Effects of farm heterogeneity and methods for upscaling on modelled nitrogen losses in agricultural landscapes

Dalgaard, T.; Hutchings, N.; Dragosits, U. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9283-6467; Olesen, J.E.; Kjeldsen, C.; Drouet, J.L.; Cellier, P.. 2011 Effects of farm heterogeneity and methods for upscaling on modelled nitrogen losses in agricultural landscapes. Environmental Pollution, 159. 3183-3192. 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.02.043

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Official URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S...

Abstract/Summary

The aim of this study is to illustrate the importance of farm scale heterogeneity on nitrogen (N) losses in agricultural landscapes. Results are exemplified with a chain of N models calculating farm-N balances and distributing the N-surplus to N-losses (volatilisation, denitrification, leaching) and soil-N accumulation/release in a Danish landscape. Possible non-linearities in upscaling are assessed by comparing average model results based on (i) individual farm level calculations and (ii) averaged inputs at landscape level. Effects of the non-linearities that appear when scaling up from farm to landscape are demonstrated. Especially in relation to ammonia losses the non-linearity between livestock density and N-loss is significant (p > 0.999), with around 20–30% difference compared to a scaling procedure not taking this non-linearity into account. A significant effect of farm type on soil N accumulation (p > 0.95) was also identified and needs to be included when modelling landscape level N-fluxes and greenhouse gas emissions

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.envpol.2011.02.043
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biogeochemistry
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Billett (to November 2013)
ISSN:	0269-7491
Additional Keywords:	agriculture, greenhouse gas emissions, heterogeneity, landscape, nitrogen losses, upscaling
NORA Subject Terms:	Atmospheric Sciences Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	14 Feb 2012 16:19 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/16719

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.envpol.2011.02.043

Programmes:

CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biogeochemistry

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Billett (to November 2013)

ISSN:

0269-7491

Additional Keywords:

agriculture, greenhouse gas emissions, heterogeneity, landscape, nitrogen losses, upscaling