2 results
15 - Geographical variation in terrestrial nitrogen budgets across Europe
- from Part III - Nitrogen flows and fate at multiple spatial scales
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- By Wim de Vries, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Adrian Leip, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Gert Jan Reinds, Wageningen University and Research Centre Alterra, Johannes Kros, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Jan Peter Lesschen, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Alexander F. Bouwman, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, Bruna Grizzetti, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Fayçal Bouraoui, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Peter Bergamaschi, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Wilfried Winiwarter, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
- Edited by Mark A. Sutton, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK, Clare M. Howard, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK, Jan Willem Erisman, Gilles Billen, Albert Bleeker, Peringe Grennfelt, Hans van Grinsven, Bruna Grizzetti
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- Book:
- The European Nitrogen Assessment
- Published online:
- 16 May 2011
- Print publication:
- 14 April 2011, pp 317-344
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- Chapter
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Summary
Executive summary
Nature of the problem
Nitrogen (N) budgets of agricultural systems give important information for assessing the impact of N inputs on the environment, and identify levers for action.
Approaches
N budgets of agro-ecosystems in the 27 EU countries are established for the year 2000, considering N inputs by fertiliser application, manure excretion, atmospheric deposition and crop fixation, and N outputs by plant uptake, gaseous emissions, mineralisation, leaching and runoff.
Country N budgets for agro-ecosystems are based on the models INTEGRATOR, IDEAg, MITERRA and IMAGE. Fine geographic distribution is depicted with the former two models, which have higher spatial resolution. INTEGRATOR is the only available model for calculating non-agricultural terrestrial N budgets systems.
Key findings/state of knowledge
For EU-27, the models estimate a comparable total N input in European agriculture, i.e. 23.3–25.7 Mton N yr−1, but N uptake varies largely from 11.3–15.4 Mton N yr−1, leading to total N surpluses varying from 10.4–13.2 Mton N yr−1. Despite this variation, the overall difference at EU-27 is small for the emissions of NH3 (2.8–3.1 Mton N yr−1) and N2O (0.33–0.43 Mton N yr−1) but estimates vary largely at a regional scale. The estimated sum of N leaching and runoff at EU-27 is roughly equal to the sum of NH3, N2O and NOx emissions to the atmosphere, but estimates vary by a factor two, from 2.7 to 6.3 Mton N yr−1.
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CHAPTER 6 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS OF AIR POLLUTION
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- By Mike Ashmore, University of York, Wim de Vries, Alterra Green World Research, Jean-Paul Hettelingh, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP), Kevin Hicks, University of York, Maximilian Posch, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP), Gert Jan Reinds, Alterra Green World Research, Fred Tonneijck, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Leendert van Bree, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP), Han van Dobben, Alterra Green World Research
- Edited by Ranjeet Sokhi
- Foreword by Mario Molina
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- Book:
- World Atlas of Atmospheric Pollution
- Published by:
- Anthem Press
- Published online:
- 05 March 2012
- Print publication:
- 03 May 2008, pp 77-94
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Summary
Air pollution is known to have a range of effects, including those on human health, crop production, soil acidification, visibility and corrosion of materials. This Chapter focuses on the two major impacts of air pollution that have most strongly influenced the development of policies to reduce emissions: those on the natural environment and on human health.
In broad terms, the major impacts of air pollution on the natural environment can be placed into three categories, representing different spatial scales:
Local impacts of major industrial or urban sources, for example, instances of damage to ecosystems and crop production close to emission sources. Historically, the biggest impacts have been through the direct effects of sulphur dioxide and particles – either around large point sources such as power stations and smelters, or in urban areas with domestic coal burning – and the accumulation of toxic metals in soils around smelters. However, a range of other pollutants from specific local sources can have direct impacts on vegetation.
Regional impacts of ozone, which is a significant global air pollutant in terms of impacts on vegetation, since high concentrations are found in rural areas.
Regional impacts of long-Range Transport and deposition of sulphur and nitrogen, which have effects on soil acidity, nutrient availability and water chemistry, and hence on ecosystem composition and function.
The Chapter first considers direct effects of air pollution on vegetation and the visible symptoms of damage that can result, illustrating the spatial variation in damage by reference to national and local studies in the Netherlands.