What are Landscape Nutrient Budgets?
A nutrient budget tracks the balance between nutrient inputs to the landscape and nutrient
removal through plant uptake. The difference between inputs and outputs yields the
nutrient surplus — the quantity of nitrogen or phosphorus remaining in the system each year.
A positive surplus indicates excess nutrients remaining on the landscape, which can later leach into
groundwater, runoff into rivers and lakes, or volatilize into the atmosphere — contributing to widespread
environmental challenges.
What is the TREND dataset?
TREND (Tracking Nutrient Inputs and Outputs across Landscapes) is a multi-decadal dataset of nutrient
(nitrogen and phosphorus) inputs and outputs across the landscape. The long-term perspective allows us to
understand the role of current practices as well as the potential magnitudes of legacy nutrients that have
built up over decades.
