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10 - Nitrogen flows in farming systems across Europe

from Part III - Nitrogen flows and fate at multiple spatial scales

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2011

By
Steve Jarvis ,
Nick Hutchings ,
Frank Brentrup ,
Jorgen Eivind Olesen  and
Klaas W. van de Hoek
Edited by
Mark A. Sutton ,
Clare M. Howard ,
Jan Willem Erisman ,
Gilles Billen ,
Albert Bleeker ,
Peringe Grennfelt ,
Hans van Grinsven  and
Bruna Grizzetti
Steve Jarvis
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
Nick Hutchings
Affiliation:
University of Aarhus
Frank Brentrup
Affiliation:
Yara International Centre
Jorgen Eivind Olesen
Affiliation:
Aarhus University
Klaas W. van de Hoek
Affiliation:
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Mark A. Sutton
Affiliation:
NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
Clare M. Howard
Affiliation:
NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
Jan Willem Erisman
Affiliation:
Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
Gilles Billen
Affiliation:
CNRS and University of Paris VI
Albert Bleeker
Affiliation:
Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands
Peringe Grennfelt
Affiliation:
Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL)
Hans van Grinsven
Affiliation:
PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Bruna Grizzetti
Affiliation:
European Commission Joint Research Centre
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Summary

Executive summary

Nature of the problem

  • Farms represent operational units which determine N-use efficiency and incorporation into products and, collectively, at the wider scale, determine the extent of environmental losses from agriculture.

  • The basic principles and objectives of using N, from whatever source, pertain to different systems across the wide range of farming types across Europe.

  • In addition to managing external inputs (fertilisers), there is much opportunity to improve N transfers within the farm. Mineral fertilisers are added to balance supply/demand for crops. Some systems rely on legume-N which, once incorporated into farm cycles, behaves in the same way as other N forms.

Approaches

  • Farm N cycles, their constituent parts and controlling influences are described and generalised principles identified.

  • Farm budgets for a range of systems, focussing on typical practice in NW Europe are shown which illustrate some general, important differences between farming systems.

Key findings/state of knowledge

  • Benefits of using N effectively are far reaching with immediate impact in promoting production. Use of N also provides an effective and flexible management tool for farmers.

  • Crop N requirements are determined from response curves and economic optima. Advice is supplied to farmers from various sources but the extent to which it is taken depends on many factors. New technologies are available to improve N-use efficiency. The basis of good N management is to optimise efficiency of added and soil N by increasing the temporal and spatial coincidence between availability and uptake of N.

  • […]

Type
Chapter
Information
The European Nitrogen Assessment
Sources, Effects and Policy Perspectives
 , pp. 211 - 228
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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