eprintid: 4637 rev_number: 19 eprint_status: archive userid: 1600 dir: disk0/00/00/46/37 datestamp: 2005-03-30 lastmod: 2013-04-28 17:59:27 status_changed: 2009-08-20 14:25:53 type: journalp metadata_visibility: show item_issues_count: 0 doclang: en projects: da2e1 projects: da2a03a fundingpart: main refereed: yes budget: 0 publicfulltext: FALSE creators_name: Knudsen, Marie Trydeman creators_name: Kristensen, Ib Sillebak creators_name: Berntsen, Jørgen creators_name: Petersen, Bjørn Molt creators_name: Kristensen, Erik Steen title: Estimated N leaching losses for organic and conventional farming in Denmark ispublished: pub subjects: 4nutrient subjects: 2farming subjects: 5emissions keywords: nitrogen, leaching, conventional, organic, agriculture abstract: The impact of organic compared to conventional farming practices on N leaching loss was studied for Danish mixed dairy and arable farms using an N balance approach based on representative data. On mixed dairy farms a simple N balance method was used to estimate N surplus and N leaching loss. On arable farms the simple N balance method was unreliable due to changes in the soil N pool. Consequently, the FASSET simulation model was used to estimate N surplus, N leaching loss and the changes in the soil N pool. The study found a lower N leaching loss from organic than conventional mixed dairy farms, primarily due to lower N inputs. On organic arable farms the soil N pool was increasing over years but the N leaching loss was comparable to conventional arable farms. The soil N pool was primarily increased by organic farming practices and incorporation of straw. The highest increase in the soil N pool was seen on soils with a low level of soil organic matter. The level of N leaching loss was dependent on soil type, the use of catch crops and the level of soil organic matter, whereas incorporation of straw had a minor effect. N leaching was highest on sandy soils with a high level of soil organic matter and no catch crops. The study stresses the importance of using representative data of organic and conventional farming practices in comparative studies of N leaching loss. date: 2006 date_type: published publication: Journal of Agricultural Science volume: 144 number: 2 referencetext: ANONYMOUS (2004a). Agricultural Enterprise Statistics, Series B. Online at the webpage of Danish Research Institute of Food Economics (www.sjfi.dk): http://www.sjfi.dk/Data_og_statistik/Serie_B/Internetsider/Serie_B_forside_gb.htm ANONYMOUS (2004b). Farming at dairy farms. Online at the LCA Food Database webpage (www.lcafood.dk): http://www.lcafood.dk/processes/agriculture/dairyfarms.htm ARONSSON, H. & TORSTENSSON, G. (1998). Measured and simulated availability and leaching of nitrogen associated with frequent use of catch crops. Soil Use and Management 14, 6-13. BERNTSEN, J., PETERSEN, B. M., KRISTENSEN, I. S. & OLESEN, J. E. (2004). Nitrate leaching from organic and conventional arable farms – using the dynamic whole farm simulation model FASSET (in Danish) (Nitratudvaskning fra økologiske og konventionelle planteavlsbedrifter – simuleringer med FASSET bedriftsmodellen). Online at www.fasset.dk. DJF rapport Markbrug 107, 3-43. BERNTSEN, J., PETERSEN, B. M., JACOBSEN, B. H., OLESEN, J. E. & HUTCHINGS, N. J. (2003). Evaluating nitrogen taxation scenarios using the dynamic whole farm simulation model FASSET. Agricultural Systems 76, 817-39. CEDERBERG, C. & MATTSSON, B. (2000): Life cycle assessment of milk production – a comparison of conventional and organic farming. Journal of Cleaner Production 8, 49-60. CHRISTENSEN, B. T. & JOHNSTON, A. E. (1997). Soil organic matter and soil quality-lessons learned from long-term experiments at Askov and Rothamsted. In: Soil quality for crop production and ecosystem health (Eds E. G. Gregorich & M. R. Carter), pp. 399-430. Developments in Soil Science 25, Elsevier, Amsterdam. DALGAARD, T., HALBERG, N. & KRISTENSEN, I. S. (1998). Can organic farming help reduce N-losses? Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 52, 277-287. DALGAARD, T., HEIDMANN, T. & MOGENSEN, L. (2002). Potential N-losses in three scenarios for conversion to organic farming in a local area of Denmark. European Journal of Agronomy 16, 207-217. DE BOER, I. J. M. (2003). Environmental impact assessment of conventional and organic milk production. Livestock Production Science 80, 69-77. DE NEVE, S., DIELTJENS, I., MOREELS, E. & HOFMAN, G. (2003). Measured and simulated nitrate leaching on an organic and a conventional mixed farm. Biological agriculture and horticulture 21(3), 217-229. DI, H.J. & CAMERON, K.C. (2002). Nitrate leaching in temperate agroecosystems: sources, factors and mitigating strategies. