Streamwater nitrate concentrations in six agricultural catchments in Scotland.
The concentrations of nitrate-N (NO3-N) in catchment inputs and outputs have been compared and contrasted between 6 farm catchments in Scotland, 3 in the West and 3 in the North-East. Forms of intensive animal farming ranging between beef and dairy cattle, sheep and poultry give different sources for potential NO3-N leakage from the systems. While stream reaches bordered by intensive cereal production give rise to the largest inputs to surface waters, climatic influences result in the more-efficient use of fertilizer- and farm waste-N in the West, and an enhanced potential for N-loss to waters in the cooler North-East, regardless of the N-inputs being considerably lower in the latter region. Although the EC Nitrate Directive limit of 11.3 mg NO3-N 1(-1) was not exceeded, peak values occurring during summer baseflows and autumn soil rewetting were commonly larger than the 'target' maximum concentration of 5.65 mg NO3-N 1-1.
Hooda
P S
PS
Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Scotland.
Moynagh
M
M
Svoboda
I F
IF
Thurlow
M
M
Stewart
M
M
Thomson
M
M
Anderson
H A
HA
D000383:Agriculture; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002523:Edible Grain; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis*; D011200:Poultry; D012606:Scotland; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D009566:Nitrates; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical