialized social networks to analyze neighborhood influences on household decision making around yard care. Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Fraser, J., Bazuin, J., Carrico, A.R. (2011). The construction of neighborhood and its effects on lawn fertilization rates. Association of American Geographer’s Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Gu, C.; Crane, J., Hornberger, G., Carrico, A.R. (2015). The effects of household management practices on the global warming potential of urban lawns. Journal of Environmental Management, accepted.
Carrico, A. R., J. Fraser, and J. T. Bazuin, (2013). "Green with envy: Psychological and social predictors of lawn fertilizer application." Environment and Behavior, 45(4): 427-454.
Crane, J.; Hornberger, G.M. (2012). Gases and Grasses: Sampling nitrous oxide emissions from urban and suburban lawns. World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2012.
Gu, C., Hornberger, G.M., Crane, J.W. (2012). Multi-scale dependence of soil N2O emissions on soil moisture and soil temperature. American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA.
Carrico, A.R., Fraser, J., Bazuin, J. (2011). Exploring factors that shape household lawn fertilization. Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Bazuin, J.T., Fraser, J.C., Carrico, A.R. (2011). The use of spatialized social networks to analyze neighborhood influences on household decision making around yard care. Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Fraser, J., Bazuin, J., Carrico, A.R. (2011). The construction of neighborhood and its effects on lawn fertilization rates. Association of American Geographer’s Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Funding
2010 - 2013 National Science Foundation. Grasses and Gases: Modeling Human Dynamics of Lawn Fertilization and Resultant Nitrous Oxide Emissions (# 0943661). PI: G.M. Hornberger Amount awarded: $450,000.
2010 - 2013 National Science Foundation. Grasses and Gases: Modeling Human Dynamics of Lawn Fertilization and Resultant Nitrous Oxide Emissions (# 0943661). PI: G.M. Hornberger Amount awarded: $450,000.
