The legacy effect of synthetic N fertiliser.

Unlabelled: Cumulative crop recovery of synthetic fertiliser nitrogen (N) over several cropping seasons (legacy effect) generally receives limited attention. The increment in crop N uptake after the first-season uptake from fertiliser can be expressed as a fraction (∆RE) of the annual N application rate. This study aims to quantify ∆RE using data from nine long-term experiments (LTEs).

Modeling nitrous oxide emissions from digestate and slurry applied to three agricultural soils in the United Kingdom: Fluxes and emission factors.

Organic fertilizers, such as digestates and manure, are increasingly applied in agricultural systems because of the benefits they provide in terms of plant nutrients and soil quality. However, there are few investigations of NO emissions following digestate application to agricultural soils using process-based models. In this study, we modified the UK-DNDC model to include digestate applications to soils by adding digestate properties to the model and considering the effect of organic fertilizer pH.

Modeling nitrous oxide emissions from three United Kingdom farms following application of farmyard manure and green compost.

Organic fertilizers, such as manure and compost, are promising additions for synthetic fertilizers in order to increase soil fertility and crop yields. However, the organic fertilizers applied to soils may increase nitrous oxide (NO, a greenhouse gas) emissions due to their lower C/N ratios, and therefore potentially contribute to global warming. Very few studies have used process-based models to assess the environmental advantages and drawbacks of compost soil amendments compared to other field treatments.

Nitrogen losses to the environment following food-based digestate and compost applications to agricultural land.

The anaerobic digestion of food waste for energy recovery produces a nutrient-rich digestate which is a valuable source of crop available nitrogen (N). As with any 'new' material being recycled to agricultural land it is important to develop best management practices that maximise crop available N supply, whilst minimising emissions to the environment. In this study, ammonia (NH) and nitrous oxide (NO) emissions to air and nitrate (NO) leaching losses to water following digestate, compost and livestock manure applications to agricultural land were measured at 3 sites in England and Wales.

The flux of dissolved nitrogen from the UK--evaluating the role of soils and land use.

Fluvial dissolved nitrogen (dissolved organic nitrogen [DON], nitrate and ammonium) fluxes from the terrestrial biosphere of the UK to surrounding oceans are explained on the basis of combined predictions of soil to water transfer and in-stream loss. The flux of different nitrogen species from land to surface waters is estimated using an export coefficient model employing catchment soil, land use and hydroclimatic characteristics, fitted to flux estimates derived from the Harmonised Monitoring Scheme between 2001 and 2007 for 169 UK catchments. In-stream losses of DON, nitrate and ammonium were estimated using a transit time filter in the fluvial network.