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ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #145866
Title: THE CONCEPTUAL BASIS FOR A DECISION SUPPORT FRAMEWORK TO ASSESS THE RISK OF PHOSPHORUS LOSS AT THE FIELD SCALE ACROSS EUROPE

Author
item HEATHWAITE, LOUISE - UNIV. OF SHEFFIELD
item Sharpley, Andrew
item BECHMANN, MARIANNE - JORDFORSK CNTR

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2003
Publication Date: 12/20/2003
Citation: Heathwaite, L., Sharpley, A.N., Bechmann, M. 2003. The conceptual basis for a decision support framework to assess the risk of phosphorus loss at the field scale across europe. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science. 166:1-12.

Interpretive Summary: In general, the farming sector seeks to reduce the magnitude of phosphorus export from agricultural lands using Best Management Practices (BMPs) that commonly focus on phosphorus sources. However, assessing the risk of phosphorus loss from these diffuse sources is not straightforward, because within any agricultural watershed, such losses are critically dependent on specific combinations of source and transport factors controlling phosphorus losses that are highly variable both in space and time. A framework is needed to identify the relative risk of diffuse phosphorus loss at the field scale in order to aid farm planning decisions, to select appropriate BMPs, and maximize their effect on reducing diffuse phosphorus loss. Without such a support framework, the efficacy of measures to control diffuse phosphorus losses is likely to be compromised. Such a framework is integral to the U.S. developed Phosphorus Index system, which is a simple screening tool based on empirical research that is designed to assist end-users in identifying agricultural areas or practices vulnerable to phosphorus loss. This simple indexing system operates at the field scale, and is applied on a farm-by-farm basis to identify specific areas within a watershed that contribute most to phosphorus loss from land to surface waters. This paper describes the modification of the Phosphorus Index for European agricultural systems. The development of Indices among European countries should be driven by local topographic, hydrologic, and management conditions influencing phosphorus sources and transport. A key issue here for future consideration is whether it is feasible to develop a single European Phosphorus Index that is flexible enough to avoid the confusion of several competing and/or contrasting indices.

Technical Abstract: We report a conceptual framework for a simple screening tool to evaluate the vulnerability of different fields in the landscape to phosphorus loss within the European agricultural context. Our work builds on the principles established for the P Index system developed in the United States. We examine the differing needs and criteria for a range of European Union member states and countries and highlight essential and optional criteria for inclusion in the decision support framework depending on the ecoregional characteristics of the areas considered. A framework such as this, deals with diffuse nutrient sources from agriculture, and aids more targeted use of practical strategies to mitigate nutrient losses to minimize the potential for the eutrophication of receiving waters.