The agricultural non-point source pollution (ANPSP) load in Guangdong province is very large and has a serious impact on the regional ecological environment. Inventory analysis was used to assess and analyze the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of the ANPSP load of Guangdong province during 1999-2019, and the sources of ANPSP were discussed, as well as the relationship between them. The results showed that, during the past 20 years, the total ANPSP pollution loads of Guangdong province decreased by 6.08%, and the pollution loads of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) increased by -11.88%, 4.99%, and 26.17%, respectively. The input intensity of chemical fertilizers and pesticides increased by 112.19% and 60.38%, respectively. The Pearl River Delta had the highest ANPSP loads in Guangdong province, followed by those in northern, western, and eastern Guangdong. Livestock and poultry breeding were the main sources of COD, the total percent fertilizers and livestock and poultry breeding were the main sources of TN, and livestock and poultry breeding and aquaculture were the main sources of TP. In addition, the contribution of pollutants discharged from aquaculture showed an obvious increasing trend. There were certain differences in the pollution sources in different regions. In western Guangdong, northern Guangdong, and eastern Guangdong, livestock and poultry breeding were the main sources of COD and TP, and fertilizer was the main source of TN; by contrast in the Pearl River Delta, aquaculture had become the main source of TN and TP pollution loads. The correlation results showed that the decline in the total ANPSP in Guangdong province was mainly due to the increase in high urbanization rate and the decrease in the proportion of rural population. In general, there were stage changes in the time and differences in spatial characteristics and sources of ANPSP in Guangdong province. A combination of comprehensive treatment and targeted pollution treatment should be adopted, and fertilizer reduction measures and pollution treatment in the aquaculture should be strengthened in an all-around way, focusing on strengthening the treatment of pollution from aquaculture in the Pearl River Delta region and the treatment of rural life pollution in northern Guangdong.
Keywords: inventory analysis; non-point source pollution; pollution load; source analysis of pollution; temporal and spatial variation.