Author(s)

MARTINA TOMMASI, SIMONE VIRGILI, SILVIA DI NISIO, ALESSANDRA CHIAPPINI, GIORGIO PASSERINI

Abstract

Agricultural activities represent a major source of greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollutants, particularly in regions characterized by intensive livestock farming. This study presents a municipal-scale bottom-up assessment of agricultural and livestock emissions in the Marche Region, Central Italy, focusing on the contribution of Macrosector 10 to methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), ammonia (NH₃), and nitrogen oxides (NO_x) emissions. Emissions were estimated using updated regional agricultural data, livestock registry information and IPCC-based emission factors differentiated by animal species, manure management practices and fertilizer use. The analysis reveals substantial spatial variability across the region, with livestock farming identified as the dominant source of CH₄ and NH₃ emissions. In particular, farming systems show the highest contribution to NH₃ and CH₄ emissions. Conversely, emissions associated with fertilized agricultural soils are the primary contributor to N₂O and NO_x emissions. The results also highlight the presence of localized emission hotspots at both municipal and provincial scales, reflecting the heterogeneous distribution of agricultural and livestock activities within the region. The findings confirm the significant role of the agricultural sector in regional atmospheric emissions and underline the importance of high-resolution emission inventories for supporting air quality management and climate mitigation strategies. Given the high global warming potential of methane and the role of ammonia in secondary particulate matter formation, the study provides a useful framework for identifying priority areas and sector-specific mitigation measures in Mediterranean agricultural systems.

Keywords

agriculture, livestock, emission inventory, spatial analysis, Italy