RC 2

Modelling N reduction effects in Danish agricultural landscapes based on local stakeholder suggestions of future landscape changes

Project description

Several instruments and measures in relation to N-regulation have been implemented in Danish agriculture the last 30 years in order to reduce the losses of reactive N to the environment. Substantial improvements have already been achieved; however current N loadings are still considered too high in many water bodies. At the same time N is the main limiting factor to increase agricultural productivity. In this project local stakeholder (farmers, landowners, inhabitants, authorities, NGOs) in six case areas are involved in generating ideas for future local development and concrete actions in order to suggest possible win-win solutions that optimizes food production and improves the ecological status of the aquatic environment. Based on local input future scenarios in terms of changed land use, agricultural practices and technical installations are developed; N budgets and possible N reductions are calculated using detailed N models. Furthermore, external effects of the suggested N mitigation initiatives on Ecosystem Services are modelled.

The main objectives of this project are:

1. To construct a detailed N budget for the case areas based on national and detailed local data
2. To develop local scenarios in the case areas in terms of landscape changes and estimate N reduction effects
3. To evaluate the effects of the various N mitigation efforts on the provision of selected Ecosystem Services.

Postdoc Peter Stubkjær Andersen