Estimates of sub-national nutrient balances as sustainability indicators for agro-ecosystems in Ecuador

Koning, G.H.J. de; Kop, P.J. van de; Fresco, L.O.

doi:10.1016/s0167-8809(97)00059-5

Cited by 29 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Furthermore, the compilation of the land use system map was not straightforward and remained country-specific. De Koning et al (1997) and Priess et al (2001) calculated spatially explicit soil nutrient balances for Ecuador, following the methodology of Stoorvogel and Smaling (1990) for grid cells of 5 arc minutes. A land use map was constructed indirectly by relating sample sites of the national agricultural statistics census to grid cells.…”

Section: Land Use Mapmentioning

confidence: 99%

A spatially explicit methodology to quantify soil nutrient balances and their uncertainties at the national level

Lesschen

Stoorvogel

Smaling

et al. 2007

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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A soil nutrient balance is a commonly used indicator to assess changes in soil fertility. In this paper, an earlier developed methodology by Stoorvogel and Smaling to assess the soil nutrient balance is given a major overhaul, based on growing insights and advances in data availability and modelling. The soil nutrient balance is treated as the net balance of five inflows (mineral fertilizer, organic inputs, atmospheric deposition, nitrogen fixation and sedimentation) and five outflows (crop products, crop residues, leaching, gaseous losses and erosion). This study aims to improve the existing methodology by making it spatially explicit, improving various transfer functions, and by modelling explicitly the uncertainties in the estimations. Spatially explicit modelling has become possible through a novel methodology to create a simulated land use map on the basis of the principles of traditional qualitative land evaluation. New literature data on the various inputs and outputs allowed improvement of the estimations of deposition, sedimentation, leaching, and erosion. Moreover, the uncertainty of the calculated soil nutrient balances was assessed. To illustrate the improved methodology, we applied it to Burkina Faso and revealed that nutrient depletion is occurring throughout the country at rates of À20 AE 15 kg N ha À1 , À3:7 AE 2:9 kg P ha À1 and À15 AE 12 kg K ha À1 . The resulting spatial soil nutrient balances at the national level can constitute the basis for targeting soil fertility policies at lower levels.

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Section: Land Use Mapmentioning

confidence: 99%

A spatially explicit methodology to quantify soil nutrient balances and their uncertainties at the national level

Lesschen

Stoorvogel

Smaling

et al. 2007

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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“…In other parts of the world, however, there may be nutrient deficits, as outputs with products plus losses exceed inputs (Thorburn et al 2003;de Koning et al 1997;Sheldrick et al 2003). To mitigate soil fertility degradation, it must be assumed that agriculture will be intensified in these regions, creating nutrient surpluses in the future.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development in nutrient balances in Danish agriculture 1980–2004

Kyllingsbæk

Hansen

2007

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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A farm-gate nutrient balance showed that the surpluses per hectare fell from 175 to 123 kg N, from 29 to 13 kg P and from 61 to 32 kg K from 1979/80 to 2003/04. Consequently, the nutrient use efficiency (total output in % of total input) increased for N from 20% in 1979/80 to 37% in 2003/04, for P from 23% to 52% and for K from 18% to 43%. Parallel to the peak in surplus of N around 1980, elevated nitrogen concentrations were observed in ground and marine waters. A series of agro-environmental action plans were initiated, and the discharge of N to Danish coastal waters was reduced, though less than the reduction in surplus and losses from agriculture. In contrast to N, the reduction in P surplus was not reflected in any reduction in discharge of P from agriculture during the last two decades. A farm-gate account of N surplus is a reasonable indicator of potential N loss, whereas loss of P is mainly related to the soil P saturation level and to specific loss events. By preparing accounts for subsectors such as the arable and animal production sectors or for products within these sectors, farm-gate nutrient balances show the development in agricultural production, in addition to the trend in potential environmental impacts. Nutrient balances may thus link the environmental aspect to the economic aspect of agricultural production and assist in the monitoring of the sustainability of agriculture.

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“…Potential erosion risk on the basis of biophysical conditions can be used as an indicator of areas susceptible for erosion. Potential erosion risk for each grid cell was estimated on the basis of values for rainfall intensity, slope and soil erodibility (De Koning et al, 1997). The resulting soil erosion risk map is given in Figure 6.…”

Section: Sub-national Conditions For Agricultural Land Use Land Degramentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring changes in Ecuadorian land use for food production and their effects on natural resources

Koning

Veldkamp

Fresco

1999

Journal of Environmental Management

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Estimates of sub-national nutrient balances as sustainability indicators for agro-ecosystems in Ecuador

Cited by 29 publications

References 10 publications

A spatially explicit methodology to quantify soil nutrient balances and their uncertainties at the national level

A spatially explicit methodology to quantify soil nutrient balances and their uncertainties at the national level

Development in nutrient balances in Danish agriculture 1980–2004

Exploring changes in Ecuadorian land use for food production and their effects on natural resources

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