Using biophysical models to manage nitrogen pollution from agricultural sources: Utopic or realistic approach for non-scientist users? Case study of a drinking water catchment area in Lorraine, France.
The objectives of this comparison of two biophysical models of nitrogen losses were to evaluate first whether results were similar and second whether both were equally practical for use by non-scientist users. Results were obtained with the crop model STICS and the environmental model AGRIFLUX based on nitrogen loss simulations across a small groundwater catchment area (<1 km(2)) located in the Lorraine region in France. Both models simulate the influences of leaching and cropping systems on nitrogen losses in a relevant manner. The authors conclude that limiting the simulations to areas where soils with a greater risk of leaching cover a significant spatial extent would likely yield acceptable results because those soils have more predictable leaching of nitrogen. In addition, the choice of an environmental model such as AGRIFLUX which requires fewer parameters and input variables seems more user-friendly for agro-environmental assessment. The authors then discuss additional challenges for non-scientists such as lack of parameter optimization, which is essential to accurately assessing nitrogen fluxes and indirectly not to limit the diversity of uses of simulated results. Despite current restrictions, with some improvement, biophysical models could become useful environmental assessment tools for non-scientists.
Unité Agri'Terr, LaSalle Beauvais - Esitpa, 3 rue du Tronquet, CS40118, F-76134, Mont-Saint-Aignan Cedex, France. Electronic address: pybernard@esitpa.fr.
Pierre-Yves
PY
Bernard
UR 055 INRA SAD ASTER, 662 avenue Louis Buffet, F-88500, Mirecourt, France.
Marc
M
Benoît
UMR 211 Agronomie, AgroParisTech-INRA, F-78850, Thiverval-Grignon, France.
Jean
J
Roger-Estrade
Université de Lorraine, UMR 1121 "Agronomie & Environnement", ENSAIA, 2 avenue de la Forêt de Haye, TSA 40602, F-54518, Vandoeuvre Cedex, France; INRA, UMR 1121 "Agronomie & Environnement", ENSAIA, 2 avenue de la Forêt de Haye, TSA 40602, F-54518, Vandoeuvre Cedex, France.
Sylvain
S
Plantureux
D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005602:France; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis
D060766:Drinking Water; D009566:Nitrates; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D009584:Nitrogen
Agricultural practices; End users; Environmental assessment; Groundwater catchment area; Models; Nitrate leaching