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 46, 237-256. EEA (2003). Water. In: EEA (Eds.) Europe’s environment: the third assessment. Environmental assessment report 10, pp.165-197. EEA, Copenhagen. ELTUN, R. (1995). Comparisons of nitrogen leaching in ecological and conventional cropping systems. Biological agriculture & horticulture 11 (1-4), 103-114. ERIKSEN, J., ASKEGAARD, M. & KRISTENSEN, K. (1999). Nitrate leaching in an organic dairy / crop rotation as affected by organic manure type, livestock density and crop. Soil Use and Management 15, 176-182. ERIKSEN, J., ASKEGAARD, M. & KRISTENSEN, K. (2004). Nitrate leaching from an organic dairy crop rotation: the effects of manure type, nitrogen input and improved crop rotation. Soil Use and Management 20(1), 48-54. GOSLING, P. & SHEPHERD, M. (2005). Long-term changes in soil fertility in organic arable farming systems in England, with particular reference to phosphorus and potassium. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 105, 425-432. HAAS, G., BERG, M. & KÖPKE, U. (2002). Nitrate leaching: comparing conventional, integrated and organic agricultural production systems. Proceedings of a symposium held at Wageningen, October 2000. Agricultural Effects on Ground and Surface Waters: Research at the Edge of Science and Society. IAHS Publication 273, 131-136. HALBERG, N., KRISTENSEN, E. S. & KRISTENSEN, I. S. (1995). Nitrogen turnover on organic and conventional mixed farms. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 8(1), 30-51. HANSEN, B., ALRØE, H. F. & KRISTENSEN, E. S. (2001). Approaches to assess the environmental impact of organic farming with particular regard to Denmark. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 83, 11-26. HANSEN, B., KRISTENSEN, E. S., GRANT, R., HØGH-JENSEN, H., SIMMELSGAARD, S. E. & OLESEN, J. E. (2000). Nitrogen leaching from conventional versus organic farming systems – a systems modelling approach. European Journal of Agronomy 13, 65-82. HANSEN, E. M. & DJURHUUS, J. (1997). Nitrate leaching as influenced by soil tillage and catch crop. Soil & Tillage Research 41, 203-219. HEIDMANN, T., CHRISTENSEN, B. T. & OLESEN, S. E. (2002). Changes in soil C and N content in different cropping systems and soil types. In Greenhouse Gas Inventories for Agriculture in the Nordic Countries (Eds. Petersen, S. O. & Olesen, J. E.) DIAS report - Plant Production 81, 77-86. HØGH-JENSEN, H., LOGES, R., JØRGENSEN, F. V., VINTHER, F. P., & JENSEN, E. S. (2003). An empirical model for quantification of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in grass-clover mixtures. Agricultural systems 82 (2), 181-194. IFOAM (2004). The principles of organic farming. Online at http://www.ifoam.org/pospap/principles_of_oa.html ILLERUP, J. B., BIRR-PEDERSEN, K., MIKKELSEN, M. H., WINTHER, M., GYLDENKÆRNE, S., BRUUN, H. G. & FENHANN, J. (2003). Annual Danish Emission Inventory Report to the UNECE - Inventories from the base year of the protocols to year 2001. NERI Research Notes 184. National Environmental Research Institute, Ministry of the Environment, Denmark. JANSSON, P-E. (1996). Simulation Model for Soil Water and Heat Conditions. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. KÄTTERER, T., ANDRÉN, O. & PERSSON, J. (2004). The impact of altered management on long-term agricultural soil carbon stocks – a Swedish case study. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 70, 179-187. KIRCHMANN, H. & BERGSTRÖM, L. (2001). Do organic farming practices reduce nitrate leaching? Communications on soil science and plant analysis 32(7&8), 997-1028. KIRCHMANN, H. & RYAN, M. H. (2004). Nutrients in organic farming – are there advantages from the exclusive use of organic manures and untreated minerals? “New directions for a diverse planet”. Proceedings of the 4th International Crop Science Congress, 26 Sep – 1 Oct 2004, Brisbane, Australia (Online at www.cropscience.org.au), pp.1-16. KIRCHMANN, H., JOHNSTON, A. E. J. & BERGSTRÖM, L.F. (2002). Possibilities for reducing nitrate leaching from agricultural land. Ambio 31(5), 404-408. KRISTENSEN, E. S., HØGH-JENSEN, H. & KRISTENSEN, I. S. (1995). A simple model for estimation of atmospherically-derived nitrogen in grass-clover systems. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 12(3), 263-276. KRISTENSEN, I. S., HALBERG, N., NIELSEN, A. H., DALGAARD, R. & HUTCHINGS, N. (2003). Part II: N-turnover on Danish mixed dairy farms. Workshop: "Nutrient management on farm scale: how to attain European and national policy objectives in regions with intensive dairy farming?". 