RC 4.4b

Methods for Assessing Spatially Differentiated Nitrogen Mitigation in Agriculture

Project description

In Denmark, agricultural activities pose a challenge both to policy makers and farmers aimed at protecting ecological status of the aquatic environment. Since 1985, considerable efforts have been made on agriculture N-regulation; several action plans have been implemented to reduce nitrogen discharges from agriculture. The instruments and measures adopted in Denmark to regulate N-losses have proven successful in terms of avoiding over use of nitrogen in farming systems; however current N loadings to marine environments are still considerably above tolerance levels, and these loadings may be expected to increase in the future due to climate change. Developing and implementing a new, targeted and differentiated regulation of agricultural use of N, and improved management of N in agriculture is seen as necessary to achieve a sustainable balance between the production of food and other biomass, and the unwanted effects of N on water pollution.

The main objectives of this Ph.D. study are:

1. To propose the basis for developing new scenarios for quantifying N –loading to the aquatic environment
2. To evaluate the feasibility of a range of different strategies to regulate N leaching losses to the aquatic environment
3. To develop methodologies for spatial estimation of N-leaching for different mitigation options for Denmark and Baltic sea area.

Ph.D. student Fatemeh Hashemi