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3 - Benefits of nitrogen for food, fibre and industrial production
- from Part I - Nitrogen in Europe: the present position
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- By Lars Stoumann Jensen, University of Copenhagen, Jan K. Schjoerring, University of Copenhagen, Klaas W. van der Hoek, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Hanne Damgaard Poulsen, Aarhus University, John F. Zevenbergen, TNO Defence, Security and Safety, Christian Pallière, Fertilizers Europe, Joachim Lammel, Yara International Centre, Frank Brentrup, Yara International Centre, Age W. Jongbloed, Wageningen UR Livestock Research, Jaap Willems, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, Hans van Grinsven, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
- 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 32-61
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- Chapter
- Export citation
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Summary
Executive summary
Nature of the issue
Reactive nitrogen (Nr) has well-documented positive effects in agricultural and industrial production systems, human nutrition and food security. Limited Nr supply was a key constraint to European food and industrial production, which has been overcome by Nr from the Haber–Bosch process.
Given the huge diversity in Nr uses, it becomes a major challenge to summarize an overall inventory of Nr benefits. This full list of benefits needs to be quantified if society is to develop sound approaches to optimize Nr management, balancing the benefits against the environmental threats.
Approaches
When reviewing trends in European Nr production rates, including those from chemical and biological fixation processes, and the consumption of this Nr in human activities, agriculture is by far the largest sector driving Nr creation.
Particular attention has been given to relationships between N application rates, productivity and quality of products from major crops and livestock types, including consideration of the mechanisms underlying variations in N response/outputs and the derived impacts on land use and land requirements.
Key findings/state of knowledge
The economic value of N benefits to the European economy is very substantial. Almost half of the global food can be produced because of Nr from the Haber–Bosch, and cereal yields in Europe without fertilizer would only amount to half to two-thirds of those with fertilizer application at economically optimal rates.
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10 - Nitrogen flows in farming systems across Europe
- from Part III - Nitrogen flows and fate at multiple spatial scales
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- By Steve Jarvis, University of Exeter, Nick Hutchings, University of Aarhus, Frank Brentrup, Yara International Centre, Jorgen Eivind Olesen, Aarhus University, Klaas W. van de Hoek, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
- 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
-
- Book:
- The European Nitrogen Assessment
- Published online:
- 16 May 2011
- Print publication:
- 14 April 2011, pp 211-228
-
- Chapter
- Export citation
-
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.
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