The STICS model to predict nitrate leaching following agricultural practices
2004
Schnebelen , Nathalie (INRA (France). US 1106 Unité INFOSOL) | Nicoullaud , Bernard (INRA (France). UR 0272 Unité Science du Sol) | Bourennane , Hocine (INRA (France). UR 0272 Unité Science du Sol) | Couturier , Alain (INRA (France). UR 0272 Unité Science du Sol) | Verbeque , Bernard (Chambre d'Agriculture du Loiret, Orléans(France). Chambre d'Agriculture du Loiret - BP 9020, 45921 Orléans Cedex 9 FR) | Revalier , Christian (Chambre d'Agriculture du Loiret, Orléans(France). Chambre d'Agriculture du Loiret - BP 9020, 45921 Orléans Cedex 9 FR) | Bruand , Ary (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orleans(France). 831 ISTO Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans - Projet I.S.T.E. 1A, rue de la Férollerie 45071 ORLEANS CEDEX 2 FR) | Ledoux , Emmanuel (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, Fontainebleau(France). CIG Centre d'Informatique Géologique - 35 rue Saint-Honoré 77305 Fontainebleau cedex FR)
The aim of this paper was to develop an upscaling approach for the soil-crop model STICS in order to predict the impact of agricultural practices on nitrate leaching on both plot and regional scales. A case study was carried out on a "Nitrate Vulnerable Zone" located in central France. The performance of the spatial approach was evaluated by accounting for all the spatial and temporal variability existing within the studied area. The results indicate that N leaching and nitrate concentration in drainage water were slightly underestimated; by 3 kg N·ha-1 (16%) and 8 mg NO3-·L-1 (11%), respectively. The STICS scaling approach was used to assess the effectiveness of "Good Agricultural Practice" established within the area over a seven-year period. The simulation results provided evidence that such a practice had reduced the nitrate concentration by about 30% (36 mg NO3-·L-1). However, the rate of nitrate leaching remains too large and further improvements to agricultural practices are required.
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