The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization
Abstract Agricultural nutrient balances have been receiving increasing attention in both historical and nutrient management research. The main objectives of this study were to further develop balance methodologies and to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the functioning and nutrient cycling of...
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2017-08-01
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doaj-5a2703ef85094c56b7b700369e1034292020-12-08T01:39:14ZengNature Publishing GroupScientific Reports2045-23222017-08-017111410.1038/s41598-017-08118-3The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilizationMiguel Carmo0Roberto García-Ruiz1Maria Isabel Ferreira2Tiago Domingos3Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaCEAOAO & CEACTierra, Department of Animal Biology, Vegetal Biology and Ecology, Universidad de JaénLinking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de LisboaMARETEC, Environment and Energy, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de LisboaAbstract Agricultural nutrient balances have been receiving increasing attention in both historical and nutrient management research. The main objectives of this study were to further develop balance methodologies and to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the functioning and nutrient cycling of 1950s agroecosystems in Portugal. Additionally, the main implications for the history of agriculture in Portugal were discussed from the standpoint of soil fertility. We used a mass balance approach that comprises virtually all nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inputs and outputs from cropland topsoil for average conditions in the period 1951–56. We found a consistent deficit in N, both for nationwide (−2.1 kg.ha−1.yr−1) and arable crops (−1.6 kg.ha−1.yr−1) estimates, that was rectified in the turn to the 1960 decade. P and K were, in contrast, accumulating in the soil (4.2–4.6 kg.ha−1.yr−1 and 1.0–3.0 kg.ha−1.yr−1, respectively). We observed that the 1950s is the very moment of inflection from an agriculture fertilized predominantly through reused N in biomass (livestock excretions plus marine, plant and human waste sources) to one where chemical fertilizers prevailed. It is suggested that N deficiency played an important role in this transition.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-08118-3 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Miguel Carmo Roberto García-Ruiz Maria Isabel Ferreira Tiago Domingos |
spellingShingle |
Miguel Carmo Roberto García-Ruiz Maria Isabel Ferreira Tiago Domingos The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization Scientific Reports |
author_facet |
Miguel Carmo Roberto García-Ruiz Maria Isabel Ferreira Tiago Domingos |
author_sort |
Miguel Carmo |
title |
The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization |
title_short |
The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization |
title_full |
The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization |
title_fullStr |
The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization |
title_full_unstemmed |
The N-P-K soil nutrient balance of Portuguese cropland in the 1950s: The transition from organic to chemical fertilization |
title_sort |
n-p-k soil nutrient balance of portuguese cropland in the 1950s: the transition from organic to chemical fertilization |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group |
series |
Scientific Reports |
issn |
2045-2322 |
publishDate |
2017-08-01 |
description |
Abstract Agricultural nutrient balances have been receiving increasing attention in both historical and nutrient management research. The main objectives of this study were to further develop balance methodologies and to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the functioning and nutrient cycling of 1950s agroecosystems in Portugal. Additionally, the main implications for the history of agriculture in Portugal were discussed from the standpoint of soil fertility. We used a mass balance approach that comprises virtually all nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) inputs and outputs from cropland topsoil for average conditions in the period 1951–56. We found a consistent deficit in N, both for nationwide (−2.1 kg.ha−1.yr−1) and arable crops (−1.6 kg.ha−1.yr−1) estimates, that was rectified in the turn to the 1960 decade. P and K were, in contrast, accumulating in the soil (4.2–4.6 kg.ha−1.yr−1 and 1.0–3.0 kg.ha−1.yr−1, respectively). We observed that the 1950s is the very moment of inflection from an agriculture fertilized predominantly through reused N in biomass (livestock excretions plus marine, plant and human waste sources) to one where chemical fertilizers prevailed. It is suggested that N deficiency played an important role in this transition. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-08118-3 |
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