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Environment

Spirig Ch., Neftel A.

Agricultural amonia emmissions and particulate matter

In the atmosphere, ammonia reacts with nitric and sulphuric acid and produces low volatile salts. These can significantly contribute to particulate mass by either partitioning onto existing particles or building new particles. The acids are mainly produced from precursors arising from traffic, industry and households. In contrast, ammonia originates by about 90 % from agricultural…
Environment

Luka H., Uehlinger G., Pfiffner L., Mühlethaler R., Blick Th.

Extented field margins – a new element of ecological compensation in farmed landscapes – deliver positive impacts for Articulata

The sub-project “Effects of newly established extended field margins upon ground beetles and spiders” examined the influence of extended field margins (Säume) upon epigeal arthropods, especially ground beetles and spiders. Surveys were conducted in the Klettgau area in Schaffhausen canton, Switzerland, and in Litzibuch in Aargau canton. In each of the two areas, two extended…
Environment

Jeangros B., Troxler J.

Nutrients balance on a mountain dairy farm

From 1994 to 2003 three methods to measure the nutrients balance were compared on the dairy farm La Frêtaz (VD). Since 1994 no mineral fertilisers were applied on permanent grassland. At the whole farm level the difference between nutrients inputs and outputs was null or positive for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium.…
Environment

Zihlmann U., Weisskopf P., Müller M., Schafflützel R., Chervet A., Sturny W. G.

Dynamics of nitrogen in the soil under no-tillage and ploughing

Over a period of several years, the mineral nitrogen contents of a loamy cambisol at the Inforama Rütti in Zollikofen, Switzerland, were compared within an arable crop rotation without fallow periods using the two cropping systems of «no-tillage» (NT) and «ploughing» (P). In both systems, the plants received the same amount of mineral nitrogen, but…
Environment

Chervet A., Ramseier L., Sturny W. G.

Soil water under no-tillage and ploughing

In the long-term field trial “Oberacker” at the Inforama Ruetti in Zollikofen (Switzerland), no-tillage and conventional plough tillage have been compared on a light to medium textured gleyic cambisol since 1994. The soil physical analyses carried out within the cantonal soil monitoring program (KABO) between 1999 and 2004 provide information on structure, stability and water…
Environment

Weyermann I., Kampmann D., Peter M., Herzog F., Lüscher A.

Mountain meadows have a high ecological quality

In 20 municipalities of the Northern and Central Eastern Alps of Switzerland grasslands of the three management types extensive ecological compensation area (ECA), low intensive ECA and conventional meadows were investigated. Based on botanical relevés, the ecological quality of each meadow was assessed according to the Environmental Quality Ordinance (EQO). We found that the ecological…
Environment

Hausheer R. M., Conradin H., Flisch R.

Phosphorus losses in the drainage water of wet soils used as grassland

Nutrient losses from agricultural systems should be avoided for ecological and economical reasons. The leaching of phosphorus into the drainage water was investigated in a catchment area of about 10 ha used as grassland in the village of Reichenburg (SZ, Linthebene). The main factors that affect phosphorus leaching into the drainage water are precipitation, soil…
Environment

Eggenschwiler L., Iseli R., Nievergelt J., Conradin H., Keller S., Schweizer Ch.

Does the soil bebefit wildflower strips?

Several plant and animal species are promoted by wildflower strips. So far, potential benefits of this ecological compensation element to the soil have not yet been examined. Therefore, in the cantons Aargau and Basel-Land two soil aspects have been studied: five or six years old wildflower strips were compared to cereal fields and permanent meadows…
Environment

Kampmann D., Herzog F., Konold W.

Eco-meadows maintain species richness in the Alps

In municipalities of the Swiss Alpine regions the share of ecological compensation areas (ECAs) ranges from 2 % to over 40 % of the used agricultural area. How do climatic, agronomic, or socio-economic conditions explain these variations and how does the amount of ECAs influence the success of the ecological compensation programme? As part of…
Environment

Spiess E., Prasuhn V.

Less nitrate in groundwater due to ecological measures

The impact of agricultural management on the nitrate content of groundwater in the canton of Berne was investigated with the substance flow model MODIFFUS. The nitrate content decreased on average by 12 % between 1990 and 1999, varying widely between regions. The results partly were in line with a dataset of measured values from groundwater wells.…
Environment

Flury Ch.

Agricultural ecology and animal welfare 1994 to 2005

Evaluation of the ecological measures and animal welfare programmes shows that there has been an increase in the positive environmental effects of agriculture and a reduction in negative externalities since the programmes were introduced in 1993. The proof of ecological performance and the ecological measures have contributed to a measurable reduction in pollution and the…
Environment

van der Veer S., Meyer M., Chervet A., Sturny W.G., Weisskopf P.

