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NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN ILLINOIS: A SIMULATION STUDY
Citation:
Phillips, D., P. Hardin, V. Benson, AND J. Baglio. NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN ILLINOIS: A SIMULATION STUDY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-93/500 (NTIS PB94136140), 1993.
Description:
The 1987 National Resources Inventory (NRI) was used to provide a random sample of 100 Illinois cropland sites growing corn and soybeans. hese were used with the Erosion Productivity Impact Calculator (EPIC) model to examine responses of soil erosion and nutrient exports to different tillage and crop rotation practices. he NRI and other data sources were used for site-specific characterizations which reflected the multidimensional variability in site conditions in Illinois. he use of a statistically based sampling scheme and aggregation of simulation results represents a theoretically more sound approach to estimation of regional responses than simulation of typical or hypothetical average sites. our alternative management schemes were simulated: continuous corn and soybean/corn rotations under conventional tillage and no-till. verage crop yields varied little under the four management schemes and closely correspond to expected yields. owever, no-till significantly reduced soil erosion rates and loss of soil organic carbon compared to conventional tillage. his reduced erosion under no-till also led to reduced losses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in eroded soil Percolation below the root zone represented the greatest N export and is of concern for the issue of groundwater contamination in this region. itrate N concentrations in percolate substantially exceeded the drinking water standard by 10 mg/l. either tillage nor rotation practices significantly affected this N flux no N losses in surface runoff and subsurface flow, which potentially affect surface water quality. osses in surface runoff were larger under no-till, likely as a result of lack of immediate incorporation of surface P fertilizer into the soil.