Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs

Impacts of extreme weather on wheat and maize in France: evaluating regional crop simulations against observed data

Extreme weather conditions can strongly affect agricultural production, with negative impacts that can at times be detected at regional scales. In France, crop yields were greatly influenced by drought and heat stress in 2003 and by extremely wet conditions in 2007. Reported regional maize and wheat yields where historically low in 2003; in 2007 wheat yields were lower and maize yields higher than long-term averages. An analysis with a spatial version (10x10 km) of th EPIC crop model was tested with regards to regional crop yield anomalies of wheat and maize resulting from extreme weather events in France in 2003 and 2007, by comparing simulated results against reported regional crops statistics, as well as using remotely sensed soil moisture data. Causal relations between soil moisture and crop yields were specifically analyzed. Remotely sensed (AMSR-E) JJA soil moisture correlated significantly with reported regional crop yield for 2002-2007. The spatial correlation between JJA soil moisture and wheat yield anomalies was positive in dry 2003 and negative in wet 2007. Biweekly soil moisture data correlated positively with wheat yield anomalies from the first half of June until the second half of July in 2003. In 2007, the relation was negative the first half of June until the second half of August. EPIC reproduced observed soil dynamics well, and it reproduced the negative wheat and maize yield anomalies of the 2003 heat wave and drought, as well as the positive maize yield anomalies in wet 2007. However, it did not reproduce the negative wheat yield anomalies due to excessive rains and wetness in 2007. Results indicated that EPIC, in line with other crop models widely used at regional level in climate change studies, is capable of capturing the negative impacts of droughts on crop yields, while it fails to reproduce negative impacts of heavy rain and excessively wet conditions on wheat yield, due to poor representations of critical factors affecting plant growth and management. Given that extreme weather events are expected to increase in frequency and perhaps severity in coming decades, improved model representation of crop damage due to extreme events is warranted in order to better quantify future climate change impacts and inform appropriate adaptation responses

Trend Analysis of Nitrate Concentration in Rivers in Southern France

Excessive nutrients in rivers, lakes and aquifers are still threatening environmental health in Europe. Stringent regulations have led to progress in water quality, however hotspots with high nitrate concentrations still exist in Europe and understanding the impact of management on the nitrate concentrations and trends in these critical areas is still challenging. In this paper, we use the Exploration and Graphics for RivEr Trends (EGRET) statistical tool to eliminate the impact of flow variation, both short- and long-term, on nitrate concentration. We apply this tool to the south of France where water quality and quantity monitoring data is readily available. We compare the Mann–Kendall non-parametric approach to estimate trend and a methodology commonly used by Member States of the European Union when they report their progress in implementing the Nitrates Directive (referred to MSD approach hereafter). We showed that using the latter approach for the period 2008–2015 and the Mann–Kendall test leads to similar results in percentage of stations exhibiting trends, however with a significant disagreement on the stations exhibiting these trends. We further showed that when using flow-weighted nitrate concentrations instead of the simple mean nitrate concentration, the MSD approach results in a significant underestimation of the stations with an increasing trend. We also demonstrated that most of nitrate concentration time series are characterized by a bell-shaped curve with an increase of concentration from 1990 to mid-2000 and then a significant decreasing trend due to the implementation of management measures from mid-2000 to 2017. Most of the significant decreasing nitrate concentration trends are localized in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones that correspond to areas where strict nutrient management is required, highlighting the efficiency of the policy in place

Data_Sheet_4_Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management.PDF

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs.</p

Data_Sheet_5_Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management.PDF

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs.</p

Table_1_Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management.XLSX

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs.</p

Table_2_Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management.XLSX

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs.</p

Data_Sheet_2_Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management.PDF

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs.</p

Table_3_Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management.DOCX

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs.</p