Cost-Effective Strategies for Reducing Cropland Nutrient Deliveries to the Gulf of Mexico

Every summer, a hypoxic zone forms in the Gulf of Mexico, where dissolved oxygen is too low for many aquatic species to survive. This zone is fueled in part by nitrogen and phosphorus flowing from cropland in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin. Simulations suggest the least-cost strategy for reducing agricultural nutrient flow to the Gulf would involve a diverse mix of conservation practices