Glossary:Gross nitrogen balance
The gross nitrogen balance is an agri-environmental indicator (AEI) calculated from the total inputs minus total outputs to the soil. The gross nitrogen balance per ha is derived by dividing the total gross nitrogen balance by the reference area. The reference area is the sum of arable land (L0001), permanent grassland (L0002) and land under permanent crops (L0003). Data on these areas can be found in Eurobase (apro_cpp_luse))
The inputs of the gross nitrogen balance are:
- Fertilisers:
- inorganic fertilisers;
- other organic fertilisers (not including manure).
- Gross manure input:
- manure production: animal excretion;
- manure withdrawals: manure export, manure processed as industrial waste, non-agricultural use of manure, other withdrawals;
- change in manure stocks;
- manure import.
- Other inputs:
- seeds and planting material;
- biological nitrogen fixation by leguminous crops (like clover, soya beans etc) and free living organisms;
- atmospheric nitrogen deposition.
The outputs of the gross nitrogen balance are:
- total removal of nitrogen with the harvest of crops (cereals, dried pulses, root crops, industrial crops, vegetables, fruit, ornamental plants, other harvested crops);
- total removal of nitrogen with the harvest and grazing of fodder (fodder from arable land, permanent and temporary pasture consumption);
- crop residuals removed from the field.
Further information
- Food: from farm to fork statistics 2011
- Gross Nutrient Balances - ESMS metadata (ESMS metadata file — aei_pr_gnb_esms)