Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop Farm
Intensive agriculture represents a recent extension of green roof technology. Perceived ecosystem services provided by rooftop farming include stormwater management and the production of affordable and nutritious vegetables for local consumption. However, intensive agriculture can increase nutrient...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00153/full |
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| author | Yoshiki Harada Thomas H. Whitlow Pamela H. Templer Robert W. Howarth M. Todd Walter Nina L. Bassuk Jonathan Russell-Anelli |
| author_facet | Yoshiki Harada Thomas H. Whitlow Pamela H. Templer Robert W. Howarth M. Todd Walter Nina L. Bassuk Jonathan Russell-Anelli |
| author_sort | Yoshiki Harada |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Intensive agriculture represents a recent extension of green roof technology. Perceived ecosystem services provided by rooftop farming include stormwater management and the production of affordable and nutritious vegetables for local consumption. However, intensive agriculture can increase nutrient loads to surface water, yet there is little empirical data from full-scale operational rooftop farms. This study reports the N balance and N management efficiency of the Brooklyn Grange Navy Yard Farm, a 0.61-ha farm atop an 11-story building in New York City USA. We monitored atmospheric N deposition, soil N concentration, N output by harvest, N leaching from soil, and drainage N output, in addition to estimating net N mineralization and the N load to sewers during the combined sewer overflows. We found that the annual drainage N output was 1,100% of the atmospheric bulk N deposition, and was 540% of the estimated total atmospheric N deposition, which makes the Brooklyn Grange a net N source in the urban environment. Annual N leaching from soil was 97% of fertilizer N input, and the efficiency of N management can be lower than in conventional vegetable production. For the Brooklyn Grange to integrate stormwater management and intensive agriculture, it will be important to use soil with greater water holding capacity within the range of readily available water, and to recycle drainage. This case study shows how the intensification of agriculture on rooftops should be managed for both the yield and quality of crops and to reduce N loss to storm drains, which affects aquatic ecosystems and water quality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T13:05:19Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T13:05:19Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-ebfd21bde3104f8ca6da3bee9163fb7d2022-12-21T18:24:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2018-10-01610.3389/fevo.2018.00153408661Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop FarmYoshiki Harada0Thomas H. Whitlow1Pamela H. Templer2Robert W. Howarth3M. Todd Walter4Nina L. Bassuk5Jonathan Russell-Anelli6Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Urban Horticulture Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesHorticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Urban Horticulture Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesDepartment of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesHorticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Urban Horticulture Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesSoil and Crop Sciences Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United StatesIntensive agriculture represents a recent extension of green roof technology. Perceived ecosystem services provided by rooftop farming include stormwater management and the production of affordable and nutritious vegetables for local consumption. However, intensive agriculture can increase nutrient loads to surface water, yet there is little empirical data from full-scale operational rooftop farms. This study reports the N balance and N management efficiency of the Brooklyn Grange Navy Yard Farm, a 0.61-ha farm atop an 11-story building in New York City USA. We monitored atmospheric N deposition, soil N concentration, N output by harvest, N leaching from soil, and drainage N output, in addition to estimating net N mineralization and the N load to sewers during the combined sewer overflows. We found that the annual drainage N output was 1,100% of the atmospheric bulk N deposition, and was 540% of the estimated total atmospheric N deposition, which makes the Brooklyn Grange a net N source in the urban environment. Annual N leaching from soil was 97% of fertilizer N input, and the efficiency of N management can be lower than in conventional vegetable production. For the Brooklyn Grange to integrate stormwater management and intensive agriculture, it will be important to use soil with greater water holding capacity within the range of readily available water, and to recycle drainage. This case study shows how the intensification of agriculture on rooftops should be managed for both the yield and quality of crops and to reduce N loss to storm drains, which affects aquatic ecosystems and water quality.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00153/fullecosystem servicesrooftop farmingstormwater managementnutrient runoffatmospheric depositiongreen roof |
| spellingShingle | Yoshiki Harada Thomas H. Whitlow Pamela H. Templer Robert W. Howarth M. Todd Walter Nina L. Bassuk Jonathan Russell-Anelli Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop Farm Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ecosystem services rooftop farming stormwater management nutrient runoff atmospheric deposition green roof |
| title | Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop Farm |
| title_full | Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop Farm |
| title_fullStr | Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop Farm |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop Farm |
| title_short | Nitrogen Biogeochemistry of an Urban Rooftop Farm |
| title_sort | nitrogen biogeochemistry of an urban rooftop farm |
| topic | ecosystem services rooftop farming stormwater management nutrient runoff atmospheric deposition green roof |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00153/full |
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