Carbon and Nutrient Budgets of the Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) Network.

Understanding long-term management effects on carbon and nutrient cycles is fundamental to devising sustainable agroecosystems. We assessed C, N and P budgets of sites within the USDA Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network using mass balance approaches. Each LTAR site has developed or is currently developing “business as usual” and “aspirational” management treatments at plot and/or watershed scales. Comparisons of budgets between treatments at each site as well as across the network reveal knowledge gaps in our understanding as well as where improvements can occur to achieve more sustainable agricultural systems.