Nutrient recycling and soil fertility management in the course of the industrial transition of traditional, organic agriculture: The case of Bruck estate, 1787–1906

Abstract

Abstract Late 18th century agriculture was under social and economic pressures, emanating from unprecedented population growth and establishing world markets. Farmers met these challenges successfully and largely without external energy subsidies and mineral fertilizers. Our research asks (1) if and how performance gains were achieved by improving traditional nutrient management through advanced, organic farming and (2) whether this early agrarian intensification compromised the natural capital of agro-ecosystems. We present a long-term socio-ecological perspective on nutrient cycling in the historical agro-ecosystem of the estate Bruck in eastern Austria, from 1787 to 1906. Focal point is the development of different patterns in nutrient cycling, tracing the transition from traditional, organic to industrial farming. We used nutrient balances and input-output analysis for a quantitative assessment of nitrogen and phosphorus flows. To investigate the correlation between growing system performance and improved internal nutrient cycling, we applied the Finn cycling index (FCI), which represents the fraction of nutrients recycled on-farm before leaving the system. Improving nutrient cycling entailed the operational integration of livestock, the utilization of ecological nutrient replenishment processes through legume intercropping and optimizing nutrient transfers from extensive land-use systems. Nitrogen recycling grew steadily from 20% in 1787 to 36% in 1906. Phosphorus recycled on farm grew accordingly from 33% in 1787 to 46% in 1840, before dropping to 31% in 1906 due to increased application of mineral fertilizers. We show, that cereal yields more than doubled through improved traditional nutrient management. In the long-run, however, advanced organic farming induced an unsustainable use of phosphorus and the loss of ecological buffer capacity from traditional mixed land-use systems.