Skip to main content
SLU publication database (SLUpub)

Research article2005Peer reviewed

Model-based coefficient method for calculation of N leaching from agricultural fields applied to small catchments and the effects of leaching reducing measures

Kyllmar K, Martensson K, Johnsson H

Abstract

A method to calculate N leaching from arable fields using model-calculated N leaching coefficients (NLCs) was developed. Using the process-based modelling system SOILNDB, leaching of N was simulated for four leaching regions in southern Sweden with 20-year climate series and a large number of randomised crop sequences based on regional agricultural statistics. To obtain N leaching coefficients, mean values of annual N leaching were calculated for each combination of main crop, following crop and fertilisation regime for each leaching region and soil type. The field-NLC method developed could be useful for following up water quality goals in e.g. small monitoring catchments, since it allows normal leaching from actual crop rotations and fertilisation to be determined regardless of the weather. The method was tested using field data from nine small intensively monitored agricultural catchments. The agreement between calculated field N leaching and measured N transport in catchment stream outlets, 19-47 and 8-38 kg ha(-1) yr(-1), respectively, was satisfactory in most catchments when contributions from land uses other than arable land and uncertainties in groundwater flows were considered. The possibitity of calculating effects of crop combinations (crop and following crop) is of considerable value since changes in crop rotation constitute a large potential for reducing N leaching. When the effect of a number of potential measures to reduce N leaching (i.e. applying manure in spring instead of autumn; postponing ploughing-in of ley and green fallow in autumn; undersowing a catch crop in cereals and oilseeds; and increasing the area of catch crops by substituting winter cereals and winter oilseeds with corresponding spring crops) was calculated for the arable fields in the catchments using field-NLCs, N leaching was reduced by between 34 and 54% for the separate catchments when the best possible effect on the entire potential area was assumed. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Published in

Journal of Hydrology
2005, Volume: 304, number: 1-4, pages: 343-354
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

      SLU Authors

    • Kyllmar, Katarina

      • Department of Soil Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

        • Johnsson, Holger

          • Department of Soil Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

        UKÄ Subject classification

        Agricultural Science

        Publication identifier

        DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2004.07.038

        Permanent link to this page (URI)

        https://res.slu.se/id/publ/6541