Physical impacts on soil structure during sugar beet harvest

In Switzerland sugar beet are harvested primarily by two-row hauled or six-row self propelled vehicles. Time and again the multiple passes in the same wheel track caused by the hauled vehicles, the more than 10 tonnes wheel loads of the self-propelled harvesters and the generally unfavourable conditions with wet soils during the harvest campaign in…
Environment

Dietschi S., Gehrig Schmidt S., Schwank O., Killer V., Holderegger R.

Quality of mountain meadow types

Plant species richness, plant assemblages, red list plants and the fulfilment of quality requirements with respect to ecological quality payment system (ÖQV) were investigated for different mountain meadow types in the Swiss Alps. The overall quality of extensively managed meadows was slightly but not significantly higher than that of low-intensive meadows. Only intensively managed meadows…
Environment

Maurer-Troxler C., Chervet A., Ramseier L., Sturny W.G., Oberholzer H.R.

Soil biology after ten years of no- and conventional tillage

Over the last ten years, conventional plow tillage has been compared to no-tillage in the long-term field trial “Oberacker” at the Inforama Ruetti in Zollikofen. Earthworm populations, microbial biomass and soil respiration have been monitored since 1998-99. The average earthworm biomass is 94 g/m2 on conventionally tilled plots and 190 g/m2 on no-tilled plots. Deep-burrowers,…
Environment

Herzog F., Richner W, Walter Th.

Moderately positive effects of ecological measures

Farmers provide the proof of ecological performance (PEP) for 97 % of the utilised agricultural area of Switzerland. Ecological measures and PEP have significantly reduced the environmental damage caused by agriculture. The pollution of water and air with nitrate, phosphorous and ammoniac has decreased and ecological compensation areas contribute to stabilising the biodiversity of agricultural landscapes.…
Environment

Calanca P., Fuhrer J., Jasper K., Torriari D., Keller F., Dueri S.

Climate change and agricultural production

The shift in climatic conditions expected for the coming decades could become a major challenge for the Swiss agriculture. Relevant questions in this context concern the extent of the regional climate changes, their impact on agricultural ecosystems and the possibility for agriculture to adapt to the new conditions. Providing an answer to these questions is…
Environment

Reidy B., Menzi H.

Farm and manure management in Switzerland

Reliable estimates of ecological impacts of agriculture require a detailed knowledge of farm management and structure. To establish a new Swiss ammonia emission inventory, a representative survey on parameters relevant for ammonia emissions was conducted in 2002. The stratified sample of farms allowed the differentiation between nine different regions and four farm types. The results…
Environment

Neftel A., Ammann Ch., Calanca P., Flechard Ch., Fuhrer J., Leifeld J., Jocher M.

Greenhouse gas budgets of grassland systems

The field experiment «Kyoto-Wiese» in Oensingen (CH) shows that the conversion of arable land to intensively managed permanent grassland leads to an increase in the soil C-content of around 1.5 tons per hectare and year, provided that a sufficient amount of N-fertilizer is applied. This sequestration of carbon corresponds roughly to the yearly emission from…
Environment

Tobias S., Nüesch A., Nebel R., Guilmain A.-L.

Suburban agriculture or landscape management?

Cities and conurbations are usually located in places that are favourable for agriculture. However, in urban regions there are very few people working in the agricultural sector. Although most people use the landscape adjacent to residential areas for recreation, they still expect an agrarian look of this landscape. An investigation of agricultural structures of municipalities…
Environment

Chervet A., Ramseier L., Sturny W. G., Tschannen S.

No-tillage versus conventional tillage: ten years of comparison

Over the last ten years, conventional plow tillage has been compared to no-tillage on six crop rotation plots in the long-term field trial Oberacker at the Inforama Ruetti in Zollikofen. The deep cambisol of the trial plots contains 15% clay and 3% organic matter.The absence of tillage operations in no-tillage makes a more complex strategy…
Environment

Sanvido O., Widmer F., Winzeler M., Streit B., Szerencsits E., Bigler F.

Coexistence of GM with nonGM crops

Today, the coexistence of GM and non-GM crops is highly debated, both in politics and in public. Environmental, consumer and farmer associations emphasize for various reasons and motivations that a coexistence of the two cropping systems is virtually not possible in Switzerland due to its small-scale agricultural production. Agroscope FAL Reckenholz, the Swiss Federal Research…
Environment

Heinrich A., Kaufmann R.

agricultural building and landscape

Agricultural buildings form and influence our environment, in particular in open country, away from built-up areas. Here agricultural buildings have a major impact on the landscape. The general trend to cut costs has brought about a change in the construction technique of agricultural buildings. Atypical materials and colours are used, in some cases a qualified…
Environment

Diserens E., Spiess E., Steinmann G.

TASC: an Excel tool to prevent severe soil compaction damage

TASC (TYRES/TRACKS AND SOIL COMPACTION) est une application excel tenant lieu de guide pour le praticien des grandes cultures. Une appréciation des sollicitations du sol induites par le train de roulement des machines est rendue possible, en tenant compte des propriétés du sol et des machines. Lorsqu’il y a lieu, le risque de compactage sévère…

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