title: Ammonia emissions from a broiler farm: spatial variability of airborne concentrations in the vicinity and impact on adjacent woodland.
abstract: Agricultural NH(3) emissions affect air quality and influence the nitrogen cycle. In the subject study, NH(3) emissions from a broiler farm and the resulting atmospheric concentrations in the immediate vicinity during three growing cycles have been quantified. Additionally, vegetation along a transect in an adjacent woodland was analysed. The emissions were as high as 10 kg NH(3) h(-1) and the atmospheric concentrations ranged between 33 and 124 μg NH(3) m(-3) per week in the immediate vicinity. Measurements of the atmospheric concentrations over 7 weeks showed a substantial decline of mean concentrations (based on a 3-week average) from ∼13 to <3 μg NH(3) m(-3), at 45- and 415-m distance from the farm. Vegetation surveys showed that nitrophilous species flourished when they grew closest to the farm (their occurrence sank proportionately with distance). A clearly visible damage of pine trees was observed within 200 m of the farm; this illustrated the significant impact of NH(3) emissions from agricultural sources on the sensitive ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering for Livestock Management, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering Potsdam-Bornim, Max-Eyth-Allee 100, 14469 Potsdam, Germany. kvbobrutzki@atb-potsdam.de
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: von Bobrutzki
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ammon
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Einert
authors.forename: Merike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiedler
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scherer
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Strohbach
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis*; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D011200:Poultry
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000641:Ammonia