Nitrogen as a threat to European water quality

Grizzetti, Bruna; Bouraoui, F.; Billen, Gilles; Grinsven, Hans van; Cardoso, Ana Cristina; Thieu, Vincent; Garnier, Josette; Curtis, Chris; Howarth, Robert W.; Johnes, Penny J

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511976988.020

Cited by 121 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 116 publications

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“…Fertiliser use also promotes nitrate leaching, which causes eutrophication and algal blooms in watersheds and coastal seas, with follow-on effects such as loss of fish populations and recreational value and health risks through contamination of drinking water (Cameron et al, 2013). Even in Europe, where environmental regulations are relatively advanced, a large portion of the population live in areas with high levels of nitrate in the drinking water (Grizetti, 2011). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil carbon management in large-scale Earth system modelling: implications for crop yields and nitrogen leaching

et al. 2015

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Abstract. Croplands are vital ecosystems for human well-being and provide important ecosystem services such as crop yields, retention of nitrogen and carbon storage. On large (regional to global)-scale levels, assessment of how these different services will vary in space and time, especially in response to cropland management, are scarce. We explore cropland management alternatives and the effect these can have on future C and N pools and fluxes using the land-use-enabled dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS (Lund-Potsdam-Jena General Ecosystem Simulator). Simulated crop production, cropland carbon storage, carbon sequestration and nitrogen leaching from croplands are evaluated and discussed. Compared to the version of LPJ-GUESS that does not include land-use dynamics, estimates of soil carbon stocks and nitrogen leaching from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems were improved.Our model experiments allow us to investigate trade-offs between these ecosystem services that can be provided from agricultural fields. These trade-offs are evaluated for current land use and climate and further explored for future conditions within the two future climate change scenarios, RCP (Representative Concentration Pathway) 2.6 and 8.5. Our results show that the potential for carbon sequestration due to typical cropland management practices such as no-till management and cover crops proposed in previous studies is not realised, globally or over larger climatic regions. Our results highlight important considerations to be made when modelling C-N interactions in agricultural ecosystems under future environmental change and the effects these have on terrestrial biogeochemical cycles.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil carbon management in large-scale Earth system modelling: implications for crop yields and nitrogen leaching

et al. 2015

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“…Since the 1980s, agriculture in Western Europe has managed to reduce its nitrogen surpluses, owing to stringent national and European community policies (Vitousek et al, 2009;Grizzetti et al, 2011;Hansen et al, 2011;Dalgaard et al, 2012). However, Vitousek et al (2009) reckon that regions in Africa continue to extract the nutrient capital of what were once highly fertile soils with low yields, while in contrast intensive agricultural production in Northern China has a very high input of N to agricultural fields and high yields, but also a very high N loss to the environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional analysis of groundwater nitrate concentrations and trends in Denmark in regard to agricultural influence

et al. 2012

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Abstract. The act of balancing between an intensive agriculture with a high potential for nitrate pollution and a drinking water supply almost entirely based on groundwater is a challenge faced by Denmark and similar regions around the globe. Since the 1980s, regulations implemented by Danish farmers have succeeded in optimizing the N (nitrogen) management at farm level. As a result, the upward agricultural N surplus trend has been reversed, and the N surplus has reduced by 30-55 % from 1980 to 2007 depending on region. The reduction in the N surplus served to reduce the losses of N from agriculture, with documented positive effects on nature and the environment in Denmark. In groundwater, the upward trend in nitrate concentrations was reversed around 1980, and a larger number of downward nitrate trends were seen in the youngest groundwater compared with the oldest groundwater. However, on average, approximately 48 % of the oxic monitored groundwater has nitrate concentrations above the groundwater and drinking water standards of 50 mg l −1 . Furthermore, trend analyses show that 33 % of all the monitored groundwater has upward nitrate trends, while only 18 % of the youngest groundwater has upward nitrate trends according to data sampled from 1988-2009. A regional analysis shows a correlation between a high level of N surplus in agriculture, high concentrations of nitrate in groundwater and the largest number of downward nitrate trends in groundwater in the livestock-dense northern and western parts of Denmark compared with the southeastern regions with lower livestock densities. These results indicate that the livestock farms dominating in northern and western parts of Denmark have achieved the largest reductions in N surpluses. Groundwater recharge age determinations allow comparison of long-term changes in N surplus in agriculture with changes in oxic groundwater quality. The presented data analysis is based on groundwater recharged from 1952-2003, but sampled from 1988-2009. Repetition of the nitrate trend analyses at five-year intervals using dating of the groundwater recharged in the coming years and a longer time series of the nitrate analyses can reveal the evolution in nitrate leaching from Danish agriculture during the past 10 yr. Similar analyses can be carried out to compare with other regions internationally.

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“…Between the 1950s and the 1980s, the emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus into the rivers of the Danube basin increased by more than the twofold as a result of industrialization, urbanization, and intensification of agriculture (Kroiss et al 2005;Grizetti et al 2011). Since the 1990s, slight-to-moderate mitigations of nutrient inputs have been achieved by improving wastewater treatment via the implementation of collection systems and new technologies mainly in Germany and Austria and by reducing industrial discharges in the lower Danube countries.…”

Section: Historic and Current Emission Situation In The Danube River mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These two macronutrients are essential components of all organisms and are closely linked to the aquatic carbon cycle, determining both the primary production and the microbial mineralization of organic matter in aquatic systems. The industrialization and intensification of agricultural production during the twentieth century has resulted in the nutrient enrichment and eutrophication of many freshwaters in Europe and the USA, impairing the water quality of rivers, lakes, and aquifers (Grizetti et al 2011). Among others, eutrophication is responsible for toxic algal blooms, water anoxia, and habitat and biodiversity loss in freshwater ecosystems and poses direct threats to humans by impairing drinking water quality (Smith and Schindler 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phosphorus and Nitrogen Dynamics in Riverine Systems: Human Impacts and Management Options

Weigelhofer

Hein

Bondar‐Kunze

2018

Riverine Ecosystem Management

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Nitrogen as a threat to European water quality

Cited by 121 publications

References 116 publications

Soil carbon management in large-scale Earth system modelling: implications for crop yields and nitrogen leaching

Soil carbon management in large-scale Earth system modelling: implications for crop yields and nitrogen leaching

Regional analysis of groundwater nitrate concentrations and trends in Denmark in regard to agricultural influence

Phosphorus and Nitrogen Dynamics in Riverine Systems: Human Impacts and Management Options

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