NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGRICULTURE

1. Role of Agri-Environment Group Research, advice and teaching on nutrient cycling in agriculture. Environmental quality of: • Soil (heavy metals, soil structure, bio-diversity) • Air (acid rain & greenhouse gases) • Water (eutrophication) • In line with Government policy for a competitive agricu • ltural industry & enhancement of the environment. NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGRICULTURE

2. Agri-Environment Group Mode of operation Monitoring to quantify pollution Databases for interrogation Assess impact Hypotheses for testing impacts Experimental process studies Modelling New management strategies

3. Lough Neagh and Lough Erne Environmental Change Network (ECN) monitoring within Agri-Environment Group Long term lake and river monitoring quantifies pollution impacts and trends Databases for interrogation Hypotheses for testing impacts Ecosystem Modelling Experimental process studies Assess effectiveness New management strategies

4. Agri-Environment funding sources PhD awards to study mechanisms & processes Research Councils for Process studies DARD core funding for monitoring, data interrogation & research Industry for new management practices DOE- EHS for management strategies.

5. Agri-Environment Group • Research Collaborators • ARIH • Biometrics • Agric. Econ. • GB • USA • Ireland • Germany • China • Canada • Israel • New Zealand • Australia • DARD • Policy Division • Countryside Management Division • Greenmount College • Forest Service • Rivers Agency QUB postgraduate and undergraduate teaching AEG Stakeholders • Other GovernmentDepartments • DOE EHS • DRD Water Service • UK - DEFRA • UK Environ Agency • Farmers • Fertiliser industry • Feed industry

6. Lough Neagh: An example of long-term monitoring and associated research. • Major water supply for Northern Ireland - c50% of supply. • Largest eel fishery in Europe provides local employment. • Conservation value (Ramsar site, rare plants, rare fish species). • Under-utilised tourism and recreation resource. • Poor water quality!

7. Lough Neagh - a hypertrophic lake over-enriched with phosphorus • Too much phosphorus leads to: • Increased primary production • Algal blooms • Oxygen depletion • Production of algal toxins • Tastes and odours • Loss of biodiversity & amenity values • Higher water treatment costs

8. Lough Neagh - long term monitoring • Regular lake and river sampling since early 1970s provides a unique record. • Underpins advice to Government and agricultural industry. • Led to associated research programmes.

9. Phosphorus concentrations in Lough Neagh 1974-2000

10. Phosphate inputs from agriculture to Lough Neagh - the benefit of a long term record.

11. Phosphorus budget for Northern Ireland agriculture 2000

12. Diffuse phosphorus loss rates & cumulative soil phosphorus

13. Impact of phosphorus surplus on soil test phosphorus • Phosphorus surplus dates from 1940s, when soils were deficient in P and hence benefited from P fertiliser inputs. • Most (99%) of the phosphorus surplus stays in the soil. • By the 1990s excess P levels occurred in 45 % of soils. Crops from these soils will not benefit from more P.

14. Research arising fromLough Neagh monitoring: 1 DOE (EHS) - EU Interreg funded project on phosphorus exports from an agricultural catchment. • Project produced detailed field by field distribution of soil P - large areas with excessive P. • Related P losses in streams to soil P and manure production. • ‘Hot-spot’ streams often polluted with farm effluents. Soil phosphorus in Colebrooke catchment

15. Research arising from Lough Neagh monitoring: 2DOE (EHS) - EU Interreg funded project on environmental tests for assessing eutrophication potential of NI soils. • Agronomic soil tests were not developed for environmental purposes. • Capacity of soils to sorb phosphorus could be predicted from easily measured soil variables. • Soils with P saturation in excess of 20% were vulnerable to P loss.

16. Research arising from Lough Neagh monitoring: 3PhD modelling study of phosphorus in rivers • Related satellite derived land-use data (CORINE) and monitored concentrations of phosphorus from farm streams data from another project. • GIS-based model predicts river phosphorus in rivers in N. Ireland based on current land-use. • Impacts of future land-use changes on phosphorus losses can be assessed. River Bush catchment

17. Impact on policy fromAgri-Environment Group phosphorus research:DOE-Environment & Heritage Service • DOE - EHS, the Northern Ireland environmental regulator, recognises eutrophication to be most widespread water quality problem in Northern Ireland. • EHS control proposals made extensive use of Agri-Environment Group data. • EHS awarded contract in 2001 for an economic analysis of the value of lakes & costs of remedial measures.

18. Policy initiative arising from Agri-Environment Group phosphorus research:1Agricultural sector & Dept of Agriculture & Rural Development • Responsible Phosphorus Management • A joint initiative by DARD, the farming unions in Northern Ireland and Fertiliser Manufacturers’ Association to reduce phosphorus use.

19. Policy initiative in response to Agri-Environment Group phosphorus research: 2Dept of Agriculture & Rural Development Erne Catchment Nutrient Management Scheme • Targeted nutrient management plans in the Erne Catchment. • On-farm monitoring by Agri-Environment Group showed no adverse agronomic impacts of reducing phosphorus use.

20. Technology transfer from Agri-Environment Group phosphorus research Precision Nutrient Management • DARD technology transfer undertaken via Greenmount College & Countryside Mgt. Div. • Advice transmitted through farming press, radio & TV features and demonstration visits to farms that have adopted Precision Nutrient Management.

21. ECN - Lough Neagh monitoring is part of the UK Environmental Change Network • ECN is the UK's long-term environmental monitoring programme. Designed to interpret impacts of the key variables which drive and respond to environmental change. • Sponsored by 14 UK government departments and agencies who contribute through site monitoring and network co-ordination activities. • On behalf of DARD, Agri-Environment Group, operates three freshwater sites (Loughs Neagh & Erne and River Bush) and one terrestrial site (Hillsborough).

22. Agri-Environment Group phosphorus research links • EU COST 832 Quantifying the Agricultural Contribution to Eutrophication - a European grouping of phosphorus researchers. • Phosphorus research in Ireland (Teagasc - EPA contracts). • Member of USDA Information Exchange Group SERA -17 Minimizing Phosphorus Losses from Agriculture. • AEG members organised OECD workshop on phosphorus issues.

23. Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EEC • By 2015 allwater-bodies in member states should be at least of good ecological status.