This product consists of maps of predicted average annual application rates of three different inorganic chemical fertilisers – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) - in England across a six-year period (2010-2015). The estimates, along with their respective estimates of uncertainty, are provided at a 1 km x 1 km resolution. These data were modelled from Defra British Survey of Fertiliser Practice (BSFP) data using a spatial interpolation procedure.
These maps were created under the NERC funded ASSIST (Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Systems) project to enable exploration of the impacts of agrochemical usage on the environment, enabling farmers and policymakers to implement better, more sustainable agricultural practices.
Different uses and potential applications of the produced maps, including the following:
1) Modelling nutrient fate to predict impacts of changes in farming practices (intensification/extensification) on nutrient runoff to water;
2) Estimating greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions due to fertiliser application to crops and grassland (linked with air quality impacts);
3) Quantifying past and future impacts of eutrophication and/or agricultural management on agricultural ecosystems and indicators such as arable plants, farmland birds, pollinators;
4) Linking crop growth models to predict areas where better nutrient management may improve yields;
5) Improving policies aimed at mitigating negative impacts of fertiliser use (e.g. catchment sensitive farming to reduce pollution and/or improve water quality).