23-25 June 2003. Quimper, France. Online at www.lcafood.dk (Part II: N turnover on Danish mixed dairy farms), pp. 1-21. KRISTENSEN, I. S., KRISTENSEN, T. & NIELSEN, A. H. (2004). Conversion to organic dairy production – consequences for nitrogen turnover, use and loss (in Danish) (Omlægning til økologisk mælkeproduktion - konsekvenser for kvælstofomsætning, -udnyttelse og –tab). In Possibilities for increased nitrogen use in the field and reduction of nitrogen loss (in Danish) (Eds. Jørgensen, U.). Online at www.farm-n.dk. DJF rapport Markbrug 103, 154-175. KRISTENSEN, I. T. & KRISTENSEN, I. S. (2004). Farm types as an alternative to detailed models in evaluation of agricultural practice in a certain area. In Management Information Systems 2004: Incorporating GIS and Remote Sensing (Eds. Brebbia, C.A.), pp. 241-250. WIT Press, UK, ISBN 1-85312-728-0. LARSEN, I. (2003). LCA project. Method description. Online at http://www.lcafood.dk/processes/agriculture/MethodDescription.pdf), pp.1-16. MÄDER, P., FLIESSBACH, A., DUBOIS, D., GUNST, L., FRIED, P. & NIGGLI, U. (2002). Soil fertility and biodiversity in organic farming. Science 296, 1694-1697. NIXON, S., TRENT, Z., MARCUELLO, C. & LALLANA, C. (2003). Europe’s water: An indicator-based assessment. EEA Topic report 1, 95 p., Copenhagen. OEHL, F., SIEVERDING, E., MÄDER, P., DUBOIS, D., INEICHEN, K., BOLLER, T. & WIEMKEN, A. (2004). Impact of long-term conventional and organic farming on the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Oecologia 138, 574-583. OLESEN, J. E., ASKEGAARD, M. & BERNTSEN, J. (2004). Nitrate leaching from arable crop rotations in organic farming. In Controlling nitrogen flows and losses, Proceedings of the 12th N workshop, Exeter, Devon, UK, 21-24 September 2003 (Eds D. J. Hatch, D. R. Chadwick, S. C. Jarvis & J. A. Roker), pp. 389-396. Wageningen Academic Publishers. OLESEN, J.E., PETERSEN, B.M., BERNTSEN, J., HANSEN, S. & JAMIESON, P.D. (2002). Comparison of methods for simulating effects of nitrogen on green area index and dry matter growth in winter wheat. Field Crops Research 74, 131-149. PFIFFNER, L. & LUKA, H. (2003). Effects of low-input farming systems on carabids and epigeal spiders – a paired farm approach. Basic and Applied Ecology 4, 117-127. POUDEL, D. D., HORWATH, W. R., LANINI, W. T., TEMPLE, S. R. & VAN BRUGGEN, A. H. C. (2002). Comparison of soil N availability and leaching potential, crop yields and weeds in organic, low-input and conventional farming systems in northern California. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 90, 125-137. POULSEN, H. D. & KRISTENSEN, V. F. (1998). Standard values for farm manure. A revaluation of the Danish standard values concerning the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of manure. Danish Institute of Agricultural Science report Animal Husbandry 7, 1-160. PULLEMAN, M., JONGMANS, A., MARINISSEN, J. & BOUMA, J. (2003). Effects of organic versus conventional arable farming on soil structure and organic matter dynamics in a marine loam in the Netherlands. Soil Use and Management 19, 157-165. PYKÄLÄ, J. (2005). Cattle grazing increases plant species richness of most species trait groups in mesic semi-natural grasslands. Plant Ecology 175 (2), 217-26. PYKÄLÄ, J. (2003). Effects of restoration with cattle grazing on plant species composition and richness of semi-natural grasslands. Biodiversity and Conservation 12 (11), 2211-2226. SHEPHERD, M. A., HARRISON, R. & WEBB, J. (2002). Managing soil organic matter – implications for soil structure on organic farms. Soil Use and Management 18, 284-292. SHIPPPER, L. A., PERCIVAL, H. J. & SPARLING, G. P. (2004). An approach for estimating when soils will reach maximum nitrogen storage. Soil Use and Management 20, 281-286. SILEIKA, A. S. & GUZYS, S. (2003). Drainage runoff and migration of mineral elements in organic and conventional cropping systems. Agronomie 23, 633-641. STOLZE, M., PIORR, A., HÄRING, A. & DABBERT, S. (2000). The environmental impact of organic farming in Europe. Organic Farming in Europe: Economics and Policy, vol. 6. University of Hohenheim, Germany. STOPES, C., LORD, E. I., PHILIPPS, L. & WOODWARD, L. (2002). Nitrate leaching from organic farms and conventional farms following best practice. Soil Use and Management 18, 256-63. SVEINSSON, T., HALBERG, N. & KRISTENSEN, I. S. (1998). Problems associated with nutrient accounting and budgets in mixed farming systems. In: Proceedings of the workshop on Mixed Farming Systems in Europe 25-28 May 1998, Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands, APMinderhoudhoevereeks 2, (Eds van Keulen, H., Lantinga, E.A. & van Laar H.H.), pp.135-140. VAN ELSEN, T. (2000). Species diversity as a task for organic agriculture in Europe. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 77, 101-109. VAN WIEREN, S.E. (1995). The potential role of large herbivores in nature conservation and extensive land use in Europe. