title: Heterogeneity of atmospheric ammonia at the landscape scale and consequences for environmental impact assessment.
abstract: We examined the consequences of the spatial heterogeneity of atmospheric ammonia (NH₃) by measuring and modelling NH₃ concentrations and deposition at 25 m grid resolution for a rural landscape containing intensive poultry farming, agricultural grassland, woodland and moorland. The emission pattern gave rise to a high spatial variability of modelled mean annual NH₃ concentrations and dry deposition. Largest impacts were predicted for woodland patches located within the agricultural area, while larger moorland areas were at low risk, due to atmospheric dispersion, prevailing wind direction and low NH3 background. These high resolution spatial details are lost in national scale estimates at 1 km resolution due to less detailed emission input maps. The results demonstrate how the spatial arrangement of sources and sinks is critical to defining the NH₃ risk to semi-natural ecosystems. These spatial relationships provide the foundation for local spatial planning approaches to reduce environmental impacts of atmospheric NH₃.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology-CEH, Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik EH26 0QB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dragosits
authors.forename: Christine F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Braban
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Theobald
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: Netty
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: Y Sim
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sutton
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis*; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008956:Models, Chemical
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000641:Ammonia