Nutrient management framework for improving nitrogen and phosphorus use across food systems
A new nutrient management framework for evaluating nutrient use performance and identifying management gaps across food production systems and spatial scales in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Supports regional management priorities and agricultural sustainability solutions.
Overview
This research introduces a new nutrient management framework designed to evaluate nutrient management performance and identify major gaps across food production and consumption systems. The framework addresses nutrient management challenges from field to fork across multiple spatial scales in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. By quantifying nutrient budgets and use efficiencies across four management systems from county to watershed levels, the work identifies key stakeholders and proposes solutions to improve agricultural sustainability and reduce environmental impacts from nutrient losses.
Technical specifications
Framework components:
- Quantifies nutrient budgets and nutrient use efficiencies across four nutrient management systems
- Analyzes spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient use from 1985 to 2019
- Evaluates performance across county to watershed spatial scales
- Identifies key stakeholders and major management gaps between cropping and animal systems
- Assesses agronomic and socioeconomic drivers affecting nutrient use
- Projects nutrient budget changes under different scenarios
Key findings from initial application:
- Nutrient surpluses increase and nutrient use efficiencies decrease along the system hierarchy
- The largest increase in nutrient surpluses occurs between cropping and animal systems
- Livestock and poultry farmers are identified as key stakeholders for intervention
Technology readiness level
The framework has been validated through an initial application to Kent County, Delaware, demonstrating its ability to quantify nutrient budgets and identify management gaps. Future validation will include scenario-based projections of nutrient budget changes, consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Chesapeake Bay Program, presentation of initial results at the 2021 AGU Fall Meeting, and publication of results in a peer-reviewed journal. The project is planned for completion within one year.
About University of Maryland
The University of Maryland is the state's flagship public research university in College Park, serving a large student body and offering comprehensive academic and research programs. Industry engages through an adjacent research park, shared prototyping facilities, and dedicated corporate partnership channels, plus joint pathways to a medical campus for clinical and regulatory engagement. Its Washington–Baltimore location places partners near federal agencies, national labs, and prime contractors, while a statewide extension network supports collaboration with companies. Research is backed by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NSF, NIH, DoD, DOE, NASA, and USDA, and coordinated commercialization services advance IP, startup formation, licensing, and industry-sponsored research.
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