Element balances as a tool for sustainable nutrient management: a critical appraisal of their merits and limitations within an agronomic and environmental context
- 1 December 2003
- journal article
- Published by Elsevier BV in European Journal of Agronomy
- Vol. 20 (1-2), 211-225
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s1161-0301(03)00080-7
Abstract
Element balances are widely used and are incorporated within national action programs to combat nutrient emissions from agriculture to the environment. They rely on data that are readily available at farm-gate and field level, and the information generated is easy to communicate to farmers and policy makers. This may have contributed to high expectations on element balances as a tool for optimising agricultural nutrient use efficiency and thereby reducing nutrient losses. Element balances are potentially useful as a screening tool across Europe provided the methods to calculate them are standardised, their limitations and usefulness defined and appropriate target values are established by which they can be compared. It is difficult to establish straightforward relationships between nutrient management, surplus, losses and environmental impact. Simple farm-gate and field balances need to be complemented by a better understanding of the processes regulating nutrient dynamics, and their spatial and temporal variability. Hence, agronomic and environmental reference or target values need to be established for different production systems, geographical areas and elements. Proper instruments and tools as well as training and educational programmes have to be developed for a successful implementation.Keywords
This publication has 40 references indexed in Scilit:
- Catchment and drainage field nitrogen balances and nitrogen loss in three agriculturally influenced Latvian watershedsEuropean Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- A methodology for the calculation of farm level nitrogen and phosphorus balances in Flemish agricultureEuropean Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- Application of the PROFILE model to estimate potassium release from mineral weathering in Northern European agricultural soilsEuropean Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- Analyses of mineral element balances between 1997 and 1999 from dairy farms in the south of SwedenEuropean Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- Developing a regional agronomic information system for estimating nutrient balances at a larger scaleEuropean Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- Fluxes of K, P, and Zn in a conventional and an organic dairy farming system through feed, animals, manure, and urine—a case study at Öjebyn, SwedenEuropean Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- An evaluation of whole-farm nitrogen balances and related indices for efficient nitrogen useEuropean Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- Perspectives and limitations of the Dutch minerals accounting system (MINAS)European Journal of Agronomy, 2003
- Assessing Risks of Heavy Metal Toxicity in Agricultural Soils: Do Microbes Matter?Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 1999
- Socio-ecological indicators for sustainabilityEcological Economics, 1996