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 56, 11-23. VINTHER, F. P. & HANSEN, S. (2004). SimDen - a simple model for quantification of N2O-emission and denitrification (in Danish). Online at http://orgprints.org/3139/. DJF rapport Markbrug 104, 1-47. full_text_status: restricted pagerange: 135-149 voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/objectOfInterest voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/objectOfInterest voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/measuresVariable voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/measuresVariable voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/measuresVariable voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/measuresVariable voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/measuresVariable voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/measuresVariable voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/measuresVariable voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/usesMethod voa3r_research_property: http://voa3r.eu/terms/usesMethod voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_lang: en voa3r_research_value_string: Nitrogen voa3r_research_value_string: Leaching voa3r_research_value_string: Organic agriculture voa3r_research_value_string: Conventional farming voa3r_research_value_string: Dairy farms voa3r_research_value_string: Arable farming voa3r_research_value_string: Nutrient balance voa3r_research_value_string: Crop rotation voa3r_research_value_string: Catch crops voa3r_research_value_string: Data analysis: Watson et al. (2002) voa3r_research_value_string: Simulation models: Berntsen et al. (2003) voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5192 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_15591 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_15911 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_331393 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_34762 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_36528 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_12868 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6662 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29684 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_15962 voa3r_research_value_uri: http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_24242 voa3r_relations_property: http://purl.org/dc/terms/references voa3r_relations_property: http://purl.org/dc/terms/references voa3r_relations_property: http://purl.org/dc/terms/references voa3r_relations_property: http://purl.org/dc/terms/isReferencedBy voa3r_relations_property: http://purl.org/dc/terms/isReferencedBy voa3r_relations_property: http://purl.org/dc/terms/isReferencedBy voa3r_relations_value_string: Watson C.A.*, H. (2002). "A review of farm-scale nutrient budgets for organic farms as a tool for management of soil fertility". Soil use and management(0266-0032), 18(3), p.264 voa3r_relations_value_string: Berntsen, J (2003). "Evaluating nitrogen taxation scenarios using the dynamic whole farm simulation model FASSET". Agricultural systems(0308-521X), 76(3), p.817 voa3r_relations_value_string: Hansen, Birgitte (2000). "Nitrogen leaching from conventional versus organic farming systems — a systems modelling approach". European journal of agronomy(1161-0301), 13(1), p.65 voa3r_relations_value_string: Tuomisto, H L (15.12.2012). "Does organic farming reduce environmental impacts?--a meta-analysis of European research". Journal of environmental management(0301-4797), 112, p.309 voa3r_relations_value_string: Dalgaard, T (11.2011). "Effects of farm heterogeneity and methods for upscaling on modelled nitrogen losses in agricultural landscapes". Environmental pollution (1987)(0269-7491), 159(11), p.3183 voa3r_relations_value_string: Küstermann, Björn (01.2010). "Modelling nitrogen cycles of farming systems as basis of site- and farm-specific nitrogen management". Agriculture, ecosystems & environment(0167-8809), 135(1-2), p.70 voa3r_relations_value_uri: http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/SUM2002127 voa3r_relations_value_uri: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0308-521X(02)00111-7 voa3r_relations_value_uri: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1161-0301(00)00060-5 voa3r_relations_value_uri: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.08.018 voa3r_relations_value_uri: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.02.043 voa3r_relations_value_uri: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2009.08.014 fp7_project: no access_rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess citation: Knudsen, Marie Trydeman; Kristensen, Ib Sillebak; Berntsen, Jørgen; Petersen, Bjørn Molt and Kristensen, Erik Steen (2006) Estimated N leaching losses for organic and conventional farming in Denmark. Journal of Agricultural Science, 144 (2), pp. 135-149. document_url: /id/eprint/4637/1/4637.pdf document_url: /id/eprint/4637/2/4637.pdf