Upwind impacts of ammonia from an intensive poultry unit

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2013-09, Vol.180, p.221-228
• Main Authors: Jones, L., Nizam, M.S., Reynolds, B., Bareham, S., Oxley, E.R.B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Air Pollutants - analysis; Air pollution; Ammonia; Ammonia - analysis; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; biomass; Carbon; carbon sinks; Chicken farm; Conservation; conservation areas; critical load; Deposition; Dune grassland; dunes; emissions; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Exposure; Global environmental pollution; Grasslands; nitrogen; Nitrogen deposition; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; Pollution abatement; Poultry; soil
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.05.012

This study investigated potential ammonia impacts on a sand dune nature reserve 600 m upwind of an intensive poultry unit. Ammonia concentrations and total nitrogen deposition were measured over a calendar year. A series of ammonia and nitrogen exposure experiments using dune grassland species were conducted in controlled manipulations and in the field. Ammonia emissions from the intensive poultry unit were detected up to 2.8 km upwind, contributing to exceedance of critical levels of ammonia 800 m upwind and exceedance of critical loads of nitrogen 2.8 km upwind. Emissions contributed 30% of the total N load in parts of the upwind conservation site. In the nitrogen exposure experiments, plants showed elevated tissue nitrogen contents, and responded to ammonia concentrations and nitrogen deposition loads observed in the conservation site by increasing biomass. Estimated long-term impacts suggest an increase in the soil carbon pool of 9% over a 50-year timescale. •Ammonia from a poultry unit can be detected 2.8 km upwind.•Ammonia caused exceedance of critical levels 800 m and critical loads 2.8 km upwind.•Dune grassland species utilised ammonia as a nutrient source.•Plant biomass increased at low levels of ammonia and total nitrogen deposition.•Soil C pools are predicted to increase by 9% over 50 years due to the excess ammonia. Ammonia from a poultry unit has upwind impacts, exceeding critical levels 800 m and critical loads 2.8 km upwind, and increasing biomass and tissue N of dune grassland species.