Foulum, Denmark
An existing Danish SmartField supersite integrated into AgNUE.
Status:
Existing SmartField site
Lead institution:
Aarhus University / LandCRAFT / Danish Technological Institute
Soil type:
Orthic Acrisol
AgNUE integration lead:
Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
Why the supersite?
The Foulum supersite will help AgNUE build on Denmark’s existing SmartField infrastructure and connect Danish field measurements with the wider AgNUE network. As an established SmartField site, Foulum provides an important foundation for studying nitrogen cycling, greenhouse gas fluxes and mitigation strategies under Danish agricultural conditions. Its role in AgNUE is especially valuable because it links detailed field data with mechanistic studies, data infrastructure and model development.
What this site helps AgNUE compare
Paired with the Selling supersite, Foulum enables AgNUE to compare nitrogen use and losses across two representative Danish cropping systems. Foulum represents feed production on a lighter sandy loam soil using slurry and digestate, while Selling represents plant production on a heavier soil supplied primarily with mineral fertiliser. The comparison will show how soil type, crop rotation and fertiliser source influence crop nitrogen uptake, nitrous oxide emissions and nitrate leaching under Danish conditions.
Sandy loam soil
The site is located on sandy loam soil classified as JB4, representing lighter agricultural soils commonly cultivated in Denmark.
Manure based nitrogen management
Slurry and digestate are applied according to Danish standards, allowing AgNUE to examine nitrogen use and environmental losses from organic fertiliser sources.
Diverse feed crop rotation
The five year rotation includes spring barley, grass clover, maize and winter rye, representing feed production associated with livestock farming
Established full balance measurements
As an existing SmartField supersite, Foulum combines continuous chamber and field scale measurements with soil sensors, leaching measurements, crop observations and advanced modelling to quantify the complete nitrogen balance.
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