Less Intensive Farming and Environment (LIFE) management is a form of integrated farming which aims to meet farming's economic and environmental requirements. We used a farm-scale LIFE demonstration to measure nitrogen (N) leaching losses over a 6 year period (1995±2001) using ceramic suction cups and a meteorological model to give estimates of drainage volumes. Losses from the system averaged 49 kg N ha ±1 , with an average drainage nitrate concentration of 15.5 mg N L ±1 . Rainfall and its distribution strongly in¯uenced the loss, and drainage N concentration only fell below the nominal target of 11.3 mg N L ±1 (the EU limit for potable water) in the two wettest seasons. Crop type did not have a signi®cant effect on either postharvest mineral N (PHMN) in soil or the leaching loss in the subsequent winter. However PHMN and overwinter N leaching declined with increasing crop yield. Overwinter crop N uptake increased with early sowing: leaching loss was only 5 kg N ha ±1 under grass sown in early September. Measurements of PHMN, crop sowing date and drainage data were used to construct simple equations to predict average drainage N concentration under various scenarios. The large N loss from our site is partially attributable to soil type (shallow over limestone), indeed on similar soil the loss from a conventional farm nearby was greater. The LIFE practices of postharvest harrowing and late cereal sowing will minimize the need for agrochemical use but they stimulate mineralization and reduce plant N uptake in autumn, leaving more N at risk to leaching. Some assessment of all environmental impacts is needed if the bene®ts of integrated practices such as those used in LIFE are to be quanti®ed.
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