title: The North Wyke Farm Platform: effect of temperate grassland farming systems on soil moisture contents, runoff and associated water quality dynamics.
abstract: The North Wyke Farm Platform was established as a United Kingdom national capability for collaborative research, training and knowledge exchange in agro-environmental sciences. Its remit is to research agricultural productivity and ecosystem responses to different management practices for beef and sheep production in lowland grasslands. A system based on permanent pasture was implemented on three 21-ha farmlets to obtain baseline data on hydrology, nutrient cycling and productivity for 2 years. Since then two farmlets have been modified by either (i) planned reseeding with grasses that have been bred for enhanced sugar content or deep-rooting traits or (ii) sowing grass and legume mixtures to reduce nitrogen fertilizer inputs. The quantities of nutrients that enter, cycle within and leave the farmlets were evaluated with data recorded from sensor technologies coupled with more traditional field study methods. We demonstrate the potential of the farm platform approach with a case study in which we investigate the effects of the weather, field topography and farm management activity on surface runoff and associated pollutant or nutrient loss from soil. We have the opportunity to do a full nutrient cycling analysis, taking account of nutrient transformations in soil, and flows to water and losses to air. The NWFP monitoring system is unique in both scale and scope for a managed land-based capability that brings together several technologies that allow the effect of temperate grassland farming systems on soil moisture levels, runoff and associated water quality dynamics to be studied in detail.
  
  
  
  Can meat production systems be developed that are productive yet minimize losses to the environment?The data are from an intensively instrumented capability, which is globally unique and topical.We use sensing technologies and surveys to show the effect of pasture renewal on nutrient losses.Platforms provide evidence of the effect of meteorology, topography and farm activity on nutrient loss.
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
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authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Exeter EX4 4RJ Devon UK.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Eyles
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
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authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
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authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Cardenas
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
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authors.initials: AL
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authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
authors.forename: J A J
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dungait
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research, Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Harpenden AL5 2JQ Hertfordshire UK.
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authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Goulding
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
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authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK; College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Exeter EX4 4RJ Devon UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gurr
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
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authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
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authors.initials: JM
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authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Misselbrook
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research, Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Harpenden AL5 2JQ Hertfordshire UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rawlings
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
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authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
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authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North WykeOkehamptonEX20 2SB Devon UK; School of Veterinary Sciences University of Bristol Langford BS40 5DU Somerset UK.
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authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: AgResearch, Ruakura Research Centre, Farm Systems North Private Bag 3123 Hamilton 3214 New Zealand.
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Tozer
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research, Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Harpenden AL5 2JQ Hertfordshire UK.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Whitmore
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North Wyke Okehampton EX20 2SB Devon UK.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Rothamsted Research North WykeOkehamptonEX20 2SB Devon UK; School of Veterinary Sciences University of Bristol Langford BS40 5DU Somerset UK.
authors.forename: M R F
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lee