Nutrients: Difference between revisions

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|MainComponent=Land
|MainComponent=Land
|KeyReference=Van Drecht et al., 2009; Bouwman et al., 2009;
|KeyReference=Van Drecht et al., 2009; Bouwman et al., 2009;
|Reference=Beusen et al., 2008; Bouwman et al., 2009; Bouwman et al., 2011; Cleveland et al., 1999; Diaz and Rosenberg, 2008; Galloway et al., 2004; OECD, 2012; Rabalais, 2002; UNEP, 2002; Van Drecht et al., 2009; Zhang et al., 2010;  
|Reference=Beusen et al., 2008; Bouwman et al., 2009; Bouwman et al., 2011; Cleveland et al., 1999; Diaz and Rosenberg, 2008; Galloway et al., 2004; OECD, 2012; Rabalais, 2002; UNEP, 2002; Van Drecht et al., 2009; Zhang et al., 2010;
|FrameworkElementType=model component
|FrameworkElementType=model component
|Description=Human activities have accelerated the Earth’s biogeochemical nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles by increasing the use of fertilizers in agriculture (Bouwman et al., 2011). The changes in global nutrient cycles have both positive and negative effects. Increased use of N and P fertilizers has allowed for the production of food required to support a rapidly growing human population, and increasing per-capita consumption of particularly meat and milk(Galloway et al., 2004). This has also contributed to ongoing gains in yields, thereby making agriculture economically viable on an area that expanded much less than the harvested output. A side-effect is that significant fractions of the mobilized N are lost through emissions of ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) into the ambient air. Ammonia contributes to eutrophication and acidification when deposited on land. Nitric oxide plays a role in tropospheric ozone chemistry, and nitrous oxide  is a potent greenhouse gas. Also, large fractions of the mobilized N and P in watersheds enter groundwater through leaching, and are released to surface water through groundwater transport and surface runoff. Subsequently, nutrients in streams and rivers are transported towards coastal marine systems, reduced by retention but augmented by releases from point sources such as sewage systems and industrial facilities.
|Description=Human activities have accelerated the Earth’s biogeochemical nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles by increasing the use of fertilizers in agriculture (Bouwman et al., 2011). The changes in global nutrient cycles have both positive and negative effects. Increased use of N and P fertilizers has allowed for the production of food required to support a rapidly growing human population, and increasing per-capita consumption of particularly meat and milk(Galloway et al., 2004). This has also contributed to ongoing gains in yields, thereby making agriculture economically viable on an area that expanded much less than the harvested output. A side-effect is that significant fractions of the mobilized N are lost through emissions of ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) into the ambient air. Ammonia contributes to eutrophication and acidification when deposited on land. Nitric oxide plays a role in tropospheric ozone chemistry, and nitrous oxide  is a potent greenhouse gas. Also, large fractions of the mobilized N and P in watersheds enter groundwater through leaching, and are released to surface water through groundwater transport and surface runoff. Subsequently, nutrients in streams and rivers are transported towards coastal marine systems, reduced by retention but augmented by releases from point sources such as sewage systems and industrial facilities.

Revision as of 14:07, 2 August 2013

Key policy issues

  • How will the increasing use of fertilisers affect terrestrial and marine ecosystems, with possible consequences for human health?
  • To what extent can the negative impacts be reduced by more efficient nutrient management and wastewater treatment, while retaining the positive effects on food production and land productivity?

Introduction

"model component" is not in the list (driver component, pressure component, interaction component, state component, impact component, response component) of allowed values for the "FrameworkElementType" property.