Environmental evaluation of alternative cropping systems with impact indices of pollution

This paper describes a method to assess the pollution potential of cropping systems, within the framework of a decision support system in the sector of agricultural land use planning. A series of comparative impact indices capable of describing the effects of the use of fertilisers and pesticides on water, soil and air resources is proposed. Data needed to calculate the indices may come from monitoring or simulation models of diffused agricultural pollution on field scale, and the indices then may be used to assess the environmental compatibility of alternative cropping systems with a multi-criteria approach. This method is subsequently combined with spatial data from a geographical information system for environmental impact assessment over a whole region. A case study is described, referring to four alternative maize cropping systems in the watershed of the Lagoon of Venice, Italy. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.