CEH Land Cover plus: Fertilisers 2010-2015 (England)

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.

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).

This data product was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) under research programme NE/N018125/1 Achieving Sustainable Agricultural Systems (ASSIST). ASSIST is an initiative jointly supported by NERC and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).