Farm specific natural resource base data for estimating greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract

Models for an holistic analysis of a farm's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are available, e.g. HolosNor. They require access to a farm's management data and its soil and climatic conditions. The objective of this investigation was to demonstrate how available soil and climatic data can be used to provide the required inputs of a farm's natural resource base. Soil type recordings from six municipalities representing main agroclimatic zones of Norway were used. By means of a soil moisture model a combined index of soil moisture and temperature was estimated for use in a carbon balance model, also taking crop species into account. Water filled pore space (Wfps) to saturation and soil temperature were estimated for calculation of emission of nitrous oxide. Input variables for calculation of GHG emissions varied considerably among municipalities and among farms therein.

Keywords:

• Climatic data
• indices
• soil carbon
• soil moisture and temperature
• soil-type records

Acknowledgements

This study has been conducted with funding from the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Agricultural Authority and the companies: Felleskjøpet Fôrutvikling, TINE BA, Animalia and Nortura SA.