| Excess nitrogen in
soils, fresh water, estuarine and marine systems contributes to nutrient
enrichment in key ecosystems throughout Europe, often leading to detrimental environmental impacts, such as
soil acidification or the eutrophication of water bodies. The Integrated
Nitrogenmodel for European Catchments (INCA) project aims to develop a
generic version of the Integrated Nitrogen in Catchments (INCA) model to simulate the retention and transport of nitrogen within river
systems, thereby providing a tool to aid the understanding of nitrogen dynamics
and for river-basin management/policy-making. To facilitate the development of
the model, 10 partners have tested the INCA model with data collected in study
sites located in eight European countries as part of the INCA project. This
paper summarises the key nitrogen issues within Europe, describes the main aims
and methodology of the INCA project, and sets the project in the context of the
current major research initiatives at a European level.
Keywords: Europe, European Union, nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium, river basin management,
modelling, water chemistry, acidification, eutrophication, Water Framework Directive,
INCA. |